Read Rebel Heart for Free Online Page B

and scooped Scarlett into his arms, almost making a point of it. She squealed and placed a wet kiss against his cheek as he eyed Mel, who slumped and walked away.
    Stella felt sorry for Mel but she couldn’t help but feel sorry for Scarlett too.
    They weren’t exactly friends. Scarlett stuck with the club wives and old ladies and despite being the daughter of one of the SOW founders, Stella had very little to do with the club these days. Even so, Scarlett’s obliviousness was painful to watch.
    Stella made her way over to where Mel was sitting at a picnic table and nudged her in the side.
    “You okay?” she questioned softly, picking a leaf from her friends honey blonde hair.
    Mel shrugged and remained quiet.
    “He’s an ass,” Stella commented matter-of-factly.
    “Besides, he’s not even that hot, is he?”
    Both girls turned to look in Maddox’s direction. Mel sighed and flattened a wrinkle in her skirt. It couldn’t have been any farther from the truth. With Maddox’s chiseled face, bedroom eyes, and sun kissed skin, he was akin to some kind of Greek god; or at least the closest a Falls Creek man could come to one.
    Mel turned to look at Stella in silent defeat as Maddox began to devour Scarlett whole. He kissed his way down her neck as she squealed and ran her manicured hands beneath his leather cut. Their children were busy playing in a patch of matted grass behind them, completely oblivious to their parent’s blatant public display of affection. Regardless of how forced it might have been, Stella could tell that it made Mel’s skin crawl.
    “Hey,” Stella spoke up with a mischievous smile.
    “Want to go cow tipping?”
    It was a trivial thing they had found enjoyment in growing up. Blessing of the Bikes took place on Dice’s forty-acre farm. Cows, horses, sheep and chickens took up shelter in the large red barn that sat in the center of all the commotion.
    When the beer clanking, chest bumping, bike revving festivities became too much for Mel and Stella to bear, they would hop the fence and frolic with the animals.
    Although the cow tipping aspect hadn’t occurred to them until they were teenagers.
    Mel rolled her eyes and stood up.
    “Really Stel?” she answered, exasperation heavy in her tone. She arched a brow and crossed her arms over her chest.
    “What are we, thirteen?”
    Stella sighed.
    “Just trying to lighten the mood.”
    Mel shook her head and continued handing out beers. A few men winked at her and made obligatory catcalls, but she was used to their candidness and ignored them. Stella placed her hands on Mel’s shoulders and gave them a squeeze.
    “C’mon, you can’t keep letting him do this to you Mellie.”
    She spread her arms and took a step back to look Mel over.
    “You’re Mel, the great and powerful! You don’t need some...”
    Stella paused and looked back at Maddox in search of a physical flaw.
    “Some sweaty , conniving, alpha male!”
    Mel snickered.
    “Yes!” Stella exclaimed.
    “See? That’s the Mel I know and love. Seriously though, you can do so much better, you know that right?”
    Mel nodded and began to lighten up.
    “I guess you’re right,” she answered with a crooked smile.
    “I am pretty great, huh?”
    Stella slapped Mel on the ass playfully.
    “Damn right!”
    Kade noticed and whistled. Stella prepared a comeback, but he stepped forward and was quick to interrupt her.
    “MEL!” Dice called from a few feet away.
    “Come here for a second baby!”
    Mel rolled her eyes.
    “What now?” she muttered to herself. She turned to look at Stella as she walked off.
    “I’ll be back in a second.”
    Stella eyed Kade and nodded, poking him in the chest.
    “So...”
    “Where’s your girlfriend?”
    Kade snickered and took a long drag of his smoke, clearing his lungs.
    “Hell if I know,” he said with a shrug.
    “Besides, she ain’t my old lady. We’re just friends. Nothing serious.”
    Stella leaned against a tree and laughed