Seven
SEVEN
Molly
Two Weeks Later
“Have the goons retired?” I asked Hope.
“Molly,” she said, glaring daggers at me.
Well, I couldn’t really call them daggers.
I mean, this was Hope I was talking about, so “daggers” were a stretch.
More like toothpicks, but those sharp plastic ones shaped like swords.
I smiled at my own silly thought, knowing who was to blame, and looked at my best friend in the world.
Her neat braids were pulled up in her usual sloppy bun, and she looked like herself except for the fact that her jeans and T-shirt were designer, and her wedding ring was big enough to blind me.
But even still, sitting in the beautifully appointed home she shared with Nico, one where clearly no expense was spared, she was still Hope.
The girl was the nicest girl I’d ever met.
The real kind of nice.
The kind that didn’t flinch when shit got tough.
The very first time I met Hope, I had known we were going to be fast friends.
Not that she’d made it easy.
Back then, I hadn’t known about everything that made Hope who she was, but even still, there had been something about her.
Something that made me want to look after her, and something that made me admire her.
She at once confessed that she feared being invisible so that she could survive was the only thing she was good at.
She’d been so wrong, and I was glad she’d found Nico.
Some might look at her and Nico and think it didn’t make sense.
But I saw it. Even a tough guy like Nico was putty in Hope’s hands.
And even though he was intimidating, I saw how much he loved and cherished her and gave her the life she deserved.
I couldn’t be happier for her.
“Goons, Molly?” she said, her head tilted.
“What?” I blinked at her as innocently as I could.
She laughed, then shook her head.
“You’re incorrigible. I can’t tell if you’re the bad influence or Enzo is,” she said.
“What would give you the idea that Enzo has any influence on me at all?” I asked.
I tried to keep a straight face, something that was almost impossible in the face of the truth.
I’d spent practically every waking moment and a lot of sleeping moments with Enzo over the last two weeks.
He’d also ruined me for every man before him and any that would come after on every available surface of my apartment—and some that still surprised me.
“Save it, Molly,” she said.
“Has Enzo been gossiping?” I asked.
“Of course he has. They all do,” she said.
I laughed, and she joined in.
“Plus, I heard you met Mona,” she said.
“She’s so lovely…Wait, are you trying to trick me out of information?” I eyed her suspiciously.
“Just a little confirmation. Nico won’t give me details, and Enzo just blows me off,” she said.
She narrowed her eyes.
“To say nothing of the fact that my very best friend didn’t bother to tell me anything. So I’m forced to use all of the tools at my disposal.”
“You have better things to do than gossip about me. And I came to talk about the shelter,” I said.
Hope nodded, and then started to tick off a list on her fingers.
“The shelter is fully self-funded, and I have a lead on an expert who’s willing to help out with potentially dangerous breeds. Enzo is overseeing the facility updates, and you’ve secured next year’s food donations. Okay, we’ve talked about the shelter—now tell me about this dinner at the Morettis,” she said.
“Well, after that jerk harassed me at the shelter, Enzo insisted that we had to pretend to be dating, at least for a little while, until some of the attention went away,” I said.
I rolled my eyes and then took a sip of my diet soda.
“Ridiculous, right?” I said.
I laughed, but then stopped when I noticed she hadn’t joined me.
She gave me that look.
The I’m-concerned-and-you’re-not-taking-this-seriously-Molly look.
Hope had never had a chance to meet my grandmother, but she may as well have been channeling her now.
And like Gram, Hope was as patient as a sniper.
I wouldn’t weasel out of this one.
“What, Hope?” I said, still honor-bound to put up a fight.
“It’s just—I need you to be safe. And if Enzo says this is what you need to do, you should,” she said.
“Well, I am. Which is why I was at the Morettis. But...”
“But what?” Hope responded.
“But…Enzo.”
“Yes, Enzo,” she said.
“Hope,” I said, my voice taking on an edge.
She smiled. “What’s the problem, Molly?”
I rolled my eyes.
“You’re sounding way too reasonable, and it’s suspicious as fuck.”
Hope countered, “And you’re almost pouting, which tells me I'm on to something. So why don’t you save us both the headache and tell me what’s going on?”
“I saw Enzo at your wedding, but we didn’t talk,” I said.
“That doesn’t seem to be a problem now,” she said.
“No, but…” I trailed off, trying to put into words what I felt.
Enzo had been great. Better than great. I’d tried to keep perspective, telling myself I’d enjoy whatever time we had and when it was over, maybe we’d leave as friends. Simple enough, but I learned nothing was simple with Enzo.
“He feels so familiar. I feel…safe with him,” I finally said.
“That’s not a bad thing,” Hope said.
“No, but it’s weird. And I don’t like it,” I said.
“You don’t like Enzo?” she said.
“No, I don’t like Enzo because I like the way he makes me feel way too much for it to be healthy,” I said. Then I giggled. “But ignore me. You know how I can get.”
“Nope, don’t try to shut me out, Molly. And if something’s wrong, you can tell me,” she said.
“Nothing’s wrong.” She looked at me skeptically. “Really. He just feels familiar, and I worry that it’s clouding my perspective. It’s probably best to be on my toes with him.”
Hope didn’t look completely convinced, but she didn’t push, either.
“But that’s enough of that. That idiot has been taking up far too much of my time. I can’t waste my visit with you talking about him.” I smiled.
“No, this I want to hear,” she said.
I laughed. “Fine. He’s the most ridiculous human being on planet Earth,” I said.
“I’m not disagreeing,” she responded.
“But…I don’t know,” I said.
“You don't know?” Hope said.
“Fine. He’s…fun,” I said.
“Very much, but you say that like he shouldn’t be,” she said.
“I mean, he shouldn’t be. I haven’t asked any questions, but I’m not an idiot. And I don’t think that sweet Mona Moretti has armed guards at her house because her husband made his fortune in imported Italian marble,” I said.
Hope murmured noncommittally.
It was the best I would get from her.
I hadn’t even made any allusions to what Nico might do, because I knew it would be futile. A belief that was proven when Hope essentially shut me down before I even said a word.
“Point is, he’s not a college student, or a semi-professional football player, or a bouncer. You know, the usual,” I said. “He’s something…more. And I might be out of my depth,” I said.
Admitting that, even to my best friend, was something.
After I’d lost my grandmother, I had devoted myself to living life to the fullest. It was something she had always told me—and something she herself had never gotten the chance to do. So I did it for her. Lived my life unapologetically and without question. And it was fucking fun. I didn’t second-guess myself, didn’t doubt myself, and if somebody had a problem with me, I paid them exactly the attention they deserved.
Which was none.
But that usual approach wasn’t working with Enzo.
He had gotten under my skin. And I didn’t like it one bit.
Being with him made me feel out of control. And if there was something I hated more than polyester, it was being out of control.
“I mean, I’m not going to say Enzo doesn’t have his rough edges. But he’s a good person. And Nico trusts him, which means I trust him. So you can, too. But protect your heart.”
“Heart?” I said. My voice was almost a bark, and Hope started to giggle.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to offend you by suggesting that your heart could become entangled with another person,” she said.
I smiled. “Nobody’s perfect, but don’t make that kind of mistake again.”
Hope snickered but then turned serious.
“But you seem to be having fun with Enzo. He’s a cool guy, and this will help keep you safe. I don’t see what the issue is,” she said.
“I didn’t say there was one,” I said.
“No, you didn’t. But I know that face, Molly. Something’s on your mind. Something more than what you’ve already said.”
I sighed. “It’s just…”
“Don’t think you can handle him?” she said, her voice lilting.
“Don’t start with me, Hope. I’m prepared to make very reckless decisions to keep my reputation intact. So don’t encourage me,” I said.
She smiled. “Silly. I don’t know what I was thinking. But, anyway, just go for it. Have fun.”
“Oh my God. My old Hope would be scandalized,” I said, smiling at her.
“Maybe you’ve worn off on me,” she said.
“No. That was all Nico. But I like it. You look happy, Hope,” I said, turning serious. I reached across the table and grabbed her hand. “And you deserve it,” I said.
“So do you, Molly,” Hope said.
“Yeah,” I said.
I looked at my watch.
“I told jerkface that I’d meet him. Apparently there’s a balloon animal exhibit he wants to go to,” I said.
Hope furrowed her brow. “You know what? It’s Enzo. I don’t ask questions.”
“Yeah. I guess I have to start taking your advice,” I said.
Hope gave me a hug, and I was on my way.
“If you ever tell anyone about this, I will hunt you down,” I said a few hours later.
“Your secrets are safe with me, doll,” Enzo said.
“I mean, you’re obviously a maniac. That definitely goes without saying. But the balloon animal exhibit was kind of fire,” I said.
He smiled, but didn’t look smug.
“I’m not surprised that you doubted me, but maybe you won’t make that mistake again,” he said.
“Well,” I responded, getting close to him.
“You lovebirds get lost again?” Fabiano said.
I’d only heard him speak once, but his voice was far too familiar. As he spoke, I watched Enzo. It was like a disappearing act. One minute, Enzo—the goofy, intelligent, fun guy who could make something like a balloon animal exhibit fun—was there, and then, in a blink, he was gone.
Replaced with Enzo Moretti, who was absolutely nobody to play with.
I saw that. But looking at Fabiano and the smug little smile on his face, he didn’t.
“Fabiano, me and my fiancée are having a nice evening. Please fuck off,” he said.
“Enzo, if you think I’m going to take it easy on you just because you’re with your bitch?—”
Fabiano’s words were lost, drowned by the sickening thud of Enzo’s fist slamming into his face.
His reaction was instant.
Brutal.
I had never seen him move that quickly. Wasn’t sure I’d ever seen anyone move that quickly.
But he hit Fabiano with a speed and force that left me terrified.
“Stop!” I yelled.
He didn’t seem to hear me, so I yelled again.
“Enzo! Stop!”
If I were braver—or stupider—I might have tried to physically interject. But Gram didn’t raise a dummy, and I was not about to try to stop two grown men from fighting.
Or rather, stop Enzo from beating the fuck out of another grown man.
“Enzo!” I said, putting as much sternness into my voice as I could.
Maybe that got to him. Or maybe it was Fabiano’s pathetic whimper.
Whatever it was, Enzo finally stopped.
“When they take the wire out of your jaw so you can talk again, think first, you?—”
Enzo glared at Fabiano and then grabbed my hand.
His fingers were warm, starting to swell.
“Are you all right?” I asked as we got away.
“Why wouldn’t I be?” he said, his voice casual, light, but he wasn’t his usual self.
“Enzo,” I said.
“What, Molly?” he responded, his voice edged.
I tried to pull my hand away, but he didn’t let me.
Instead of tussling with him—a fight I knew I would lose—I glared at him.
“Don’t get pissy with me because I stopped you from committing murder in the middle of the day,” I said. “I don’t need your attitude, because I didn’t do shit to you.”
“Didn’t do shit to me?” he said, seeming unable to believe what I had just said.
“No, I didn’t,” I responded, unwilling to back down.
Enzo tightened his grip on my hand and dragged me into the alley.
And I followed.
Not because I was scared—but because I wasn’t.
And that was the problem.
He pushed me back against the wall—but before I could get disgusted, he pressed his body against mine, letting me feel the weight of his heavy hardness.
“You call this nothing?” His voice was low, guttural, just this side of a grunt.
“Enzo…” I said as he pushed me against the wall. I was supposed to sound firm, but I was putty in Enzo’s hands,
And he knew it.
It didn’t matter that we were in an alley.
It didn’t matter that he’d almost beat someone to death.
All that mattered was that Enzo was here with me now.
All that mattered was that he wanted me just as much as I wanted him.
He kissed my neck as he kneaded my breasts, leaving my nipples hard little points that screamed for him. I wanted him inside me.
Now.
My pussy leaked and clenched with the need to be filled.
Enzo worked his pants open, his action sure, steady as he entered me.
“Enzo,” I said on a tortured cry as he pumped into me, his long thrusts sending me inching up the wall.
I came hard, fast, unexpectedly, and Enzo was not even a second behind, his cum filling me until he pulled out and released two long spurts on my thighs.
When he was done, he kissed me—hard, rough, just like he’d fucked me.
“I hope that was better than the balloon animals,” he said.