CHAPTER EIGHTEEN

ATLAS

––––––––

"Where's Molly?" Payton calls out as she skips off the dance floor and joins us.

I'm standing around talking to Knox, Levi, and Blake. I'm also the wrong person to ask but she doesn't know that.

Molly is probably somewhere stabbing a voodoo doll of me multiple times, hoping for my pending and painful death.

I shrug.

Across the room I spot my father dancing with Harper and Olivia, while Daniel glares at them. He really is living on the edge these days. Although, I have a feeling even Daniel Dufort wouldn't confront Ward Montgomery.

Both are powerful men.

But my father has something a little more.

"Haven't seen her," I say and spin the ice in the bottom of my glass uninterested.

Which isn't completely true.

I've been looking around for her.

"Bella, where's Molly?" Blake turns to my sister, who is sitting with her feet up at the table behind us.

"I don't know. I put the kids to bed earlier and she wasn't upstairs," Bella replies, looking tired.

When I turn back, Payton has her phone in her hand and is staring at the screen. She glances up and worried eyes land on mine.

A chill brushes over my skin.

I blink, forcing myself not to speak.

What's happened?

I roam the room with barely disguised urgency as my heart pounds.

"She's gone," Payton says as I lower my glass.

Gone?

She can't go.

She can't leave. On her own.

Where did she go?

Who with?

The thought of Molly—drunk Molly—out there without someone—me—to protect her has my chest tightening.

"Where?" Levi asks.

My feet are already moving across the marquee, into the house, up the stairs, and I push open her door.

I hear the rustle of Payton's dress as she follows me and stops right behind me.

"Where has she gone?" I ask roughly, angrier than ever now.

Payton is silent as she hands me the phone.

Sorry, had to race home. Hope the rest of the night was amazing. Congratulations again, Mrs. Montgomery. Molly xx

The fuck?

Knox has arrived and he reaches for Payton to comfort her.

There is judgment on both their faces.

Go find some other girl to flirt with.

"She had to race home?" I lift my brows. "To what?"

"Or from who?" Payton crosses her arms. "What happened between you two?"

Well that's just unfair.

Also true.

Damn it.

"Atlas what's going on?" Knox demands as I hand the phone back to Payton and step farther into the room. They follow a few steps as I rake my fingers through my hair.

Time to tell the truth.

"We slept together. A couple of times." I sigh and let out a quiet curse. "There was unfinished business since my birthday and neither of us thought it was serious but..."

"But?" Payton presses.

"I like her. I more than like her." I admit, shaking my head. "I think Molly feels the same way but she's stubborn and..." I glance at both of them. Like really look at them. "This morning after I got up, she was gone. I thought she was doing bridal stuff with you. It wasn't until she walked down the aisle and I saw her face, I realized something was wrong. She was upset."

Knox rubs his forehead.

"Did she say anything to you?" he asks Payton.

She shakes her head, and I let out a groan.

I was hoping she might have some idea but clearly Molly keeps her thoughts and emotions very private.

God she is frustrating.

"No but I felt there was something off. I thought she was just emotional. Weddings are. And she had to call her own off years ago."

What?

"Molly was engaged?" I ask, stunned.

"Yes." Payton nods. "They had an engagement party but then...actually I don't know what happened, but she's never dated anyone seriously since."

This feels important.

Why didn't she mention it?

"Ever? For how long?" I push.

Payton glances between Knox and me, uncertain if she should talk about her friend's personal business.

"Tell me. Whether Molly likes it or not, Payton, we are in a relationship. You need to tell me." I demand.

She stares at me, biting her lip.

Come on, Payton.

Molly was engaged? Those words are ringing in my ears, and I don't like them.

Who to?

Fuck I hate that some other man thought he was going to make her his forever.

She's mine.

After a bit more lip biting, Knox says something to Payton quietly that I can't decipher, and she starts talking.

"I honestly don't know much more but I do know it's been a few years. That's why I was surprised to learn she went on a few dates with Greg."

Fucking Greg.

"Are they serious? Her and Greg?" I ask.

If they are, how dare Molly ask me about Harlow. Complete double standards. But it explains her constant this is over when we leave the Hamptons.

Guess she couldn't wait to leave.

"I don't think so," Payton replies. "I mean she kissed you."

My brows fly up into the air. "Sorry?"

"Yesterday. At the winery."

I almost choke.

Molly and I did a lot of things at the winery, and it was way more than kissing.

I thought we'd kept things pretty low-key and hidden over the weekend. Then I remember her almost chaste kiss on my lips when I won the game for us.

I've already admitted we were sleeping together so it's a moot point, I guess.

"Did you find her?" Levi shows up. I shake my head and glance around the room, feeling a mix of anger and disappointment.

Gone.

She just damn well left.

It's clear she didn't want to talk it out. Whatever it is. I wasn't flirting with anyone except her.

And it wasn't fucking flirting.

Did she not feel what I did last night?

Nothing?

I don't believe that.

Something else is going on here.

If Molly left because she saw me talking to some woman, then perhaps this former fiancé of hers really did a number on her.

That's not something I should be held accountable for. Or punished for.

I think back to our last words.

Flirt with? I think we've been doing more than flirting.

Yeah well, as you said the first time, we shouldn't have done that.

I feel like I've missed something.

"I'm going to try calling her," Payton says, turning to leave and wandering down the hall.

"Atlas. Please tell me you didn—"

"Finish that sentence and I'll fucking punch you. Yes, at your wedding." I growl at Knox.

He lets out a deep sigh. The kind parents give. It makes me want to punch him twice.

Still he waits.

"Fuck's sake. It was consensual, okay? I thought Molly liked me as much as I like her." I glare at both my brothers. "Never question me like that again."

Knox nods with a slither of shame and leaves the room to follow his bride.

"For the record, I wasn't asking. I thought Molly had the hots for you all weekend. Doesn't surprise me that you two hooked up," Levi says and sits on the end of the bed.

"Yeah well, something has upset her, and I'm fucked if I know what it is." I sigh, leaning against the wall and rubbing a hand over my face.

I'm mad with her for leaving but also worried.

This isn't good.

What if something happens to her?

"Does she know about Harlow?" Levi frowns and I can almost see his mind thinking.

"No. She asked me about her, but I didn't answer. Harlow is my past." I walk to the window and stare down at the wedding party below.

I'm not sure why Levi would ask that and I'm still not clear how Molly found out about her.

Clearly he didn't tell her.

Payton might've said something.

Maybe it's all completely innocent and there was a family emergency. It still doesn't explain why she's angry with me.

Something is wrong.

I can feel it in my gut.

Suddenly, I glance back at my brother. "Why?"

"Why what?"

"Why did you ask if she knows about Harlow?"

"Maybe she didn't like you being in contact, if she's the jealous type. You know how chicks are. They don't like you being friends with your exes."

I slide my hands into my pockets. "She doesn't know that I've been talking to her."

Levi starts nodding knowingly and my body does an involuntary shiver.

"Yeah, bro, she does. Molly walked past when we were talking tonight. After Harlow called you."

Goddamn.

My brain scrambles back to the conversation tonight.

Harlow had called to say Donald was drunk and confessed I was going to win tomorrow. He was vague but she said it sounded almost certain.

I was so excited to get the call, and Levi had been right there. I told him. I couldn't keep it inside.

"Bro, what's going on?" Levi had said, grinning.

I couldn't wipe the smile off my face.

"We're going to win the CFD Awards."

"You mean you're going to win it."

"Yeah." I grinned.

"Shit, this is awesome. Wait. How do you know?"

"Harlow is with Donald Chadwick this weekend. He's one of the judges. I asked her to keep her ear to the ground."

"Is it reliable gossip?"

"She thinks it's possible," I told him. "I have to believe what she says."

"Bro, that's awesome. Harlow is a nice girl." Levi replied. "She didn't need to do this."

In the moment I'd been struck with how spot on he was. Harlow had come through for me this weekend, even though I'd made it clear to her multiple times we were only ever going to be friends now.

She's been hurt, I know that.

Normally it's her dropping messages in my DM, but this weekend it was me doing it to her.

She could have told me to fuck off.

That's not Harlow's style though.

"I know. I honestly wasn't sure if she would. I've been waiting all weekend," I'd replied to Levi earlier.

What had Molly overheard?

And misconstrued?

Levi stands when someone calls out from downstairs. "Come on, we have to go. I think they are cutting the cake."

Molly should be here.

I hate that I might be the reason she isn't.

But I need to be here for Knox and Payton and that's what I'm going to do.

Then I am going to work out what the hell to do about this damn woman.

I like her. I like her a lot. But if this man has broken her heart so much that she can't even ask me about a conversation she overheard, then Molly Carter may never be ready for the type of relationship and commitment I'd want with her.

Or maybe she's chosen Greg already.

I pull out my phone and stare at her contact details. Then slide it back into my pocket and follow Levi downstairs.

I was wrong.

Molly isn't mine.