by Marie James
I don’t even bother turning my head to acknowledge Legs. Even with the sadness in her voice, I can’t focus on anything but my own damn problems right now.
“Do you need a shoulder to cry on, baby?” Ronan swoops in to save the day with a huge grin on his face.
Legs giggles, not one to dwell on disappointment long, and they disappear down the hallway together.
Unable to sit idle any longer, I grab a set of keys off of the rack near the door and head out to one of the trucks. I drive all day long, putting distance between myself and Sutton, but just like the lonely fool that I am, I end up parked across the street from the fucking vet clinic just in time to see Molly’s smiling face in the window as she turns off the open sign.
It takes everything in me not to climb out of the truck and slash every damn tire on his fucking Tesla.
Chapter 11
Molly
“Last one?” Owen asks as I close the door to the kennel and stick my fingers through the grid to scratch the weary head of the sick kitten someone found on the street earlier.
“Last one,” I verify.
“Did you turn off the open sign?”
Turning back, I find my boss leaning against the doorframe with his arms casually crossed over his chest.
“Yep.”
“Ready for our date?”
Smiling in his direction, I let a coy smile play on my lips. “You said yesterday that it was only dinner, that it’s not a date.”
“It doesn’t have to be a date, but—”
His head cocks to the side as the smile I’ve already grown accustomed to after only two days of working here lights his face up.
“But what?”
“It’s Friday, it’s evening time, and it’s only going to be the two of us.” He ticks each thing off of his fingers.
“Seems pretty date-like, if you ask me.”
“Would it be such a bad thing if it was?”
“Well.” I hold up my hand just like he did a second ago. “You’re handsome, you’re nice, and you haven’t looked at my tits one time since you met me.”
As if drawn by my words, his eyes dip slightly before they snap back up to meet mine.
His throat works on a swallow in the same shy way it does each time I act a little more forward than I presume he’s used to.
“I don’t date,” he randomly spews.
“Really?” He’s honestly too handsome to be single, but his lack of female interest is my gain.
Honestly, I see him as more of a friend. My heart just isn’t ready to open back up for anyone or anything right now, but staying home crying into my pillow at night only gives me a headache and puffy eyes in the morning. It doesn’t resolve a damn thing, and I’m tired of torturing myself.
“I mean, I went on a few dates in college, but haven’t even worried about looking since I came back home to take over the clinic for Dr. Prescott.”
“So, you have like a fuck-buddy or something?”
His eyes widen as my hand slaps over my mouth. It’s not the first time in the last forty-eight hours that something like that slipped from my lips. The question wouldn’t even cause someone to blink an eye back at the clubhouse, but I’ve been distanced from society too long it seems. My tact for appropriate conversation in mixed company could use some serious work.
“I don’t… you know—” He circles his hand in a circle in the vicinity of his crotch.
Confused, I just stare at him. “You don’t have a fuck-buddy?”
Jesus, why did I repeat myself?
“Sex,” he clarifies with another rough swallow. “I don’t…I mean I haven’t… done that.”
“Are you serious?”
I’m met with several slow blinks before he answers. “Is that a deal-breaker? I mean, you wouldn’t be the first girl to walk away after finding out. I usually at least get halfway through dinner before that topic comes up in conversation, however.”
I must look like a tarsier monkey with wide, unblinking eyes as I just stare at him in shock. How the hell do I go from Briar with his decade-long celibacy and millions of secrets, to the super-hot, yet untouched veterinarian who just laid his business at my feet like it’s normal for a thirty one year old man to not get laid. I almost ask him if Briar put him up to this, or if someone else from the MC threatened him if he even thought about touching me.
“If you want to cancel our non-date, I’ll understand. I promise it won’t make things weird in the office.”
“A virgin?” I clarify.
“Yep.”
“Are you,” my eyes drift to the front of his slacks before rising back to meet his, “is there something wrong with your… um… penis?”
His laugh belts out as his head begins to shake. If the smile on his face is any indication, he’s not offended by my brazen question.
“My penis is fine, I assure you.” He shifts on his feet, clearly uncomfortable when he notices my eyes shifting from his face to his crotch.
I now understand the guys in school who were fascinated with the girls who made it to their senior year still virgins. I’m almost as tempted as they were to try to seduce that gift from him, which makes me realize I’m the biggest asshole in the world.
“Do you want to cancel?” he asks again.
“No,” I answer honestly when I see disappointment beginning to creep up on his face, knowing I had that same look in my eyes when Adler Seymour dumped me junior year because I wouldn’t spread my legs for him. “I just need to get changed. Don’t want to go to dinner in my scrubs.”
“Come upstairs with me. You can change up there.” He holds out his hand for me to take.
“Upstairs?”
“I live on the second floor. Didn’t you know that?”
“No.” I glance from his hand to the narrow staircase I’d always assumed led to a supply area.
“I have to grab a quick shower.” My eyes widen at the implication. “You can change in the spare bedroom. It’s more comfortable up there.”
“I…ugh… I think I’ll just change down here.”
“You sure?”
“One hundred percent,” I assure him.
“Okay.” He walks to the staircase but looks over his shoulder at me like he thinks I’m going to bolt for the door the second he walks away. “Be back in about fifteen minutes.”
I change quickly in the employee restroom at the back of the office before making my way to the front again to wait for Owen.
“You’re still here,” Owen says less than ten minutes later as he practically slides into the room with panting breaths.
Tilting my head to the side, I give him a quick grin. “Of course, I am. We have a date to get to, right?”
“Right.” He holds the crook of his elbow out as he approaches me, and I slide my arm into the bend.
Like a gentleman I’ve only seen in romantic movies, he escorts me to his car, opening the passenger door for me and closing it softly when I’m situated inside.
I ignore the feel of protective eyes on me as he settles in his seat and backs out of the parking lot in front of the clinic. I don’t let my gaze wander to the dark pickup truck that has been parked across the street, idling with its lights off since I turned the open sign off earlier.
“So, are we going to talk about it?” I ask once we’re at a cruising speed heading toward Worcester. There isn’t much to choose from in Sutton.
“About what?” he hedges with a smirk on his lips. The glow from his dash lights sparkles in his eyes.
“Okay,” I say with an over-exaggerated sigh. “If you don’t tell me why you’re still a virgin, I won’t tell you why I still am either.”
The car swerves, right then left, before Owen gets it back under control.
“You’re still a virgin?”
“I’m sort of offended by the surprise in your voice, Dr. Andrews.” My words don’t match the twitch in my nose as I try not to laugh. “I’m an eighteen year old woman with overprotective brothers. You’re over thirty an
d a man. I think your v-status is more unusual than mine.”
“You’re making it out to be more than it is,” he answers without actually answering.
“So, no deformities, no secrets lurking in your past?” He shakes his head. “Were you raised in a religious cult?”
He laughs out loud this time and shakes his head. “No cults.”
“The sooner we get this out on the table, the sooner we can get to more appropriate first date conversations.”
“You’re the one who keeps bringing it up. It seems to bother you more than it does me.”
I don’t know how to feel about that. “I’m not bothered,” I clarify. “I’m just curious.”
Silence fills the air around us, but he speaks before it gets too heavy.
“It just never felt right, I guess. The one girl I got close enough to in college to consider going that far with decided I was taking too long. I caught her with my roommate.” He shrugs. “After that, I just figured it caused more problems than it was worth.”
“My brother’s best friend is celibate.” Why in the hell did I just blurt that out?
“Do you tease him, too?”
I snort a laugh before I can stop myself.
“No,” I answer. “I’ve known him for most of my life, and I still don’t know why he made his choice.”
“Kind of an awkward conversation to have with your brother’s friend, isn’t it?”
“You have no idea,” I mutter as we pull up outside a restaurant I’ve never been to.
Since I don’t know what first date protocol is, I wait inside the car, planning to see what his next move is.
“Do you like sushi?” Owen asks as he leans closer to look out my window at the neon sign.
“I guess we’ll find out,” I tell him with a bright smile.
He climbs out quickly, making his way around the front of the car, and opening my door for me. I take his hand as he helps me from the car. It’s a very sweet gesture, but completely different from what I’m used to. I’m not even certain I like being doted on, but one thing I do know is Owen Andrews is one hell of a catch. Even if I’m not the one, he’s going to make someone incredibly happy in life.
Chapter 12
Briar
“Smooth fucking move, asshole,” I mutter as I watch Dr. Do-Good reach his hand in and help Molly out of his douchey car. “She’s not fucking helpless, you know?”
My grimace transforms into a half-assed smile when I notice her looking around the parking lot. Either she feels me watching her, or she’s checking the area around her for danger. Both scenarios make me extremely proud.
As my luck would have it, they disappear inside and end up sitting somewhere out of range of the front windows. He didn’t seem very handsy, and from the looks of the parking lot, the restaurant is incredibly busy tonight, so I don’t imagine he’s going to try to get fresh with her.
Hell, I don’t think they’ll be in there long. Molly can’t even stand the smell of tuna in the can, and this ignorant idiot just escorted her into a damn sushi restaurant. She’d do better with a double cheese pizza or tacos, but let the vet crash and burn.
Contrary to what I believed when I first arrived, Molly doesn’t emerge from the restaurant immediately. I’m contemplating rushing the building two hours later, but as if on cue, they shove open the door with matching smiles on their faces.
The simple hand-holding they shared when they arrived has transformed into arms around each other’s backs. His ability to use a mere two hours to get his arm around her makes my blood pressure skyrocket. The way I’m feeling isn’t fair to her or myself, but I can’t control my emotions as much as I thought I could. I didn’t have a damn clue how I’d react in the aftermath of telling her she needed to find someone that was better suited to her, but the sight of them climbing back in his car with wide smiles and twinkling fucking eyes fucking crushes me.
I told her to move on. I insisted on it, knowing that a future including the two of us together isn’t a possibility. I’m considering my penchant for masochism, rather than the sadism that runs through my blood when I follow them back to the vet clinic. There’s the possibility as they pull into the lot and the car disappears around the back rather than parking in front like before that they’ll end up inside his place. He lives upstairs, so the chance of getting her alone in his own space is a possibility every single second that she spends inside that fucking building.
I know, given a chance without all of the consequences that comes with touching her, that I wouldn’t be able to keep my hands off her. I can’t fault this fucker for wanting her. She’s gorgeous, supple, and has a fire in her eyes that screams devious sex kitten.
Before I can get too deep in imagining killing him and taking over his life, one where Molly and I stay in bed together for days at a time, I see them walking around the corner of the building toward her car.
When she gets to the driver’s door, she’s no longer looking around. No longer feeling my eyes on her or concerning herself with the dangers that may lurk in the dark. No, she’s solely focused on the douche as he cups her cheek. Her smaller hand closes over his as her eyes flutter closed.
My hand is on the door handle, ready to bleed him out like a prized hog when he leans in closer.
“It’s your death, motherfucker,” I hiss.
A second before the door opens enough to engage the dome light in the truck, his lips land on her forehead. It’s not as bad as her mouth, but the sweet smile on her lips when he pulls away is just as bad as if he’d pulled out his cock and slammed into her right before my eyes.
He’s still too close as they gaze at each other, lips moving as they speak softly to each other.
He escapes with his life tonight as Molly climbs in her car and he closes the door for her without trying his damn luck again. Like a lovesick fool, he stands in the parking lot with his hand held up in a wave and a goofy grin on his Abercrombie face as she pulls away.
He’s no longer my focus as I put the truck in gear and follow a few car lengths behind Molly.
“Where are you going, Princess?” I mumble when she bypasses our turn and heads deeper into town.
A thick lump forms in my throat when I realize she’s heading to the park. It’s not much, an old rusted slide, a small jungle-gym, and a couple of creaky swings, but Lynch and I took turns bringing her and TJ here when they were little. Back then he tried everything he could to protect them from what the club was really about. TJ is a lost cause, something everyone realized shortly after his mother was killed, but Molly was easier to distract from the sins committed in the clubhouse.
“She’s no longer a baby,” I murmur as I watch her park, climb out of her car, and arrow straight to the middle swing in the set.
Her head is lowered as she rocks back and forth, eyes focused down on her sandals as they cut lines below her in the dirt. The pull I feel for her in my chest is too strong to stay in the truck and stare at her from a distance. Without conscious thought, I’m out of the truck and settling into the swing beside her.
“It’s not safe out here alone,” I chastise with no fire in my voice.
I want to drag her home and wash every inch of her, scrub her clean until no part of the vet, including his memory, is around.
“I knew you were close,” she whispers without pulling her eyes from her feet.
“Do you like him?”
Yep, masochist, through and through.
She doesn’t answer immediately, and I don’t know if she’s trying not to hurt me with her answer, or if she’s going to say something to manipulate me into responding the way she thinks I should.
“I like the idea of him,” she replies. “A man who isn’t afraid to hold my hand in public or doesn’t fear death when he flirts with me.”
He should fear death. He came really fucking close to disappearing tonight, and if I’m honest, the night isn’t over yet.
“He’s good for you,” I tell her even though the realit
y of it settles in my gut like a cancer that’s going to eat me from the inside out.
She grunts in response.
“He can give you the world,” I continue.
If the research Virus supplied me with is true, and the man doesn’t have any skeletons in his closet, he’s the ideal man, the type of man that if I had a little sister, I would want her to end up with.
“His world,” she clarifies. “I’m terrified of his world. Things out here are nothing like they are back home.”
I can’t help the chuckle that slips out. “You make it sound like a different planet.”
“Might as well be.”
I hate that her eyes are down and not on me, but it gives me the chance to watch her facial expressions. I hate the way her throat works, and her eyes flutter as if she’s trying to force down emotions she doesn’t want me to see.
“You deserve better than the world the Ravens Ruin has to offer.”
Her eyes finally leave her feet to look into mine. They glisten with unshed tears, and the tiny drops clinging to her lashes might as well be the ocean because I’m drowning in her.
“We deserve better than having to stay away from each other.”
The pleading in her voice is excruciating. “Molly, don’t.”
“We can run away together, get new identities. I’d live on the other side of the world if it meant we could be together. They’ll stop looking for us eventually,” she bargains.
She knows that’s a lie as much as I do. Lynch would burn the world to the ground if he thought his sister was in danger, and that’s exactly where she’d be if we got any time alone.
“Lynch and the MC aren’t the only reasons we can’t be together.”
I wait, knowing she’s going to want me to give her specifics, but even a list created in bullet form for easy reading won’t be enough to deter her from thinking we could be happy together.
“What else is it? Is there someone else? Do you not love me?”
Jesus. The tears are flowing now, flooding her cheeks in streaks that she doesn’t even bother to wipe away.
“There’s no one,” I vow. I don’t go so far as to answer her last question. Uttering those words, even to myself when I’m alone, isn’t a chance I’m willing to take. “There’s a darkness inside of me, Mols. When I—”