Dare to Hold

by Carly Phillips

  He couldn’t deny they were right. He wasn’t happy, and the thought of doing something different definitely appealed to him, as did working with his brother.

  Scott ran a hand over his eyes. He’d never considered leaving the force. Never thought his older brother—by two years but still older—would want him on board. “You built your business yourself. Are you sure—”

  “One hundred percent certain. You can buy in, and we can work out the details… I’d have asked you before, but I wanted you to get hands-on experience first. You deserved to follow your dream and see if it was for you before I asked you to leave it behind.”

  Scott nodded slowly. “Let me give it some thought. But I’m interested.”

  “Not too long. I’m going to take this job and with the business growing, I need you. As far as Greyson… If he shows up around Lola, we can tag-team him,” Tyler said, tacking it on as added incentive.

  “Oh, you two better stay out of Avery’s business,” Olivia warned them.

  They both shot her a look. If someone hurt either woman, they’d have to answer to a Dare brother.

  “I’ve got to get going. Call me,” Tyler said to Scott. He paused to kiss Olivia on the cheek. “You feeling okay?” he asked their pregnant sister.

  That was something Scott hadn’t wrapped his head around. His baby sister married and expecting a baby. At least her husband, Dylan Rhodes, treated her right. Now to get someone decent for Avery.

  Olivia poked Scott in the arm. “You and I need to talk. Come to my office?” she asked.

  He rose and grinned. “Am I in trouble?”

  She pinned him with a warning look. Uh oh.

  She waited until they were settled in her private office, she in the chair behind her desk, he in the one in front. “What’s up, Liv?”

  “That’s what I want to know. I had dinner with Meg. I mentioned your name, and she said she ran into you at Mel’s this weekend.”

  “And?” He stared at his sister, not knowing where she was going, and not jumping in with anything more before he knew what had her so on edge.

  “You spent the night with her!” Olivia said it like an accusation.

  Scott folded his arms across his chest. “She told you that?” Because Meg didn’t strike him as the gossipy type.

  Olivia blew out a long breath. “Not in so many words. But I could tell from the hemming and hawing she did … from the way she blushed and couldn’t look me in the eye, then asked selective questions … I just knew.”

  He inclined his head. “And?” he asked his nosey sister.

  “And what were you thinking? I know there were sparks when you met her, but she’s coming off a really shitty relationship, she’s pregnant and vulnerable, and you’re…” She trailed off, her gaze darting away from his.

  He stiffened. “Don’t stop now,” he told her.

  “You’re you! All controlling and alpha.”

  “So you think I’d hurt her?” he asked, offended.

  Olivia wrinkled her nose. “Of course not. Well, not on purpose, anyway.”

  He frowned. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

  She rose from her seat and came around her desk, sitting in the chair next to him and leaning in close. “Scott, do you remember what happened with Leah? She gutted you when she had that abortion. You haven’t had any kind of relationship with a woman since.” Olivia held up a hand to make sure he didn’t interrupt. “And I’m not talking about sex.”

  “Me neither and not with you,” Scott muttered. Nor did he need the reminder of how wrong he’d chosen when he’d married Leah Jerome.

  Having seen firsthand what his father’s cheating had done, not only to his mother but to him and his siblings, Scott hadn’t believed he wanted a family. Leah definitely hadn’t. And then she’d gotten pregnant … and the reality of a baby had changed his mind. He’d thought he could change hers. He’d been wrong. And Olivia was correct. He hadn’t trusted another woman since.

  Then he’d met Meg. “I’m not going to hurt her. You know me better than that.”

  “Of course I do.” Olivia laid a hand on his arm. “But all your women lately have been one-night stands or close to it. I don’t understand how you can cavalierly sleep with a pregnant woman and walk away. Or think it’s okay to have an affair with her like she’s just a woman you picked up in a bar.”

  “Whoa.” This time he held up his hand. “I’m not sure where you’re getting these ideas, but trust me, Liv, you have no clue what I’m thinking, feeling, or planning.” Unfortunately, neither did he. But it was the early days… They’d slept together once. And he wasn’t going to let his sister convince him to walk away.

  His sister narrowed her gaze. “Care to share?”

  “Not particularly. Just understand, you know who I am. That should count for something.”

  “I know,” Olivia said, her voice softening. “You’re a good man. But Meg is different than the women you’re used to.”

  He knew that. She was everything his ex wasn’t. He sensed it at a glance. All those differences—the softness beneath the prickly exterior, the outward fragility that he knew belied a strong core, and the beauty that shone from her inside and out all called to a part of him he’d never known before.

  “She has a history of picking bad boys who aren’t good to her, and she’s just promised herself she’ll change.”

  “And you think I’m going to stop her from doing that?”

  “I know you could.”

  He ran a hand over his face. Yeah … he could. It was in his nature to take over, to control. He wanted to help her, take care of her and get to know her better. But contrary to what his sister believed, he wouldn’t hurt her. He meant to see what could be between them. If that meant pushing her past her limits … he’d do just that.

  Chapter Three

  Meg had a rough week. The meeting with the principal hadn’t gone as she’d hoped. Although she had a morals clause in her contract, it didn’t include having a child out of wedlock, and she’d counted on her abilities as a teacher and how much the kids loved her to hold sway. So she’d be a single parent. Women handled it all the time due to divorce or death. They also, occasionally, got themselves pregnant.

  Unfortunately, Mr. Ryan Hansen hadn’t been happy. Meg wasn’t sure if his censure was more because he’d tried to date her before or because he really did have an issue with her teaching children and having to explain to young, impressionable minds why there was no baby daddy in her life. As if a kindergartener would even know about her personal life, let alone think to ask.

  Luckily, he couldn’t get rid of her. She had just signed a new contract, and she hoped her job was secure … if no longer comfortable. She blew out a breath, knowing she had to get used to people having opinions and comments about her situation.

  Meg settled into the couch in her apartment, laptop on her thighs, the television providing background noise. She drew a deep breath and began looking for baby items at online stores, making notes on a pad at her side. Budget was important, but safety was first. If she needed to deal with credit card debt to purchase what she needed for her baby, so be it. She had things she could easily give up to free up money. Professional haircuts, eyebrow waxing, mani-pedis, all things she could manage on her own.

  A crib would be the biggest hit for now. She jotted down a few possibilities and prices. She didn’t want to go into stores until she had a good idea what she could afford.

  Her doorbell rang, taking her by surprise. It was Friday night, and her friends had gone out for drinks. They’d invited her, but she’d begged off, wanting a quiet night at home.

  She walked to the door, placed her hand on the knob. “Who is it?”

  She was just about to look through the peephole when she heard, “Open the fucking door, Meg.”

  Her heart skipped a beat.

  Mike?

  How could he dare show up here? She had a restraining order in effect. She didn’t plan on answering him
or letting him inside, but she couldn’t stop the tremors that took hold. Shaking, she went back to the couch and picked up her cell.

  She returned to the door and leaned against it, hoping he would go away.

  He banged hard again. No doorbell this time. “Meg! We need to talk.”

  She drew a deep breath. He could talk to her lawyer, and he knew it. All she wanted was for him to sign away rights to the baby. For whatever reason, he refused to do it. She didn’t have any illusions that he wanted the baby. He just didn’t want the child to exist, period.

  She placed a protective hand over her stomach. “Go away or I’ll call the police.” What the hell had she seen in him? How had she missed this side of him? Oh, he’d been fun and exciting … at first. Until she’d let him move in and he hadn’t paid rent. He hadn’t contributed to food. And he’d done what he wanted, when he wanted. And she’d still tried to make things work because it was easier than getting him out of the apartment. Easier than fighting all the time. Just like her mother’s relationships.

  Ugh.

  “Come on, I just want to talk.” He banged harder on the door.

  “I’m dialing 911!”

  She lifted the phone.

  “You stupid bitch!” He slammed his hand against the door, and then she heard the sound of footsteps storming down the hall. She wondered what her neighbors thought. It wasn’t the first time they’d heard screaming coming from her apartment. She cringed in embarrassment.

  She was still shaking, and there was nothing she could do to calm down. She couldn’t pour herself a glass of wine. She couldn’t take a Xanax. She just had to deal.

  She lowered herself back to the couch and drew in a deep breath. She wasn’t sure how long she remained motionless, seeing nothing, doing nothing but shivering. The last time she’d seen Mike, she’d told him she was pregnant … and he’d been angry. She still didn’t think he’d deliberately pushed her, but who knew?

  She’d tripped and fallen back into the curio cabinet with all her glass items. She’d ended up bleeding and almost losing the baby. The doctor couldn’t say for sure if stress or the jarring from the fall had caused the bleeding. She was only two weeks off bed rest now. SShe’d been on bedrest for a few days and had had no problems in the two weeks since. She didn’t need Mike returning and causing problems. And she didn’t want to be afraid whenever she went out.

  The sound of the doorbell jarred her and she jumped. God, not again. She rose and tiptoed to the peephole and looked out.

  Scott.

  Thank God. She didn’t stop to think, just unhooked the chain she’d installed after Mike had moved out and let Scott inside.

  * * *

  After his sister had ripped into him, Scott had actually felt bad, wondering if he’d pushed Meg into something she wasn’t ready for. He decided to call her … but his car just happened to pull off her exit. Yeah. He’d keep telling himself that.

  He rang her doorbell, not even knowing if she was home. The door swung open wide, and he found himself facing a pale, wide-eyed Meg.

  His protective instincts swung into high gear. “What’s wrong?” He stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

  “I… My ex was here,” she said, her big brown eyes damp.

  Rage at the thought of anyone scaring her, hurting her, filled him. “Here? As in inside?”

  She shook her head. “No. I didn’t open the door.”

  He breathed out a relieved breath. “Good girl.”

  “But he kept banging and yelling, cursing, saying we needed to talk.”

  “Not happening,” Scott said through clenched teeth.

  “Not if I have anything to say about it,” she agreed. “I didn’t answer him. But he’s not going to just go away. Restraining order or not.”

  Her hands shook, and he clasped both his palms around her cold extremities and held on. Despite the serious situation, he couldn’t help but notice how soft her skin was, how delicate she felt beneath his fingers.

  “I don’t understand. I don’t want anything from him. Not a dime, even though his family can more than afford it. I just want him to sign away his parental rights. Why won’t he just do that?” she asked, her voice trembling.

  Scott filed the information about his family’s money away for later. “People have strange reasons for doing things.” He’d have to figure out Mike’s. But right now, Meg was his only concern, and she needed to calm down.

  He led her to the couch, where she’d obviously been sitting with her open laptop and notepad. He sat down, pulled her onto his lap, and she immediately curled into him, seeking comfort he was only too happy to give.

  “It’ll be fine,” he assured her, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame. She felt so delicate, so perfect in his arms.

  “I hope so.” She curled her fingers into his shirt and rested her head against his chest with a small quivering sigh.

  “I won’t let him hurt you.” He stroked the back of her hair, inhaling the fragrant scent of her shampoo. Memories of sliding into her wet heat hit him without warning, and his body responded.

  He swallowed a curse, reminding himself she sought reassurance, not sex, but his stiff cock wasn’t listening. It didn’t help when she wriggled deeper into him, her face tucked against his neck, her breath hot on his skin.

  He needed to think with his head. The one with common sense that knew she was frightened. “Hey.” He brushed her hair out of her face. “You’re safe now.”

  “I know. I just feel so stupid, thinking a piece of paper would keep him away. And I don’t know what to do now.”

  “Well, first thing, let’s get this visit documented by the police. You want everything on record.” In case something else happened, which Scott wouldn’t say to her out loud. For one thing, he didn’t want to frighten her further. And for another, he wouldn’t let that bastard near her.

  She eased back to meet his gaze. “I can’t prove Mike was here.”

  “I’ll talk to your neighbors. See if anyone heard him yelling or recognized his voice. Okay?”

  She remained silent, not looking at him. Clearly he wasn’t helping. “What’s wrong?”

  “Everything.” She pushed off him, sliding into her own space on the sofa.

  He immediately missed the warmth and heat of her body, but she obviously needed distance. “Tell me.”

  She blinked her thick lashes. “I promised myself I’d stand on my own, and at the first sign of a crisis, I curled up in your lap and let you take over. How’s that for falling back into old patterns?” she said, frustration and annoyance in her tone.

  “Listen to me.” Needing to touch her, to maintain the contact they’d been sharing, he placed a hand beneath her chin and tilted her head.

  She met his gaze with wide brown eyes, and he was struck with a connection, a sense of knowing he’d felt from the first time they’d met. This woman tied him up in knots, made him want to fix things so he could see her smile and light up just for him.

  Shit. He shook his head, not understanding how the hell he’d gone from never again to invested so quickly.

  “What is it?” she asked, breaking into his too-serious thoughts.

  He swallowed hard. Forced himself to concentrate on the thread of their conversation and not his emotions. “There is a huge difference between accepting help from a friend who is experienced in these things and falling back into bad patterns,” he explained.

  “Do you trust me?” he asked.

  She nodded slowly. “I realize I barely know you, my judgment sucks, but that said, yes, I do.”

  The notion was humbling. “Good. So go make yourself a cup of tea or get some water. I’ll talk to the neighbors and be right back.”

  “I wish I could do something useful,” she muttered, but she rose and walked into the kitchen.

  He couldn’t tear his gaze from the sexy sway of her hips or the way her hair swung against her back. He bit the inside of his cheek and spent the next few minutes getting h
is dick to calm down so he could to talk to her neighbors.

  His canvass of the two next-door apartments yielded only one result, but at least it was a good one. A middle-aged woman had heard the whole thing. And, she informed Scott, she was the same person who’d found Meg’s phone and called her friend after Meg had ended up in the hospital because of her ex the last time. Scott told her the police would be by to interview her and returned to Meg’s to find her sitting at the kitchen table with a glass of juice in her hand.

  “Good news. Mrs. Booth heard Mike, and she recognized his voice. I put a call into the station and asked them to send someone to take her statement. And yours.”

  She blew out a long breath and stared at her glass. “Thank you.”

  He didn’t like seeing her so down. He eased into the chair beside her and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear, just so he could touch her again.

  Her cheeks flushed, and a flicker of awareness lit her gaze. There she was. The passionate woman he knew had returned. “So what were you doing before Mike showed up?” he asked, changing the subject while they waited for the cops.

  “Online shopping. Browsing, really. Making lists of what I need for the baby, comparing costs on the big items. Things like that.”

  “Sounds fun.”

  A smile lifted her lips, and damned if his gaze didn’t zero in on that sweet mouth. The desire to kiss her sucker-punched him, but he remained in his chair, one hand clenched in frustration.

  “It is. I don’t know the baby’s sex, but it’s been fun to look at all the cute little baby clothes and think about how I want to decorate for him. Or her.”

  “Is this a two-bedroom?” he asked, before he said screw it, threw her over his shoulder, and hauled her back to bed, to hell with any damned statements.

  All he wanted to do was bury himself inside her while making her come hard and often. Then spend the rest of the night curled around her, keeping her safe and protected.

  “No, just one bedroom,” she said, oblivious to his sexual frustration and X-rated thoughts.