Chapter 20 – Molly
I did a bad thing. A very bad thing.
Last night, when I was… um, pleasuring myself, I got extra worked up and moaned—no, screamed—Liam’s name.
I didn’t have any reason for this irrational behavior other than the fact that I had the hottest baby daddy on the planet.
The man was a walking Calvin Klein ad. He was also a walking red flag.
And that was my dilemma, right? I mean, it wasn’t fire-truck red like it had been in the beginning.
It was more of a faded red now, like the booths at the Twisted Spur.
But still. Why had he been such a jerk in the beginning?
Honestly, it would’ve helped if he had stayed a jerk.
But he hadn’t. He’d become this really kind, apologetic jerk who cared about how I felt, fixed things around my house, and took me on ice cream dates and sunset-watching trips.
Oh, and secretly took a picture of me on all his military deployments.
The same thing all other guys on the planet did for girls they weren’t even dating—ones they just liked.
Either way, I could never admit what I had done. Not even to Ellie or Cassie. Some secrets had to go to the grave. This was one of them.
So off to work I went, acting as if none of that wild business had happened last night. Fake it ’til you make it, Molly McKinley.
Today, it was just me at the bakery, so I was praying for a slow day. Clara had a doctor’s appointment in Great Falls, and it would be an all-day trip. She deserved the day off anyway; she worked her ass off every single day.
I wrapped my apron around my baby bump, tying it in the back.
With the Open sign flipped in the window, my day had officially begun.
It was business as usual until around noon, when Jace showed up.
“As much as you keep showing up, you could at least buy something.”
“I’m just checking on you. Liam told me you’d be here alone today, and alarm bells immediately went off in my head.”
“I’m fine, loser. It’s been months since the break-in. Liam said the guy wasn’t even in the system. Probably some idiot who got a wild hair and backed out at the last second. I’m starting to think all these cameras and panic buttons were for nothing.”
“You can never be too careful,” he said.
“Now you’re starting to sound like Liam.”
“What’s he been up to lately?” Jace asked.
“Working, I guess. He keeps himself busy doing whatever it is that Liam does.”
“Have you thought about whether you’re going to forgive him or not?” There was something lingering in his tone.
“Miss your friend?”
Jace sighed, knowing I understood exactly why he was asking.
“He told me you wouldn’t forgive him unless I do,” I said.
“Have you?”
“I don’t know yet. What happens when the baby gets here? What if it all becomes too real, and he leaves me high and dry—stops coming around, stops seeing the baby?”
“That’s a very real possibility,” Jace said carefully.
“For what it’s worth, I did the same thing to Cassie.
Couldn’t express my emotions like an adult and ran from them, which in turn hurt her, of course.
She forgave me, but only because she saw me change my entire life to be a better man for her. Do you feel like Liam’s done that yet?”
I hesitated. “I feel like he’s trying to.”
“I think when the moment comes, you’ll know which decision is the right one.”
“That doesn’t sound complicated at all,” I said, huffing in frustration. I was the worst at knowing when the time was right to do anything. The universe could send me a million signs and I probably still wouldn’t see them.
“You got any fresh red velvet cupcakes back there?” Jace asked, nodding toward the kitchen.
“In the fridge. To the left,” I said.
Jace headed to the back just as the bell above the door chimed.
“Welcome, how can—” The words died in my throat, and my hands shook as I recognized the man.
He walked up to the counter like he belonged there.
“Howdy, ma’am,” he said, unfazed by my abrupt silence.
I could tell his accent was fake. He wasn’t from around here.
“You’re Molly. Molly McKinley, right?” His words came out too fast. “I’m new in town, getting married in a couple months, and I wanted to see what kind of wedding cake options you offer.” He lifted his hand as if to prove it, but there was no ring. A stupid psychopath stalker, great.
I took a step back.
He leaned closer over the counter, his shirt shifting just enough for my stomach to drop.
A weapon. Holstered at his side.
He had a gun. I was sure of it this time.
My mind raced. I could yell for Jace, but this guy would probably shoot him. Did he even see Jace walk to the back? Did he think we were here alone? He probably came in because he thought I was alone. But how had he known I’d be alone today?
I could have screamed and ran, but being pregnant meant I wasn’t exactly built for a hundred-yard dash.
Dammit. What could I do?
A blinking red light in the corner of the wall caught my eye. The security system—it was actively recording.
If I survived this, at least they’d have a face to put with the psycho stalking me.
Wait. Molly. The panic button. Duh.
I forced my breathing to steady and kept my face neutral as my hand secretly searched beneath the counter.
“Sure,” I said evenly. “I can come around the counter and show you a flipbook of some of my recent work.”
I rounded the display case, my fingers sliding along the underside until I found it, pressing the button at the last possible second.
Jace came back from the kitchen, pulling his phone from his pocket. He was probably getting the panic alert as we spoke.
Keep your cool, Jace.
Keep your fucking cool.
“Hey, Molly,” he said casually, slipping his phone away. “I’m gonna head out. Gotta swing by Colt’s place. He lives about forty-five minutes from here, so I won’t be back for a while.”
On the surface, it sounded like exactly what this psychopath would want to hear.
But I knew better. Colt lived ten minutes down the road. Jace wasn’t going to Colt’s; he was heading to his truck. To the gun he kept locked in the glove box—his Colt .45, which also happened to be our brother’s nickname growing up.
He was secretly telling me he was going to get his gun. We didn’t stand a chance without it, and we both knew it. Just like the saying goes––don’t bring a knife to a gun fight.
“Sounds, good. I’ll be here if you need me.” I smiled as I waved him off.
“Try to take it easy while I’m gone,” Jace said before walking out the door. Code for don’t do anything rash.
I was so fucked.
I kept talking—rambling about wedding cakes—even though we both knew damn well he wasn’t here for that.
“Are you thinking two or three tiers?”
He glanced toward the door, watching Jace leave. The second Jace disappeared from view, he twisted back to me.
Here we go.
He moved fast, like I knew he would, and grabbed my arm—his Mr. Nice Guy act evaporating instantly.
“You’re coming with me,” he said, yanking me so hard my shoulder almost came out of the socket. I winced in pain.
Fuck this guy.
Pregnant or not, I wasn’t going down without a fight.
I spun and punched him square in the face. My fist connected with his nose, a solid hit.
You didn’t grow up with two older brothers without learning how to throw a good punch. Tossing fifty-pound bags of flour and sugar around every day helped too.
His grip loosened as blood poured down his face.
Gross.
I bolted for the back, slammed the door, and locked it just in time. The impact rattled the frame as he hit it seconds later, trying to kick it in. The lock would hold for now—but not forever.
Where the hell was Jace and that fucking gun of his?
“Open up, bitch,” he shouted through the door. “You’re only making things harder on yourself. If you don’t come with me now, someone else will come for you. And I can guarantee they won’t be as friendly as I am.”
“Fuck you!” I yelled.
Immediately after that, I heard a gun cocking.
My body turned cold. He was going to shoot through the lock.
I ran toward the back of the kitchen, panic clawing up my throat. I lunged for the back door. It was my only option now. Hopefully another asshole like him wouldn’t be waiting outside—his backup.
I swung the door open in a panic as gunshots popped behind me. One. Two. Three.
Then silence.
No more banging.
“Molly?” A familiar voice called from the front of the bakery. “It’s me, Liam. I’m coming to the back door. I don’t want you to see what’s up here. Don’t panic, okay? It’s me. You’re not in danger anymore. I got your panic button notification and came here as fast as I could. Jace is here with me.”
Relief crashed over me all at once.
My knees gave out, hitting the tile as the adrenaline drained from my body as fast as it had come.
I sat with my back against the wall, trying to collect myself as Jace explained what had happened before I’d set off the panic alarm. He and Liam stood a few feet in front of me, replaying the footage the camera had managed to capture of the entire encounter.
For the most part, it only showed the side of the guy’s face. Nothing clear. Nothing that would actually help us figure out who he was.
They talked back and forth, pointing out different things happening in the video.
“He knew who I was,” I cut in. “He knew my full name.”
They both turned to me.
“These weren’t random break-ins. He wanted me.
Specifically.” My stomach twisted. “But he doesn’t know enough about me to know Jace is my brother.
He acted like he thought Jace was just some other customer or something.
I could tell he didn’t recognize that McKinley—only this McKinley.
” I pointed to myself. “I can’t go home—he said there are others.
They could know everything about me, including where I live. ”
“You can stay at the ranch,” Jace offered. “Odds are they won’t know to look for you out there. And we’re armed—ready to take on anyone dumb enough to try something like this again.”
“I’m not putting you guys in danger,” I said. “Absolutely not.”
“And I’m not letting you hide out by yourself. You have nowhere else to go that doesn’t have your name tied to it. No matter where you go, they’ll find it,” he said in his big brother matter-of-fact tone I hated.
“Not exactly…” Liam said, confusing both Jace and me. “I might have somewhere you can go.”