by Amy Gregory
“Fuck you, Brody.”
It was a gut response. Something she’d never said to anyone close to her. He was over the line, and between his attitude and the situation she was learning about, Molly was about to snap.
“Molly Shea West.” Karen’s voice didn’t raise much, but there was steel to it.
Molly’s eyes went wide. The use of her full name like that was another first, the shock and disappointment on Karen’s face hit Molly straight in the heart.
“I’m sorry, Karen. But I’m sick of that. I told you how he’s been.” Her apology to Karen was every bit sincere, but she continued on, her anger spiking again. Molly waved her hand toward the kitchen counter her brother was leaning against. “That’s exactly how he’s acted. It’s awful and embarrassing, Carter doesn’t deserve it. There’s no reason for it.”
“Brody, that was uncalled for.”
“Oh, Dad, get real. You have to count it as a possibility. I was just the only one to suggest it.”
“Even so, I haven’t dated anyone in over a year. I’d be more than happy to supply the police with any names and contact information, though. I’ve got nothing to hide and I don’t see any of the women I’ve ever dated doing something like this. I’ve had no bad endings, but again, I’ll do whatever it takes,” Carter said, looking at James.
“So what do you think we should do in the meantime, James?” George asked. “I think we should call the preshow until this is resolved.”
“No.” Molly whipped her head to see the seriousness in George’s face. “I’m not going to let someone interfere with my job.”
“Molly, honey, you know you don’t have to work this hard. We’ve told you that for years.” Karen stretched her hands across the table to take Molly’s.
Molly looked at Karen, pleading for her to understand. “I’m not a little girl anymore, I have to make a living, and riding is it. I can’t live off of you forever, and this is all I know.” She shrugged and gave the familiar line. “It’s like I always say, at least I’m riding the bikes and not posing naked on them.”
Carter snickered and Molly let out a snort. She forgot he’d never heard her say that. Even with Karen’s eye roll, that split-second of humor was refreshing, even if it didn’t last.
“That’s not why you don’t want to cancel.” Molly glanced across the table at James and waited for him to finish. “It’s because you’re a stubborn little shit and you never back down from anything…even if it’s the right thing to do.”
“Would you want me any other way?”
“I didn’t raise a quitter or a doormat, did I?” James’s face was conflicted half scared to death, half proud.
“Nope.” The corner of Molly’s mouth turned up, the grin never quite made it though.
“Well, the police seem to agree with you, for now anyway. If we can lure whoever this is out, they’ll be able to catch them. In the meantime, we come up with the best scenario possible to keep you safe. I want you surrounded at all times. No arguments, little girl.”
Carter kissed her shoulder. “She’s not leaving my side.”
Carter hadn’t let Molly out of his sight since their conversation that morning. When he went to sound testing, she went with him. When he had to meet with his manager, she went with him. Her mother seemed to understand his need to protect her. They all needed to, but Karen saw what the two of them had together. She had been giving him silent signs of approval all day, a wink here, a nod there, smiling when she caught him squeezing Molly to his side.
James hadn’t said much. There had been some mild laughter and joking about off the wall stuff, but as far as Molly and he were concerned, James was watching them from a short distance. Carter could tell his every move, every comment was dissected. He didn’t care. He would go to the ends of the earth to prove to her dad that he was worthy.
They had decided to go out and eat somewhere close. At Carter’s suggestion, Eli and Jesse were being told about the situation. He knew they would help in any way they could to keep her safe. That was where he and James seemed to see eye-to-eye. Doing whatever it took to keep their girl safe and unharmed.
When they broke off and each went their own way to get ready for dinner, Carter had asked Molly to come with him, to bring her stuff and get ready in his motorhome. Karen had tried to hide her pleased smile, but Carter saw the woman’s eyes crinkle in the corners. James had taken in a deep breath, but kept his comments to himself, unlike their son, who spouted off every thought that came to his head. Carter didn’t retaliate, didn’t even say anything back. That earned him a light hug from Karen as she handed him Molly’s bag.
Now he stood waiting against the kitchen counter for her to come out of the bathroom. As he peeled the label off the half empty bottle of water in his hands, he realized he was standing in the same manner that they seemed to catch Brody standing in a lot lately, minus the crossed arms and bad attitude. No, his attitude was fine, just like the dress he saw Molly carry to his coach.
“I wish we were going out to dinner, just the two of us, like I originally planned.”
“I know, Carter. I’m so sorry,” Molly said from the bathroom.
“No, Gorgeous, don’t be sorry. I just wish none of this was happening to you. It scares me to death.”
She didn’t have an answer for that. She could hear the worry in his voice as he waited for her. Truth be told, if this would have happened two weeks prior, she’d have been a nervous wreck, but the strength of the man waiting in the kitchen was keeping her calm. Molly was nervous, scared, all the emotions that come with being threatened, but with Carter’s presence beside her, it made the situation easier.
She adjusted the belt on her tiny sleeveless bronze silk dress. She didn’t remember it being so short. Running her fingers through her golden hair, she let it fall back down to hit the belt, brushing her bangs to the side and out of her eyes. The sales lady was right, the bronze did look good with her hair color.
Molly picked up her tube of lip gloss from the bathroom counter. Out of nowhere, it hit her at that moment. She was getting ready in Carter’s bathroom, his bathroom, surrounded by his things, his toothbrush, his razor, his space. She looked up to the reflection in the mirror. When Molly had woken up this morning curled into Carter’s side, his arm draped over her side, keeping her close, she’d frozen for a split second. She must have tensed because his arms had tightened around her, pulling her even closer. The few conflicting thoughts she’d had about what to do next had vanished into thin air.
She’d never had the next morning moment. Yet, there she’d been, getting ready to make the walk of shame, minus the rumpled dress and heels. She had no regrets about sleeping with Carter, none at all. She loved the man, but she didn’t know if she was supposed to get out of his hair quickly. Did she just slip her pajamas back on and wave goodbye, tell him see ya soon?
He must have sensed her uncertainty. Carter’s arms had encircled her and answered every random thought and question running through her head. He had loved her through the night, but lying beside him the next morning, an understanding dawned on her. She was his. A warmth passed through her unlike any other feeling she’d ever had.
Carter, with his half lop-sided, half devilish grin had worked his magic on her. He had the charm of a school boy and the sin of a man. He convinced her to stay and let him make breakfast for her. She’d thought she was keeping her fears about facing Brody to herself. Apparently to Carter, she was transparent. When he’d bragged about his world famous pancake flipping skills, she’d just giggled and continued to stir the pancake mix. He had stood by the stove, waving the spatula around, telling the most ridiculous, made-up story of his awards and prestige for his pancake making abilities. When the very first one hit the floor in a splat, Molly had tears rolling down her face, laughing so hard she couldn’t breathe.
Molly shook her head at the memory of their morning together, their first morning. It was perfect.
As she unscrewed the lid on her lip
gloss tube, she grinned, almost able to hear the pancake land on the floor again, and hoped there would be many more mornings like that in the future.
Adjusting her cross so it could be seen over the neckline of her dress, she stepped out of the bathroom. She dropped her heels on the floor and slipped into the first one, but leaned on the wall to step into the second. Molly raised her chin up to see the look on Carter’s face. Oh yeah. That was worth the price of the dress completely.
“Oh my God.” He crossed to her. “You look absolutely amazing. Wow.” He kept her at arm’s length just to continue looking at her. “Again, I say, let’s…not go.”
Leaning in, he kissed her softly on the jaw, then below her ear. “You smell so good,” Carter whispered by her ear. He gently pulled her hair to the side as he moved his lips to her neck. The simple move gave her chills every time he did it. Molly could feel his breath on her skin and she closed her eyes.
When he lowered his voice, it was so completely sexy. Although she was pretty sure he didn’t do it intentionally, it always worked on her. “Please,” he begged in between kisses. “Let me help you out of this dress, Gorgeous…please?”
“After dinner?” she whispered.
Her heart started beating faster. This was all so new. She wasn’t used to the responses she was getting from him. He kept her close, cherishing her, but not smothering. No pressure, but at the same time, she felt wanted. Now that they’d had sex once, she assumed they probably would again. But, the way the man was holding her, she was wondering if that might be any minute now.
“Please?”
She knew he was turned on, but they really needed to go. “Honey, the sooner we go, the sooner we get back.” She felt his tongue tracing circles on her neck and she couldn’t help the whimper that escaped.
Carter moved his hands to her butt. Thanks to her lace thong, there was only a thin layer of silk between her skin and his palms. He pressed himself against her and there was no denying the man wanted her. Her head swirled with the knowledge that she was in the arms of a man that looked like he’d walked right off a movie set—and he wanted her.
“Carter.” She whimpered his name.
“I know, baby. I know. You’re just so damned beautiful…I don’t want to let you go, not yet.”
“You look very handsome, too.” She smiled. “You get me every time I see you in your gear, but seeing you dressed up, you are…amazing.”
She knew he was nervous enough without adding a tie, so he just opted for jeans with a white button down shirt and brown leather loafers. He had the sleeves rolled up and she ran her fingers over the muscles on his forearms. Molly didn’t attempt to hold in the sigh. The man was built to perfection. She squeezed him. “And you smell terrific.”
Carter knew exactly what went through his mind when he saw her come out of the bathroom, but he wasn’t prepared for everyone else’s reactions. The whistles instantly turned her red.
Eli came up to her first and hugged her. “D, you look beautiful,” which was immediately echoed by Jesse.
“Thanks” she said, her voice barely able to be heard. Carter noticed immediately how uncomfortable she was, even with Eli and Jesse who she’d gotten to know.
She smiled nervously and looked to Carter. For support? He wasn’t sure.
The restaurant was only a couple of blocks away, so the four of them walked from the stadium. It was a quaint downtown street with the street lamps already lit for the evening. The lofts and condos surrounding the area kept people bustling along the brick-lined sidewalk. Carter couldn’t help but notice the heads Molly was turning while she hugged his arm tightly.
He grinned to himself, proud of the fact that he was the one with her instead of having to just watch her walk by. It wasn’t lost on him that she was completely confident in riding gear, but tonight she was using him almost like a security blanket. Carter remembered back to earlier conversations the two of them have had about her looks. He knew she never flaunted her looks or used them to impress anyone. Now he could see she really was not comfortable with people staring at her unless she was covered head to toe in riding gear, and he realized then it was her skills she was confident in, not her looks. Carter grinned again and kissed her head as they walked.
“Hey, Gorgeous, I want to ask you something.”
“Yeah?”
Carter looked down at the angelic face of the girl under his arm. The relaxed smile that graced her face made his heart swell. That smile he knew was for him and him alone. Carter took a breath and tried to figure out where to start. He’d been trying to work out exactly how to ask her, and given the circumstances, he wasn’t sure what he would do if she said no.
“What do you think about staying with me?”
“What do you mean?”
He saw her peek over her shoulder at Jesse and Eli, like maybe they knew what he was talking about. They did, but both men just kept walking. Only at the last minute before she turned her face back to Carter’s did Eli wink at her.
“I mean, sweetie, I want you to stay with me, in my motorhome.”
The questions in her head were apparent on her face, but Carter held in his chuckle.
“Tonight?”
There was a slight scrunch to his face and he shook his head. “Not…just tonight.”
“You’re kidding, aren’t you?”
“No, Gorgeous, I’m not,” he said, now with a completely straight face. Carter wanted her by his side for so many reasons, but after the events of the morning had unfolded, it had become a need to have her beside him. He’d tried since the minute he met her to keep his protective side under control. That was over. Molly had given herself to him, she was his now to protect, to love.
“For how long?” She tilted her head to the side.
Carter could tell she was connecting the dots of his plan, but wanted reassurance, instead of assuming the answers.
“I would have waited, Molly, given you more time to get used to this, to us. Let your family get to know me better. Let Brody calm down. But there’s not time for that now, sweetie. I want you with me, I have to keep you safe. I know your family can and will, but…that’s my job now. I love you.”
He watched her eyes go wide. She probably would have quit walking if he didn’t have her under his arm. It was his momentum that kept her going. Before saying anything, she looked back over her shoulder to the other two men walking beside her, both smiled at her. Carter could see the silent encouragement in their subtle nods. He had discussed this with them in depth, and he knew how much Jesse and Eli adored her. They had both been shocked as all hell to find out what was going on. Their alpha sides had come straight to the forefront, ready to watch over and fight for their own.
Carter saw clarity wash across her face as it dawned on her, her eyes making their way between the three men, a soft, “Oh,” emitted from her mouth, barely heard, but there. It was at that moment Carter saw she realized the men flanking her were there to protect her as well. They weren’t just his friends, they were hers now too. Her mouth slowly turned up, the smile reaching her eyes at last.
“Thank you…all of you.”
Her words were quiet, and if Carter wasn’t mistaken, she was embarrassed to need the help. But she’d taken it without argument or force. Just a gentle understanding of how things were going to be from now on.
Carter had been waiting patiently for her answer. He kept his breathing steady, his face strong, but not demanding, yet.
“Yes,” she whispered.
He leaned in and placed a soft kiss against her forehead. “Thank you, Gorgeous.”
Molly walked through the heavy glass door of the restaurant that Carter held open, his palm on her back. Her senses were on overload, with her world spinning out of control, amazingly enough, she was at peace. She still had enough fear in her to keep her street smarts active, enough nerves to not let her guard down, but Carter had taken on the responsibility for her safety. With no drama or fan fair, he had let her know he
was in charge and she had nothing to worry about.
She sat down at the large table with Jesse on one side and Carter on the other, and picked up the wine glass Karen had waiting for her. Oh, thank God. Karen always knew exactly what she needed. There had been more than one occasion when they’d sat in Molly’s bed with a bucket of ice cream and two spoons between them, watching chick-flicks, usually after one of Brody’s friends had made a pass at her and she’d been upset. Or after a rough day of practice with Brody, they’d run into the nearest mall and wander for hours, just to get her mind off of it. Now that she was older, the ice cream had turned to wine. The movies, they’d been replaced with bitching sessions instead. Molly loved the woman with all her heart.
Molly also knew Karen understood her new relationship with Carter. Karen was more trusting than the men in Molly’s family. Maybe after she’d had another glass of courage, Molly would be able to tell them she was going to be moving in with Carter.
Moving in with him. Oh, wow. He hadn’t said it like that, but moving in with him was exactly what he had asked for. And she had agreed. She blinked before her eyes went wide with the realization.
The second glass of wine wasn’t sipped as she was taught was the ladylike thing to do. No, it was downed in one big gulp. The liquid warmed her body from the constant chill she now had, relaxing her mind from the never-ending spin, and dulling the fear she couldn’t escape.
The intent of the meal was to discuss the situation regarding the threats and come up with a plan. After salad, dinner, and three glasses of wine, Molly was feeling pretty relaxed. When her piece of chocolate cake arrived, she slid the fork through it and held the first bite up for Carter to taste. She giggled, picking up a crumb off his bare arm that she’d dropped. Her happiness was a private party. The rest of the table had limited their liquor to almost nothing. That was just fine with her. She didn’t really care at the moment. When George asked James what his game plan was, Molly happily announced that Carter had asked her to stay with him.
