“I’m not, am I?” Sean asked, lifting his chin defiantly. “Shouldn’t it be up to Molly whether or not she wants to talk to me?”
Devil chuckled as he slid one hand into his pants’ pocket. “You obviously don’t know Molly as well as you think you do.”
“Molly and I were together a long time; I probably know her better than you do,” Sean countered, crossing his arms over his chest and narrowing his grey eyes on Devil’s face. “You may have more money than God, but that wouldn’t have impressed the Molly I knew much. She won’t let your money and power influence her. She and I have some things between us we need to resolve.”
“Is that so?” Devil drawled easily, his deep voice deceptively smooth and low. “Unfortunately for you, Molly is probably going to choose to resolve those issues with a well-aimed gun. You see, I do know her. She hates you. Emphatically. Seeing you makes her uncomfortable. And unhappy. That makes me rather edgy because Molly’s happiness is of the utmost importance to me, and I have quite a few suspicions about you, Mr. Barlow.”
“Really? Do tell,” Sean invited, his own jaw clenching as he stared back at Devil.
Biting back a smile, Devil wondered if the man was actively seeking to be crushed like an ant or if he was dumber than dirt. Not that it truly mattered. The end result would be the same. “You really aren’t very smart, are you, kid? Because of you, Molly doesn’t trust her instincts where men are concerned. You see, with your callous actions two years ago, you’re directly responsible for the mistaken belief she’s developed that all men can be lying, cheating, self-serving bastards. That irritates me since I’m still trying to overcome that particular obstacle with her. Add that to the fact that I do believe you’re at the root of her self-confidence issues - what with your snide, tacky comments about her former weight - and I find myself having developed a very active dislike of you, Sean.”
“No offense, Mr. Delancy, but I think I can live with your dislike, active or otherwise,” Sean retorted cockily.
“Can you?” Devil questioned curiously, slowly moving in for the kill. Evidently either his opponent for Molly’s affection had been hiding under a rock for the last several years and didn’t know what he was capable of or he was so arrogant that he thought he was a match for Devil. Either way, he was about to learn a very hard lesson.
“I think I can handle another man not liking me… even a man as successful as you, Mr. Delancy.” Sean smirked as he turned to walk away.
“You’re still at Fenton and Danvers, aren’t you, Sean?” Devil asked casually, dropping his hands into his slacks as the other man turned to face him again.
Sean frowned. “You know where I work?”
“I know everything about you, Sean,” Devil informed him pleasantly, enjoying the glare of the Georgia sunlight that suddenly seemed to blind the other man. “I didn’t get to be where I am by being uninformed. I make it a habit to know everything there is to know about my enemies.”
Hesitating, Sean held up his hand to cover his eyes. “Maybe we got off on the wrong foot here. I’m not your enemy. I’m just a guy that used to date Molly.”
“That’s where you’re very wrong. You are my adversary. You hurt Molly. Deeply. And that is an offense I take very seriously. You see, you’re a rotten human being that betrayed her trust, violated her home, and damaged a truly beautiful woman. I’ve left you alone for two years because you had the sense to stay the hell away from her. You changed the game today, Mr. Barlow. You tried to ambush my future wife on her own turf – at her church, of all places. I don’t know what your motive was or what you thought you could accomplish, but this wasn’t a coincidence. You planned this, and that was a very foolish mistake on your part. I protect what’s mine, Sean.”
“Does Molly know that she’s just a possession to you?” Sean growled suddenly, his eyes now shining with jealous rage.
“Molly knows there isn’t anything I wouldn’t do for her. I don’t think you can say the same,” Devil replied evenly, taking a step closer to the other man. “Here’s what’s going to happen, Sean. You’re going to go inside the church and enjoy today’s services with Ms. Higgins. Then, you’re going to leave, and you’re never going to come back. Not here and not any other place that Molly frequents.”
“You’re so sure of yourself, aren’t you?” Sean bit out, his hands balling into fists at his sides.
“I am,” Devil agreed easily, nodding his head as he offered the other man a predatory smile. “Let me tell you why, Sean. In this city, I lead a very influential pack of wolves. I don’t have a problem in the world ripping your metaphorical heart out of your chest. If you harass my future wife in any way from this point forward, I’m going to be forced to take action. That means that I’ll start with a phone call to my good friend, Alan Danvers, and tell him all about the questionable character of his newest associate. Really, screwing the managing partner’s wife isn’t a great way to make an impression on your boss, is it?” Devil enjoyed the horrified expression that crossed the younger man’s face and he made a silent note to give the private investigator he had on staff a raise.
Still grinning, Devil continued, “When I’m done filling in Alan on your extracurricular activities, I’m then going to make it a point to put out the word about what kind of man the sharp, young, up-and-coming attorney Sean Barlow really is. I’m a powerful man, Sean, and I don’t bluff. People who matter value my opinion. It could become quite difficult to find a job as so much as a dishwasher in the city of Atlanta if you aren’t careful, which would be unfortunate. The debt you’ve accumulated from those student loans and that pesky gambling addiction you’ve developed is staggering, after all.”
Sean gulped audibly, his eyes dilating as Devil paused.
“Are you alright, son? You look a little ill.” Devil asked, feigning worry.
“F-fine,” Sean returned hoarsely, shifting slightly as he ignored the gazes of the parishioners walking by them.
“Hmmm, my mistake.” Devil shrugged. “So, tell me, Sean,” he continued conversationally. “Are we understanding each other now?”
Pale now, Sean nodded wordlessly.
“I’m going to need verbal confirmation, Sean,” Devil ordered harshly, glaring at Molly’s one-time lover with pure hatred.
“I’ll stay away from Molly after today. I won’t go anywhere near her,” Sean stated softly, his words barely loud enough to be heard.
“Good. Then this will be the last conversation you and I have. For the record, though, I appreciate what you did. If you hadn’t thrown away the best thing to ever happen to you, she’d never have happened to me. So, for that, I’ll give you this one pass. Cross me again and I come for you, Sean,” Devil warned one last time as he stepped around the other man. “If I were you, I’d stay out here and get some air. You look like shit,” he said in parting before walking toward the church… and his future.
Sizzle: Chapter Thirty-Seven
As Devil stepped into the small lobby of the Baptist church, Molly immediately hurried toward him. Latching onto his arm, she lifted her gaze to his. “You didn’t leave a mangled body in the parking lot, did you?” she whispered frantically. “Seriously, it’s still a crime even if he had it coming, Devil.”
Smiling benignly down at her, Devil bent to whisper in her ear. “Careful, darlin’. I might get the idea that you care what happens to me.”
“I care enough not to want to be a witness at the murder trial,” Molly whispered back as Devil wrapped one arm around her waist and tucked her against his side.
“Everything’s fine, baby,” he soothed, squeezing her hip. “Sean is just taking a moment to think about some things I shared with him. He won’t create any scenes for us, I promise. Now, let’s go find our seats before the service starts,” he suggested, urging her toward the arched entrance into the church’s sanctuary.
Breathing deeply, Molly let Devil guide her down the center aisle, nodding to several people she knew as they turned to look at them. Lord, t
his was worse than the time she’d tucked her dress in her pantyhose, she thought hopelessly. It seemed like everyone was staring at them – especially the women. Not that she could particularly blame them, Devil cut a handsome form in his tailored suit. Between his rugged good looks and attractive body, she was the envy of most every woman inside the church under the age of fifty.
When she spotted Sami waving at her from the pew behind Grant and Karen, Molly smiled in relief. “Here, Dev. This is where we sit,” she whispered, pulling him into the wooden seat and plopping down beside Sami.
“You okay?” the blonde murmured as Molly dropped her purse to the floor by her feet and settled against the pew beside Devil. In front of them, Grant and Karen stole peeks at them over their shoulders. Leaning forward, Sami eyed Devil, “Please tell me that you left pieces of that sinner scattered over the parking lot.”
Devil merely smiled as Molly leaned toward her model friend, nodding to her concerned mother as she turned around to stare from two pews ahead. “Everything is handled, Sami,” she whispered, trying to smile reassuringly as she lifted her hand to offer her momma a tiny wave. Sighing when she only received a hard look from the woman who’d given her life, Molly sagged against Devil’s side. She could tell the older woman was trying to figure out why Devil had accompanied her to church, but good manners prevented her from jumping the two rows of seats it would take to find out. After all, her mother was the model of Southern grace and decorum...at least in the Lord’s house. The inquisition would come as soon as the final amen was uttered; of this, Molly was certain. “Please, just tell me your flask is in your handbag like it usually is,” she begged her best friend in a quiet voice.
“Oh, honey, you know I’m always packin’.” Sami grinned, staring straight ahead as Vivian snickered softly from the other side of her.
“Wonderful. Don’t move far from my side then,” Molly returned in a hushed voice as Grant turned to stare at them again, his eyes dancing merrily.
“Did ya kill ‘im?” he asked Devil in a low voice as the choir shuffled in at the front of the church.
“Not yet,” Devil denied with a faint smile, sliding his arm around Molly’s tense shoulders. “But he won’t be making any more problems after today,” he assured his best friend.
Throughout the three hymns the choir sang over the next fifteen minutes, Molly tapped her foot nervously, singing along as she stole looks at Devil. She’d seen Sean wander in about five minutes ago and take his seat beside a woman she didn’t know. He didn’t look any worse for wear, but she’d known him long enough to see he was shaken. She knew it was un-Christian to wish a plague of frogs and locusts on her mortal enemy as she sat in the house of the Lord, but she couldn’t help the glee she felt.
Frowning at her brother when he looked at Devil over his shoulder for the fourth time in as many minutes, Molly leaned forward, grabbing the back of the pew in front of her. “What in the world are you looking for, Grant?” she whispered to the amused man as Devil took her hand in his, lacing their fingers together.
“Honestly? I’m trying to spot The Four Horseman of the Apocalypse, sis.” Seeing the confusion in her green eyes, he grinned. “You got Devil Delancy inside a church,” he explained softly. “That’s GOT to be a sign that the end times are nigh!”
“Yeah,” Sami chortled softly, overhearing Grant’s statement. “I’m pretty sure I heard Gabriel blowing his horn when Devil walked through the door.”
“Shhhh,” Vivian shushed them all. “The preaching is starting,” she warned, nodding to the head of the church where Pastor Martin was climbing into the pulpit.
Shifting in her seat as Pastor Martin cleared his throat and faced the gathered congregation, Molly felt Devil’s arm snake across the back of the pew and around her shoulders, unobtrusively tugging her against his chest. Relaxing against him, Molly sighed as his broad hand massaged the tense muscle in her shoulder just as the Pastor began his sermon. She owed that to the older man; he had, after all, been her pastor since she was knee-high to a grasshopper.
“Friends and guests, I want to welcome each one of you back into the house of Our Lord and Savior. Today, our scripture reading is taken from Ephesians 5:22-23,” Pastor Martin announced as he held up his Bible for the assembly to see. “Luckily, I don’t even need the Good Book to quote this verse, friends. I know it well. Wives,” he recited in a booming, charismatic voice, “submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior.”
Staring out at the congregation, the Pastor dropped his Bible back to the podium and smiled. “That’s right, my brothers and sisters! Today, we’re gonna talk about what makes a righteous and good marriage!”
And as Molly hung her head in the audience, she heard Devil chuckle beside her.
“I think you might wanna pay attention to this sermon, honey,” Devil teased against her ear and squeezed her shoulder gently.
Lifting her eyes to the ceiling of the church, Molly shook her head. “It’s official. I think the Lord really has forsaken me,” she acknowledged as Sami, Viv, and Devil all stifled chuckles.
If she was going to hell, she was bound and determined to take passengers along with her on the ride!
Sizzle: Chapter Thirty-Eight
Ninety minutes later, Devil guided a shell-shocked Molly out of the church with a hand on her lower back. Pausing to shake hands with the pastor and his wife, Devil followed her down the steps to where Grant and Karen waited for them on the sidewalk.
Rubbing his hands together, Grant greeted them with a wide smile. “So,” he drawled. “Is today the day of the big announcement or are you just gonna prep Mom and Daddy for upcoming events?” he asked eagerly.
“Grant,” Karen chastised, smacking her husband’s arm as their children played in the nearby grass, “Keep your voice down.”
Keeping Molly’s hand in his, Devil squeezed gently. “Today is indeed the day.”
“Well, wait,” Molly interrupted quickly, shaking out of her sermon-induced fog and latching onto Grant’s idea like a lifeline. “Maybe Grant is onto something. A little prep might not hurt. Maybe we just mention to Mom and Dad today that we’ve been seeing each other. Give them a little time to digest that before we spring an engagement on them.”
“Today, Margaret,” Devil insisted firmly, turning to nail her with a hard look. “No backtracking.”
“I, for one, still can’t wrap my head around this,” Karen murmured, her long dark hair bouncing against her shoulders as she shook her head and looked between Devil and Molly. “You could have knocked me over with a feather when Grant told me about the plan y’all hatched.”
“Not y’all,” Molly corrected quickly, shielding her eyes from the afternoon sunlight. “Him,” she said, jerking her head in Devil’s direction. “This is all his fool idea. I’m going along with it for Nana’s sake.”
Devil shrugged, sharing a grin with Grant. “Hey, whatever gets you to the altar on time, babe.”
“Devil Delancy!” Anne Ramsey called from behind them, “Get yourself over here and give me a hug!” she ordered as she hurried down the steps toward her children.
Molly watched as Devil turned and enveloped her mother in a bear hug, lifting her feet off the ground as her father rolled his eyes behind her. “Hello, Daddy,” she greeted her father, moving quickly to press a kiss to his clean-shaven jaw.
“Hey, Peanut,” Walter Ramsey murmured, wrapping one arm around his daughter’s waist and hugging her against him. “We were surprised to see you and the Devil show up together,” he said, winking at Devil as the younger man put Anne back on her feet. “It’s good to see you, son,” he declared with a grin, reaching out and shaking Devil’s hand.
“Yes, it’s been too long!” Anne tittered, patting his back. “What in the world are you doing here?”
“I actually escorted Molly this morning. I do believe she might think my soul’s in need of saving,�
� he replied with a grin at Molly.
“Oh, good grief,” Molly muttered, holding her hand out to Sami as she and Vivian joined the group.
Clandestinely slipping her small silver flask into Molly’s hand, Sami grinned. “Problems?” she murmured, casting a look over at Molly’s family.
“You have no idea,” Molly whispered, sliding the small metal container into her purse and watching as Devil and her parents chatted amiably as people spilled out of the church. “Tell me that you and Viv are coming for lunch,” she demanded under her breath. Misery loved company, and by God, she needed all the support she could get for this little explosion that was waiting to happen!
“Sorry, I’ve got a case to prep or I would,” Vivian apologized with a sympathetic look.
“And I’ve got a runway show for charity this afternoon,” Sami explained with a shrug. “Grant promised to video it for me, though.”
“You’re both abandoning me?” Molly asked desperately, shifting her gaze between the two women who were supposed to protect her from such horrors as the family fireworks.
“Oh, honey,” Vivian consoled, “You’ll be fine. The Lord is with you.”
“And apparently so is the Devil,” Sami cackled as Devil turned to snag Molly’s wrist and pull her against his side.
“Toodles!” Sami waggled her fingers at Molly as she and Vivian headed toward their cars.
Staring longingly after them, Molly could feel her family’s eyes on her and Devil. Forcing a smile as she faced her parents, she couldn’t help but notice that they both stared at her oddly. If it hadn’t been for her greying auburn hair, her mother could have been an identical twin of Dixie Carter...and she had Julia Sugarbaker’s attitude to match. And the older he got, her father bore a passing resemblance to a taller Martin Sheen. At this point, though, Molly was certain that neither of them were interested in any part of the three-act comedy that was developing around them.
The Sizzle Saga Page 22