Chapter 5

CHAPTER FIVE

"It suits you."

Rufus turned to look at his daughter as she joined him in Lilybeth's nursery. He was standing in front of the window, holding the baby in his arms and pointing out and naming the surrounding buildings to her.

Not that Lilybeth understood a word he was saying or was even interested in the London landmarks, but she'd seemed to like the sound of his voice before she fell asleep, and so he had just kept talking. He was just happy to be here and holding her.

Mia and Lilybeth had been discharged from hospital yesterday afternoon. Rufus had given the family the rest of the day and the night together before visiting first thing this morning.

Darius had taken advantage of Rufus's arrival to collect Honey from the shelter and bring her home to meet Lilybeth.

Before being adopted by Darius and Mia, the Golden Labrador had been trained to relieve stress in humans. Darius had been suffering from PTSD when he and Mia first met, and Honey had been amazing in helping him deal with that. Rufus knew that the dog would now be Lilybeth's perfect protector.

"You look good holding a baby in your arms," Mia said, explaining her earlier remark, her smile relaxed as she came farther into the room. "I'm curious… Why did you never remarry and have more children?" she prompted as she tidied the nursery from where she had fed and changed Lilybeth before going to her bathroom to tidy her own appearance.

Rufus felt a painful tightening in his chest. "Possibly because my wife and daughter were killed in a vehicular pileup on a motorway which developed into a fire that destroyed them and my whole fucking reason for— Fuck! Damn," he substituted, wincing as he looked down at the still-sleeping Lilybeth. "I apologize," he told Mia earnestly. "For the remark and the swearing."

"You're allowed to feel as if fate cheated you of the life you should have had," she consoled, her hand warm on his arm.

"But maybe not to swear so much about it in front of you or my granddaughter." He grimaced. "The truth is, I buried myself in my work." He felt the need for honesty after his previous outburst. "By the time I raised my head, twenty years had passed, and Nikolai bloody Volkov, of all people, was introducing me to my miraculously still-very-much-alive daughter. I can't apologize for swearing this time." He scowled. "The arrogance of that bast—man, is enough to make a saint swear."

Mia chuckled. "I have a completely different opinion of him. Because he gave us back to each other," she added huskily.

And in the two years since that time, the arrogant Russian never lost an opportunity to remind Rufus of that fact whenever Mia and Darius invited them to the same social event or dinner. Which they did a lot.

Rufus was completely certain of his place in Mia's affections. He also knew she looked at Nikolai as an honorary uncle. After years of her having no family at all, he couldn't begrudge her that relationship.

"Darius and I have also asked him to be Lilybeth's godfather," Mia added calmly.

"He's second to the head of the Russian bratva in London, not the Italian Mafia," Rufus muttered.

Mia gave another chuckle. "He and Daisy came to visit us last night. We asked them both then, and they have accepted."

Daisy Volkov, in contrast to her arsehole of a husband, was one of the nicest women Rufus had ever met. How the hell she ever ended up married to the man who was known for being the killer called the Wolf in his native Russia as well as here, was a mystery to Rufus.

He nodded. "Good choice."

Rufus knew, despite Nikolai's enjoyment of annoying him, that the Volkovs would make excellent and protective godparents for Lilybeth. He would willingly approve of anyone who wanted to keep Mia and Lilybeth safe.

"You didn't really answer my question," Mia reminded softly.

No, he hadn't.

But the answer he'd given her was literally the truth. He had spent almost half his lifetime feeling numb inside after being told his wife and daughter were dead. They were both just gone, and he would never see either of them again.

Even the thought of dating again, let alone having more children, had made him feel ill.

He simply hadn't been able to reconcile the idea of having another life, another love or children, when Beth and Emily had perished in such a horrendous way.

"It would have felt as if I was replacing you," he admitted.

"No." Mia squeezed his arm, a frown between the eyes that were the exact color of his own. "You must never think that."

"I haven't lived the life of a monk, love," he assured ruefully. "I'm really not that noble. I just never allowed myself to care for anyone enough to take the relationship further. I always made sure they knew that before—well…before."

"Not sure I want to hear about my father's sex life," Mia teased before sobering. "But what about now?"

"What about it?"

"Dad." There was a wealth of daughterly reproval in that single word. "I've seen the way you look at Molly."

Rufus tensed, immediately passing that tension on to Lilybeth, who began to stir and whimper in his arms. "I'm sorry, baby. I didn't mean to startle you." He lowered his head to kiss Lilybeth's downy forehead before scowling at his daughter. "Isn't Molly a little young for me?" he dismissed.

"What do they say? Age is just a number."

"So is seventeen, which is how many years older than her I am."

"But you like her?—"

"I like a lot of people."

"Apart from Nikolai," Mia derided.

"Hey, I like him," he protested. "I just have an impulse to punch him in his arrogant nose every time I see him."

"But it's such a regal and aquiline blade of a nose," Mia lamented.

"If you like arrogant Russians. Which you and Darius obviously do," Rufus acknowledged. "I think your choice of the Volkovs as Lilybeth's godparents is perfect." He had absolutely no doubt that Nikolai would take the duty of protecting Lilybeth as seriously as he did that of his own family. Which was very seriously indeed.

"What about Molly?"

"Darling, I just told you?—"

"We've decided to ask her to be Lilybeth's other godmother."

Rufus could only stare at his daughter in disbelief.

"Admittedly, we haven't known her for very long, but I feel—I feel the same instinctive connection to her as I do Nikolai," Mia explained. "Probably because of our similar backgrounds. She doesn't have any family of her own, Dad," she pleaded when Rufus couldn't think of a suitable reason to veto a decision which would keep Molly in his life.

Initially, at least. "And when she leaves, which she will invariably do considering her work record shows she never stays long in one place," he grated. "What happens then?"

"If that's what Molly decides to do, then she can be Lilybeth's godmother from a distance." Mia's mouth firmed. "I'd like your approval of the idea, but Darius and I won't change our minds if we don't have it."

Rufus had seen how quickly the friendship between Mia and Molly developed. It was one of the reasons he had tried to stay away from Molly. Darius obviously also accepted the closeness between the two women, or he wouldn't have agreed to Molly being godmother to their beloved daughter.

Rufus hadn't seen Molly in the two days since they'd kissed at the hospital. He'd telephoned the shelter the following day to see if Molly needed any help preparing for the open weekend today and tomorrow, but she had politely refused his offer, assuring him she had everything under control.

He was sure that she had, but with no news yet from Linus on Ronan Harper, Rufus had just been looking for an excuse to see her again.

An excuse Molly obviously didn't reciprocate.

"Molly will make a good godmother," he agreed abruptly before glancing at the watch on his wrist. "Now, if you and our beautiful little miss will excuse me…" His voice softened as he looked down to kiss his granddaughter's cheek before handing her over to Mia. "I have a few errands to run today."

"Are any of those errands taking you near the animal shelter around closing time?" Mia teased, as if she already knew they were. "If so," she added before he could answer, "Molly prefers Chinese food to any other."

He frowned. "Who knew you would grow up to be such an annoying little shit."

Her grin was confident. "But you love me anyway."

"I do," he confirmed without hesitation.

She sobered. "Go be with Molly, Dad. And if you go later today, and she has Angus with her in her apartment, just act as if that's normal too, okay?"

"Is that something she would do?"

Mia nodded. "He adores her."

"She is very adorable," he allowed.

"Yes, she is." Mia chuckled. "And if what you say is true, then she might be leaving soon, and then you will have lost your chance."

Rufus believed telling Molly he'd done as he'd said he would and started the search for her brother might delay that departure for at least a short time.

There was no reason for him to also tell her that so far, Linus hadn't been able to find a single male in the country born seventeen years ago with the name Ronan Harper. His cousin had now widened his net to identify all the male babies born in the area where Molly and her mother had been living in that particular year, and he was currently tracking where each of them was now.

It was a long and no doubt tedious job, but Rufus had no doubt Linus would eventually track down the whereabouts of Molly's brother.

In the meantime, as Mia advised, he intended to see Molly again this evening, at least.

"Don't tell Molly we're going to ask her to be godmother. We're going to invite her over after the weekend and do it then." Mia moved up on tiptoe to kiss his cheek. "Otherwise, go get her!"

Rufus wished he could deny that was exactly what he intended doing. But the past two days of not seeing Molly but wanting her every minute of the day and night told him he was just a man, not a bloody saint. A man who very much wanted to see and kiss Molly again.

Who wanted to do more than kiss her.

* * *

Molly heaved a sigh of relief as she stood in the doorway taking a last look round, keys in hand, as she prepared to lock up after the last of the workers and volunteers at the animal shelter finally left for the day. After which, she fully intended to go up to her apartment to take a shower, and then order some food to be delivered. She was just too tired to even think about cooking dinner tonight.

It was the first of the two open days, and it had been as busy as the ones the previous month. Almost a hundred people had been allowed through the doors to see the pens at the back of the building where the animals for adoption were housed.

It had been a beautiful sunny day, and some of the friendlier dogs had been put out in the open yard for the people and children to pet.

There was also a basket of small kittens for them to ooh and ah over, but not to touch. The kittens were only four weeks old, and it would be at least another six weeks before Mia thought about separating them from their mother.

In all honesty, Molly had been glad of the rush and bustle today. It had kept her physically occupied after Darius had arrived this morning to take Honey home to be reunited with Mia and to meet her new human.

Darius had stayed only long enough to assure her that Mia and the baby were both fine and that Rufus was staying with them while he came to the shelter. Molly had had to bite her tongue to stop herself from asking Darius how Rufus was.

The only contact she'd had with him since the kiss at the maternity hospital had been his phone call the following day to see if she'd needed any help at the shelter. He certainly hadn't mentioned the kiss then or repeated his invitation for her to go to his home or for him to come to her apartment. Nor did Molly have any intention of reminding him of it.

There was no point, absolutely none, in allowing this attraction between the two of them to progress any further when she knew in her heart that her time here was coming to an end.

That was depressing enough, but inwardly aching to have Rufus's arms about her again and to feel the press of his lips against hers was a recipe for heartache.

"Did you have a busy day?"

Molly was so startled, she immediately threw the keys in her hand up in the air, fingers fumbling, and failing, as she attempted to catch them on their way down again.

"What the hell…!" She straightened from picking up the keys to turn accusing eyes on Rufus where he stood a few feet behind her.

He wore casual clothes again. A fitted black T-shirt and faded blue jeans that rested low on his hips. Black biker boots added to his bad-boy look.

He grimaced. "Sorry. I didn't mean to startle you."

"Maybe next time, you could try clearing your throat or giving a cough before speaking," Molly grumbled.

"I'll do that." He nodded. "But for now, I come bearing gifts. Well, gift." He held up the bag in his hand.

From which Molly was able to discern the delicious aroma of Chinese food. Her empty stomach gave an appreciative rumble before she could politely refuse the "gift" by claiming not to be hungry.

Rufus raised a pointed brow. "Busy enough not to have time to eat, by the sound of it."

She'd managed to grab a cinnamon bun to eat with her coffee this morning, but hadn't felt like eating again after Darius had taken Honey away with him. She'd become really attached to the beautiful dog over the past couple of days. She knew Angus was going to miss her too.

"I bought enough food for two." Rufus sounded uncertain whether she would welcome him joining her.

Probably because they both knew that Molly inviting him up to the privacy of her apartment to share the food wasn't a good idea.

Except Molly wanted to do exactly that.

Ridiculous as it seemed, she'd missed Rufus these past two days. Which made it impossible for her to turn down the chance to spend more time with him now.

"I'm afraid I don't have any news yet about your brother," he told her regretfully. "But I promise you we intend to keep looking."

"We?" she echoed sharply.

"My cousin, Linus, is the tech expert for Wynter Security. He would tell you he's the best hacker there is," he drawled. "But that's probably because he is."

Her eyes widened. "And you have him wasting his time doing stuff for me?—"

"Hey." Rufus put the bag of food down on the reception desk before taking a step closer to her. He lifted his hand to place his palm gently against the heat of one of her cheeks. "Nothing to do with helping you find your brother is a waste of anyone's time. Do you understand?"

She swallowed. "I'm not used to any of this."

"People helping you?" he easily guessed. "Well, I suggest you get used to it, because I know Mia considers you as part of her family."

She gave a shake of her head, only becoming aware of the tears in her eyes when the movement caused those tears to fall down her cheeks. She bowed her head. "I'm sorry for being so emotional."

"I don't want you to be sorry, I want— Fuck, Molly, what I want is you !" Rufus groaned as he tilted her face up, and his lips claimed hers.