“Lydia McCarthy, Paul’s secretary. The one he was having an affair with,” Molly said.
“I don’t understand something. Why didn’t the police look into all this?” Lacey asked.
Hunter stretched the tight muscles in his neck. “That’s easy. They had their collar and didn’t much care what else Paul had been up to. We do. It would be nice if we could figure out what happened to the money. It might lead to someone else with motive and opportunity.”
Molly smiled. “You see why I wanted him on my father’s side?”
Ty shot Hunter an I-told-you-so glance.
“So what does this mean for your case?” Lacey asked.
Molly shrugged and looked to Hunter for answers.
He groaned loudly. “It means,” he said to Molly, “we’re going to Atlantic City.”
Molly took one look at the mixture of pain and reluctant acceptance on Hunter’s face and knew traveling to A.C. with her wasn’t high on his list of things he wanted to do. Apparently he also knew she wouldn’t let him go without her. She just wished he’d look a little more pleased at the prospect. Her head still hurt and fighting their uphill battle with Hunter wasn’t helping. She’d hoped dinner would help but the pain had only gotten worse.
After dinner, Ty and Lacey suggested they have drinks at their hotel bar. Molly couldn’t bring herself to disappoint them, so she smiled and went along.
Hunter and Ty gravitated toward the pool tables while Lacey and Molly sat at a table overlooking the gaming area. The trip to the hotel on Hunter’s bike hadn’t helped Molly’s headache and once seated, she ordered a cola, hoping the caffeine would do the trick.
She and Lacey sipped their drinks while looking over the railing at their perfect view of Ty and Hunter as they made their bets and chose their cues.
“I can’t believe we’re sitting here together after all this time.” Lacey smiled at Molly, then reached for her hand. “Of course, I wish your father hadn’t been arrested, but I know Hunter will get him off.”
Molly glanced heavenward. “I hope you’re right. In fact, I’m banking on it.” She took a long sip of her soda through the straw and watched Hunter, unable to deny the hunger he inspired in her.
She’d gotten nowhere with him earlier despite her attempts to flirt, then bully him into forgiving her and moving on.
Molly needed a friend, a shoulder to lean on, someone to give her advice, and she had nowhere to turn. She couldn’t burden her father with her own problems right now. She hadn’t been around her friend Liza often enough lately to keep her up-to-date on the situation with Hunter, the commander wasn’t in a position to understand the nuances of their relationship, Robin was away at school and Jessie was too young.
She turned to Lacey. Molly had always liked and respected her, even when her fondness for Lacey’s uncle had put them on opposite sides. She’d kept in touch with her after leaving Hawken’s Cove and Hunter last year, and Lacey hadn’t judged or condemned her for her decision despite being one of Hunter’s best friends.
“Can I talk to you?” Molly asked, leaning forward, elbows on the sticky bar table.
Lacey nodded. “You know you can. And I will not go back to Ty or Hunter with anything you tell me. Promise.” She crossed her heart.
Molly nodded. Her gaze strayed toward Hunter. He was racking the balls at the far end of the table, giving Molly a glimpse of his tight behind in worn denim. Without warning, a low sigh of appreciation escaped her lips.
“I don’t have to guess what the subject is,” Lacey said, laughing. Her gaze was also on Hunter and Ty, although it was clear she only had eyes for her dark-haired husband.
Molly shook her head and smiled. “No, you don’t.” She couldn’t tear her eyes from Hunter’s smooth moves. “He’s good,” she murmured.
“He’s the best, Molly. And I have a hunch you already know that, so what’s the problem?”
Molly leaned back against the chair, focusing on Lacey. “Ever hear the expression two steps forward, one step back?”
Lacey nodded.
“That’s us. I break through his reserve, I think we’re moving forward in our relationship and boom! I blow it again. This time I didn’t tell him something crucial about the case. I was protecting my father but he didn’t see it that way.” Thinking about things between her and Hunter caused the ache in her temples to get worse and she massaged her forehead with her fingertips.
Lacey shook her head. “This is how I see things. Hunter is a big-shot lawyer. The best there is, in fact. But deep inside he is still and always will be the wounded, unwanted little boy. When someone crosses him or hurts him, especially someone he loves, the only reason he can think of is that he’s fallen short.”
Lacey glanced over at the two men who played each other, laughing and hurling insults like brothers. “Ty and I are the only two people who can insult him and get away with it because we lived through the hell along with him.”
Molly swallowed hard, the swelling in her throat hurting beyond belief. “I can’t break through that kind of pain. I’m only human. I’m going to make mistakes and if the past is any indication, I’m going to make lots of them.”
“But you love Hunter and he loves you. That’s going to overcome the other stuff if you let it.” Lacey spoke with the certainty of someone who’d been there.
“Nobody said anything about love. ” Molly may have thought it to herself, but she’d never admitted it aloud. And as for Hunter, at this point he was as far from being in love with her as he could get.
Lacey shrugged. “Nobody had to say it. It’s obvious to anyone. You just need to be aware of what he needs, too.”
Molly closed her eyes, wishing it were so easy. When she opened them again, the room was spinning. “Would you mind if we headed home? My head’s killing me.”
Lacey glanced her way with concern. “Sure. Let me get the guys.”
Molly lay her head in her hands and waited for the cavalry to return.
HUNTER INSISTED Molly drive home with Ty and Lacey in their car. He figured her head must have hurt too badly to fight him because she willingly crawled into the backseat and lay down for the trip.
When they reached the house, all lights but the porch ones were out, so he decided not to invite Ty and Lacey inside. They promised to touch base tomorrow before driving home, and after thanking them and saying good-night, Hunter turned his attention to Molly.
He helped her into the house, stopping short of carrying her inside because if he knew Molly, she’d pull herself together long enough to hit him if he even tried. He led her up the stairs and into her bedroom, careful not to make noise and wake anyone. As they made their way down the hall, she curved her body into his, for the first time since he could remember showing her vulnerability.
He sure as hell didn’t need this now, not when his defenses had to be high and on alert. Still, he eased her into her double bed and followed directions, handing her an old T-shirt to change into. He even helped her, gritting his teeth as his hands brushed her bare skin and he caught sight of her dusky nipples beneath her skimpy lace bra.
She collapsed against the pillows and knowing he had no choice, he undid her jeans, slid down the zipper and wiggled the denim off her long legs. A man would have to be a saint to ignore her pale flesh and tempting scent. Hunter was no saint, but Molly was sick and that had him keeping his hands to himself.
“Well I certainly ruined your night out with your friends,” Molly said to Hunter in a pain-filled voice.
“I can see them anytime. I’m guessing this is a migraine?”
“Yeah.” She hadn’t moved her head an inch since lying down. “Can you do me one more favor?”
“Name it,” he said in a gruff voice.
Ever since Lacey had interrupted their game of pool to tell them Molly wasn’t feeling well, his protective instincts had kicked in. Where there had once been hurt and anger, he now felt a deep caring and concern.
And that worried him most of all.
She didn’t reply right away and he could see it hurt her to talk. Finally, she said, “There’s a prescription bottle in the top dresser drawer. Can you get me one of the pills and a cup of water?”
“You got it.” He took care of her request in record time.
Hunter helped her sit up so she could take the painkiller, then gently laid her back against the pillows.
