Page 23 of The Heir
"I believe you can do it," Melnyk says, still looking a bit shell-shocked.
"What?" Roman and I squawk at the same time.
"It makes sense, no? Ella held Melody captive in the basement for weeks. Ella turned her over to the jail when it suited her. We've made a fool of Ella. Melody deserves to be the one to put her down," Melnyk says with his hands spread wide.
"Yes! Fuck yes. See? Melnyk agrees—we have to do this." Melody claps her hands together with murderous glee.
I barely feel myself walk to the leather sofa and plop down. I can't lose her. I can't lose my wife. I just got her back. There's no way I'm going to offer her up on a silver platter.
"Sir?" Roman appears by my side. "For the record, I think this is abadidea. But I understand her stance."
"So do I, is the problem." I rake my hand down my face and scratch at the stubble growing on my jaw. "I think we need to discuss this. Obviously, we're in no position to launch any offensive right now, especially if Ella is well on her way to this location."
"Give me a fucking rocket launcher, and we'll see about offense." Melody glares at me. For some ridiculousreason, my cock very much likes the idea of my wife aiming a Javelin at her enemies.Down, boy.
"So, hypothetically speaking, what would you want to do?" I cross my legs and readjust myself. "Assuming we had adequate time to plan something out."
"Like I said. Kit me out. Give me, like, thirty pounds of body armor and all the guns you have. Knives, too. Set me loose." My wife smirks, and my heart skips a beat. "You said you'd deliver me my enemies and watch me work my magic. Prove it."
Fuck. I said a lot of things. She's really going to hold me to it, isn't she? "Fine."
"You're fucking joking," Roman scoffs. "After all this, you're going to risk her—"
"That's exactly why I need to do this," Melody interrupts. She fixes him with that chilling stare I know a little too well. "I want herdead, Roman. Dead-dead. Six feet under in an undisclosed location."
"You can't possibly be allowing this?" He turns to me and clenches his jaw. "I said I understand her stance, not that I think it's agoodstance."
"We do have body armor," I muse. "I don't know about rocket launchers but certainly assault rifles. And if I recall, Helena said her aim was improving at a shocking rate."
"Fucking ridiculous," Roman hissed. "You're so pussy-blind that you're seriously going to allow this?"
Melody's hand cracks across Roman's cheek. She was on him so fast, I never even saw her move. He glares at her with murderous rage. Her hand left a pink imprint on his cheek, and furious red creeps up his neck.
"Fuck you, Roman," she growls. "No oneallowsme to do shit. Let's talk body count and see how you measure up to me. No, actually, let's talkbare handsbody count. You shoot people? Istabandstrangleand watch the light leave their eyes. Keep your goddamn dick in your pants—I don't need a pissing contest; I need fucking weapons."
"Please," Melnyk leaps between the two of them. "Please, we do not need infighting. Mrs. Lyons is capable. I believe her. Mr. Lyons has final say—do not fight her, Roman."
I'm frozen. I do have the final say. They're on my payroll, and Roman is inching closer to another fistfight with me. The thought of losing Melody again—permanently—is paralyzing. But if she doesn't kill Ella, someone else will have to, and Melody will make my life a living hell for the rest of our days together.
"You haven't shot for a while, love. Let's at least test your reflexes. Everybody out," I command.
"You're going to regret this, Dante," Roman scoffs.
Melnyk lines up the cans of baked beans on a fallen log about fifty yards downhill from the cabin. Melody runs her fingers over the barrel of the rifle, taking in every groove and notch. Roman crouches beside a tree stump. He's silently fuming, and I know I'll have to deal with him, but first, I want to see what Melody can do.
With perfect trigger discipline, she aims her sight at the log and seven tin cans. Melnyk shuffles back to us, panting as he gives her a thumbs-up.
"Ready when you are, miss."
As soon as the words are out of Melnyk's mouth, she slips her finger into the trigger guard and fires off the first shot. The sharp crack echoes through the woods, piercing the still morning air. An empty casing tumbles to the forest floor, and the tin can of beans is obliterated.
"How's that, Ro?" I snicker and flick my gaze to my second in command. His jaw clenches as he grunts noncommittally.
With tiny adjustments, Melody sets her sights on the next can and fires off another shot. I can't help but flinch at the sound as she destroys the second can, the third, the fourth. Every single one of them is perfectlyaimed. Every single one of them hits their mark with deadly precision.
God, she's absolutely stunning.
She tosses her hair, pointing the gun to the earth. "Still think I'm ridiculous, Roman?"
