Melody: A Novel Part 20

He carried her to the couch. "d.a.m.n, aren't you a sweet little brown thing, huh? I'm gonna enjoy this, you can believe me!"

"Help! Someone help!"

"Oh, come on, baby. Just relax, huh?" He grinned. "It'll be over before you know it. No, better yet, I want to take my time with you." He ran his tongue down her face. She whimpered. "I'd like to take my time and get it right." He threw her on the couch.

"Help!" She jumped up. He shoved her down. "Help! Someone help!"

"Aw, why you screaming? I mean, you're in good hands now, baby." He sat beside her. "Might as well enjoy it." She screamed. He slapped his hand over her mouth. "I don't want to hurt you, Aileen. I like you a lot already. There are ways we can do this, sweetheart. You understand?" He pulled her up.

"You're...you're a cop?" She shook. "My G.o.d, you're supposed to protect people! How can you do this?" He lifted her and slung her over his shoulder. "Put me down!"

She fought viciously.

He panted. "You'll understand me once you get to know me better, Aileen. And believe me, darling, that's most of the fun."

He took her upstairs to her bedroom.

Chapter Eleven.

Melody had antic.i.p.ated this Sat.u.r.day night for days. She found dinner with the Lawsons interesting. It didn't compare to what happened afterward. She knew Lucas would try to get her to go back to his place. She did. She didn't know where things would lead. She still wasn't ready for s.e.x. She couldn't understand why she held out. She'd known Lucas for ages.

He would always be special to her. She found it terribly difficult to balance the bond of friends.h.i.+p and love. Tonight appeared perfect. h.e.l.l, it should have felt perfect. But Melody still wasn't any step closer to making that move with Lucas. His living room signified the perfect romantic setting. Candles, light music, wine, fresh fruit, two blankets by the fireplace. Yep, idle perfection.

Lucas admitted that his maid helped him set things up. It didn't matter to Melody. They could have been in the bathroom. The moment would have still been magical to her. She slipped her shoes off. Lucas led her to the blankets. She sat down. She didn't think he could get more beautiful until she saw him in candlelight.

"What do you think?" He wore a silky black s.h.i.+rt that nearly gave Melody hives. Maybe Lucas's perfection had been what stalled her toward s.e.x. Maybe she unconsciously felt she couldn't live up to his expectations. She sipped her wine.

"Did you have a good time at dinner?"

"I don't call eating at your parents' townhouse a 'good time,' Lucas. It was perfect. Everything is so d.a.m.n perfect." She sighed.

"Uh." He leaned toward her. "You're upset?"

"Yes." She looked away.

He grinned. "Because the night was perfect?" She nodded. "And this is a bad thing?"

"Sometimes," she exhaled. "You're mad?"

"No." He walled his eyes.

She grinned. "Yes you are. Why can't you just admit that you're mad?"

"Okay, I am!" He stood. "I'm furious! I can't get a handle on you, Mel! I can't figure you out to save my life!" She sat on her knees. "I try to show you a good time, to be the best boyfriend I can, and all you do is whine!"

She grinned. "Okay, go on."

"I'm sick of it! I want you to put out something, Melody. s.h.i.+t, I'm not talking about s.e.x; I'm talking about your d.a.m.n emotions! Sometimes I feel like I could get more affection from a rock." She covered her grin. "I mean, I try and try to do things to make you happy, and I end up feeling guilty! Sometimes, I feel like I should just give up! You should be d.a.m.n glad you got a man who goes through so much trouble for you, Mel! You know how many women would want that?"

"Ha, ha, ha!" She rolled over.

"What...what's so d.a.m.n funny? I'm p.i.s.sed as h.e.l.l, Melody! I'm sick of this s.h.i.+t and you're laughing at me? I just gave you the business! What the h.e.l.l's so funny?"

"Ha, ha, ha! You!" She pointed. "Oh G.o.d!" She strutted around, mocking his rant. "Oh, you...oh, Lucas." She smiled.

"Wait a minute." He grinned. "You mean, I act a gentleman all the d.a.m.n time and you act like you're on PMS." She laughed. "Then I get upset and you're happy?"

"Yes! Yes, I am!" she guffawed.

"Why?" he yelled.

"Because you're not f.u.c.kin' perfect after all!" She kissed him. They fell over on the blankets. Melody laughed until her stomach ached. Lucas laughed until he turned red.

"Mel, I..." He chuckled. "I don't understand you."

"I don't want you to be perfect, Lucas." She looked into his eyes. "I just want you to be my boyfriend. I enjoy the romantic settings and the carriage rides. But you don't have to be that way all the time." He looked away. "Sometimes trying too hard is worse than not trying at all."

"I understand. I thought women wanted this kind of s.h.i.+t. I mean, 'stuff.'"

She grinned. "No, 's.h.i.+t' was the right word." She kissed him. "Lucas, each day I fall more in love with you."

"You do?" He smirked.

"Yes. And now that I know you're not perfect yourself, I can relax. I mean, I don't have to feel like I'm under a microscope." "Jesus, I made you feel like that?" He grimaced.

"No. It's just that my idea of you being perfect started to wreck my self-image. That's probably why I wouldn't give more to the relations.h.i.+p. And I'm not talking about just s.e.x."

He held her. "You give enough." He kissed her cheek. "Anyway, this is a relief to me, too. I got sick of trying to be so d.a.m.n perfect all the time. Now I can relax." He belched.

"Eeuuw, Lucas!" She frowned.

"What? You told me not to be perfect." He laughed.

"I didn't mean be a d.a.m.n pig in the process." She fanned her hands. "G.o.d, smells like a dead dog."

"It does not!" He laughed.

"Don't do that again, I swear." She grinned.

"Can I have a kiss?"

"Not after belching in my face." She pushed him away. "I'm glad we got this cleared up, Lucas."

"Me, too. I wanted to talk to you about something else. It has nothing to do with us."

"Okay. Sounds serious."

"Well..." He unhooked his leg from underneath the other. He sat down flat. "I want you to settle this thing with Keith."

"Excuse me? Why are we all of a sudden talking about Keith?"

"Because he's told me some things and I am concerned about how you two are together. Melody, uh, Caper is my father's company. Everything that happens there reflects him. I wanted to make sure you know that."

"Wait, Lucas, how come I feel like this is a d.a.m.n lecture?"

"Don't get upset. I'm just saying that I see what's going on. Keith says he's worried you're going to do something to jeopardize his job, and frankly, I'm worried about that, too."

"Lucas, I'd never hurt someone out of spite or anything. Is that what you're implying? Did Keith tell you to talk to me? What the h.e.l.l did he say, anyway?"

"He asked me to keep it in confidence, Mel. He's my friend, so of course we talk sometimes. Since you're my girlfriend I guess he wanted to come to me. There's no harm done." He rubbed her hair. She pushed him away.

"The h.e.l.l it's not. I'm leaving." She gathered her shoes.

"What?" He stood. "Melody, it isn't that serious!"

"Oh, believe me, it is. I get this s.h.i.+t from Sarah and now I gotta get it from you, too? I don't need yet another snowed person trying to tell me how great a guy Keith Taylor is, Lucas. I know what he really is!"

"Is that why you went behind my back and reported Keith to my father, Melody?" He squinted. "And you're always harping about trust!"

"That son of a b.i.t.c.h told you?" She sighed. "Did he tell you why I reported him?"

"He thinks to make trouble."

"But what do you think?"

"I...I don't know what to think, Melody. I've seen how you are with Keith at work, and I know how much you can't stand him."

"Lucas, I have just cause! I don't believe this! So you think Keith is this great guy and I'm just causing trouble?"

"Melody, Keith is my friend. I've known him for four years."

"But you've known me forever!" She waved her shoes. "So much for trying to make this night perfect, Lucas. I think you're on a roll with being able to f.u.c.k up moments like these." He grabbed her. "Let me go!" He backed away. "Lucas, I need you on my side about this. I need you to believe me about Keith."

"Believe what? You haven't said a d.a.m.n thing except that you don't like him! What has he done to you, Mel? Why can't you just tell me that? I find it suspicious that you can't."

"I don't want to involve you. You won't understand."

He shook her. "Try me, and let me make that decision! Melody, you don't ever come to me with anything! What am I supposed to think when Keith tells me that you're out to get him?"

"You're not supposed to think I'd really do it! I'm your girlfriend, Lucas! I thought you're supposed to be on my side!"

"And look how p.i.s.sed you always get when Keith's name's mentioned! It's not normal, Melody. You're not being rational about this. Melody, it doesn't look right to me. I think you have a problem and it has nothing to do with Keith."

She shook her head. "f.u.c.k you, Lucas." She went to the door.

"Melody, I brought you! Wait!" He grabbed her. She knocked him to the floor.

"I don't need anyone else pointing out my mistakes, Lucas! And most of all, not my so-called perfect boyfriend." She sighed. "Or ex-boyfriend. Whatever the h.e.l.l you wanna call it!" She slammed the front door. He opened it.

"Melody, wait! Mel, I wasn't accusing you of anything! Melody!"

She didn't look back.

Steven awoke to someone banging on his front door. He didn't bother putting on a s.h.i.+rt. He rushed downstairs in his boxers. He opened the door to a solemn-looking Detective Cunningham.

"Hey, man." Steven rubbed his eyes. He ran his hands through his straggly hair. Cunningham didn't seem his usual jolly self.

"Hey, Steve," he muttered.

Steven grinned. "Cunningham, I know this has to be important. I mean, it's almost midnight. I know something's gotta be up. I mean, you haven't been over here in about two years." Steven chuckled.

"Yeah." Cunningham gestured inside. "Steven, this is serious. I never thought I'd have to do this, but..." Two cars sped into Steven's driveway. He leaned to get a better look. Captain Jersey and a uniformed cop got out of the police vehicle. Steven cringed when he saw who got out of the second, s.h.i.+ny black car.

"Cunningham, what in the h.e.l.l's going on?" Steven stared at a tall, hard-faced black man with a thick mustache. He walked with the poise of power. He straightened the lapel of his light jacket. He followed a white man who appeared in his early forties. The white man stomped out a cigarette before they reached the porch. "Cunningham, I asked you a question." Steven exhaled. "What the h.e.l.l is Commissioner Reynolds doing here?" Steven pointed to the regal black man.

"Steven, something terrible has happened. I came because I thought it would comfort you seeing me and..."

"Is it Bree?" Steven grabbed him. "Did something happen to Bree?"

"No, Morris is fine." Cunningham lowered his voice when the others walked up behind him. "Steven, there was another rape. You...uh..."

Captain Jersey looked at the three men behind her. She made her place beside Cunningham. "Detective Kemp, you already know Commissioner Reynolds." Reynolds kept his eyes ahead as if looking at Steven sickened him.

"Commissioner Reynolds, sir. What's going on here, Captain?"

"I'm Agent Parsons." The white guy held up his badge before Jersey could introduce him. "Internal Affairs."

Jersey shook her head.

"Internal Affairs?" Steven gasped. "What the h.e.l.l's going on here?"

"Didn't Detective Cunningham fill you in?" Reynolds gestured. "Then let us do the honors. Steven Kemp, you are under arrest."

"Under arrest?" He chuckled. "Is this some kind of joke?" He looked at Jersey. "Captain, what the h.e.l.l is going on here?"

"Steven, I'm afraid this is no joke. You're being arrested." She sighed.

"Uh..." He gaped. "Mind telling me what in the h.e.l.l for?" He laughed. "Okay, I've been the bud of many practical jokes, but this takes the cake!"

Reynolds squinted. "Do you see anyone else laughing here, Kemp?"