The Mobster And The Cowboy (A Cowboy Romance) (22 page)

Melanie saw Logan storm out and frowned.
Then she went back to paying attention to Kurt.

Richie came over to he
r and asked if he could take her home. It sounded more like pleading, but she said, “Thank you, but, no. Kurt is going to take me home.”

“Melanie, you sure you want to do that?”

Kurt watched the exchange closely.

She hesitated and Richie
felt she was warring with herself.

Finally
, she nodded her head. “Yeah, I’m sure. Goodnight, Richie.” She stared at him a moment longer, then turned back to Kurt.

Richie walked out.

****

As Logan was driving toward
his house, he remembered his conversation with his grandfather earlier.

He sighed and turned his bike around and headed back to the Salty Dog.
He couldn’t let Melanie go home alone.

When he pulled back into the parking lot, he shut the engine off and put down the center stand of the bike.

He saw Richie
, who told him Melanie was still inside.

“You need me to wait with you?”

“Nah. I’m good.”

“Ok
ay. I’m going to Kara’s. Later, bro.” he said as he shook Logan’s hand.

Logan just sat there with a leg up and over the handle bar, leaning back. He didn’t want to go in, so he just waited and waited. It also gave him ample opportunity to scan the place for tails.

The door kept opening and closing with patrons coming and going.

Finally, the next time the door opened, Melanie walked out with Kurt right behind
her, his fucking hand still at the small of her back.

Logan
sat there, seething. He knew they couldn’t see him from where he was parked.

He watched as they walked through the parking lot. Kurt kept trying to get close to Me
lanie and from where he was watching, he could tell she didn’t look happy about it. She kept stepping away from him. He even was able to see the annoyed look on her face. It made him smile, but just a little.

As they got to the passenger door of Kurt’s
old beamer, he watched Kurt back her up into the car. She struggled and Logan heard her say, “Kurt, no, stop.”

“Come on
, Melanie. I’ve wanted you from the moment I saw you, sugar.” He was slurring his words. “Just a kiss.”

Logan was enraged.
Not only was Kurt trying to hit on her but he was drunk and she was going to get into his car.

He threw his leg over the bike and with long intimidating strides, he walked up to Kurt just in time to see Kurt bring his hands up behind Melanie’s head and move in for a kiss.

Melanie struggled
. Just as she was bringing her knee up to his groin, she realized he wasn’t forcing himself on her any more. In fact, he was nowhere near her. She saw a very angry Logan drag him by his collar and throw him down. He went down with him and got in his face.

“The lady said no,
jerk off.” And for good measure and from wanting to do it from the first moment he heard him say he wanted a piece of her, he punched him.

Kurt
’s head fell back. Melanie heard it hit the pavement.

“Logan! W
hat’d you do that for?” she asked as she went to kneel down by Kurt’s head.

“Let’s go
, Melanie,” Logan said as he went to grab her arm to bring her up. 

She shook him off.

She looked from Kurt to Logan. “What if he’s really hurt?” she asked, still disbelieving Logan punched him.

Logan squatted down by her and took a closer look at Kurt as Melanie picked his head up to see if it was wet where it hit.
No. Melanie breathed a sigh of relief. At least he wasn’t bleeding.

“He’s fine,” Logan said
as Kurt let out a moan and held his head.

Logan
picked Kurt’s arms up and dragged him to the grassy island near the car. He plopped him down and Kurt landed like a rag doll. His eyes were opened, but he was bombed and all he wanted to do was rest.

“
Let him stay here till he sobers up. Let’s go,” he said again as he grabbed her arm. That time she let him.

She let him lead her
, but she kept looking back.

Once at the bike, Logan handed her
, her helmet and she put it on, tucking her hair in.

He held her arm as she straddled the bike.
He then straddled in front of her, started the bike and reached for her hands. He placed them at his waist and held tight. He let go, and she loosened her hold.

“Damn it, Melanie,” he said
as he whipped off his helmet and faced her. “Hold tight.”

He couldn’t see her face because it was dark and hidden behind a dark shield
, but after a moment, she nodded.

He turned forward and put his helmet back on.

She wrapped her hands around him tight and he took off.

Twenty minutes later, he pulled up in front of his house and killed the engine.

Melanie didn’t wait for him to get up.
She wiggled off quickly and ripped off her helmet.

“Why are we here?
I thought you were going to take me home.” She was angry.

He took off his helmet and rose.
He walked to her and gently placed a hand on her arm. “Melanie,” he said softly.

“What?”

“Let’s go inside.”

“I want to go home.”

“I want you in my bed.”

She sighed.
She wanted to be in his bed, but she was pissed. “Why?”

“What do you mean why?”

“Why do you want me in your bed, Logan?” Suddenly she was not sure of herself, of him, or anything anymore.

“Because
I like you in my bed,” he said solemnly as he placed his other hand on her other arm and drew her close to him. He then wrapped his arms around her.

She didn’t hug him back, but she didn’t pull a
way either.

He dropped one arm, turned her around and walked, s
he on one side, and his bike on the other, to the side of his house.

Normally he would have covered the bike but he left it uncovered, it was under a portico, and walked her into his house.

Once inside the house, Melanie stayed by the door.

L
ogan frowned as he moved more into the kitchen. He was at a loss for words. He didn’t really know what was bothering her.

He turned around, “You just gonna stand there?”

“Why won’t you take me home?” she asked as a tear slipped down her cheek.

Logan sighed, “Melanie, you can’t go there.
It may not be safe.”

Her eyes grew wide.
“What do you mean?”

“My grandfather said-”

“Your grandfather is old and insane. He imagined that we were being followed this afternoon. He even pulled out a gun.”

L
ogan was hurt by her words. He shook his head and backed up into the counter by the sink. He leaned against it and crossed his legs at the ankle and arms at his chest.

“My grandfather is well trained in tracking, if he tells me you were being followed, I believe him.
Contrary to what you say, I can assure you, he is sane,” he bit out. “Now, I’m tired and I’m going to bed. You want to come, fine, if not, stay there,” he said as he pushed off the counter and walked to his bedroom. He left the door open.

Melanie sank to the floor by the wall of the door. She hugged her arms around her knees and began to cry softly.

Logan heard her soft sobs.
He waited a while, not fully understanding why his heart hurt so much at the sound of her crying. She was unhappy and he knew there was something more going on with her.

Fifteen minutes
later, Logan quietly walked out of the bedroom in just his briefs and strode over to her.

She picked her head up as he grew closer.
Damn, he doesn’t play fair. Did he have to come out in just his underwear, man, he was one beautiful specimen,
she thought as she watched his powerful thighs walk her way. She gave no indication of what he was doing to her. She just frowned and averted her eyes forward.

He moved next to her and
sank down. He put a hand to his face and rubbed. He turned his head to her profile and noted how pretty it was. The contour of her jaw, the straight line of her nose that turned up slightly, and her clear, dewy skin was enticing. He sighed as he put an arm around her.

She leaned into him.

“Tell me what’s wrong. I hate to see you like this.”

She di
dn’t answer. He just held her tighter. Then he heard her softly speak.

“She’ll always come first. I know I have no right to complain about it
, but every time we run into her, you leave me,” she said, swiping a hand across her eyes to wipe the tears.

He sighed again.

“She’s the mother of your child, Logan. I can’t compete with that.”

“There’s no competition.
I want you, not her.”

It didn’t register what he
had just said. She just continued. “With Michael, it was always his girlfriends on the side. With you, it will always be Linda.”

Logan
was offended. He clenched his jaw and counted to ten before he replied. “Don’t compare me to Michael. I’m nothing like him. I haven’t been with anyone but you since I met you and have no intention of being with anyone but you.”

They sat quietly for a while longer.

“Why do you want me? You don’t even know me.”

“I know you more
than you may think?”

She just looked at him and sighed, unconvinced.

“I know your favorite food is pasta, with anything on it. I know you like Kamikazes with your Chinese food. I know when you get buzzed, you switch to water so as not to overdo it and get drunk. I know without even looking that you have the most beautiful deep blue eyes I have ever seen and I know, because you gave me the privilege of seeing, what I see behind them when you’re coming. I see a beautiful, calm, good soul that somehow has the ability to calm me down too.”

Melanie looked up to him in surprise.

He paused a good
five minutes as he continued to hold her tight and then he spoke again. “I happen to think we’re good together. I feel, with you by my side, I’m stronger. You’ve given me the strength to sue for sole custody of Heath. Before I met you, I continued to let Linda manipulate me in order to keep my son safe from her wrath, if you will.” He paused. “For the first time in a very long time, I have the desire to clean up, get my life in order so I can begin again, begin to form a relationship, a healthy relationship….with you.” He sighed and then added, “I can’t guarantee you things will go smoothly, especially in the coming months, and I’m part of a pair.  Heath is and always will be a part of me, but I’m asking you to be by my side. I will try my hardest to make you happy. When you’re happy, I’m happy. I know we’re a new relationship, but man, it just feels so right.”

“But
, I can’t shoot Jack and I can’t guzzle beer,” she said, sounding so wounded.

With his hand, he gently turned her head to him.

“What?”

“Linda said I wouldn’t be enough for you because I can’t shoot Jack or drink beer,” she repeated.

Logan was shocked. “When did you talk to Linda?”

“She came up to me and Geli one
night while we were at the Salty Dog and told me I wasn’t good enough for you.”

Logan mashed his lips together and began to breath heavy. Once he checked himself, he sai
d, “I’m glad you won’t shoot Jack, I’m doing him, remember?”

She smiled a little.

“I’m glad you don’t guzzle beer. I’m looking for a woman, not a buddy. You are more than enough for me Melanie. You’re everything I am looking for in a woman. Please believe that.”

She turned her head to face him.
Something lifted off her chest. Until then, she was lost. Not knowing who she was, not knowing where she belonged. She was contemplating packing up and going home, home to New York City. Michael be damned.

By him asking her to be by his side gave her that sense of belonging.
She also never doubted for a moment that his son would be a part of their relationship. She understood and was good with that. She also knew it was not a declaration of love and she too, wasn’t going to throw that word around without exploring more, but it gave her a direction. One she wanted that included him because if it wasn’t love, it was a very strong like she felt for him.

He looked intently in her eyes as he swiped a tear from her face. He saw her swallow as he studied her face. He reached in slightly and she reached him slightly.

He pulled back briefly then moved in again to claim her lips.

Their kiss started out softly, tentatively then escalated into a heated exchange.

He snaked his tongue into her warm, wet mouth searching for hers.
He found it instantly as she felt an urgent need of him.

They both removed her cloth
es right there, and he discarded his briefs in between kissing and caressing each other. He took her there, on the floor. Slow and sweet.

Their arms wrapped around each other, their bodies sweaty and sliding.

His thrusts were long and purposeful
.

She could feel him deep inside her
as his right hand came down to her left leg and caressed it as he lifted it up, allowing him deeper penetration.

He moved his hand to her clit and massaged it and pulled it. Man, he knew how to play her.

She climaxed
, breathing heavy into his mouth.

Whenever he made her come, it never ceased to set him off
. Before long, he too was breathing heavy into hers. Each sucking in and breathing in each other.

No words were exchanged.
None needed to be at that point. Their gazes said it all.

After a while
, he rose up and reached for her hand. He scooped her up, left the clothes where they lay and carried her to bed.

Logan settled her in front of him, spooning her.
He wrapped his arm around her and held her tight. He kissed the top of her head, and after a while she fell asleep.

He, however, couldn’t sleep.
As much as being with her calmed his soul, the thought of someone out to hurt her scared the shit out of him.

****

It was Wednesday night and Vito Sacrapante was at Nina Verdi’s house. Nina had been his goumada for the past twenty six years and like every Wednesday night for the past twenty six years, he spent his time there, at her house on 16
th
Avenue in Brooklyn.

Oh, his wife knew, but
he made sure she was always well taken care of. A new car every two years, a large house overlooking the water in Bay Ridge, lots and lots of money to spend on anything. Yes, he kept her very happy and in return, he was able to spend time with Nina as she pretended all was well. It worked out for all involved.

Michael, no dummy, was in Manhattan at the apartment Amilynn vacated three weeks earlier, banging a brunette. He couldn’t even remember her name. He was fucking her doggie style so hard, she was crying. He was so coked up, he didn’t even notice. It was becoming more and more difficult to come. He knew with Melanie, he’d come quick. He needed to get her back, to take the edge off.

Back on 16
th
Avenue, Lino was parked down the block, across the street by a fire hydrant. Vinnie was down the block on the street corner leaning against a broken light pole, trying to blend in on that dark cloudy night, smoking a cigarette with a cupped hand to hide the orange glow. Tony Sacks, another associate of Michael’s, was on the other street corner, waiting, watching.

Two hours later, Crazy Jack Depalma pulled up and double parked in front of Nina’s house, in a large black Mercedes Benz.

Lino
perked up. “Show time,” he said to himself and looked around to see Vinnie then Tony.

T
hey too, saw and began to walk slowly toward the house.

The front door opened and out came a young couple, holding hands.
Tony pulled out his gun and was ready to fire when he realized it was Nina’s son and his new wife. He lowered the gun to his side and ducked, as did Vinnie, and waited.
Dumb fucks, almost got blown away,
he thought to himself as he watched them get into a parked BMW and drive away.

The front door opened up again and out came Bobby, the bodyguard
, and a moment later, Vito.

Bobby opened the back door of the Mercedes for Vito when all hell broke loose.

Sacks
shot at Vito, hitting his target. Vito crumpled to the ground.

Pulling out his gun,
Bobby turned to where the shot rang out and started shooting. He managed to get one shot off and hit nothing because from behind him, Vinnie pumped two shots into him and he went down.

Lino
pulled up quickly, and Vinnie and Tony jumped into the car and sped off, just as Jack fired off a couple of shots at the car.