Читать книгу Men of Honour: Ready, Set, Jett / When You Dare / Trace of Fever / Savor the Danger / A Perfect Storm / What Chris Wants / Bare It All - Lori Foster - Страница 38

“BUT … what?” Flushing over this unexpected turn, Molly looked uneasily at her sister. “Of course I am. Dare, we agreed.”

“You were insistent, and I didn’t want to upset you.”

Natalie chimed in with agreement. “She does like to pay her own way.”

“Now, wait a minute.” Molly jerked free of Dare’s loose hold, and, in the process, she almost lost the blanket.

Saving her modesty, he caught it for her, but then used his hold on the blanket to haul her close. He kissed the end of her nose. “I won’t take money from you.”

She couldn’t believe this. “Since when?” But she knew, of course.

Dare let out his breath and addressed her sister. “Natalie, you’ll have to excuse us for a few minutes. Molly needs to get dressed before she flashes us both.”

“Ah … sure.”

Bemused by Dare’s blasé attitude over this, Molly held her ground … but not for long. He was right; she did need to get dressed.

To her sister, she said firmly, “I will be right back.”

Natalie dithered. “I, ah, could go with you.”

“Not this time.” Dare gave her a barely conciliatory smile as he started them both across the floor. “We weren’t expecting you, and right now Molly and I have a few things to work out. I won’t keep her long.”

He left no room for argument, so Natalie directed a stern look on him before saying to Molly, “I’ll be right here if you need me for anything.”

Molly blinked at her. Natalie still thought that Dare might hurt her? He never would, but if he did, Natalie sure wouldn’t be able to stop him.

Her sister meant well, and usually she was the most stubborn person Molly knew. But when it came to Dare, Natalie was well out of her league.

Over her shoulder, Molly said back to her sister, “Thanks, but I’ll be fine, I promise.”

Without regard to her sister’s worry, Dare propelled her along into the bedroom. It was very rude, and didn’t do much to put Natalie at ease. Stepping away from him, she went through the door on her own steam.

He shut it behind her, and Molly turned to demand an explanation.

Before she got a single word out, Dare’s mouth covered hers.

Oh … Well, okay, then. Molly subsided and just went with the kiss.

As the tip of Dare’s tongue prodded over the seam of her lips, her heart started thumping and her body hummed to life all over again. She opened for him to accept his deeper kiss.

Dare slanted his head for a better fit, and Molly wanted to melt on the spot.

It might only have been hours ago that he made love with her, but she felt fresh desire as an acute need.

Dare turned with her to brace her back against the door. He tilted in his hips, pressing the solid rise of his erection against her belly.

Every nerve ending buzzed to life until she clung to him, her sister temporarily forgotten.

She didn’t realize that the blanket was gone until Dare stepped back to look at her. He held each corner of the blanket in his hands at either side of her shoulders. His gaze moved from her mouth to her breasts, and then slowly down her body.

His jaw worked.

“This is awkward,” Molly said. She’d never been put on display like this before.

He shook his head. “Damn, but I need you again.” He put damp, openmouthed kisses on her throat, her shoulder, and then he stepped away.

Molly couldn’t believe he left her there, naked, while he still had his pants on. Breathing hard, feeling exposed, she considered making a grab for the blanket … but Dare stood on it.

His gaze went all over her like a hot stroke before stopping at the juncture of her legs. “You look good enough to eat.” His gaze met hers. “Again.”

“I … ah …” Molly shifted. Such outrageous sexual compliments were very new to her, and she had no idea how to respond. Feeling lame, she whispered, “Thank you.”

Dare ran his hands lightly from her shoulders over her breasts, letting his palms drag over her now-puckered nipples. He lingered there just a second before sliding them down to her hips. He gave a low growl. “Turn around.”

Voice going high and thin, Molly said, “What?”

Using his hold on her, Dare directed her around until she had her back to him.

Molly tried to control her breathing, but it wasn’t easy. This was both embarrassing and highly erotic.

“God, baby, I do love this ass.” With both hands, he cupped her cheeks, then stepped up close again to kiss the sensitive spot where her throat met her shoulder.

His attraction to her posterior thrilled her. “We can’t … My sister is out there….”

“I know.” He took her wrists and lifted her arms above her head, and then pressed her palms flat to the door. “Just let me touch you for a minute.”

Putting one foot between hers, he nudged her legs open. Molly widened her stance, all the while struggling with the conflict of need and her natural modesty.

Slipping his hands around to the front of her, then up to her breasts, he touched her. With her arms raised, her feet braced apart, everything he did seemed somehow more salacious.

Lifting each breast, Dare caressed her before teasing both nipples with his thumbs.

It was too much. “Dare …”

He closed his fingertips around her, lightly pinching, tugging insistently.

Molly dropped her head back as the sensation went straight from her breasts to her womb. She bit her lip to keep from moaning aloud, but the deep, throaty sound escaped anyway.

Dare hugged her, warm and soft, and then he stepped back. Slowly, Molly turned around to face him again—and what she saw astounded her.

Muscles clenched, nostrils flared and eyes burning, Dare watched her with such obvious yearning that her embarrassment disappeared. Never had she imagined him so out of control.

As he readjusted himself, his hands shook. He took another step away from her. Voice as rough as gravel, he said, “You’d better get dressed before I lose it.”

Feeling a little powerful in this new situation, Molly smiled. “Let’s talk about money first.”

His jaw hardened. “Push me, and we’ll be talking about it on the bed, with me inside you and to hell with what your sister hears.”

What a spoilsport. For most men that might have been a bluff, but she had a feeling Dare said what he meant, always. She’d already proven that she wouldn’t stop him if he went that route, so maybe it’d be better if she didn’t press her luck.

“Fine.” She had enough explaining to do with Natalie without adding that to the details. From the pile of ransacked clothes, Molly dug out a T-shirt, panties and jeans.

It was a strange thing to have a man in her room, watching her every move with undivided attention. She felt brazen, but in an intriguing way; she rather liked how intently Dare watched her.

Once she was dressed, he relaxed a little and sat at the end of the bed.

“Come here.” He pulled her onto his lap and shifted her to get comfortable. “Now. Let’s talk.”

In no way was Dare an average man, so Molly couldn’t miss that definite rise beneath her bottom. “You still have an erection.”

Not the least bit embarrassed, Dare gave a dismissive shrug. “I still want you.” He kissed her forehead. “But we need to iron this out, and Jett will be back shortly, and I’m willing to bet your sister will only be patient for so long.”

Molly tried not to squirm, but it wasn’t easy. He’d gotten her aroused, and he still wore only jeans. Seeing his chest, even with the faded scars—or maybe because of them—counted as foreplay for her starved senses. She saw the battle signs as proof of all he’d done, all he could do, and the kind of man he was.

The kind who would keep her safe.

Over what looked like an old knife injury on his shoulder, she rested her hand. “You’re a very perceptive man. It’s true that Natalie is not known for her patience.”

Dare smiled. “I like her, even if her timing sucks.” Holding her chin, he brushed his thumb along her jaw. “She’s different from you, but I also see similarities. It’s there in the dark brown eyes and the shape of your mouth.”

“And big boobs.”

His smile twitched into a grin. “I guess I noticed that, too.”

“Dare.” Molly put her forehead to his. She wasn’t sure how to say it, so she decided to simply spit it out. “Just because we slept together doesn’t change anything.”

“Wrong. For me it changes everything. And before we get into this too much, you might as well know that I’m firm on this. No way in hell will I take money from you.”

Molly couldn’t believe that he’d changed the rules on her without telling her. “That’s not fair.”

He half smiled. “I never told you I was fair.” He smoothed a long hank of her hair, letting the back of his hand move over her breast. Voice dropping, he said, “But you’ll learn to live with it.”

Learn to live with it? Did he mean … long-term? Or was that just a figure of speech?

She didn’t quite have the nerve to ask him yet. “I don’t want to be indebted to you, at least not any more than I already am.”

“There’s no debt. I’m here because I want to be.”

What could she say to that?

His thumb touched her bottom lip. “Relax and accept it, honey. My mind’s made up. Actually, it was made up even before the sex, so don’t feel guilty about that, okay?”

Emotion choked her. “Since meeting you, you’ve made me feel a lot of things. But not guilt. Not even when I kicked you in the nose.”

He smiled. “Glad to hear it. So, what do you say we go check on your sister? I can almost picture her with her ear to the door.”

Through the door, Natalie said, “Damn right. Now bring my sister back out here.”

JETT RETURNED WITH the pizza soon after Molly finished sharing details with Natalie. The more Molly told her, the more distressed Natalie had gotten. She was literally sick with upset when Jett walked in. But as soon as she saw him, she hurried to mask her expression.

Similar to Molly, Natalie had a lot of pride. He liked that.

As he’d told Molly, he liked her. She was like Molly, but also different.

Natalie’s honest reactions left Dare confident that, as Molly had insisted, her sister would never act to harm her.

That left only Jett for him to wonder about right now. Not that he really suspected Jett, but he refused to take any chances with Molly’s safety.

With reluctance, Natalie had admitted that while she and Jett had known each other for close to a year, and had even shared a physical relationship, they’d only recently realized that they were in love.

The quick change in relationship could be construed as an attempt to ingratiate himself with Natalie’s family—namely to get information about Molly.

It seemed more unlikely than otherwise, but still, Dare was all set to get answers out of Jett when he opened the front door and let him in.

That is, until Jett strode in without a word, set the food on the table and, with admirable stealth, peered out the curtains to the street below.

“What’s going on?” Natalie asked, alarmed. “What are you doing?”

Jett took in both women with calculated purpose. “I don’t suppose you two would let the men talk in private for just a minute, would you?”

Dare snorted. He already knew what Molly would say before she started objecting.

He held up a hand to silence the women. Sadly, that didn’t work. He supposed that he’d have to get used to Molly not following his every order, verbal or otherwise.

While the women continued protesting, Dare walked over to the window and did his own surveillance. He saw nothing.

Quietly, Jett said, “It’s just out of view, opposite side of the street, less than a block up. But does an old white van mean anything to you?”

Molly gasped.

Dropping the curtain, Dare took in her expression with sharp-eyed concern. He said to Jett, “Rusted?”

“It’s dark out, but I believe so.” Jett looked grim. “I could see the driver and a passenger, but the back windows are painted.”

Molly reached for a chair and dropped into it. Seeing her like this enraged Dare.

“I only really noticed them because the van is running, but they have the headlights off. They’re watching the building.”

Dare could barely credit that anyone would be that dumb. If her father had sent someone after her again, he must be desperate.

Anxious to check it out for himself, he headed for the front door.

“Dare, wait!” Molly bolted from the seat to chase after him. “It … it couldn’t be the same people as before.”

No reason to worry her more. “Probably not.” Dare gave a hard smile and opened the door. “Don’t worry.”

“Damn it, Dare!” Panicked, Molly charged after him. “Let’s just call the police.”

At the same time, Jett asked, “Need any help?”

Sighing with impatience, Dare said to Jett, “Yeah. Keep her in here. Got it?”

He looked very put out with the enormity of that task. “I’ll try.”

Trying wasn’t good enough. “Just man up and do it.” He gave Molly one stern frown and said in a tone that brooked no argument, “Stay put.”

She folded her arms and glared right back at him. “I’m not stupid.”

Meaning he was? But he saw the fear in her eyes and knew she was scared for him.

Fuck.

He went out the door anyway, saying to Jett, “Lock this behind me.” Face pale, Molly stepped back, her lips rolled in, her body tensed. The door shut and Dare heard the lock click into place.

Guilt punched at his heart.

But for Christ’s sake, he couldn’t falter every time Molly bit her lips. He knew what he was doing, and if she trusted him at all, she wouldn’t be worried.

It would have helped if he could put Molly from his mind, but that was like asking himself not to breathe. Since the day he’d met her, she’d occupied his thoughts in a severely distracting way.

As he’d told her to do, he was learning to live with it. Now … he almost liked it. Having her at the forefront of his mind was becoming a comfortable thing.

He liked having her there.

Going down the steps two at a time, Dare ensured the hallways and foyer were empty. Given it was the middle of the night, not another soul was in sight.

Peeking out the front door, he saw the van at the corner, idling.

Waiting.

As Jett had said, the vehicle was in shadow, hidden from the streetlamp and the bright moon.

In a few hours, the sun would be up and people would be coming and going.

Were they hoping to catch Molly? Or maybe just to verify her presence in the apartment?

He needed to get closer. Maybe he could ID the men, or overhear something important.

Dare pulled back to think. If he went out through the front door, he’d be seen. Damn it, he should have investigated the entire building. He knew better than to go into a structure blind. But his concentration had been on Molly.

Mostly on getting her under him. Damn.

Dare glanced around the foyer. Almost every old building had a basement, so he searched for the right door—and found it. Luckily, it opened in silence. The dank basement with its concrete floors and walls smelled like mildew and held a thick chill.

He wasn’t about to turn on lights, but the moon shining through a window guided him. Covered in webs and dead bugs, the rusted lock on the wobbly frame offered no real protection. The narrow window barely afforded enough room for him to hoist himself up and out. The casing scraped his spine, and his face met dry, brittle weeds outside.

He barely noticed.

Shooting to his feet, he circled the building and edged out along the side, using the shadows of the apartment building next door as concealment. Off in the distance, a dog barked. Cold wind rustled dry leaves and cut through his thin shirt.

Senses alert, Dare listened for any unnatural sound as he edged closer and closer to the street.

He detected the quiet rumbling of the van’s motor and the hushed drone of conversation inside.

Certain words pricked his mind: daughter and payment. They were incriminating words that worked to ramp up his instinctive protectiveness.

Without making a sound, he edged closer until he could see the license plates on the van. He committed them to memory.

The ringing of a cell phone made the driver curse. He answered with a sharp “What?”

Silence, and then, “She’s here. No, we didn’t see her, but there are lights on inside.” The driver waited, and then, “No one is going to see us. I know how to … Fine. Are you sure? Yeah, all right.”

He disconnected the call with a curse, saying to his passenger, “We’re done here for tonight.” Then he put the van in gear.

The urge to go after them ripped through Dare. He could reach them before they picked up speed. He could drag the driver through the window and beat some answers out of him. If there were more than two of them …

Through his nose, he inhaled a long, deep breath.

The smart thing to do, the unemotional thing, would be to wait. If he got hurt, who would look after Molly? Who would protect her?

He had the plates. It’d be better to get hold of Trace and have him find out what he could about the owner of the van.

Putting his head back against a brick wall, Dare let out the breath and tried to ease the killing tension. The adrenaline dump left him humming with the need for violence.

He couldn’t go back to Molly like this. The mention of the van had thrown her for a loop. She needed him calm and in control. She needed him to comfort her.

Somehow, he would manage that. But one word the driver said kept pounding in his brain: daughter.

For her own safety, he had to tell Molly that her father was likely the one who’d plotted against her, the one who’d wanted her hurt.

Dare still had to find out why. And until he did, Molly would never be satisfied.

Pissed off, more at himself than the situation, Dare reentered the building by the front door. Hell, anyone could walk in and out of the place. And her apartment door wouldn’t offer even a modicum of protection, not even to the dumbest criminal. And that damned fire escape …

Her apartment door opened right before Dare reached it. Jett stood there, a half-eaten piece of pizza in his free hand. “Didn’t go after them, huh?”

He shook his head and pulled out his cell phone. From the corner of his eye, he saw Molly sitting on the couch. She curled in the corner, her knees up to her chest, her arms around herself, her shoulders hunched.

Beside her, Natalie hovered, no doubt offering comfort.

Dare punched in Trace’s number as he went to Molly and sat down beside her. The couch dipped, and her hip rolled against his. He put his arm around her.

She remained rigid, but she’d get over it.

As soon as Trace answered, he said, “Sorry to wake you, but I need you to run some plates for me.”

Looking suitably impressed over that, Jett went for another slice of pizza. The excitement of the night hadn’t dented his appetite one bit—or else he was used to danger.

That’d make sense, because it wasn’t the danger that affected Dare as much as Molly’s reaction. If he wasn’t so drawn to her, he’d have gone for the pizza, too.

There was the sound of Trace moving, probably hunting up a pen and paper, and then he said, “Go.”

Dare gave him the number. “Soon as you know, let me know. And if you can connect the driver with anyone, it’d help.”

“I’ll see what I can do.”

“Thanks.”

Jett watched him. “Men of few words, huh?”

Ignoring Jett, Dare closed the phone and put it back in his pocket. That done, he caught Molly’s chin and, ignoring her sister, turned her face up for a kiss.

From the beginning, that had been the easiest way to reach her, to take her out of her worry.

He meant it to just be a peck of affection, to thaw her a little. But her lips were firmed, and he could feel the tension vibrating through her, so he lingered, keeping his mouth on hers until she softened.

Smoothing her bottom lip with his thumb, he asked, “You okay?”

“Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

Snippy. Dare gave a tight smile. “Good. Let’s eat.”

Her hands knotted his shirt. “I’m not hungry.”

“Yeah, you are.” He stood, caught her wrists and pulled her to her feet, too. “But you’re also pissed. And scared. Not eating isn’t going to help, though.”

Her eyes reddened. Her bottom lip quivered.

Ah, hell. More softly, he said, “Everything is fine.”

“What happened?”

“You heard me give the plates to Trace. He’ll check them and we’ll go from there.”

“You … you didn’t …”

“Chat with them? No.” Fuck, he hated explaining himself. Especially with Natalie and Jett as a fascinated audience. “The driver got a call and left before I could decide what I wanted to do.”

“Oh.” Relief left her swaying on her feet. She averted her gaze.

“Molly.”

“What?”

It wasn’t like her to be detached. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow, so it’d be better if you used the time we had for something other than sulking.”

That got her attention.

She snapped her head around to glower at him. “Sulking?” She sounded mean. “Is that what you think?”

Dare narrowed his eyes. “I think Jett better stop his goddamned smiling.”

Jett laughed and held up a hand. “Sorry.”

He heard Natalie muttering to him, and then the two of them pretended not to listen.

Molly propped her hands on her hips. “Seriously, Dare?” She stomped two steps closer. “You seriously think that just because you ran outside after deranged kidnappers, I’d sulk?”

Reining in his temper, he closed his hands over her shoulders and brought her closer. “I think you were worried about me, like I’m some damn grade-school boy without an ounce of sense or training. And you’re starting to realize that your life is never going to be the same after this, and that’d fuck up anyone’s day. And if that wasn’t enough, you’re wishing you were at least paying me, because then you’d feel like you had more control.”

She gaped at him.

“Nailed it, didn’t I?”

Her tongue slicked out over her bottom lip. “Pretty much … minus the insults.”

Dare hooked his arms around her waist. “But it was insulting, because, Molly, I’m not going to get hurt, I will get your life back in order and paying me wouldn’t really change anything. Something is going on between us, and money wouldn’t blunt the effect of it at all.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Her fingers played with the front of his shirt. She stared at his sternum. “What kind of something, though?”

Hell, he didn’t know. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to hash it out right now with people listening in. “We’ll figure that out along the way.” He kissed her forehead. “But it goes both ways, okay?” That was about as much of a promise as he could give her.

“I don’t know.” She let out a breath. “I hate it that you’re in the line of danger trying to keep me safe.”

“Funny, because, possessive as I am, I sure as hell wouldn’t leave your security to any other man.” He glanced at Jett. “Other than very short-term.”

Jett saluted him with a canned cola. “Piece of cake. She’s a reasonable woman, just like her sister.”

“Glad to hear it.” It did reassure him that Molly hadn’t tried to do anything foolish, like follow him out.

When Molly stayed quiet, Natalie shoved her shoulder. “For God’s sake, Molly, men need reassurance, too, you know. Put him out of his misery already, will you?”

Jett laughed. “Seriously. From one guy to another, it is rather painful to watch.”

Dare paid no attention to either of them. “Molly?”

She met his gaze. “Well, I’m possessive, too, and I can’t help worrying when you run out blind to face off with people we already know are dangerous.”

That was more like it. Dare turned her toward the table where the pizza waited. “Do you believe that insult, Jett?”

“Got ya where it hurt, didn’t she?”

Natalie elbowed Jett. “What are you talking about? She didn’t insult him.”

Sprawling back in his chair, Jett said, “The hell she didn’t. Insinuating that he can’t handle himself against some thugs too damned stupid not to be noticed is a definite insult. Look at the man, Natalie. You can see that he knows what he’s doing.”

Dare accepted the accolade with a nod.

And then as an aside, Jett added, “And he took me down with almost no effort, a fact that still smarts. So you can see why I choose to think he’s that good, rather than that I got taken so completely off guard.”

“I’d say it was a little of both, but thanks all the same.” Dare held out a chair for Molly. “If I’d wanted to get those bastards out of that truck, I could have, and I wouldn’t have broken a sweat.”

Natalie made a face. “Are all men so modest?”

Jett grinned. “Probably.”

“But if I’d done that,” Dare said, “there would have been a scuffle, maybe gunfire, and cops would be called. There’d not only be questions, but we’d be tipping our hand, and whoever is behind this would go to ground.”

“Smart.” Jett leaned forward, an arm on the table. “So, you’re working with someone who can look up plates that easily?”

Dare put a slice of pizza on a plate and set it in front of Molly. “It’s unfortunate that you’re here, listening in, but you have to know that I’m not going to tell you jack shit.”

“Fair enough.” To Molly, he asked, “He’s legal?”

Her gaze went from the massive slice of pizza to Jett. She opened her mouth, closed it again and shrugged. “Whatever he is, I’m glad, because I don’t think anyone else would have found me in Mexico.”

Dare grinned at her answer. “I operate outside the law when necessary, but usually with amnesty.”

“Huh.” Jett stared at Dare as he mulled that over. “Got a lot of pull?”

“Enough.”

“This is all damned intriguing.” He pulled Natalie into his lap. “When I asked you to marry me, I had no idea that your family would be so interesting.”

Dare got his own plate ready. “If interesting is the best description you’ve got, I have a feeling you haven’t met their father yet.”

Natalie and Molly both winced.

Dare regretted his words. Regardless of her father’s sins, Molly had feelings for the man. It was the way of nature.

For now, he’d withhold what he’d overheard from the driver of the Ford. She’d had enough confusion for one night. It’d be better to tell her away from the others, maybe right before she reunited with her father.

Facetiously, Jett said, “Ah, no, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her folks. Something to look forward to?”

“If you have a strong constitution, you should be fine.” Dare noticed that Jett hugged Natalie a little closer.

“That bad?” he asked.

“Stop trying to scare him off,” Molly said to Dare. “You’ve only met my father once.”

Once was enough, but Dare kept that thought to himself. Hedging the question he knew Natalie was about to ask, he brought up a new subject. “We can’t stay here.”

Slumping, Molly nodded. “I know.”

Damn, but he hated seeing her life disturbed this way. She deserved her old life of naiveté, where bogeymen didn’t exist. “Even if you didn’t have creeps hanging around outside, this place isn’t secure.”

She didn’t argue with him about it. “Where will we stay?”

“I have a guest room,” Natalie offered.

Jett gave immediate objection to that idea. “Having her at your place would just put you both in the line of fire.”

Cutting off Natalie’s objection, Dare said, “He’s right.”

Molly touched her sister’s hand. “The last thing I want is to put you in danger, too. This is all bad enough as it is.”

Dare nudged the pizza toward Molly again. She needed to keep up her strength to get through the emotional shit-storm ahead.

He waited for her to take a bite before saying to Natalie, “When would be a good time to catch your father and stepmother both at home?”

Around her mouthful of food, Molly asked, “Why?”

“Because it’s time that we paid them a visit. The sooner the better.”