Page 41 of Freak
But Mel was in no mind to make nice with that crazy motherfucker or his nasty bitch. With his lungs finally satisfied, he stood up straight and glared silently at Isaac.
“Just a coupl’a beasts lettin’ off steam, Isaac,” Rhett said, standing at Maniac’s side. “No harm, no foul.”
“No,” Mel said before he realized he meant to speak. His voice was rough but clear. “His chick disrespected my woman in our house. That gets answered.”
“That’s chick shit,” Maniac snarled. “Between them. Butyoudisrespected my woman, and that’s between us.”
“He’s got a point,” Rhett said, his attention on Badger.
Hands on his hips, his forehead puckered in anger, Badger glowered at everyone involved. The world seemed to pause while the Missouri president considered.
“Fuck. Call it a draw—and no more of this shit.” He shoved his way through to the back of the room and headed toward his office.
Mel watched him go, even more furious. He’d gotten no support at all—for defending Abigail, his woman, in his own clubhouse.
Abigail. He hadn’t seen her since this mess had started. He looked around.
She was not in the Hall.
He cast another glance around, peering more closely through the crowd, but all he saw was a party turning back to its business. No sign of his woman.
“Where’s Abigail?” he asked, of no one and everyone.
“I don’t think she’s real happy with that scene, brother,” Isaac said, his voice now calm and familial. “She went right out the front door before you took that first punch.”
Chapter Twelve
Sitting behind thewheel of her truck, Abigail took a moment to collect herself—or, at least, to make a decent effort at it. She was badly shaken and not sure which emotions comprised the ingredients of this mental soup. With a deep, slow breath, she closed her eyes and began an inventory.
Shock—was shock an emotion? Well, it was certainly a feeling. Anger—she felt that, too. And a crushing, painful disappointment. She wouldn’t yet go so far to call it heartbreak; heartbreak meant the end of things with Mel, and it was too soon to say that. But what she felt was on that road.
He’d reacted to that woman’s words so quickly and with such force. And with so much meanness, right there, waiting to be deployed. He’d matched that woman’s pettiness instantly.
Only someone who had the same kind of thoughts in his head could have responded so quickly. And he’d known—no, he’dassumed—the woman was referring to her, despite her name not being said. Though he’d responded in ostensible support and defense of her, Abigail was now confronted with the idea that Mel saw her as that woman did.
She’d been hit broadside. Her only thought at that moment had been to remove herself from the tainted environment at once.
