Chapter 35

Later that afternoon,I’m in the laundry room helping Molly pack her stuff to go back to campus. She keeps touching, bumping, or rubbing herself against me every chance she gets and I love every second.

The next time she does it, I capture her in my arms and kiss her forehead. “I loved fucking you in the shower this morning,” I whisper in her ear. “You were so sexy making all those sweet little noises. You gonna let me do that again?”

“Anytime.”

“Next month.” I raise my eyebrows so she knows exactly what I’m asking.

Pink spreads over her cheeks. “Yes.”

“Did it feel good?”

Her eyes roll back and she shakes her shoulders like she’s possessed. “So, so good. That was insane.” She bops her finger on the tip of my nose. “It was so good, I don’t even care that you’re being smug about it right now.”

Rumbling with laughter, I release her and return to laundry duty.

My hand grazes her little sleep top with the straps that tie together. “Can I keep this?”

She blinks at me, a devilish smile curving her lips. “I think it’ll be tight on you, but sure.”

“Funny.” I smirk at her for a second. “I want something that smells like you to keep under my pillow.”

“Aww.” She snatches the top out of my hands and sets it on top of a pile of clothes. “I just washed it, though. How about,” she teases her fingers under the hem of her pink T-shirt, “I leave you this one?”

I skim my gaze over the light pink tee with the skeleton ribs and red heart on the front. “You love that shirt.”

“I love you more.”

“Deal.” I hold out my hand.

“Now?” She laughs. “I promise I’ll leave it under your pillow before I go.” Her laughter cuts off.

“It’s okay,” I assure her even though it feels less than okay that she’ll be leaving soon. “We’ll spend all next weekend together. And then the weekend after we’ll be at the reunion.”

“God only knows what fresh hell that’ll be,” she grumbles.

She’s got a point.

An unfamiliar engine rumbles outside. Too close to the house to just be a neighbor. “Keep packing. I’m going to see who that is.” I pat her hip.

“It’s probably a delivery from Amazon,” she calls after me. “They’re always dropping stuff off at weird times.”

“Be right back.”

Barefoot in my gym shorts and T-shirt I open the back door and step onto the porch.

And find Torch at the bottom of the steps.

We stare at each other for a few seconds. Surprise spreads over his face. Annoyance flows through my body.

“So, I take it you two are back together?” A disappointed smirk tugs at the corners of his mouth. “I should’ve known when she suddenly got too ‘busy’ to text me. I thought she was pissed at me for skipping the carnival.”

“Nope.” My heavy footsteps thunder down the old, wooden steps and the screen door snaps shut behind me. “Your ‘hanging out’ with my girl days are done, bro.”

He holds up his hands in a “no harm intended” gesture. “Hey, Remy asked me for a favor. Who am I to say no to taking his little sister out?”

That only pisses me off more. I lean in close, and I’ll give him credit, he doesn’t flinch away. “We both know Remy isn’t the reason you said yes.”

“You’ve got me.” He holds up his hands in surrender, but his lips curve into an even more obnoxious smirk. “What’re you gonna do about it? Go full caveman on me?”

The door behind me squeaks open. My eyes close briefly. Please tell me she didn’t overhear any of this.

“What did you say?” Molly asks in a small, timid voice full of hurt.

I glare at Torch. “You need to leave.”

“No,” Molly says. “Stay, please.” Anger simmers beneath her words. Better than the hurt I first sensed. “Did I hear that right? You were spending time with me as a favor to my brother?”

I glance at her on the top step glaring down at us with her arms crossed over her chest.

“I…” Guilt and dread wash over Torch’s expression. His sorrowful gaze slides between Molly and me. At least he feels bad about being an asshole.

What the fuck’s wrong with me? I don’t want him to have feelings for Molly. How is that better?

I can’t stand Molly having her feelings hurt, though.

“It’s not like that,” he says. “Remy was worried about you.” Torch flicks his gaze to me again, as if he’s weighing his words carefully. Or maybe he wants to throw the blame on me somehow. Like Molly doesn’t know I’m the reason why Remy was so worried. “I would’ve asked you out eventually. Wanted to for a while.”

A low growl rips out of my throat. I knew it. Knew it at her fucking birthday party when he showed up with his stupid gift card.

Torch backs up a step.

“Suuure you did,” Molly scoffs. “What’d my brother do, pay you to babysit me?”

“No.” Torch scowls. “Fuck no.”

Molly turns her hurt eyes on me. “You knew about this?”

This isn’t the time to fuck around with the truth. “Not until the night I saw you at the track.”

“But you never told me?”

“Why would I tell you something like that?” I fling my hand in Torch’s direction. “Besides, I took one look at him and knew Remy was wrong.”

Torch chokes on a laugh. “I’m that obvious?”

“Save those chuckles,” I warn him. “I haven’t decided how many times to punch you, yet.”

“Griff!” Molly scolds.

I flash a quick, innocent smile her way. “What?”

“Well, I’m gonna go,” Torch says, backing up toward the driveway, one step at a time, keeping his eyes on me. “Glad you’re okay, Molly.” He points at me. “You punch me, I’m punching you back.”

“Give it your best shot, carrot top.” I sneer.

He rolls his eyes. “So original.”

The door slams behind me. I whip around but Molly’s gone. Shit.

“Griff,” Torch calls. When I turn, he’s already in the driveway next to his car.

“You’re that scared of me?” I taunt. It’s not like Torch doesn’t know how to handle himself in the cage. “Seriously?”

“Uh, you’re a pro fighter now.” He wiggles one hand in the air. “Scared isn’t the right word. Healthy respect for how deadly your fists are would be more accurate.”

First time anyone’s called me a pro fighter. Am I? Not really. Doesn’t matter. He should fear me. When it comes to Molly, I’ll do anything to protect her.

He lifts his chin. “Seriously. Tell her I’m sorry.”

“Yeah, I’ll make apologizing on your behalf my first priority.” I turn around, jog up the steps, and pull the screen door open. At least Molly didn’t try to lock me out.

She’s at the kitchen sink. A large, round, black plastic lid’s in one hand, and in her other, a small red tube.

Her tongue pokes out as she concentrates on touching the tip of the tube to the inside rim of the lid.

“What are you doing?” I close the door behind me. Outside, Torch’s engine rumbles to life and slowly slips along the side of the house.

“Gluing Remy’s coffee can shut,” she answers matter-of-factly. “Already did his protein powder and vitamins. Next, I’m stuffing paper in the toes of all his shoes.”

“Uh, the protein powder was probably mine.”

She flicks a cool look my way. “Oops.”

I bite my lip to stop my laughter. She’s so cute. And absolutely diabolical. I love her.

She bangs the coffee lid into place and caps the glue. Her wild gaze swings around the kitchen like she’s plotting what way to hamper her brother’s morning routine next.

“Do you want to talk about it?” I ask.

“Oh, now you want to talk? Couldn’t be bothered to tell me before.”

“What was I supposed to say?” I hold my arms out wide. “I was fucking furious when Remy told me because I knew how you’d feel when you found out. I told him he was an asshole.”

She sets the glue on the counter and ducks her head.

I approach her slowly and pull her against my chest. As soon as she snakes her arms around my middle, I blow out a slow, relieved breath.

“I feel so dumb,” she mumbles against my shirt.

“Don’t. Remy’s just being his overbearing self. He thinks he’s doing the right thing?—”

“Don’t stick up for him.”

“He’s not as clever as he thinks he is.” I jerk my thumb over my shoulder. “Torch wasn’t lying. I knew he was into you at your birthday party. I’m not surprised he jumped at Remy’s suggestion at all.”

She squeezes me tighter and shakes her head, her cheek sliding against my T-shirt. “At least now I don’t feel bad.”

“For what?” Dread fills my chest as I ask the question.

“Not…I don’t know.” She quickly pulls away.

“Hey.” I rest my hands on her shoulders, holding her in place. “You don’t have anything to feel bad about, okay?”

“Ugh.” She squeezes her eyes shut. “What was he doing anyway? Running back to give Remy updates?”

Probably. “I really don’t know.”

“I’m so embarrassed.” She pokes her fist into my stomach. “Why couldn’t you just have said something?”

“Molly.” I pull back so I can look at her face. “I would’ve sounded like a jealous asshole, accusing Torch of doing Remy’s bidding. I had enough trouble trying to convince you I didn’t cheat on you.” I think it through a bit more. “I wanted you back because you wanted to be with me, not because you were hurt by someone else.”

She squeezes her eyes shut and hugs me tighter. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t apologize. I’m just trying to explain why I didn’t tell you. I don’t like keeping secrets from you. I thought about saying something the night of the carnival.” I squeeze her closer. “But I couldn’t stand the thought of being the one to cause that hurt. I’d already done enough.”

She sniffles. “You didn’t do anything.”

“Yeah, I did. It wasn’t intentional but you still got hurt because of me.”

“I was unhappy at the carnival without you,” she admits.

“Yeah.” Should I admit that I followed her around like a creep? Sure, why not? “You looked like you were having fun with your friends.”

“I did…” Her voice trails off and her eyes widen as realization slams into her. “I knew it! You didn’t ‘guess’ I liked that bunny. You saw me trying to win it!”

“Sure did. You were cute as hell, trying so hard to sink those little skulls in the baskets.”

“Let me guess.” She huffs and rolls her eyes. “You won the first time you tried.”

“No, it took me two turns.” I shrug and arc my hand through the air like I’m playing basketball. “The trick was to gently lob the ball into the side of the basket, so it rolled in instead of hitting hard and bouncing out.”

“Good to know for next year.” She raises one questioning eyebrow. “If you’ll still take me?”

“Hell yeah, I will.” I rest my hands at her waist. “Only if you wear that sexy little dress again for me.”

“Sexy?” She holds her hand up to her throat. “The one with the high collar?”

“Yup.”

“What if I come up with a better costume?” She drops her gaze and flutters her lashes, teasing me.

“You can go with a black bedsheet over your head, and you’ll still be sexy as fuck.”

She laughs and hugs me tighter. I kiss the top of her head, grateful we moved past the Torch situation and she’s not holding a grudge. Against me, anyway.

God help Remy. He’s on his own.