“If I’m being spiteful, I have damn good reason.” She stepped into his space. Thrust an accusing finger at his chest, stopping a bare inch away. “Youusedme, Rob. Wrung me dry, then left in the cruelest way possible, like the absoluteasshole—”
“Calm down, both of you.” Rob reached for Molly’s arm, sighing when she jerked it out of reach. “Listen, Molly, why don’t you and I go someplace more private, where you can cool off, and then we can—”
“What theactual fuckis going on here?”
Oh, thank god. At the sound of Karl’s infuriated roar, Molly could literallyfeelher blood pressure drop back to non-dangerous levels.
When the three hallway combatants—along with dozens of onlookers—swiveled in Karl’s direction, he and his employees still remained inside the gym, but they were racing toward Molly and closing in fast.
He was red-faced with both anger and effort, his tux rumpled. Not the world’s most natural sprinter. Mutter-shouting breathless obscenities with each step.
Not once in her entire life had she been more relieved to see someone.
Whatever was wrong between the two of them, she didn’t doubt for a moment that he—like Lise—would have her back and protect her however he could. Down to the marrow of her bones, sheknewhe’d comfort her in the aftermath of whatever happened next. Hell, he’d turn himself inside freaking out if that was what it took to make her feel good in her own skin again.
And she knew that because she trusted him. Wholeheartedly. Without reservations.
Lise was right: He didn’t need to declare his love aloud. Not when everything he did figuratively shouted his absolute devotion. Molly had simply been too busy wallowing in past hurts to understand that before now.
Rob’s nose crinkled. “Who’sthat, Mol?”
“That’s my new boyfriend, Karl. The one you heard on the phone.” Molly grinned, suddenly calm again. “He’s apparently very eager to meet you.”
Karl ran until the last possible moment, nearly hitting the hallway wall with all the momentum he’d achieved trying to reach them as quickly as possible.
“Baby...” He planted himself between her and Rob and gently clasped her shoulders, presenting the other man with his back. “You okay?”
“Yeah.” She sucked in a huge breath. Counted to five. Exhaled. Felt her blood pressure lower even further. “Yeah, I’m okay. It’s just... Rob showed up without warning, and...”
“Got it.” His blunt finger tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. “You want to have it out with the asshole here, or would you like more privacy?”
Unlike Rob, he was asking what she preferred. Not telling her who she was. Not proposing something for his own benefit and pretending it was for her.
“I don’t...” She mouthed the words more than spoke them, keeping her voice too quiet for anyone else to hear. “I don’t want to spend even an extra minute of time with that man or go anywhere with him, especially not to an enclosed space. I don’t want to bereminded of him anywhere else in Harlot’s Bay. And I don’t want to be alone with him.”
“Molly, what in heaven’s name—” Rob began, somewhere behind Karl.
“Lise and I would never leave you alone with him, unless you specifically told us to go.” Glancing over his shoulder, still ignoring Rob, Karl surveyed the visible portion of the gym. “Could head back to the refreshments table. Use it as a physical barrier between you two while you talk. Have Lise, Charlotte, and Johnathan keep people away. It’d be public, but with some privacy. What do you think?”
She inclined her head. “That works for me. Thank you.”
“No need for thanks. Don’t want you alone with that bastard either.” His jaw ticked. “Fair warning: Can’t promise to stay out of things if I hear him dicking you around. You want me to try to keep quiet, though, I will.”
“Molly.” Rob poked his head around Karl’s broad shoulder. “Can’t we simply—”
“As long as you don’t talk over me, Karl, I honestly don’t care. Just make sure to keep your contributions to the discussion verbal only.” She held up her midnight-blue clutch. “I didn’t bring bail money tonight.”
He looked genuinely disappointed that she hadn’t okayed violence against her ex-husband. “Goddamn shame.”
The deepest, angriest recesses of her id kind of agreed. But as their new group of six made its way to the back of the gym, she certainly didn’t tell Karl that.
She didn’t need him to physically fight for her. Just love her.
Good thing he clearly already did.
29
Five minutes later, Molly’s ex-husband had finally accepted the obvious: She wasn’t going to sell him the house, no matter what. At which point, Rob began a bitter litany of accusations, because apparently no one had ever flat-out refused the man before when he really,reallywanted something.
