I just watch.
It’s like the best TV show ever. All I need is popcorn.
“We’ll take over,” one of the officers says, his gun raised and pointed at the two men.
Saint immediately releases his hold, then takes a step back. Furiously, Matthew rubs at his throat and points a shaking finger at Saint. “Arrest that man. I was doing nothing more than having a nice time with my girlfriend when he attacked me for no reason.”
The other officer holsters his gun, then approaches Matthew. He starts to step aside with a cocky smirk, believing Saint is about to be arrested.
Instead, the cop grabs Matthew by the arm, then swiftly jerks the other one behind his back, efficiently snapping a pair of cuffs on him.
“What the fuck?” Matthew snarls. “I didn’t do anything wrong.”
The cop who’d had the gun trained on Matthew slides the weapon into his holster, then begins to recite, “Matthew Brighton, you’re being taken into custody under a warrant for your arrest in North Carolina. You have the right to remain silent…”
Saint strides over to me, then holds his hand out. Giving him a small grin, I accept his hand and let him pull me to my feet.
Matthew takes this all in, understanding dawning on his face. “You fucking set me up?” he screeches.
“Well, you did try to kill me, Matthew,” I reply with a shrug of indifference. “I think that’s only fair, don’t you?”
He starts to curse at me, but the cops drag him through an exterior gate cordoning off the outdoor part of the restaurant and right onto the sidewalk. A police cruiser slides to a halt. The officer opens the back and pushes Matthew’s head down, forcing him into the seat while he’s still hurling curses at me.
Kynan and Cruce join Saint and me as we watch the police car pull away.
“Couldn’t keep calm, could you?” Kynan asks sarcastically. “Just had to bait him.”
I smile slyly with not an ounce of apology. “Your way wasn’t working. My way got the job done.”
Tipping his head back, Kynan bursts out laughing.
Saint grabs my phone from the table, then hands it to me. “I think there’s a hockey player on pins and needles right now who is waiting to hear how everything went.”
Gratefully, I tap Kane’s name at its place on the top of my favorite’s list. Right now, he should be in the locker room getting ready.
It barely gets through a full ring before he’s answering, “Mollie? Are you all right?”
“I’m fine,” I assure him. “Everything went down perfectly. Matthew is in custody.”
“And you’re not hurt?” he urgently presses.
“Not a hair out of place, but my feelings are a little hurt that he called me a bitch,” I quip.
Kane chuckles, and I can hear the pure relief and joy within it. “You are most certainly not a bitch, Noodle.”
“Phew,” I reply. “I was worried there for a sec.”
“Are you coming to the arena?” he asks.
“After I talk to the police. I expect you to play your heart out, Kane Bellan. Maybe you’ll even score a goal for me.”
“Done deal, babe,” he replies, only to follow it up with a fervent, “I love you.”
“I love you, too,” I reply, heart lighter than it has been in a long time.
CHAPTER 24
Kane
This is the last free Saturday we’ll have for a long time. Friday, we had a home game. Sunday, we’re leaving for Los Angeles to play back-to-back games with the L.A. Demons and the L.A. Dragons.
Tacker and Nora had decided to use the free day to throw a barbeque out at their ranch. It’s an even bigger affair than the party at Coach Perron’s a few weeks ago, which was adults only. The ranch is crawling with all the kids belonging to the Vengeance, making this a full family affair.
I’m not sure if it’s the festive atmosphere, the aroma of grilled beef, the beautiful woman at my side, or the fact we took down Matthew Brighton two days ago that has me feeling so fucking good, but I suspect it’s a combo of it all.
Mollie and I stroll around the barnyard, hand in hand, winding around the picnic tables laden with side dishes, the players, and their families. I’d introduced her to many of these people while at Coach Perron’s party, but I understand it’s a lot to remember so I make sure she’s re-acquainted. Those who know more of the details about what Mollie has been through with her stalker offer congratulations in the form of hugs, which she readily accepts.
The weight and stress of the situation have been lifted from her shoulders. Her smiles come easier—I hadn’t realized I had to work for them sometimes when Matthew had been hanging over our heads. Even her steps seem lighter.
While meandering toward the line at the food tables, we venture upon our hosts, Nora and Tacker, seated at a table. Tacker is hunched over a plate loaded with ribs, baked beans, corn on the cob, cornbread, and coleslaw, but Nora only has a bottle of water in front of her.
“Not eating?” I ask Nora, nodding at the empty spot where her plate should be.
She grimaces. “I have a bit of morning sickness. Dry toast is more my speed right now.”
“I can go make you some,” Tacker offers, nodding at the ranch house.
“No,” she says with a smile, bumping her shoulder against his. “Maybe in a bit, but water is good right now.” She tips her head back to see Mollie and me. “Go get some food, then come sit with us. You’ll have to fill us in on the exciting sting you pulled off.”
Mollie laughs. “It wasn’t that exciting.”
“It totally was,” I exclaim, bringing my arm around her shoulders to give her a squeeze of pride. Now that she’s safe and secure, I can act like it was no big deal, but fuck if I wasn’t freaked out of my mind up until the moment I knew he was in custody, and she was safe. “We’ll tell you all about it when we get back.”
We get in line, chatting with those in front of and behind us. There’s so much food to choose from that I don’t even know what to take. I opt for a burger and a dog, beans, corn, and two chocolate chip cookies, which I squeezed onto the edge of my plate. Mollie takes a few ribs, pasta salad, and a serving of a strawberry gelatin cheesecake-looking thing.
By the time we return to the table, Jim Steele and Legend Bay, our goalie, have both claimed seats and are digging into the mountains of food before them.
“Where’s Pepper?” I ask Legend, glancing around.
“Charlie’s fussy with a slight fever,” he explains. “We think she’s just teething, but Pepper felt better staying home with her.”
Mollie and I settle in, but before she can even take a bite, Nora urges her to recount what happened with Matthew.
I’ve heard this story a few times already—and I didn’t like it the first few times. I don’t like the fact she intentionally went off-script in order to piss him off…essentially baited him. She’d gotten the confession she wanted, but she could have just as easily gotten a bullet to the head if he’d had a gun.
But I’m past it. It’s over. I let Mollie revel in her moment of glory because it’s empowering as fuck for her that in the battle between her and her attacker, she’s the one left standing.
Mollie recounts everything as we listen attentively, but she doesn’t embellish. Just the matter-of-fact details about the whole thing. That’s Mollie. She’s humble—not an attention grabber.
“What happens now?” Jim asks.
“He’s been extradited to North Carolina,” Mollie explains. “He’ll have some type of hearing on Monday to request bail.”
“Will he get it?” Nora asks, her expression concerned.
“The district attorney doesn’t think so. They’ve added attempted murder to the charges, as well as stalking. The attorney doubts the judge will grant him bail.”
“And it will be several months until there’s a trial, so he’s going to be stuck in jail for a long time,” I add.
“What a relief,” Nora breathes out.
“What
kind of prison time is he looking at?” Tacker asks, holding a stripped rib bone in hand.
“Minimum twenty years if he’s convicted of everything,” Mollie says. “Could be more, or he could work out a plea deal for less. But it’s going to be a long time before I have to worry about him again.”
“Well, as someone who has a little bit of experience dealing with crazy stalker people,” Legend drawls, holding his beer up in salute to Mollie. “Let me just say you did a fantastic job of bringing that shit bag down.”
Yeah, Legend knows a bit about crazy stalker exes. That’s for sure.
“It’s behind me now,” Mollie chirps, holding up her beer in a return salute. “So now it’s all about enjoying life to the fullest.”
“And what does that mean for you?” Nora asks.
I settle my gaze on Mollie, curious as to what she’ll say. We haven’t talked about any firm plans since Matthew has been taken off our worry list.
Mollie shrugs in a carefree way. “No agenda. I’ll take my time figuring stuff out. I told Kane about an idea I had to work on a travel guidebook. And, of course, doing some traveling to the Vengeance away games as their newest and most fervent fan.”
Everyone around the table laughs, mainly because I wanted to bail on the game two days ago and Mollie made me go. That made her le héros du jour—the man, or woman as it was, of the hour—to the rest of the team that day.
“But,” she drawls, peering over at Jim. “Not too much away travel. I’d miss Samson, and I don’t want him to wear out his welcome.”
Jim grins, shaking his head. “Lucy loves taking care of him. In fact, all I hear about now is getting her a dog of her own.”
“You’d score major bonus points with your kid if you got her a dog, dude,” I say, pointing out the obvious. And Jim could use a leg up with the moody teenager.
“Oh, I know it,” he replies with a grimace. “She’s already trying to manipulate me, using the separation to tug at my heartstrings.”
In a petulant, girly voice, Jim mimics his thirteen-year-old daughter. “I’ve just been so sad since you and Mom separated. A dog would be just the thing to make me happy again.”
I snort at his dramatization, chuckling at Lucy’s attempt to get what she wants by using their situation.
Mollie laughs. “Just get her a dog. Then Samson will have someone to play with when he stays over.”
“Maybe,” Jim says thoughtfully. “I’ll need to think on it some more.”
I’m dying to ask Jim if he’s made any headway with his wife, but I don’t bring it up now. That’s just been between him and me—and, of course, I told Mollie about our escapades the night we tailed his wife on her date. That stunt wasn’t shared with the rest of the team.
I’m not surprised she’s not here, though. She hasn’t attended a team event since their separation, and this isn’t the ideal place to bring her if he’s trying to forge a reconnection. It would be way too awkward at this point.
No, Jim needs to wine and dine her. Needs to remove all distractions and make it only about them.
I snicker, thinking how ridiculous I am. I’m certainly not an expert on romancing a woman. I didn’t have to be with Mollie to win her, but I guess it doesn’t mean I can’t do it to keep her happy with her choice. I make a mental note to have flowers delivered to her tomorrow after I leave on the team plane for our trip to Los Angeles. Mollie’s going to skip this trip, so she doesn’t have to pawn Samson off. Even though she knows he’s in good hands, he’s her baby and she doesn’t like being away from him much.
It’s a damn good day to hang with my teammates and their family. Mollie has been so readily accepted into our group, and it feels fucking fantastic knowing I have her in every way a man can have a woman, especially as my biggest fan while I’m playing. When she’s in that arena and I know she’s cheering me on, I feel faster on my skates and more focused in my shots.
We eat, drinking a few beers. Nora and her ranch manager, Raul, bring out a couple of horses, then take the kids on slow walks around one of the arenas in front of the barn. We stay until almost sunset when the party starts to break up. Everyone needs to get packed and ready for the road trip to L.A. tomorrow. A handful of us remain to help Nora and Tacker get everything cleaned up, making sure the tables and food are put away, then we head back to the city fully sated on great camaraderie.
The only person missing was Riggs. I had hoped he’d come, maybe bring his little sister. Mollie told me that he was raising her alone, and I wonder if that’s the cause of his attitude. I decide to press him on that dinner invitation some more, maybe hitting him up again on the road trip.
On the way back into Phoenix, Mollie settles into the passenger seat of my truck, humming along with the radio. It’s been a long day, and I can tell she’s tired because she’s quiet. When she’s run out of words, it’s her telltale sign that her brain is shutting down and heading toward relaxed mode, although I’m sure I can get her a bit re-energized when we get home.
“What are your big plans while I’m gone?” I ask, turning down the volume on the radio.
Lazily, she rolls her head my way. I spare her a glance. Even after having every bit of her face memorized, the sight still makes my chest squeeze. Smiling, she takes in a breath. “Let’s see… I’m going to take Samson on long walks around the city while enjoying the fact I don’t have to look over my shoulder. Maybe work a few shifts at Clarke’s store—not that I need the money, mind you—but to alleviate the boredom. And maybe I’ll try to start on that guidebook.”
She says the last statement with some uncertainty, which is strange. Mollie rarely ever sounds uncertain about anything.
“Having second thoughts about writing it?” I ask.
“No,” she replies quickly. “Just… I don’t even know where to start.”
I consider that for a moment, since our intimate relationship didn’t have a conventional start. But when I look back on it, I realize we were on our way to where we are now right from the beginning. We just took a long, windy road to get here, much like the way Mollie’s travel life has been.
“I suggest,” I drawl, reaching out to tug on the end of the long braid she has flipped over one shoulder. “You start at the beginning. That’s where every good story commences.”
It’s certainly where ours did.
She rolls her head my way again.
Her smile is full of such fondness I feel the warmth from my head to my toes.
“You always know the right things to say,” she murmurs.
“Then it’s settled,” I reply with a firm nod. “You’ll also start writing that guidebook while I’m gone.”
“Yes, I will,” she agrees.
CHAPTER 25
Kane
Though I’d much prefer to have Mollie at my away games than not, I have to say there’s something very satisfying about sneaking into my condo late at night and waking her up with my hand between her legs. Samson, thank fuck, has learned to leave the room when things become amorous, so I don’t have to battle the awkwardness of his pointed stare as I make love to his mom.
Case in point, I got back from L.A. late last night, the schedule having us return directly after the game. Mollie has never been a night owl, probably from years on the road rising with the sun and being bone-tired at the end of the day. I knew she’d be asleep when I tiptoed in.
Luckily, Samson isn’t a barker, somehow always knowing it’s me when I step in. He waited there quietly for a scratch behind the ears. Last night, I obliged, then told him, “Going to get dirty with your mom. You might want to stay out of the bedroom.”
Of course he didn’t understand my words, and he followed me in there. Sat with his head tilted as I got naked and climbed into bed behind Mollie. I didn’t waste any time, putting my mouth on her neck and sliding my fingers down the front of her panties.
At her first moan, Samson turned around and trotted into the living room.
Smart dog.
; So yeah… coming home to Mollie waiting there for me all warm and mine for the taking, and after just to hold her in silence and peace, it’s made me reevaluate the definition of what a home even is. I know mine is not one unless she’s in it.
Speaking of which, as we’re finishing breakfast out on my patio, I say, “Take a ride with me this morning?”
She cocks a beautifully shaped brow I watched her pluck in the bathroom we share. “Where to?”
I shrug. “Just a ride. Show you more of the area. I have to be at the arena at two for practice.”
“Okay, sure,” she replies, popping the last piece of bacon into her mouth. “Let me just take a quick shower.”
“Uh-uh,” I reply with a grin, leaning in toward her until our eyes lock. “Let’s take a long shower together first.”
Her responding grin tells me all I need to know.
She likes that idea very much.
♦
Freshly fucked, then showered, Mollie looks more beautiful than ever. She donned a summery dress as it’s going to hit the high eighties today, and the material rides high on her thighs as she sits in the passenger seat of my truck. It’s distracting, but I manage to keep my eyes on the road for the most part.
We drive out of the city and over into Scottsdale while I point out interesting places I’ve discovered in the short time I’ve been here.
“Most of the players live in Scottsdale,” I say as we head into a neighborhood with sprawling mansions. “This is where Erik and Blue live, and where Bishop is looking to buy.”
“They’re gorgeous,” she murmurs as we slowly ride the pristine streets with the beautifully gated homes surrounded by bougainvillea-covered walls.
“I thought we could maybe look at a few of the ones for sale,” I say idly. “Just make a note of the ones we like on the outside, then maybe find a day we can take tours.”
Mollie’s attention snaps my way, her expression incredulous. “You want to buy a home in this neighborhood?”
“Yeah,” I reply with a smile. “I mean, these houses are amazing. We’d have so much more room. Samson would have a yard.”
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