CHAPTER FIVE

ATLAS

––––––––

My god. Molly is more beautiful than I remember.

Her hair is up in a messy bun, but her cashmere sweater does little to hide her soft curves and perfect figure. The same one I had my hands on months ago.

I want to cross the floor, take hold of her hips, and pull her against me.

I can see in her eyes she would not take kindly to me doing it. Well, that's not entirely true. There's a mix of emotions in them, including lust and a ton of reluctance.

I don't know why.

But I'm going to find out.

If I hurt her then I will fix this.

I am more certain than ever, seeing her again, that I want this woman.

For one night?

Maybe.

But we have all weekend, so let's see where it goes. I've never been this obsessed with one woman before in my life and I'm not about to just let her brush me off and say no.

I glance around and decide to take this opportunity while we are alone to show her what I've been trying to tell her for months. Closing the space between us, I place my hands on her shoulders, feeling her tense, then kiss her cheek.

"How was England?" I ask, my voice husky. When I straighten, she's frowning but nods.

"Good. Yes. Good."

"Good." I smirk, liking how nervous she is. Although I wonder where the social butterfly I met at my birthday has gone to.

Then I remember the reason she was in the UK.

"My condolences for the loss of your grandfather." I wipe all humor from my face to show I genuinely mean it.

"You said that," Molly replies. "On your texts."

I grin and she glances away knowing she just caught herself.

"Oh yeah? You got those did you?"

Fiery eyes flash back at me.

"Yes," she says firmly. "But it wasn't appropriate for me to reply as I was with Greg."

My smile vanishes.

Who the fuck is Greg?

Then she spins and walks away...toward the staff quarters.

I cross my arms, still reeling in the news that she was with another man. I might not have any claim to this woman—yet—but I'm still fucking unhappy about it.

This is the first time Molly has been to my father's home and because I'm pissed I let her storm off in the wrong direction.

Who the hell is Greg?

It wasn't appropriate for me to reply as I was with Greg.

The fuck.

Why didn't she reply and tell me she was with someone? Why didn't Payton tell me. To be fair she doesn't know I'm romantically interested in Molly.

Romantic might be a stretch. I want to fuck her.

Molly wanted it too. I was the one who stopped. Was she with this Greg guy then?

Fury thrums through my body as a flustered Molly comes stomping back around the corner.

"You could've told me that's where your employees live." She props her hands on her hips and glares.

"Maybe Greg could have told you," I say, leaning forward, and the awkward moment hangs between us.

"That makes no sense." She snaps.

No it doesn't, but it fell out so here we are.

I'm not letting her get away with this. I want to know if he was in the picture when I met her. If so, my opinion of her is about to completely change.

"Were you with this Greg asshole when you were spreading your legs at my house?"

Molly gasps.

"How dare you!" She lifts her hand to slap me, but I grab her wrist.

We both startle when we hear voices.

I drop her arm, and we glare at one another before collecting ourselves to act normal.

Goddamn her.

Looks like my weekend plans just took a sharp pivot.

––––––––

THE CHOPPER RIDE to the Hamptons is thick with tension. Despite being furious with Molly, I'm still incredibly attracted to her.

She, on the other hand, wouldn't look at me and spent most of the ninety-minute flight messaging Greg.

I assume.

She kept smiling and giggling.

I bet he works in accounting.

Whatever. I'd put money on him not being able to make her come as hard as I did.

I hate Greg.

However, my early comment was out of place and I'm going to apologize to her. I was angry. For months I've been waiting to see this woman again and she tosses out Greg's name like a couple of bars of dynamite.

Fucking Greg.

We land on Jacob and Leilani Dufort's lawn, and our bags are unloaded as the introductions and welcome party takes place.

"I'm so happy to meet you." Leilani hugs Molly, and Levi and Jacob slap each other's back.

"Hey," Jacob says, shaking my hand.

"The place is looking good," I say, glancing around the beachfront Hampton's home.

"Thank you. We love it here," Jacob says as a cute dog comes running across the lawn.

Knox leads Payton inside with his hand on the small of her back and I glance at Molly. The desire to do the same suddenly comes over me and it just reignites the fury inside me that she isn't mine.

That makes me even more angry.

I'm not looking for a wife. I'm twenty-fucking-four. I was hoping we could spend the weekend together or maybe date.

But no.

That's clearly not on the cards.

"So, I'm hearing rumors you could be drafted next year," Blake says as he shakes Levi's hand.

My younger brother laughs.

"We'll see."

He's so fucking humble. As far as I'm concerned he'll be the next quarterback for the Philadelphia Eagles.

Or maybe another team.

But when it happens I'll be the first to leap on his back and hug the shit out of him. Then I'll lick my own average as fuck wounds and get over it.

Unless I get this award.

"You play football?" Molly asks, and my heart sinks.

Maybe I won't get over it.

"Why? Does Greg like football?" I ask before I can stop myself.

"How does he know about Greg?" Payton asks, taking the glass of water from Leilani. "Thanks babe."

"Who's Greg?" Knox asks.

I lift my brows all yeah, who is fucking Greg, Molly?

"Does Greg play football?" Levi asks frowning.

"I'm confused." Jacob stares back and forth. "Is he in the NFL?"

Christ.

Molly glares at me, but she's uncomfortable as hell and for some reason I don't like seeing her like this.

I push back my own feelings and turn into her night in fucking shining armor.

Actually I'm wearing Gucci but whatever.

"A friend we have in common," I say.

"Does he play in the league?" Levi prods.

"He's English," Molly says, crossing her arms around herself protectively.

Fuck.

"You know people in England?" Knox frowns as he turns to me.

Jesus, read the room brothers.

"Not really. Anyway, did you have strippers at your bachelorette party?" I ask Payton as a complete pivot attempt.

I know the answer.

"No. They did not." Knox punches my arm, and I groan, laughing.

He knows I know the answer too.

We logged into his security cameras, and they were sitting around munching on snacks in what looked like the most boring bachelorette party in history.

Someone was crying.

We could see no cleavage and Molly had her back to the cameras.

Huge disappointment.

"Strippers!" Jamie screams and dances around my legs.

Jamie is my niece.

"Atlas! I am going to kill you," Bella, her mom, says as she rounds the corner munching on a sandwich.

I glance at Blake, and he quickly looks away.

Last time she was eating on the run like that she was pregnant. Between the Dufort's and Montgomery's, we are breeding enough to double the damn population.

"Hey Payton." Bella says, kissing her on the cheek. "Happy wedding weekend."

The two of them have become great friends and more than once joked about how Payton thought she was Knox's girlfriend instead of sister.

"So..." Leilani claps her hands. "Tomorrow, we have our Montgomery-Dufort Thanksgiving celebration. Daniel, Hunter, Fletcher, and the girls will be joining us. The Philly based family will be joining us later in the evening. Then the big day on Sunday, Payton. Wow."

Payton leans against Knox's body and he wraps an arm around her, kissing her upturned mouth.

Molly and I glance at one another and I'm not sure why.

Except I want to fucking kiss her.

And throttle her.

"Let's get you all settled in. Dinner will be at seven." Leilani directs us to our rooms.

"So does this Greg guy play football in England?" Levi asks as we wander upstairs.

Jesus.