“A hell of a lot safer than she ever was without me.”
“Then I suppose that’s for the best.”
After a timid glance at Bishop, Kathi interrupted. “What about your contracts, Molly? The movie negotiations, your agent, your editor…” She dampened dry lips. “You could stay with us, here. You’d be safe, and then you could finish conducting your business.”
Again Bishop looked at her as if she’d lost her mind.
“Not happening,” Dare said before Molly or her father could respond. “She goes where I go.”
“You could both stay, then.”
“No. I have dogs at home that need my attention.”
Bishop said, “Dogs?” while Kathi blinked at him in clear confusion.
“My girls,” Dare said, knowing how they probably felt about pets that were, in all the important ways, a part of his family. “I don’t like to leave them for long.”
“You jest,” Kathi said. “You’re putting animals above Molly’s safety?”
Molly put a hand on his arm. He understood, and let her handle it her way.
“Since most everything is done on computers, I can conduct my business dealings wherever I’m at. Dare’s home is a very calming place. I’ll be able to work on my deadline, and as soon as I let my agent and my editor know how to reach me, I’ll be able to catch up on the legal end of things. There’s no reason for Dare not to be with his dogs.”
Bishop was impatient. “Can’t they already contact you on your cell?”
“My phone, along with my purse, went missing after I was…taken.” She steadied herself. “Dare has agreed to stop long enough for me to pick up a new cell today. If you want, I can call and give you the number after I know it.”
Kathi nodded. “Your father and I would appreciate that, thank you.”
Personally, Dare didn’t give a shit what they’d appreciate. He saw no reason to give them the means to torment her further, but he’d leave that decision up to Molly.
“Time for us to go.” Dare put his arm around Molly and started from the room.
Before he got far, Bishop said, “Wait.”
Dare looked back at him. Indecision held Bishop in stony silence for several beats until his face pinched in reluctant decision. “I need a moment to speak with you. Alone.”
Dare didn’t trust him. “Molly stays with me.”
Kathi had already hooked an arm around her. “She’ll be fine with me. We’ll wait just outside the room.”
“No.”
Bishop chewed over alternatives, and settled on saying to Kathi, “Step out, leave the goddamned door open and stay in view.” And then to Dare, “Good enough?”
Not really, but Molly said to him, “I’ll be fine, Dare. I promise.”
Kathi rolled her eyes. “For heaven’s sake. She’s safe with her family.”
Yeah, right. From what he’d seen, her family was worse than a hated enemy.
Dare pointed at Molly. “Stay where I can see you.”
She smiled agreement.
Bishop moved to the farthest end of the room and waited for Dare to join him. Molly stepped out into the hall with Kathi. Dare heard her remark on a new painting and knew she was talking with Kathi to keep her stepmother from eavesdropping on whatever Bishop wanted to say to him.
So damn smart. And cunning. She put up with more shit than any woman ever should, and somehow, against all odds, she remained kind and open and honest. In and out of bed.
Dare accepted that he was fast falling in love with her. And little by little, the idea grew on him.
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
MOLLY WAITED FOR Dare to tell her what her father had wanted.
He didn’t.
She knew he had his own way of doing things, a way proven effective. But it hurt her to be shut out, enough so that she didn’t want to have to ask. For the longest time, they rode in strained silence.
But Molly knew she had to direct him to her bank, so she was the first to speak. She kept it curt and to the point. Dare had to know that she was annoyed.
And still he didn’t volunteer the information.
At the bank, with Dare frowning at her, Molly deposited her checks, keeping a thousand dollars in cash. The bundle of money created a nice wad within a zippered compartment in her purse. While at the bank she also cancelled her two credit cards.
Next she directed Dare to the post office, where she found yet another pile of mail waiting for her in her post-office box.
“You don’t have all your mail delivered to your apartment?”
Molly shook her head as she flipped through a dozen or more envelopes. “Not from readers, no.” She glanced up at him. “It’s safer to keep my residence private. I’m sure the majority of readers are lovely people, but reactions to fictional work can be very subjective. Why take a chance?”
“Agreed.”
She paused over one letter in particular. There was no return address. She stuck it back into the pile for now. The post office wasn’t busy yet, so she was able to finish in a short time. Dare was quick to get her back out to his SUV, and all the while he looked around as if expecting someone to jump out at them.
His gaze went past the car dealership across the street—and then snapped back for a suspended moment before casually looking away again.
Trying to be discreet, Molly peeked up, hoping to see what Dare had seen. All she noticed was nice, shiny new automobiles and a few well-kept used cars.