Chapter 37

Melanie POV

I call the cab to pick me up at Heath’s house. I hope this goes the way that Jade thinks it will. I know she would have no problem sacrificing me to save Dakota’s ass, but I am not really in the mood to die today.

Heath comes to the bedroom to let me know the cab is there to pick me up. He takes me into his arms and holds me so gently. These new emotions and feelings are so unusual for me. It is strange to have someone care for me. I hope I do not fuck it up.

Heath walks me out of the house to the cab. I get in and give the driver the address for the diner. I am nervous. I feel like I may be sick, but I need to pull myself together. I have to be my usual sassy self when I meet her at the diner, or she will know that I know all about her.

The cab pulls into the diner. I see Melanie sitting inside, already waiting for me. I pay the driver and get out of the cab. I go into the restaurant. She waves me over. I go and sit down with her.

“Melanie, you look wonderful; I have been so worried about you. Are you doing okay?” I ask her.

“Yeah, I am great,” Melanie says.

She hands me a menu. “They serve breakfast here all day long, and I think I want pancakes. Remember when you made me pancakes?” Melanie says to me.

“I do; we had a lot of fun that morning,” I say to her.

“Do you think we can do that again when all of this is over?” Melanie asks me. She reaches for my hand.

“Of course, we can,” I say to her. I take her hand and hold it lovingly. It is hard not to recoil from her touch, but I know how much Jade needs Melanie to talk to me.

“I went by your place, but you were not there, and I went by your work, and they said you were working from home. Where have you been?” Melanie asks me.

“Well, if you must know, I have been seeing someone,” I say to her.

“Are you going to share him with me?” Melanie asks.

“Is that what you want?” I ask her.

“I thought you loved me and would always share with me?” Melanie asks in an angry tone.

“Of course, sweetie. I am sorry I did not call you, but I thought after what Dakota did to you that you would not be ready for that right now,” I say to her.

Melanie begins to laugh. “Tonya, I thought you were smarter than that; Dakota did not touch me. Well, he did fuck me that morning at your house, but not when he came to my apartment. I pulled him into the bed and started screaming for help,” Melanie says to me.

“That was smart,” I say to her.

“Now, he cannot hurt us anymore. He will be all alone just like he tried to make me all alone,” Melanie says.

“Do you need me to do anything for you, Melanie?” I ask her.

“I do need a new place to stay. I packed up all my things, and now I have nowhere to go,” Melanie says.

“I thought you had a house across the river,” I say to her.

“I cannot live there until my ex’s family decides to give it back. It is complicated,” Melanie says.

“Maybe I can help; I am a lawyer,” I say to her.

“Can I stay with you?” Melanie asks.

“Of course you can, or I can get you a hotel, whichever you prefer,” I say to her.

“That is right, and you have a new man in your life for a minute or two; how young is he?” Melanie asks me.

“He is not that young, and this is different. I think I like him a lot,” I say to her.

“Oh, I see, I thought I really liked a guy once, and he dumped me for an old bitch across the water,” Melanie says to me.

“What was his name?” I ask her.

“Luke Owens,” Melanie says.

“Did you say, Luke Owens?” I ask her.

“Does that name ring a bell to you?” Melanie asks me.

“Yes, I know Luke Owens. He did some work for me last summer, but he never finished it,” I say to her.

“He never will either,” Melanie says.

“Do you think I was messing around with Luke?” I ask her.

“Yeah, I do. That is the only reason I tracked Dakota down to get to you, bitch,” Melanie says to me.

I hold her hand and rub the top of it, trying to calm her. “Melanie, I was not the other woman in Luke’s life, I was deeply involved with someone last summer, but it was not Luke,” I say to her.

“Then why did he dump me? He told me he was in love with someone else,” Melanie demands answers.

“Melanie, I have no idea who he was seeing. He was there to fix some things for me at the beach house, and that was it, I promise you,” I say to her.

“I need to know who he was seeing, and I need to know why,” Melanie sobs.

“I can help you find out, but why don’t you just ask him?” I ask her.

Melanie begins to cry harder. I continue rubbing the top of her hand. “I cannot ask him,” Melanie says.

“Of course you can. I will go with you to talk to him,” I say to her.

“We cannot talk to him; he is dead,” Melanie says.

“Oh, sweetie, I am sorry to hear that,” I say to her.

“Don’t be; I killed him. I buried him behind our house. That is why I cannot go back there,” Melanie says.

I let go of her hand. I sit there looking at her. “Now you are mad at me, aren’t you?” Melanie says.

“No, I am only trying to understand why,” I say to her.

Melanie picks up the knife off of the table and begins stabbing me. I fall to the floor of the dinner, and everything goes black.