Imperfect: (McIntyre Security Bodyguard Series - Book 5)

by April Wilson

  I’m lying on my back, and she’s tucked into my side with her arm across my bare torso. We slept like this all night, with our bodies intertwined in one way or another. One of us would shift, and the other would follow, seeking the comfort of a physical connection.

  Suddenly she tenses, withdrawing her arm from my chest and pulling away. She slides off me and brushes back her hair. I lie still, listening to her movements, wondering what she’ll do. Will she stay or will she run?

  She runs.

  I’m disappointed when she leaves the bed and slips quietly out of the room. A moment later, I hear the bathroom door close. A few minutes later, I hear the toilet flushing, then the sound of water running.

  I don’t say a word when she returns to my bedroom, opens her overnight bag, and digs around in the dark.

  “You can turn the light on, you know,” I tell her. “It won’t bother me.”

  “Oh.” She sounds nervous. “You’re awake. I hope I didn’t wake you.”

  “No, you didn’t. I’m usually up at this time.”

  “I tried to be quiet.”

  I sit up in bed, stretching my arms and back. The sheet is pooled at my waist, covering my erection. I hope she can’t see it. She already feels awkward this morning. I don’t want to make it worse for her.

  “Did you sleep well?” I say, hoping to put her at ease.

  “Yes.” She sounds surprised. “You don’t have to get up on my account. I’m just going to get dressed and head home.”

  “How about some breakfast before you go?”

  When she doesn’t answer right away, I know she’s about to bolt. “Scrambled eggs and bacon? Toast? Or waffles?”

  Right on cue, her stomach growls, and we both dissolve into laughter. “I’ll take that as a yes,” I say. “Just let me get dressed. There’s a Keurig machine in the kitchen if you want to make some coffee or tea.”

  She’s dressed now and just slipping on her sneakers. “That sounds perfect. I’ll be in the kitchen.”

  * * *

  As I throw on a pair of jeans and a T-shirt, I come to terms with the fact that gaining Molly’s trust is going to take some doing. She’s not ready for a relationship. She’s still too deep in flight mode thanks to her asshat ex. I really hope I get an opportunity to express my displeasure with him soon. All I need is five minutes alone with him, and I guarantee he’ll never darken her doorstep again.

  As soon as I pull on clean socks and grab my sneakers, Gus jumps to his feet and stretches.

  “Come on, buddy,” I tell him. “Let’s go water the tree out front.”

  As Gus and I head down the hall to the kitchen, I’m relieved to smell freshly brewed coffee. She hasn’t run yet. That’s a good sign.

  “I have to take Gus out, then I’ll start on breakfast,” I tell her, taking Gus’s harness off the hook on the wall. “We’ll be right back.”

  “Take your time,” she says. She’s seated at the kitchen table, sipping her coffee, and she sounds a lot calmer than she did when she first woke up.

  As Gus waits by the door, I walk over to Molly and put my hands on her face, orienting myself. “Good morning,” I say.

  Then I lean down and kiss her lightly, tasting vanilla latte mixed with mint toothpaste. I figure I might as well start laying the ground rules. We’re not going backward after last night. She can’t pretend I’m nothing more than her next door neighbor, not after spending the night in my bed.

  “Good morning,” she says.

  I can hear the smile in her voice. She’s starting to relax.

  “Do you like the coffee? Beth insisted on stocking my cupboard with all sorts of fancy blends. Me? I’m just a plain coffee kind of guy.”

  “It’s good. I could get used to having coffee like this every morning.”

  “Well, you know where to find it, don’t you?” I kiss her again, just a light grazing of our lips.

  * * *

  The entire time Gus and I are outside, I’m afraid Molly’s going to bail on me. When we return, I open the door to the smell of bacon frying.

  She didn’t bail.

  I find her standing at the stove. I move in behind her and lay my hands on her hips. I lean close, my nose in her hair. “You’re making breakfast.”

  She shivers. “You made dinner last night, so I thought I should make breakfast.”

  I step back to give her room and lean against the kitchen counter.

  “Thank you for last night,” she says in a quiet voice. “I needed… a friend.”

  She’s still categorizing me as a friend. I guess I still have a long way to go. “There’s no need to thank me, Molly. I want to be here for you.”

  “Well, I appreciate it.”

  I listen to her going through the motions of making breakfast. Cracking eggs, whisking them, pouring them into the pan. The bacon is done, and while the eggs cook she makes toast. I make a cup of black roasted coffee for myself and brew a second cup for her. Finally, when everything’s ready, we sit at the table to eat.

  Just as we’re nearly finished eating, Molly’s phone rings. She picks up the phone and accepts the call. “Hello?”

  Silence.

  “Yes, this is she.” Pause. “Oh, Officer O’Grady. I’m fine, thank you.” … “Yes.” … “You did?” … “I see. Yes, thank you. I will.” … “Goodbye.”

  Molly sets her phone down on the table and is silent. The apartment’s so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

  “Well?” I say.

  “I suppose you caught the gist of that. That was Office O’Grady. She said she and Office Sullivan went to Todd’s condo this morning and arrested him. He’s at the Cook County Jail awaiting arraignment on charges of violating a restraining order. Also assault and battery charges.”

  She sounds calm as she delivers the news, but I know better. It’s times like this that I wish I could see her expression. Then maybe I’d have an idea of what she’s thinking. “Are you okay?”

  “I’m not sure,” she says, getting up from the table. I hear her walk toward the kitchen. She rinses out her coffee mug and sets it in the sink.

  I follow, waiting by her side for some indication as to what she’s feeling. When I hear her breath catch on a quiet half-sob, I realize she’s holding back tears.

  I reach for her. “Come here.”

  She doesn’t hesitate for a second. She melts into me, her arms going around my waist as mine wrap around her.

  “He’s going to be so angry,” she says. “Todd’s an attorney, and he knows the system. It’ll only be a matter of time before he’s out on bail.”

  As I rub my hand up and down her back, I can feel her trembling. She’s afraid. “I’ll call Shane. Maybe his attorney can prevent Todd from getting bail.”

  “I doubt Shane’s attorney can work miracles. Todd knows what he’s doing. He’s a master manipulator, and knows the system inside and out. He’ll get his way. He always does.”

  “I’ll make sure you have protection,” I tell her. “If Todd’s released, I guarantee you protection. Please, don’t worry.”

  Molly pulls away and wipes her face. “Sorry.” She brushes her hand over my sweatshirt. “I got you all wet.”

  “I don’t mind.”

  She takes a deep, cleansing breath. “I should get going back to my place. Charlie’s probably dying of starvation.”

  Without saying a word, she collects her phone and her overnight bag and purse.

  I follow her to the door. “Do you want me to go with you to your studio this morning? To show you how to use the new security system?”

  “Jake left instructions. If I run into any problems, I’ll call you, okay?”

  “Okay.” I hate that she’s leaving, but I’ll be seeing her again soon. Unless she changes her mind about the wedding. “You’re still coming with me tomorrow, aren’t you?”

  She hesitates. “Um, sure. I’m still going.”

  “I’ll arrange for a car to pick us up at ten tomorrow morning.”


  “Sounds good. Thank you. I’ll see you, Jamie.”

  And… then she’s gone. She’s running, but hopefully not far or for long.

  I sigh as I head down the hall to my office. My editor sent me a whole file of edits to review. I might as well get caught up on work.

  Chapter 30

  Molly

  After feeding Charlie and grabbing a quick shower, I dress for work and head to my studio. Even though Todd’s in jail, I still feel like he could jump out at me at any time. He’s made me paranoid, and I hate that! I don’t want to live in fear of him and what crazy thing he might do next.

  Thanks to the nifty user guide Jake left for me, I’m able to figure out how to set and turn off the security system in my studio without too much trouble. There’s a control panel right behind the sales counter, along with a panic button, and there’s another control panel in the back, along with another panic button. There are motion detector lights and video surveillance cameras at the back door in the alley, and all kinds of high-tech gizmos throughout the two rooms.

  I have no clue what all this cost, and I’m afraid to ask. But I have to admit, it does help me breathe a little easier. Todd won’t be able to sneak in again.

  * * *

  Saturday morning rolls around before I’m ready. I’d packed my weekend bag the night before, and my dress for the wedding is hanging in a garment bag on the back of my closet door. I tried on the half-dozen dresses I have before deciding on a Wedgewood blue, shin-length satin dress with a high neckline. It has a lacey overlay that makes it a bit more dressy than something I’d normally wear. It’s the best I could come up with on short notice.

  I leave out plenty of food and water for Charlie. I know he’ll miss me, but I’ll make it up to him when I get back.

  My heartrate picks up when I hear Jamie’s door open and close. Not wanting to appear too eager, I force myself to sit on my sofa and wait. A few moments later, there’s a knock on my door.

  After taking a deep breath, I peek out the peephole. It’s Jamie. He’s got Gus with him, as well as an overnight bag and a garment bag.

  “Hi,” I say, after opening the door. “What’s in the bag? Will you be wearing a tuxedo?”

  “Yes. I’m one of the groomsmen.”

  Charlie races into the room to greet Jamie, but he comes to a sudden halt when he gets a look at Gus. Charlie approaches Gus cautiously, and the two of them sniff each other. Gus seems pretty chill about the whole thing, and Charlie seems to take pretty quickly to the dog, purring as he rubs against Gus’s chest.

  “My cat likes your dog,” I say.

  Jamie smiles. “That’s a good sign. Are you ready to go? Our ride is downstairs.”

  “Yes. I’ll just grab my stuff.” I give Charlie one last pat on the head and tell him to be a good boy. Then I bring my bags out into the hallway. Jamie takes them from me so I can lock up.

  Jamie insists on carrying his bags and mine, along with holding Gus’s harness. “Lead the way,” he says.

  I head downstairs, with Jamie and Gus following behind.

  Outside, there’s a black SUV waiting for us at the curb. Our Uber driver gets out of the vehicle when he sees us, and opens the rear passenger door. “Good morning. I’m Keith, your driver.”

  “Good morning,” I say, returning the young man’s welcoming smile. “Thanks for the ride.”

  “Not a problem.” Keith approaches Jamie. “I’ll stow all this in the back. Can the dog ride in the back?”

  “Sure,” Jamie says, leading Gus to the rear of the vehicle.

  Once Gus is safely situated in the back, Jamie opens the rear passenger door and climbs in beside me. He reaches for my hand and links our fingers together. “Did you sleep okay last night?”

  “Yes.”

  “Todd’s still in jail?”

  “As far as I know, yes.”

  Jamie squeezes my hand gently. “You can relax this weekend and just have a good time, okay? Nothing to worry about.”

  I appreciate that he’s trying to put me at ease. I return the squeeze and lean into him as we pull into traffic.

  * * *

  It’s nearly eleven o’clock when we arrive at Shane’s estate. We stop at both of the security checkpoints, and Jamie talks to the guard through the intercom to gain entrance. Up at the house, there are at least a dozen cars parked around the perimeter of the circular drive. Our driver pulls up to the front entrance to let us out.

  There’s a small crowd assembled outside the house, including the groom and the future bride, who are welcoming new arrivals. I recognize Elly and her husband, George. And Lia and Jonah.

  We say hello to Shane and Beth. Elly greets Jamie with a big bear hug, wrapping him in her arms and squeezing tightly. When she releases him, she gives me a bright smile. “Molly, hello, dear!” she says, hugging me as well. “I’m so glad you came,” she whispers in my ear.

  Our driver grabs our belongings from the back of the SUV and sets them on the front steps. Gus hops out of the vehicle and races up the steps to greet the bride-to-be.

  “I’ll carry up your bags, Molly,” George says, smiling at me. “Come, I’ll show you to your room. It’s right next to Jamie’s.”

  * * *

  I wondered what the sleeping arrangements would be this weekend. I didn’t know what his family thought of me being here, or what, if any, relationship they thought we had. I find it very interesting that they put me in the suite right next to Jamie’s.

  We follow George up the stairs and down a long corridor. George shows me to my room first, and he points out which suite is Jamie’s.

  My room is beautiful and spacious. There’s a king-sized bed in the center of the room, against the back wall, a fireplace with a stone hearth, a little sitting area, and a balcony overlooking the rear of the house with a front-row view of Lake Michigan.

  I hang up my clothes in the closet and put my toiletries in the bathroom, which resembles a high-end spa, complete with a sunken hot tub that easily seats several people. And this is just one suite out of how many? Good grief.

  As I step out of the bathroom, my attention is diverted by a knock at the door.

  “Come in,” I say.

  The door opens, and Jamie and Gus walk in.

  “Getting settled in?” Jamie says.

  “Yes. This room is gorgeous.”

  Jamie reaches for my hand. “Come downstairs with me. I’d like to introduce you to my parents.”

  Oh, dear. I am so not ready for this.

  * * *

  The house is decorated beautifully. It’s all very tasteful, with lots of candles and fresh flowers. The dining room table, which seats a ridiculous number of people, is decked out with platters filled with every type of finger food imaginable. No one will go hungry this weekend, I’m sure. There’s a beverage bar manned by a barista, with every choice imaginable, including fancy coffees, soft drinks, beer and liquor.

  The wedding is scheduled to start at two in the afternoon, so we have plenty of time to wander around and explore before we have to get dressed.

  Jamie and I continue through the spacious foyer to the great room, where Jonah is setting up his guitars, and the guys are arranging folding chairs into neat rows.

  Jamie catches Jake’s attention. “Where are Mom and Dad?”

  “In the back, by the windows.”

  Jamie takes my hand and leads me to his parents.

  The resemblance between Jamie and his father is easy to see. Calum McIntyre is tall, with a strong build, broad shoulders, and graying brown hair and beard. His brown eyes are so similar to Jamie’s.

  His mother, Bridget, reminds me of Lia, petite, although there are definitely strawberry hints in her blonde hair, and maybe some strands of gray. Her eyes are a clear, bright blue, and she has freckles. Now I know where Jamie gets his.

  Jamie introduces us, and his parents greet me warmly.

  “It’s a pleasure to meet you, Molly,” Bridget says, holding my hand in both of hers. Sh
e gives my hand a light squeeze before letting go.

  When Jamie’s parents are called away for picture taking, we stand at the glass wall, basking in the warm sunlight streaming through the glass. The view from here is stunning, and it saddens me that he can’t see it.

  So I describe it to him, telling him all about this clear, cold, crisp day, about the sky that is a piercing blue, like his mother’s eyes; and the fat, buoyant clouds of pure white that resemble giant cotton balls.

  He puts his arm around my shoulders and draws me close. “When you describe things to me, I feel like I can actually see them.”

  I lean my head against his arm, reveling in the closeness.

  “Are you glad you came?” he says, murmuring close to my ear.

  His warm breath ruffles my hair, making me shiver. “Yes.”

  “Good. I’m glad you’re here. Will you help me with my tux when it’s time? I’m terrible with ties.”

  “Why don’t I believe that?” I say, laughing. “I think you’re good at just about everything you try.”

  He chuckles as he reaches for my hand. “No, it’s true. I can’t tie ties. I swear it.”

  I link my fingers with his, enjoying the connection. I still don’t believe him, but I’m not going to turn down the opportunity to help him get dressed. “Yes, I’ll help you.”

  * * *

  We mingle for a while, and Jamie introduces me to a few more people I don’t know. Gina Capelli, the woman catering the reception, her brother Peter Capelli, a restaurateur. Beth’s brother, Tyler. Beth’s friend Gabrielle, who’s organizing the event.

  Beth looks radiantly happy today. And it’s nice to see Lia and Jonah again. I’m thrilled when I learn that Jonah’s going to play and sing.

  I’m pleasantly surprised to see Beth’s bodyguard, Sam. He’s confined to a wheelchair, his left leg in a cast. And there are bruises on his face, as well as healing cuts. But I’m so glad he’s on the mend.