by Raquel Lyon
She fidgeted in her seat. “H-he saw you. Outside. Last night. He almost went after you.”
“You think I care? He’s a fat, old pisshead. I could take him with one hand on my junk. Let him.”
“No. No. Please. You have to promise me you won’t go near him. He’s dangerous.”
“I can see that.” He paused, and a thought flashed into his mind. Clasping his head in his hands, he tugged handfuls of hair. “Christ, Moll, it’s my fault. He beat you up because of me, didn’t he? I told you I’d help, but all I’ve done is made it worse. I said you should leave, too, and now you’re homeless. Everything’s my fault.”
She levered his hands away and looked at him. “No, it isn’t. It’s my dad’s.”
“You can’t let him get away with it, Moll.”
“Whatever you’re thinking, don’t. Promise me. Promise you won’t go near him, please?”
“Okay, I promise, but you should go to the police.”
“I know I should, but I’m not sure I can. He’s still my dad.”
“Just think about it.”
“Yeah, I will.”
“Good. You can think about it while you’re staying at mine, tonight.”
“What did you say?”
“My house. You’re coming home with me.”
“Do I have a choice?”
“No. You don’t.”
As if just noticing where she was, her eyes narrowed and looked around. “Whose car is this?”
“Liam’s. He sent me out for burgers.”
“I thought I could smell something.”
Kendrick reached behind the seat and withdrew a brown paper bag. “Here. Take one. I’m not that hungry anyway.”
“Are you sure you don’t mind?”
“Just eat the damn thing, will you. Look, I have to get the car back to Liam, but then I’m taking you home. What time do you have to be at work?”
“I don’t. I lied. Sorry.”
Chapter Twenty
Molly
Molly couldn’t stop staring around the perfectly kept lounge. She’d had no idea what to expect, but a room like this would certainly never have been on her list of possible homes for a guy like Kendrick. The house, situated in a better part of town, was huge—a little chintzy, but expensively done and classy. It was like a cover picture on one of the antique magazines they sold at the store. She’d barely caught a glimpse of his grandfather, who was on his way upstairs for his afternoon nap, when they’d arrived, but if he was as nice as his house, she liked him already.
Kendrick tried to make her feel at home, offering her a drink and putting on her favourite style of music, but she couldn’t relax, and the awkwardness stepped up a notch when his brother arrived home and made jibes about their non-existent relationship, making her even more uncomfortable.
What was she doing here? She was out of her depth. She didn’t belong in a place like this, invading someone else’s family. She belonged in the rundown shack with the only family she had. It was stupid to think she could make it on her own. She had no idea what she was doing, and if she went back now, she’d still have time to get there before her father noticed anything was amiss.
“Perhaps I’d better go,” she said.
Kendrick laid a hand on her thigh. “You’re going nowhere.”
She didn’t want to leave. Every minute she spent with Kendrick made her crave more, and she was in serious danger of reneging on her vow, but what right had she to stay? “I don’t want to intrude.”
“Bollocks to that. Like I said, I’m fine with the sofa.” His strong gaze challenged her to defy him and wiped away any lingering doubts. This was a safe house, and Kendrick would look after her.
“She can take my bed,” Johnny said. “I’m sleeping out.”
Molly fell silent, as brotherly banter took over the conversation, and she listened to Kendrick teasing Johnny about his budding relationship with the woman next door. She’d been wondering what his brother would be like, ever since his brief mention, the previous day. They were obviously close, and watching them together conjured up images of how different her life might be if she hadn’t been an only child. It must be nice to have someone to share things with.
Johnny was a lovely guy and didn’t seem at all fazed by her intrusion, but when he went to his girlfriend’s, after their pizza tea, she chickened out of sleeping in his bed.
“Can’t I stay in your room tonight?” she asked Kendrick. “I’d feel weird sleeping under a strange man’s sheets.”
“Sure. I just need to clean up in there a bit, first. I wasn’t expecting a guest.”
“You mean you haven’t perfected the old kick-everything-under-the-bed routine, yet?”
“I’ve never taken a girl to my room, before.”
To say she was surprised was an understatement. With no car, if he didn’t take girls to his bedroom, where the hell did he take them? “You really expect me to believe that? You must have.”
“Nope. I wouldn’t just bring anyone here, you know, and there’s never been anybody special enough, until now.”
His confession humbled her. “Then thank you. Thank you for everything. I mean that.”
“No problem. We’re friends, aren’t we? Besides, I’ve a lot to make up for.” He ran the back of his finger along the red trail on her chin, before checking himself and dropping his hand abruptly. “Hey. Do you like Big Bang Theory?” he asked. “There’s a new episode on tonight. We can watch it upstairs. I think I hear Pappa stirring, and I’m sure you don’t wanna sit around with an old fart, watching documentaries, all evening.”
“I’ve never seen it.”
“What? Never?”
“No. Dad always hogged the television. I basically lived in my room, listening to music.”
“Then, have I got a treat for you.” He took her hand and led her up the stairs, grabbing her holdall from the hallway on his way past. Molly faltered halfway up, as it sank in where she was going.
His head turned with a frown. “Something wrong?”
“Oh. Um… No. It’s just… today has been so surreal. I feel as if I’m going to wake up tomorrow, and this will all have been a dream.”
“Well, if that happens, remember to tell me how awesome I was.” He winked as he pulled her back into motion. “You do think I’m awesome, right?”
“You’re pretty unique.”
“Unique, huh? I can go with that. Well,” he said, pushing open a door, “this is it, and just so you know, I didn’t choose the wallpaper.”
Molly noted the wild roses and honeysuckle winding around the walls, while Kendrick frantically removed a scattering of clothes from the floor. “It’s actually quite pretty,” she said. “And it smells of you in here.”
“Shit. I’m sorry. I’ll open a window.”
“No. Not in a bad way. It smells of grapefruit.” She sat on the edge of the bed and absent-mindedly stroked a finger over the candlewick bedspread, as she waited for Kendrick to turn on the television. “So am I really the first girl to invade your secret lair? I won’t be offended if you lied.”
“Absolutely. Cross my heart.”
“It’s a first for me, too.”
Tossing the remote on the floor, he sat down and leaned back against the headboard. “What is?”
“Being in a boy’s room.”
“No shit. What… you usually make-out in the back of a car, or something?” He patted the mattress beside him.
Not wishing to give him false hopes, Molly inched a little closer, leaving space between them, and drew her legs up to cross them. “I’ve never made-out.”
“Never?”
“Uh-uh.”
“How old are you?”
“Eighteen.”
“And you’re telling me you’ve never made-out?”
She shook her head. “No. Not like you’re suggesting, anyway. I kissed a few boys in high school, held hands and stuff, but that’s about it.”
His eyebrows shot up. “Holy shit. So you’re a
…? Wow. I never would have guessed. Is that why you keep brushing me off?”
“No. It’s not personal. I just figured that, what with all the problems with my dad and everything, no guy would want to deal with my shit.”
“Your shit’s history.”
“Maybe.”
“Definitely. It’s time for a new start. Beginning with learning the finer points of a great TV show.”
***
Half an hour later, Molly was feeling much better, and she’d even laughed a few times. The show was actually quite funny, and despite her thinking being with Kendrick would complicate things, somehow he managed to make her forget the crappy parts of her life. But she had to remember it was only a temporary fix. Tomorrow she’d have to figure out a way forward. She couldn’t rely on his family’s charity forever.
Kendrick came back from the kitchen with a drink. “I hope you like orange juice,” he said, turning off the television and switching on the stereo instead. “We’re out of cola, and there isn’t a great selection at this hotel.”
She smiled. “The room service makes up for it.”
“Good. I’ll be expecting a great tip later.” Her smile faded. “Kidding. I’m kidding,” he said. “Do you really think I’m an asshole? Look, Molly, I like you way too much to fuck this up. I’m sorry if my jokes overstep the mark, but I’m not used to having these kinds of feelings for a girl like you. I’m outta my comfort zone, and I guess I’m nervous.”
“You? Nervous?”
“Guys have feelings too, you know.” Sliding down to lie against the pillow, he held out his arm. “Come here.” Her heartbeat increased as she considered the invitation. “Come on. I don’t bite. I figure we both need a hug, that’s all.” She continued to hesitate, recalling how it had felt to be in his arms in the rain. “I’m only asking to hold you,” he said. “Nothing more, I promise. Nothing is gonna happen unless you want it to.”
And there lies the problem, Molly thought. What if something happening was precisely what she wanted?
Wary of just how much a hug from Kendrick could heighten those feelings, she slid up the bed, nestled into his arms, and laid her head on his chest. Her body remembered his touch, and her blood heated with expectation, but she tried to ignore it and enjoy the comfort of his protective arms. It felt natural to be in them, and she lost track of time as she listened to his rapid heartbeat pulsating through the cotton of his T-shirt.
Kendrick appeared perfectly content to lie there tapping out the beat of the music on her forearm, but after a few upbeat songs, the music slowed, and his fingers stilled. Had he fallen asleep? What would she do if he had? Should she prise herself out of his hold and go to his brother’s room, after all, or spend the night wrapped in his warmth? It was a tempting thought. She could easily snuggle into him and close her eyes to the world.
He was relaxed enough to be asleep, but the rise and fall of his chest had quickened, not slowed. A shiver ran through her, as his fingers moved again, this time stroking with the lightest of pressure, alternating long strokes with slow circles, and Molly was almost positive, if she looked, her hairs would be standing on end from his electric touch. For such an innocent action, it was the most sensual experience she’d ever known, and she felt it deep inside.
Lifting her head, she found Kendrick staring down at her, and without thinking of the consequences, she raised her lips and laid a soft kiss on his chin. A smile lit up his blue eyes, and he moved his other hand, from its resting place on his thigh, to stroke her cheek.
Look away, Molly, or he’ll take it as an open invitation.
Her breathing quickened as his thumb ran over her bottom lip. If she didn’t break eye contact soon, he was going to kiss her. She knew it. Did she want him to? She must do, or she would have looked away by now.
He bent his head, searching her eyes. She answered with a weak smile, and as she closed her eyes, their mouths met with a touch so light it was barely a kiss. Tingling seared her lips, and when she parted them to allow his tongue to caress her own, the heat swept through her.
Kendrick kept his movements slow and sensual, as his hand moved to the back of her neck, holding her to him, as if he were afraid to let her go, and she swooned under his expert caresses, eager for more. Ignoring the sting of the cuts, she concentrated on the way her body was reacting to the warm, wet sensations of him exploring her mouth, and deepened the kiss. He responded by picking up the pace and tasting her hungrily, before sharply pulling back and leaning against the pillow, once more. “I’m sorry,” he said. “I got carried away.”
***
By the time her shift started, the next day, Molly was exhausted. She hadn’t realised quite how tiring sitting around in the Housing Association’s office would be.
The woman who took her details was sympathetic to her plight and urged her to press charges against her father, but she was also sorry to inform her, that despite her situation, a single girl was low down on their list of rehousing priorities. Thankfully, after a series of phone calls, Molly had eventually been found a room in a halfway house.
House was a very loose term for it. The word should have had doss instead of halfway before it. The tiny room was half the size of her old bedroom. Rickety furniture took up most of the available space, and there was a smell of damp coming from the mould patch above the window. Still, she didn’t have many possessions, and at least, there was a kettle and a portable, electric ring to cook on, and for once in her life, she would only have herself to care for. Knowing that brought a certain kind of peace.
Filling up the selection of chocolate bars in front of the counter, she wondered at what point her father had noticed her absence, or whether he’d even noticed at all. Maybe, he’d thought she’d gone out after college and stayed the night at Yvonne’s, and was only now realising she wouldn’t be returning? She smiled to herself, as she pictured his face contorted with anger at discovering she’d cleaned out her closet, knowing he’d have to find another punch-bag to take his rage out on this time.
“Why don’t you get off home?” Frank said, appearing unusually early, for once. “I can finish up here for the last half hour.”
Shocked, but no less pleased, Molly hurried to get her things. Kendrick had promised to come round and keep her company on her first night in her new place, and she couldn’t wait to see him.
As she caught the bus home, she replayed their kiss in her mind, for the hundredth time, and questioned whether things would have gone any further if he hadn’t had an attack of conscience and ended it, not long before he bid her a chaste goodnight and went to his brother’s room. Tonight, she intended to find out. It was time for her to grow up.
Chapter Twenty-One
Kendrick
Kendrick had been clock-watching all day. Impatient to get the spoiler job on the old Nova finished, impatient for Molly to text him and let him know if she’d got fixed up with new gigs, and more than anything, impatient to be with her again.
Finding out Molly was a virgin had knocked him for six. It was a rare thing around these parts, for a girl of her age. It meant she was even more of a precious jewel than he’d realised, and a jewel shouldn’t be stolen; it had to be earned and treasured. He’d pushed the boundaries of their friendship, last night, and he needed to know if it was something they could recover from. Being friends with Molly was more important than securing a quick leg-over.
He was quite proud of how he’d been able to hold his reserve and ignore the way the blood had rushed to his dick and screamed for release, from the moment he’d taken her into his arms, but tasting her sweet mouth had led to ecstasy and torture at the same time, and had caused him to lose control. If only she hadn’t looked at him with those pretty, doe eyes with their impossibly long lashes, he might have been able to keep up his Mr Clean act, all night. But she had looked at him, and whether she knew it or not, it was a look impossible to ignore. He should have been stronger. He would be stronger. For Molly. She was fragile and bruised, and
he would not be the one to break her.
With thirty minutes to go until Molly’s shift ended, he killed time by doing a few press-ups and stomach crunches, before showering and dressing in his trademark black jeans and T-shirt. Studying his reflection, he ran a comb through his brown waves, and noted a hint of five o’clock shadow darkening his chin. Would she mind? Should he shave? Should he put on a shirt and tie? He needed a cigarette, badly, but in an effort to impress, he settled for chewing on a piece of nicotine gum instead.
A short bus ride later, he got off at the stop outside Molly’s new digs and questioned whether he had the right place. The square, concrete building with small, regimentally spaced windows looked more like a prison than somewhere anyone would want to call home.
Spitting his gum in the gutter, he entered through the small door at the rear. The prison vibe continued as his footsteps echoed along the tiled corridor to the elevator, which ground and juddered up to the fifth floor.
Molly was in room twenty-four. He knocked and waited.
An angel answered the door. Wearing a white dress with a bodice so tight it squeezed her tits to bursting, and with her long hair freshly curled and hanging loose down her back, his reserve began to dissolve. His eyes raked down her body and back up again, landing on the zipper of her bodice. One pull and heaven would open up. How the fuck she expected him to keep his hands to himself when she looked like that, he had no idea.
“Work got a new uniform?” he asked.
“Frank let me go early, so I thought I’d look nice for a change.”
“Well, you succeeded,” he said, shutting the door behind him, before any random moron saw her and decided to pay her a midnight visit.
“Would you like a cup of tea?” Molly asked. “I’ve got a kettle and everything.” She beamed.
A smile like that didn’t belong in a place like this. “Aren’t we the perfect hostess? But no need.” He reached inside his jacket and produced a bottle of wine. “I swiped this from the fridge. Pappa has tons of the stuff. He won’t miss it.”
Molly frowned. “I’m not sure I have a corkscrew.”