Through Thick And Thin

Chapter 3

"Where's the money, Carlos?"

"I don't...I don't know, Josh."

Joshua glanced over at Melody, who was scared shitless on the inside but still struggled to keep her face as blank as possible.

"That money was my girl's Christmas money, Carlos," Joshua said, getting up and pacing back and forth. "She was going to get her mama something nice. And you don't have it."

Melody didn't give a shit about the money, she really didn't. However, she knew that Joshua was angry, and she was trying not to be the target of his anger this time. If that meant poor Carlos being put on the spot this time, then she would gladly pretend to be pissed off.

"Baby, how should this dumbass be handled? It's your call, amor," Joshua said, reaching Melody and caressing her face lovingly.

Melody sighed and leaned into his touch.

"Do whatever you feel is best," she said softly but angrily. "Just don't kill him. Ignorance is inexcusable, but it's not a federal offense."

Joshua chuckled as he placed a kiss on her forehead.

"My love is feeling charitable today," he said to Carlos, who was whimpering at this point. "She's a saint. I'd kill the man who stole from my mother, but Melody is pure and giving."

Silence fell in the room, other than the gasps of the scared man at the head of the table.

"I'm going to take a page from her book," Joshua finally said. He held out his hand to Melody, who took it. He helped her stand, and they walked toward Carlos. "I'm going to let her get the first hit, before the others take care of you. How much do you want him to pay, amorcita?"

Melody looked over at Carlos with a trace of pity before her face turned stony again.

"$500 is what's missing. Beat him for $250, and he's got til the end of the week to give us the other half or he gets it again," she simply said. The words felt disgusting coming from her mouth, but if it meant Joshua keeping his hands off of her, she had to do what she needed to do.

"Once again, the reasonable angel here," Josh said with a chuckle. "Well, my love, do what you need to do."

He kissed her hand, and gestured to Carlos.

Melody took a deep breath and walked over to the scared man. Clenching her fists, she looked him in the eye.

"Sorry," she whispered faintly, before swinging her fist and hitting him square in the nose. He fell to the floor, screaming in pain.

"Kick his ass," she said, stepping over his body as Joshua's lackeys stepped in. She followed Josh out, feeling disgusted with herself. What was she turning into?

...

Melody awoke with a start, her body drenched in a cold sweat.

She hadn't been expecting to have a dream about her past. The dreams had gone away not too long ago, and she'd gotten used to them being gone.

Sky was up when she walked out of the room, pouring coffee into two travel mugs.

"Come on, we're going to be la- what?" she asked, seeing the look on Melody's face.

"Huh?" Melody asked, disoriented as she ran her hand through her tangled hair.

"Mellie, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's wrong?" Sky asked, leaning against the counter.