When You Dare (44 page)

They both heard Alani give a short, watery laugh, and then saw her nod at whatever Molly had said.

“Damn. I didn’t expect that.” Trace watched his sister with growing concern. “She was fine a few minutes ago.”

Alani was only twenty-two, and she’d always been very protected. Not that Molly had led a worldly lifestyle herself, but again, there was that difference in backbone. Molly’s home life had made her tough, whereas Alani’s had done just the opposite. “If you say so.”

Trace rubbed the back of his neck. “Yeah, it’s bullshit. She’s holding it together, but she’s still shaken.”

“Who wouldn’t be?” While watching Molly with Alani, Dare pulled Trace back a few steps more, toward an empty corner. “I’m being followed. Black Charger, newer model. I don’t want you to risk Alani, but—”

“No problem.” Trace folded his arms. “How many in the car?”

“Molly only saw one, but I’ve picked up three.”

Trace gave him a blank look. “You told her about the tail?”

Shaking his head, Dare explained, “She spotted it herself.” And damned if it didn’t make him proud to admit that.

“No shit?” Looking back toward Molly with new appreciation, Trace whistled low. “That’s bound to make things more difficult for you.”

“I don’t know. She’s pretty levelheaded about it all.” Then Dare grinned. “But she did ask that I try to refrain from killing anyone.”

Shaking his head, Trace said with a laugh, “Women.”

Even now, Dare couldn’t keep his eyes off her. “Actually, I think for me it’s just this one particular woman.”

“You’re serious?”

Definitely serious. “I don’t have it all figured out yet, but I’m not about to let her go.”

They shared a look over that, and Trace gave Dare a commiserating pat on the shoulder. “Don’t worry about your tail. I’ll keep an eye on things. If anything goes down, I’ll be on it.”

“Appreciate it.”

“No.” Trace drew in a deep, emotional breath. “The appreciation is all mine. Alani might be struggling, but thanks to you, she
is
going to be okay.”

“I’m glad.” Seeing that the women were ready for them now, Dare asked Trace, “What will you tell her? About following me home, I mean.”

“The truth.”

That shocked Dare. Trace had protected Alani from the edgier aspects of his career for most of her life. “She’s ready for that?”

“I think so. She says she wants to know everything, all of it, because being sheltered left her ill-prepared for what…” He stopped, tightened his fists. After a second he cleared his throat, and still the words came out raspy with emotion. “For what happened.”

Dare felt for him. It seemed Trace was having as hard a time as Alani.

“You’ve done right by her, Trace.” As they headed back to the table, Dare added, “Beating yourself up is only going to add to her guilt.”

“She said the same.” He shook off the tension and forced a smile as they reached the women. Without missing a beat, he picked up the conversation on careers.

“Alani is an incredible interior designer,” Trace bragged, “but Dare didn’t let her do his place.”

Dare pulled out the chair next to Molly. “You both know that I’m particular.”

“And no one knows you like you. I know.” Alani rolled her eyes and said to Molly, “But Dare does have great taste, so I can’t fault him.”

“Agreed. His house is incredible—inside and out.”

That gave Alani pause.

Dare said, “She’s staying with me.”

“Oh.” Alani tried not to react to that, but she still ended up grinning at Dare and saying slyly, “I didn’t realize.”

Molly wasn’t put off by her humor. “Once I get my life back in order, I think I’ll buy a house of my own.”

Dare sat back. “Since when?”

“My apartment… Well, it’s obviously not secure enough, so I can’t see me going back there to stay.” And then to Alani, “If you have the time when I’m ready to buy, I could use some professional help, I’m sure. Maybe we can work together.”

“Oh, I’d love that!” Alani gave her a business card, and for a few minutes they discussed Molly’s preferences and style.

Dare couldn’t believe that Molly was thinking along those lines. Where the hell did she think she’d be moving to? Was she just biding her time until it was safe to leave him?

Yes, he knew that eventually they’d have to work out the relationship kinks. But the idea of her moving away… No, he didn’t like that idea at all.

Trace flagged the waitress. “I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m starved.”

“Judging by Dare’s black mood, he’s hungry, too,” Alani teased.

Molly looked over at him, and concern colored her expression. “Dare? What’s wrong?”

Knowing he was scowling, but not about to explain why, Dare tried to lighten up. “Not a thing.” He picked up a menu, even though he knew it by heart.

After they’d all ordered, he reached for Molly’s hand and spoke to his friends. “Did Molly tell you that she’s a writer?”

“She did!” Alani nodded. “Romantic suspense. It’s exciting, isn’t it?”

“No kidding?” Trace asked about her work, and Molly patiently answered his questions. Lacking subtlety, Trace said, “I wouldn’t wish it on anyone, but this could almost be research for you.”

Molly looked struck by that observation. “I hadn’t… I mean, it didn’t occur to me…”

Alani took sympathy on her. “Danger and romance probably mix better on paper than in real life.”

The danger part, yeah. He wished like hell he could have spared Molly. But the romance? How did Molly feel about that? No way could it be worth what she’d gone through, but if it hadn’t been for her abduction, he wouldn’t have met her.

Molly didn’t quite look at Dare when she said, “The dose of reality has been an eye-opener, that’s for sure.”

Dare hoped he didn’t end up in a book, but then, he trusted Molly to have discretion.

For the rest of the meal they all socialized like everyday, ordinary people, as opposed to women who’d been abducted and men lethal enough to maneuver outside the law.

Considering the circumstances, it actually turned into a relaxing social time. Dare enjoyed watching Molly interact with Trace and Alani. Trace was smoother than him, but still managed to intimidate most people. Not Molly.

She kept steering the conversation away from her writing and back to others, asking questions that weren’t intrusive or insensitive, but came from genuine interest.

Trace smiled at her a lot—and so did Alani. Yes, she still seemed fragile, but with Molly, Alani related on a deeper level.

For her part, Molly didn’t treat Alani with kid gloves the way so many others did. She treated her as an equal, and Alani responded to it.

When they were ready to leave the restaurant, Molly again embraced Alani. “I would love it if you stayed in touch.” Lower, she said, “And if you ever need to talk, know that I’m always available.”

Alani gave a tremulous smile. “I wish I was as strong as you.”

That made Molly laugh. “Trust me, if you’d seen me going to Dare because of a silly nightmare, or because I couldn’t bear to be alone with my thoughts, you’d know I wasn’t that strong at all.” She squeezed Alani’s hand. “We each have to deal however we can. I’m so lucky that Dare was there for me, and you have a brother who loves you. I hope every woman who was there has someone as caring to help her through this now.”

“Me, too.” Alani stepped over next to Trace. “Let’s get together again soon.”

Trace hugged her. “We’ll see them again soon enough.”

They were back on the road, radio playing, when Molly said, “Did you ask Trace to follow us home?”

Dare gave her a double take. Would she always surprise him like this? She couldn’t have overheard him talking with Trace; she’d been focused on Alani at the time. And no way in hell would she spot Trace. He was far too good for that.

Skirting a direct answer, Dare said, “Why do you ask?”

“I don’t know. There was just something in his expression when we said goodbye.”

She was so damned intuitive. “Yeah, he’s back there.”

“Just in case?”

“That’s right.” The days were getting longer, but already the skies had darkened. It wasn’t the season so much as the weather. Clouds rolled in, leaving everything gray and downcast. “I’m not worried about the highway. But we have to take a lot of side roads to get to my house, and that could leave us vulnerable.”

Molly reached over and put her hand on his thigh. “Before you say it, I won’t worry. But if you notice anything happening, would you please tell me? I prefer to know what’s going on and I promise I won’t get in the way or panic.”

“You want to be prepared.”

She nodded. “I don’t ever again want to be taken so completely by surprise.”

“All right.”

She put her head back and closed her eyes, but left her hand on him. Briefly, Dare covered it with his own.

It felt good to be going home.

It felt even better to have Molly with him.

T
HOUGHTS IN TURMOIL
, Bishop sought privacy to make his call. No, he didn’t trust the library. But his bedroom no longer felt secure, either. Not for this.

Unsure where to go to avoid the prying eyes and ears of servants and his doting wife, he headed out to one of the garage bays. Head down and guts tight, he went behind the building, uncaring of the landscape he trampled or if he ruined his shoes.

For a while now, he’d had awful, unthinkable, unacceptable suspicions, but as yet they hadn’t been confirmed. Now…now he felt more positive than ever. Though he was due to meet with his discreet investigator for an update in a few days’ time, he no longer wanted to wait.

The second the call was answered, Bishop said, “Do you have anything for me?”

A pause sounded on the other end. “Bishop?”

Though no one could see him, he slashed his hand through the air in a sign of impatience. “Who else would it be?”

“I thought we were going to meet in person.”

“I can’t wait. Now, do you have anything to tell me or not?”

“As a matter of fact, I do.” In a quieter tone, the investigator said, “You were right. I’m sorry.”

Feeling sick, Bishop closed his eyes—and smelled his wife’s perfume. He spun around, and there she was, her gaze on him, searching, caring. She approached cautiously, unsure of the situation.

He was used to her deference, and before now, it had only mildly annoyed him.

“Bishop?” she said, sounding small and afraid. “What are you doing out here?”

Had she followed him? Breathing hard, filled with revulsion, Bishop held the phone down to his side. “It was you, wasn’t it?”

She summoned a small, placating smile. “What was me? Who are you talking to?”

He wanted to tell her that it didn’t concern her. But it did. It concerned her in a very big way. “You’ve been cheating on me, Kathi.”

Alarmed, her head shaking, she fell back two steps. “What are you talking about?”

Lifting the phone out toward her, Bishop shouted, “I have a man following you, damn it. I know. I knew even before I hired him.”

“But…how?”

God, did she really consider him such a fool? Well, no more. “You think a man can’t tell when his wife is fucking someone else?” He moved closer to her. “You honestly believe I’m that obtuse?”

She shook her head. “It’s not like that.” And then, beseeching, “I did it for us. For
you
.”

Incredulous, Bishop stared at her.

Exasperated, she explained, “To protect your reputation.”

Was she insane? “Having a whore for a wife is supposed to
help
me?”

“I’m not a whore! How could you say such a thing?”

Bishop just stared at her. “You disgust me.”

“Don’t you see?” Kathi reached out, almost touching him, but he stepped away. “She would have ruined everything.”

Sickness crawled in his guts. He closed the phone, belatedly preserving his privacy.

Already knowing what she’d say, but praying he was wrong, he asked, “Who?”

“Molly.”

Dear God. So it was her.

Energized by his apparent interest, Kathi surged forward, trying to get hold of him, but again he stepped back. If she touched him, he’d kill her.

“What did you do, Kathi?”

“You heard Dare. They’re going to make her book into a movie. Don’t you understand? You haven’t read her, Bishop, or you’d know that I had to do something to protect you, and me, from being tainted by her popularity. Her stories are…depraved, just as you’ve always said. The characters are entertaining, yes, but they’re without moral standards. I tried to tell her, but she’s ignored my letters.”

Sweat gathered on the back of his neck, his temples. “What letters? What are you saying?”

Kathi looked off, talking as much to herself as to Bishop. “She refused to change anything, and now it’s going to be a movie and all the world will know. They’ll find out that she’s your daughter, and they’ll know what type of person she is, what type of daughter
you
raised.”

She was insane. Trying to make sense of everything, Bishop asked, “You…ransacked Molly’s apartment?”

“I had to. Somehow that horrid man got her out of Mexico. I didn’t know where she was, or what she was doing.”

Christ almighty. “You had Molly kidnapped?” His daughter could have died…because of his wife. Repercussions slammed through his brain; he couldn’t bear it. “But…
how?
”

“Oh, that part was easy.” She half laughed. “Mark knows all kinds of people. He easily arranged everything.” Going smug, she added, “For me.”

So, Dare was right. She had involved Sagan and in the process left them both exposed to unthinkable consequences.

He looked around, expecting thugs to jump out of the bushes at any moment. “Do you know what you’ve done?”

She twittered a laugh. “Don’t worry. Mark thinks we have something special, but he doesn’t understand that I did it for
you
.” As if sharing a confidence, she leaned forward to whisper, “George is going to kill him for me. After he’s taken care of everything else.”

Her twisted logic left Bishop floundering. She spoke of killing with the same detachment she gave to housekeeping duties. She actually appeared proud of her cunning, as if she’d helped him to handle a tricky business deal.