Page 73 of Devil's Dilemma

“I think I was quite clear. Skull claimed her. You know it’s forbidden for anyone to lay their hands on a woman who belongs to another member, particularly in this chapter. Blackie was killed for that very thing.” He names his grandfather, killed by Hellfire with the club’s blessing. Hellfire was only a prospect at the time, but everyone knew Moira was his. It’s never been admitted, but the clues are all there. Moira fell pregnant, and most of us suspect the relationship is not exactly what it’s been made out to be for all these years. We all suspect Demon is Hellfire’s brother, not his son. But hell, what do those facts matter? Just like the baby Mel’s carrying, and Demon’s own kid, Theo, it’s just genetics. It’s the nurture of a strong father figure which counts in every important way that matters.

But I leave history and memories behind and focus on the present. “Skull’s not a member. Hasn’t been thought of that way for four fucking months.”

“Because we thought he was dead. Now he’s living.”

I stand, my head moving side to side in disbelief. “You cannot be serious. Take a fuckin’ vote. Everyone would say aye to pulling his patch before you’ve gotten the words out of your fuckin’ mouth.”

“Careful, Ro. You’re verging on disrespect yourself.”

“Prez…”

“Hear me out. I don’t think that man can offer any excuse worth hearing. But what if he did get that hypothetical bump on his head? What if he truly can’t remember?”

“That shit doesn’t happen.”

“Unlikely, I admit, but it is possible. Bomber said he served with a man who forgot who he was after he’d gotten too close to a bomb blast. And Liz remembers meeting someone with temporary amnesia. Got his memory back, but with fuckin’ large gaps in it.”

I imagined walking up to Skull and watching his face fill with fear when he realises we’ve found him. Not for one moment had I considered he might look at me blankly as if I was a complete stranger. What are the implications if he did? Would Mel forgive him? Go back to him? Try and help him regain his memory? Jump back into his bed? Christ. It doesn’t bear thinking about.

“Chances are fuckin’ slim, I’ll give you that. But something stopped that man coming back.”

“Or, he selfishly left without feeling the need for explanation to Mel or to us.” Fuck. I slam my empty beer bottle down on the bar and snarl at Beaver when he runs up with a new one. He moves swiftly away. “I wasn’t going to fuck her, Prez, until we’d had a chance to find him. She needs to be able to maintain the high moral ground while he feeds her whatever fucked up line he’ll try. But my patience is only going to last so long. If we have to give up the search, want to bring it to the table. Take away his patch, or I turn mine in. If I can’t have Mel as a member, only one option.”

“Whoa, hold up there, Ro. Don’t say things you might regret.”

“Won’t be no regrets, Prez. I didn’t think I’d ever settle down. I was jealous of Skull when he found Mel as he’d discovered a gem, a diamond that I hadn’t known existed. But I said nothing, stayed back, would never go near another man’s woman. Even when he disappeared I didn’t step up. Became a friend because of loyalty to my missing brother. Remained a friend to be true to his memory. Thought that was all I’d ever be to her. Wasn’t going to fuck our friendship up, but I have been there looking out for her and the boy. Then Skull turns up.” I pause and look directly at him. “Things have been said. I didn’t dream she felt the same way about me. Nah, not when she was with Skull, but when he left, she accepted my friendship, and her feelings gradually became deeper. We only admitted it to each other today.”

I pause, look around the club, and am certain when I turn back. “Love this club. Love my brothers. Don’t want to leave. But this isn’t some flash in the pan thing, this is forever. I can’t have her and still be a member, then I’ve no choice. She comes first.”

He doesn’t give away his reaction immediately, and his eyes glaze slightly. “Beef was going to give it all up for Steph,” he reminds me. “When you find the right woman, the club isn’t enough.” He stops and takes a breath. “Not going to lose you, Ro. All I’m asking is we do it properly. Don’t want anyone saying because Skull didn’t turn in his patch, and we didn’t vote it off him, that she’s still his property. You keep your relationship respectful until we can make it formal, then all’s right between us.”

“She’s still staying in my bed. She needs me, Prez. As a friend at this point, more than a lover.”

“I can live with that.”

His hand grips my shoulder, squeezes it gently, then he walks off.

Mel looks fuckin’ amazing lying in my bed. Only her head is peeking out from under the sheet, her dark hair lying over the pillow. My gut clenches at the sight I’d never hoped to see.

“You got anything on under that sheet?” If she’s naked, it will be fucking difficult to keep the promise I’d just made. I’m a man, after all.

Her face goes pink. “I helped myself to one of your tee shirts. I hope you don’t mind.”

Of course I don’t. Though she’s darn near turned difficult into fucking impossible. A wave of possessiveness goes through me.

If she left me now and went back to Skull, it wouldn’t just hurt. I think it would be a mortal blow.

Moving forward, I stand at the end of the bed. “What would it take, Mel? What would it take for you to go back to Skull?”

She sits up at my question. The sheet falls revealing she’s snagged one of my favourite tees, an Iron Maiden one.Good taste, darlin’.“What are you talking about, Pyro? There’s nothing at all that would persuade me to go back.”

“What if he’d lost his memory and had truly forgotten you? What if there’s a valid reason for all this?”

She looks down at her hands. “I’ve been thinking about that. Am I awful to say it wouldn’t make a difference? All these months he’s been gone, I keep going over and over things that we said, the way he’d walked out and left me at first for just that one night. He blamed me for something that was down to him. I think he expected me to be the adult in the relationship. I was older, and he persuaded me our age difference didn’t matter. But looking back, I think it did. In little ways, it’s hard to pinpoint.”

I’m relieved as fuck that she wouldn’t return to him. “Age means nothing. Any man can behave like an ass. Can throw out his toys when the going gets rough. I don’t think age had anything to do with it. Don’t think he treated you as well as we thought, but who knows what goes on between a man and a woman behind closed doors?”

I take off my cut and remove my boots, she looks on like I’m unwrapping a present. But I leave on my jeans and tee and lie on top of the covers.

---