When You Dare (33 page)

“We hooked up,” Jett said with a smile. “Long past due. Anyway, your sister was focused on other things most recently, and she didn’t remember to keep her phone charged.” Now disregarding Dare’s gun, he sat up, propped his forearms on his jean-covered knees and acted as if he hadn’t just been assaulted. “The timing is off, but what the hell, right? We’re getting married.”

It was Molly’s turn to gape.
“Married?”

Natalie bobbed her head, and tears swam in her eyes. “I love him.”

Jett smiled, too. “I hope you’ll forgive her for missing your call. She really has been worried nonstop.”

“Of course,” Molly said, still trying to process the idea of her very independent sister planning to wed a man that Molly had never met.

“Where were you?” Natalie demanded.

“Kidnapped,” Dare said, dropping that bombshell with great effect. “To Tijuana. By flesh smugglers.”

Molly couldn’t believe he’d just blurted it out like that.

Jett gave Dare a dirty look and pushed to his feet. Molly sensed that it wasn’t what Dare said as much as how he said it that Jett took exception to. He reached Natalie just as the tears started tracking down her face. “Oh, Molly…
Tijuana?
” Natalie covered her mouth, and then, with even more feeling,
“Kidnapped?”

“Calm down, Natalie.” Molly couldn’t think of anything else to say. “I’m okay.”

“So she says, often.” Dare didn’t look at all happy with this turn of events. He closed the apartment door and locked it again.

“Who the hell are you?” Jett asked him. “Her bodyguard?”

Dare shrugged. “I’m the guy who got her out of Mexico.”

Molly couldn’t help but note how Jett kept a comforting arm around Natalie and how, for once, Natalie refrained from smothering her and instead leaned on Jett.

“She got an email from you,” Jett said to Molly. “But she didn’t really believe you’d written it.”

“She hadn’t,” Dare told them.

“I knew it!” More tears came as Natalie understood the extent of the conspiracy.

Clasping her sister’s shoulder, Molly tried to reassure her. “It was awful, I admit it. But I’m fine now, I swear.”

“How can you say that?” Frowning, she touched Molly’s face. “I see
bruises
on you.” She turned a mean eye on Dare. “How did she get bruised?”

“Kidnappers are often careless that way.”

Not appreciating Dare’s sarcasm one bit, Molly scowled at him, but then forced a smile for Natalie. “Dare would never hurt me.”

“No, I wouldn’t.”

“There, you see?” Molly smoothed her sister’s wild hair. “He’s the one who rescued me, and he’s been keeping me safe since then.”

“And he was protecting her still when we came in,” Jett added. “That’s what that tackle was all about.” He glanced at Dare. “Right?”

“Of course,” Molly said when Dare didn’t.

Jett gave Natalie a small squeeze. “But even not knowing who we were, he didn’t hurt you. I’m guessing because you’re female, you got tossed into the soft chair instead of on the hard floor.”

“Exactly,” Molly said. “Dare doesn’t hurt women.”

“That’s not entirely true, honey. A lot depends on the woman involved.”

Damn him, did he have to antagonize them? Molly flashed him an evil look. “You’re not helping.”

Dare shrugged.

So he resented their intrusion—she got that. He didn’t understand the closeness that she and Natalie shared. But she wanted her sister to know him as well as she did.

She wanted Natalie to like Dare and to understand everything he’d done for her.

Jett watched Dare with that piercing black gaze. “To be able to distinguish Natalie and me apart so quickly, you’d have to have special training.”

“You could say that.” Dare continued his visual analysis of Jett. “What do you know of it?”

Jett stared right back. “Enough, obviously.”

The pissing contest was ludicrous. For heaven’s sake, it was the middle of the night and they were all rattled. Holding the blanket together one-handed, Molly shoved her hair away from her face and let out a huff. “Dare. Be
nice
.”

Both Natalie and Jett looked at her like she was nuts for trying to dictate to him. Natalie whispered, “Is it wise to talk to a bodyguard that way?”

Molly rolled her eyes. “He’s not really a bodyguard. Well, he is, I guess. But he’s more than that, too.”

“More?” Natalie asked. Jett just raised a brow.

Giving up, Molly looked at Dare for help. “I have no idea how to explain all this.”

“I can see that.” Finally Dare gave up his dark and broody mood. “If you don’t want me to shoot either of them, then I guess we have a lot of talking to do.” He stowed the gun at the small of his back.

“M.O.B. holster?” Jett asked.

Molly didn’t understand until Dare explained to her. “Middle of the back.” And then to Jett: “My gun stays with me.”

If Natalie’s eyes got any wider, they’d fall out of her head.

Dare wasn’t wearing a shirt, so he couldn’t pull it over the gun to hide it. Not that he seemed bothered by that.

“It’s late, and Molly and I missed dinner.”

Hearing him say that, knowing why they’d missed dinner, made a flush of heat go over her. Luckily her sister didn’t notice; Dare held all her attention.

“After her ordeal, she’s still getting her strength back, so she needs to eat. But she doesn’t have a lot here in the way of groceries.” Casting accusation on Molly, he added, “This place has piss-poor security, especially with windows that don’t lock and that damned invitation they call a fire escape.”

Because Dare currently looked more like a hired assassin than a domesticated man, Molly said, “Dare’s really good in the kitchen.” Then, being truthful, she added, “Actually, he’s really good at everything.”

“Everything?” Natalie asked, and she sounded strangled.

Jett coughed.

Dare’s mouth lifted in the slightest of smiles. “Glad you think so.” No one could misunderstand his look of intimacy.

Natalie did a double take. As she took in Dare’s size and physique from head to toes, her lips parted.

Lacking subtlety, she turned to Molly to mouth,
Oh, my God.

Jett frowned at her, then hauled her into his side.

Dare didn’t miss any of it, but he chose not to say anything. “Maybe we can order up some pizza and colas to be delivered? That’d probably be easiest.”

“No delivery this time of night.” Jett gave it some thought. “There is a quickie-mart station around the corner that’s open twenty-four hours. They’ll throw a pizza in fresh for you.”

“I’ve had it.” Molly didn’t realize how hungry she was until they started talking about food. “It’s good.”

Testing the waters, Jett said to Dare, “Don’t worry. I’ll stay here with the women while you go.”

Dare did that strange thing where he looked bigger and stronger without really moving. “Not a chance.” The quietness of his reply made it all the more lethal.

Jett’s smile looked mean. “Still don’t trust me, huh?”

“Hell, no.”

Natalie shared a look with Molly. “He seriously doesn’t trust Jett?”

Dare answered for her. “How long have you known him?”

When Natalie clammed up, Jett hugged her. “That sort of depends on your definition of
knowing.
”

Through her teeth, Natalie said, “Don’t you dare, Jett. I mean it.”

Unsure what that was about, but sensing her sister’s embarrassment, Molly intervened. “Dare, relax. If Natalie says he’s fine, then he’s fine.”

Dare gave her a look. “When it comes to your safety, I say when it’s fine, remember?”

Molly bit her lip. She had promised to trust him on this.

Jett stood only a few inches shorter than Dare, which still put him over six feet tall. Broad-shouldered and lean, he had that same capable aura that Dare had, but maybe without Dare’s edge.

Insulted, he moved to stand right in front of Dare. “I’m not leaving Natalie here with you. Hell, for all I know, you could be the one who set up the kidnapping.”

Before Molly could react to that, Dare muttered, “Hell.” Resignation sharpened his expression, and he loosened his stance. “You’re a cop?”

Surprised by the question, Jett hedged a little. “I used to be. Why?”

Rolling his eyes, Dare said to Molly, “Told you I’d be the first suspect.”

“He did,” Molly agreed, backing him up and hoping that put an end to the hostilities. “We didn’t call the police immediately because Dare said he was the first one they’d look at, and their investigation might alert the real perpetrator.”

“Happens sometimes,” Jett agreed.

“You can trust me when I tell you that Dare is an amazing man. He’s the only reason I’m here now, maybe the only reason I’m alive.” Molly hoped to get things smoothed out quickly. Not only was she uncomfortable in her state of undress, but she hadn’t seen her sister in what felt like forever. “If he hadn’t already been in Mexico to—”

“Molly.”

She bit her lip at Dare’s quiet but firm interruption. Okay, so maybe he didn’t want her to blab his private business, or that of his friends.

She cleared her throat. Omitting details, she said, “He was there on other business and just sort of decided to rescue me while he was at it.”

That only whetted Jett’s curiosity. “What kind of business did you have in Tijuana?”

“The kind that doesn’t concern you.” Dare didn’t bother hiding his impatience. “So, if you’re not still a cop, what are you doing now?”

Not nearly as closemouthed as Dare, Jett said, “Security work—domestic investigation, mostly.”

“You’re a private eye?”

“That’s right.” Jett extended a hand. “Feel free to check my background. I know how it is to be cautious.”

“Yeah?” Still looking like he was made of stone, Dare ignored his proffered hand. “Why is that?”

“I’m ex-military, ex-FBI.” He shrugged. “But old habits die hard, and I’m still the cautious type, too.”

Dare didn’t budge.

Making a face, Jett patted his right thigh. “Gunshot injury keeps me a little more grounded than I like, otherwise you wouldn’t have taken me to the floor so easily.” He grinned after saying it. “Need me to drop my jeans and prove it?”

Molly wanted to smack Dare for his bad manners. “Natalie would not trust a man who wasn’t trustworthy.”

“Ditto,” Natalie agreed. She flapped a hand toward Dare. “If Molly says that he’s okay, despite appearances to the contrary, then I believe her. My sister is an astute woman. I’ll be safe with him.”

“Fine. Acquit me of any intentional insult.” Jett again held out his hand. “This has to start somewhere, so…?”

Dare eyed him up and down, and finally accepted Jett’s handshake. “About that pizza?”

“Right.” Jett glanced at his watch. “Assuming you aren’t going to leave Molly’s side—”

Dare’s look answered better than words.

“—then I suppose I might as well run out for the eats. I should only be half an hour, tops. But save some of the story for me. I admit I’m curious as hell about all this.”

Before he could go, Molly said, “Jett?”

Those dark eyes focused on her. “Hmm?”

“It’s very nice to meet you.”

Jett flashed the brightest smile she’d seen in quite some time. It worked wonders to counterbalance the ominous look of those dark eyes.

“You, too, Molly. I’m damned glad that you’re back home, safe and sound.” Then he went to Natalie, tucked her long, curly hair behind her ear, kissed her and said, “I won’t be long.”

“Be careful.”

With another glance at Dare, he said, “For once I don’t have to say the same to you. I have a feeling you’re as safe as you can be right now.”

The second he left, Natalie wrapped her arms around Molly in a tight, nearly choking embrace. “Thank God you’re finally home.”

Molly could feel her sister shaking. “I’m sorry you were worried.” Over Natalie’s shoulder, she met Dare’s gaze. He watched her with heightened familiarity. She shivered.

In her ear, Natalie whispered, “I can’t believe you’re with him. What are you thinking?”

Insulted on Dare’s behalf, Molly levered her back. “Why?”

“Look at him! He’s…” When she caught Molly’s frown, she let out a breath and tempered her wording. “Well, he’s intimidating.”

Proving he had great hearing, Dare said, “Not to Molly.”

Natalie’s eyes went round again.

Molly bit back a grin.

Dare smiled at her. Standing there like that, he
was
intimidating—to anyone who wanted to hurt her. He was also incredibly sexy.

Molly sighed. She wanted more. A lot more.

But now, at the most inauspicious time, her sister had shown up. Never before had she been sorry to see Natalie, but this time… Well, she would have preferred that she had the rest of the night alone with Dare to explore the new dimension to their relationship.

“Relax, Natalie.” In a grand understatement, Molly said, “He’s been very good to me.”

“Are you two really…?” She glanced back at Dare, who made no pretense of watching them intently, and spun back around. In a hushed undertone, she said, “Good grief, Molly. He doesn’t scare you?”

“Of course not.”

“But he’s…”

“He’s sweet,” Molly insisted.

Dare snorted. “He’s still listening.”

Aggrieved, Natalie closed her eyes.

Molly hooked her sister’s arm and dragged her farther across the room. “I’m so sorry that I couldn’t call you, Nat.” This was going to be difficult to explain. “The thing is, I don’t know who had me kidnapped, or why.”

“What do you mean?” Understanding dawned. “You think it wasn’t a random thing? You were a specific target!”

“I’m afraid so.” Unlike Molly’s thick, heavy hair, Natalie’s lighter hair grew in fluffy, corkscrew curls. Molly smoothed down a wild, wayward spiral. “You know how much I trust you.”

“I should hope so.”

Her sister never failed to back her up when necessary. “Well, as much as I trust you, I also know how you’ll react in almost any situation. If I had told you that someone had set me up to be taken, that someone had deliberately wanted
me
gone, you’d have gone ballistic.”

“Well, of course I would have. You’re my sister!” She chewed over what Molly had told her, trying to sort it out. “
Who?
Who would do this to you?”