11

They are all looking at him in silence, but his eyes are on Mister Jimmy, the Lord of the family.

If he accepts him, everyone is going to accept him, so Duke is waiting for the word from him.

The servants have been ordered to take the money from his car, but he still needs a straight answer.

Mister Jimmy laughs and sinks back into his seat.

" Wine!" He calls. " Bring me wine, it has been such an eventful hour. "

Almost as soon as he had called, a boy runs into the living room with a bottle of wine and some glasses.

His fingers walk swiftly, uncorking the bottle and pouring it out in a glass for the Master.

He makes to leave, but he is told to fill in the rest of the glasses and he does so before he bows his head and leaves.

" Come and sit, all of you. Help yourself to a glass too. "

They slowly walk back to the chairs and help themselves to a glass each before sitting.

Melody fondly touches his hand as she takes a glass and sits. Duke is the last person to take a glass, but he doesn't sit down.

He holds the glass and his other hand is in his pocket.

Mister Jimmy doesn't ask him to sit again, he instead drinks from his wine, very slowly, till he is done with the glass.

When he is done, he sets the glass on the center table and leans back, and folds his legs.

" Duke, you have proved yourself to be the man and I am impressed, remember that I am not easily impressed. " He smiles.

" Thank you, sir. "

" Make sure that you take care of Melody, she is the most precious thing to my heart and my life is for her. " He instructs him. " You think why I have been so hard on you, well, it's because Melody is my favorite and I can't just give her to you on a platter of gold. "

Melody is so relieved, she exhales loudly for everyone to hear.

" So from now, Duke is now accepted as Melody's husband, he has proven himself and we are going to accept him now. " He says.

They all nod and clap their hands in acknowledgment.

Mister Joseph, Melody's father, stands up and gives a handshake to Duke, he takes it with a respectful bow.

He walks over to Mister Jimmy to take his own handshake.

" Thank you, sir. I won't disappoint you. " He tells the Lord of his household.

" You better not, kid. " He nods.

Duke returns to his standing position with his hands behind his back.

" Duke, I will have to speak to you later on, maybe on another day. " Mister Jimmy informs him. " You have proven yourself to me to be brave and I want to work towards bringing you into a fellowship of strong men that I belong to, it's called The Great five. "

Duke hears the gasp and lower of breath around him and he immediately knows that this is pretty serious.

" The great five?! Papa, what the hell?" That angry, rebelling voice belongs to Bella.

" Lower your voice, girl. You don't want to make your grandfather mad. " Her mother warns her. The fear in her voice for her daughter.

" My husband didn't get to be in the fellowship, and neither did Nora's husband, so why this poor pig?!" She is so pained that she defiles all warnings to lay her complaint.

Duke didn't say a single word as his sister-in-law pours more insulting words at him.

" You didn't just call my husband a pig. " Melody yells at her. " Your husband is the real pig when he can't keep his penis to himself and he has slept with every one of his secretaries. "

Bella sharply turns to her and takes a step in her sister's direction, but their father stands between them.

" Hey. " Their grandfather warns them. " Both of you should stop right now before I kick you out of my house, sit now!"

His voice is powerful and quenches the fire raging in both of them and they sit down immediately.

" And Bella, your husband should be lucky that I haven't forced him out of our lives yet. " He screws his nose in disgust. " I have heard all the disgraceful things he has done and if he doesn't take care, I am going to end him. How can someone like him be admitted into the great five?"

Bella looks down and chews on her lower lip, she is still obviously angry, but with the way her grandfather has destroyed her husband's reputation, she is mute now.

"So what do you say, son?" Mister Jimmy turns to Duke. " Do I set a meeting date with the rest of the brothers?"

" How about I think about it?" Duke suggests. " It's a privilege to be in the same fellowship with you and I just want to think it through, it has a huge commitment requirement. "

Mister Jimmy nods, it seems that each time Duke opens his mouth, he is impressed.

" That's very logical. " He admits. " I will give you a week to think this through and then I will have to have your answer. You have to keep it in mind that you are going to be tried and if you are found worthy, you are going to be admitted. "

" I most definitely look forward to that. " Duke smiles. " Now if it's okay with the Lord, Melody and I are going to be having our leave. "

" Most definitely. " The Lord nods. " You guys are free to go, we wait to see you at the forthcoming dinners. "

Duke offers his hand to his wife and she takes it.

" Thank you, Papa, mum, and Dad for today. " She says. " Hope to see you guys soon. "

She turns to her sister, they might have just had a near nasty fight a few minutes ago, but she is not the type to hold a grudge.

"Bella. See you, sister. "

Bella doesn't look at her sister's face, she makes a kind of odd sound and looks in another direction.

" See you, Melody." She mumbles.

Melody smiles and together with her husband, they leave the house.

The rest of the family hold their breath, waiting for the sound of their car engine to roar back to life so that they can be sure that they have left.

A few minutes later, Melody and Duke are out of the compound.

"That's bullshit, papa. " Bella insists. " You can't skip my husband and Nora's to give the admission to this Duke of a guy. "

" Get the hell out of my presence, Bella. " Her grandfather hisses. " What do you think you are doing?"

Bella doesn't argue. She stands up to her feet and with her nose held up in the air, she stumps off.

Her worried mother follows behind her, telling her to hold on.

Now it's just the two men. Mister Joseph grabs his wine and drinks from the glass.

" But Bella has a point. " He hums. " You hated this kid and now you want him admitted into the fellowship, what are you up to, Dad?"

" Bella is letting her emotions get over her, but she is a kid, she won't understand. " He says.

" What are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I don't have the kid to see that he has a lot of potential. " He admits "Something is defying about him and I want to know what he is. "

" Wow. " Mister Joseph comments.

" He is a mystery and I am going to unfold him, one wrap at a time. "

******

The road is free and that's because it's late already.

Duke and Melody are so tired and Duke is holding her hand as he slowly drives. He so wants to be in bed right now, but he has to drive them home first.

Melody reaches and kisses his cheek. She wants to go back, but he holds her neck and gives her a proper kiss, dominating her mouth.

It lasts very shortly because he has to return to the road.

" You really handled my Crazy family like a pro today. " She chuckles. " I forgot to tell you that we have crazy friends too. "

That's Taylor, he doesn't even want to talk about that idiot right now.

" You too handled it like a pro. " He compliments her.

" Yeah. " She pushes her hair back. " My mum and sister think that I was staying with you because of your performance in bed."

That's funny to him, he laughs and throws his head back.

" What did you tell them, then? "

" I told them you were good, but I love you, that's why I chose to stay. "

He turns to her, his lower lip under his teeth.

"Good?" He asks. " I guess I would have to change that tonight, I can't be just good. "

She blushes so hard that she almost chokes on her saliva.

" That's not what I meant–"

She stops because they Have gotten home, but there is a strange car in their front yard.

" Wait here. Don't come out. "