Chapter 26
WOLF
Hearing Molly laughing with my brothers helped me almost relax. I say almost because of course I want her to have fun and be embraced and feel at home with my family, but this is still them we’re talking about.
Even if she is the first girl I’ve brought around, they all know better than to touch what’s mine.
It won’t stop them from trying to get under my skin though.
Especially Hawk, who I’m sure would love to retaliate for the bond I formed with Inez, the only one he’s ever loved.
That bond was only caring and brotherly, but he didn’t like it one bit.
Not to mention he’s turned into a total fuck boy since she left.
And then there’s Forest. Even though he gets points for keeping Hawk at bay, I had been looking forward to the moment Molly wanted sunscreen so I’d have an excuse to put my hands all over her. So there was no way his punk ass would beat me to it.
These last few weeks, I’ve been hesitant to casually touch Molly, even though we’ve had sex.
I haven’t figured out yet if she’s the affectionate type, or even if I am.
Hell, I don’t know how a damn relationship works, let alone a marriage.
I’d have to say when it comes to her, though, I’m the affectionate type with how much I’ve been yearning, practically itching to grab onto her pretty much any time she walks by me.
My feelings for her are getting more intense the last few days, overwhelming me in a way that makes me feel like I’m losing control and I want to take it back by keeping my distance.
Yet when I’m more than a few feet away from her my skin misses the touch of hers.
My lungs only want to breathe the air she does.
And so when she comes near again my arm stretches out, intent on sinking my fingers in the waistband of her shorts.
Today, whether it’s their intent or not, my brothers will provide me with plenty of reasons to touch her.
For now, she seems happy sitting with Dana.
They laugh under the canopy shade and enjoy a few snacks and beers, and I’m enthralled by Molly’s smile and her boisterous laugh as she talks with her hands.
Forest is at the grill with Uncle Bert, and the sun beats down on me as I sit on an Adirondack chair on the dock. Life is good.
Just as I’m polishing off a beer, my twin approaches with one for himself and holds a fresh one out to me, then takes a seat next to me. The man has his redeeming qualities.
“I still can’t believe you let her brand you,” he grunts, acknowledging my ring finger when I take the beer from him.
And we’re back. “For the last fucking time, she didn’t even know about it.”
“But I still don’t get why.”
“And I could pull out all the charts and graphs in the world, and you still wouldn’t understand, so let’s move on.”
“Fine!” He tosses his hand up and adjusts his shades before turning my way again. “Actually, I’ve got something you’ll like to hear.”
“What’s that?” My attention is piqued.
“You, my friend, left a little too early last night. We got a call from the sheriff.”
“And?”
“And two dipshit poachers were found chained to a tree with those same debauched foot hold traps around their ankles.”
My beer stops halfway to my lips, and my head snaps his way. “You’re shitting me.”
“Not shitting you,” he counters. “Pretty sure one of those wastes of oxygen shit themselves though.” He gives a comical frown with a shrug of his shoulders.
“That’s got to be that Coal guy,” I say, shaking my head in amazement.
“Oh, you know it was.” He looks back at me. “Those pathetic assholes had to get medical attention first, but you can bet your ass they fessed up to everything and are rotting in a cell right now.”
“Yes!” I pump my fist in a rare emotional display before congratulating my brother on the victory. The saga with those despicable traps is over.
We both take a glug of cold beer then, before Hawk tips his head toward Forest, who is loading up his plate with his girl next to him.
“So you know this chick that Forest brought with him today?” he asks, diving right in.
“No, I was going to ask you the same.” I chuckle and crack open my new beer.
He shakes his head. “I saw him bring her home, like four nights ago.”
The first sip of beer sprays from my lips and he nods in response as if to say, right? “So,” I wipe my chin with the back of my hand, “he’s not only brought a woman to one of our Summer Saturdays, but this is at least a second encounter with her? Like outside a twenty-four-hour period?”
“So what I’m thinking,” he sits forward, “is that she’s got some kind of incriminating information on him, and he’s afraid to let her out of his sight.”
“Pass. Next theory.” I chuckle and rest my head back. When it’s just family around me and I’ve got a beer or two going, my anxiety doesn’t tend to be a problem.
“Okay, how about…” He rubs his chin as River pulls into the car park and makes his way down the hill, having already changed out of his uniform and into swim trunks. “I got it! She feels sorry for him!” Hawk snaps his fingers.
River motions for Molly to walk with him, and she strolls beside him to the dock, taking his offered hand to step from the concrete block over to the wood planks. A growl rumbles deep in the back of my throat and only relents when she’s on safe footing and he drops her hand.
“Sup assholes? You see that Forest brought a woman?” River plops down into the chair next to Hawk.
“Why? What’s the big deal?” Molly’s voice is a soft and silvery contrast to all the gruff baritones on this dock. She heads for the seat next to me.
“He doesn’t date,” I explain, reaching for her waist and guiding her over to my lap. I settle her across my legs and keep a protective arm around her back.
“Yeah, more acutely, he doesn’t do next mornings, let alone family gatherings,” Hawk points out.
“Nails and bails,” River tacks on. “He’s out of there so fast he leaves a trail of fire behind.” He demonstrates, cutting his hand through the air.
Molly’s nose crinkles like she’s half entertaining our antics and half dismissing them. “Maybe he’s met his game changer.” She shrugs, and my thumb instinctively starts stroking circles on her lower back.
“Speaking of game changer,” River pipes up again. “If you needed a husband that bad, you know there are better options.” He smirks, which garners him a middle finger from me and an eye roll from Molly.
“Yeah, we actually smile on occasion,” Hawk says as Forest makes his way with a loaded plate.
“Wolf smiles,” Molly offers.
Hawk makes a show of spitting out his beer. “Tell us everything! Did his face crack? Did you have to fix it with surgical glue?”
“Have you guys tried these meatballs?” Forest asks, stabbing one with a fork as he takes a seat.
River is undeterred. “Molly, can I marry you when you’re done with him? I snore less.” He raises his hand like he’s volunteering.
“No, she needs to divorce Wolf and marry me if this is what I’m missing out on,” Forest says and moves more food around on his plate before looking up at her. “Hey, you guys haven’t consummated your marriage yet, have you? Like what kind of chance do I have?”
“Oh dear God,” Molly mumbles, but there’s a lilt in her voice that tells me she’s enjoying the infantile idiocy. “Sorry guys,” she lets out a cleansing sigh, draping her arm over my bare shoulders and my cock wakes up in my trunks, “I kind of like him.”
“So wait… Does that mean he does, in fact, have a phallus and he knows how to use it?” Hawk brings his beer up to his lips but I smack it away as Molly’s shoulders shake with embarrassed laughter. “Douche,” he mumbles as he bends down to retrieve it from the deck floor.
Forest holds up a hand and his fork. “Hawk, the line is right here, and you’re like way out here…” He does his best to demonstrate without tipping his plate.
River shifts in his chair. “So what do you think, Lady Feral? Having fun?” He tips his chin at Molly.
“Excuse me?” She arches a brow over her sunglasses while her lips form a hesitant smile. “Lady Feral?”
“Don’t listen to this douche bag.” I wave River off.
“Just kidding with you.” He shakes his head, and to his credit, it’s sincere. “When Wolf first told us about you, he said you lived alone in the woods, but I know you don’t eat squirrels or anything.” He chuckles to himself.
Molly perks up in her chair. “They’re actually not as gamey as most people would think.”
River freezes, looking straight ahead at her. “What?”
Even I’m curious to know where she’s going with this thought, though I don’t let on.
“Squirrel meat,” she clarifies, plainly. “It’s actually really great filler. I add it to other meat-based dishes. So cost efficient.” She raises and drops her shoulders, looking slightly smug.
“So… You actually do eat squirrels?” Even with his sunglasses on, it’s clear that River is stone faced.
Molly’s brows draw inward. “Well…yeah. What do you think is in those meatballs Forest just hoovered?”
River goes stiff as a board in his chair, and Forest’s jaw drops open to release a nasty sight of chewed up meatball onto his plate. “Tell me it’s a joke,” he begs, his voice warbly.
Molly lets out an exasperated sigh. “Of course it’s a joke.”
“Really?” He makes another choking noise.
“Calm down fucker. I watched her make them,” I vouch, shaking my head as I take a pull of my beer.
Molly giggles, shaking her head. “You guys are too easy.” She brings her beer to her lips, and I bring my fist up to bump with hers.