Chapter 14 – Molly
“Are you sure you have the right address?” I asked the man standing at my front door in a slate-gray polo that read Sanders Security across the front. He had a matching truck parked in my driveway. Two more trucks with the same logo pulled in as I stood there talking to him.
We’d attended the same high school. Guess Spencer Sanders grew up and opened his own security business. He was probably standing here right now because one of my brothers had gone full-on overprotective big brother after what had happened Saturday at the bakery.
“Which one of my psychotic brothers sent you?”
He flipped through the paperwork. “Um—looks like everything was ordered by someone named Liam Carson. I’m not seeing the McKinley name anywhere.”
I pulled my phone from my back pocket and dialed his number. He answered on the first ring.
“Hello?”
“Have you lost your mind?”
“I’m guessing the security company showed up, huh?”
“This seems like overkill, Liam. Cameras on every inch of the house? What’s next? Are you going to put one in my bedroom and watch me sleep?”
“Don’t give me any ideas,” he warned. “You’re lucky I’m not becoming your personal bodyguard until further notice.”
“Nope. Just my full-time stalker.”
“Until I figure out who tried to break in, I have to make sure you’re safe at all times.”
“What happens if I’m not at home or at the bakery? There’s no camera to follow me around then.”
“You’re not helping your case against the full-time bodyguard idea.”
“What happens if you never figure out who that guy was?”
“We’ll cross that bridge when we get there,” he said, having an answer for everything.
“Something tells me I’m not going to be able to kick and scream my way out of this one,” I said, half-whining.
“You’re not, so don’t even try it. I don’t care if you hate my guts—I still want you safe, Molls.”
“Fine,” I said, ending the call.
I didn’t miss the way he called me Molls again. I didn’t miss the way it made me feel either.
I opened the door wider and stepped back, motioning for Spencer to come in. “Make yourself at home,” I said, giving him the best smile I could manage under the circumstances.
I sank down onto the couch as Spencer and his crew started drilling holes and mounting cameras throughout the house.
At first, I opened my book, trying to read and get my mind off everything, but the constant whine of the drills kept distracting me. After a few failed attempts at reading, I gave up and retreated to the kitchen to bake.
For some reason, I was suddenly craving lemon bars.
“You’re going to be just like your daddy, aren’t you?” I murmured, resting a hand on my stomach, as if the baby could actually hear me.
As I pressed the crust for the lemon bars into the glass baking dish, the smell of freshly squeezed lemon juice pulled my mind back to the night Liam found me mid–panic attack—and everything that followed.
I remembered how amazing he had felt inside of me. How easily he’d worshipped my body all night long, like a man who knew what he wanted—and exactly how he was going to get it.
Then I remembered the hollow feeling when I woke up the next morning to find him gone.
We’d said it would only be one night, that nothing would change afterward.
But I was still disappointed when his warm body was no longer beside mine—his arms no longer wrapped around me, pulling me close like he had in his sleep.
That was then, Molly. This is now. Everything has changed.
I popped the desserts into the oven and sat at my kitchen island, staring at the wall. After contemplating it for a few minutes, I finally pulled out my phone and sent a text I might regret later.
Molly: I don’t.
A few seconds later, my phone dinged.
Liam: Don’t what?
Molly: Hate your guts.
Liam: I wouldn’t blame you if you did.
I stared at his text. Of course I had every right to be mad at Liam. I had every right to want to murder the man. But after hearing about his dad, some of his rash behavior made more sense. I had no idea what Liam was feeling because I didn’t grow up with the same kind of father.
My dad was amazing. He was there for us growing up in every way he possibly could be. He showed up to school events, horse-riding lessons—anything we did, he was right there, cheering us on.
Based on Liam’s comments about his dad, he’d never had that.
What he’d had sounded like boarding school.
I wondered if Liam had ever gone to counseling or gotten any kind of help after what had happened to his brother.
That was way too much for a ten-year-old to carry on his shoulders.
Liam hadn’t mentioned anything about his mom.
I hoped she’d been a better parent to him than his dad ever was.
After two long hours of listening to power tools while I baked in my kitchen, the security guys showed me how everything worked—the panic button, motion-activated lights, how to arm the system, even how to access the cameras from my phone when I wasn’t home—then they left.
It all seemed simple, but still overkill. Nothing wild ever happened in this boring little town. The guy who’d broken into my place was probably some lame out-of-towner who got bored and wanted to act like Billy Badass.
If I were lucky, Liam would be able to figure out who he was and throw him in jail for a little while. Then maybe he’d quit the whole overprotective bit.
Molly: I have another ultrasound appointment next week. Do you want to come with me?
Maybe I was crazy for extending an olive branch after everything that had happened, but no matter what had gone down between us, Liam and I were going to be parents—ready or not. It would be a hell of a lot easier if we could at least be in the same room together without tension filling the air.
I didn’t have to forgive Liam, but I could tolerate him. He was going to be in my life for a long time, and as far as I could tell, he planned on playing an active role in our son’s life. Who was I to take that away from our son?
Liam: I won’t miss it for anything.
Everyone deserved a second chance, right? I just hoped Liam didn’t find a way to rip my heart out of my chest and stomp on it this go-round.