Page 21 of Ruthless King

He looked over at me, brows knitted together. “Sure, Molly. What you got?”

My eyes bounced between him and my fiery red-headed friend. “What’s going on between you two?”

“What do you mean?” Lucy protested.

“This.” My voice was louder than I had intended, and we caught the attention of the table next to ours. Pointing my finger from Lucy to Jackson, I lowered my voice. “You two. You can’t be around each other for five seconds before you’re both at each other’s throats. No one wants to get caught in the danger zone when you’re around.”

My direction was now focused on my long-time friend. “Luce, we’ve known each other since elementary school. This isn’t like you.” I hoped my tirade made an impact on them, but her blue eyes flared, and she shot daggers across the table where Jackson was sitting with arms crossed, matching her stubborn gaze. Giving up my expectations of a truce, Courtland and I made our rounds, told his parents goodbye, and left our hard-headed friends to it.

We barely made it to the Bluebird when my phone rang. Tess’s name flashed across the screen. I answered with a grin. “Miss me already?” My bubbly greeting was a testament to the wonderful day it had been. “What time?”

Courtland gave me a questioning look as I typed a text relaying the conversation. When I showed him the phone, he sighed and gave me a thumbs-up. I ended the call and immediately felt a pang of guilt. It had been a great day, and I wasn’t ready for it to end, but Tess and Lucy were desperate for a girls’ night.

“Can I see you tomorrow night? Dinner?” He walked me to my door and placed both hands on either side of the frame, caging me in. When he spoke, his words were only a whisper in my ear.

Sex and heat dripped with each syllable he uttered. He nipped my earlobe and then playfully sucked it into his mouth. My gasp was audible, and he had to steady me as I swayed under his magic spell.

“If you don’t leave right now, I won’t be able to meet my friends. Can we continue this tomorrow?”

He pulled away, and our eyes connected. “Most definitely, Buttercup. I’ll pick you up at eight. Will that work for you?”

“Uh-huh.” That’s all I could get out before he lifted my chin with his thumb and feathered a kiss across my lips.

“Until tomorrow night, Buttercup.” At that moment, I decided his nickname for me was the sweetest name I had ever known, and I absolutely loved it. Pulling the valance back, I peeked out the window and watched his truck disappear in the distance, carrying my heart with him.

Molly Steel, you are so screwed.

Chapter 17

Courtland

Today was one of the best days I’d had in a long time. Everything was perfect for my parents. I made sure of that. I owed Melinda a brand-new Prada purse for pulling the event together at the last minute, but the smiles on Mom and Dad’s faces were worth it. I knew my parents had their financial struggles, and my brothers weren’t much better off. It only made sense that I foot the bill this weekend. This was a mere drop in the bucket, and it was what I could do. I’m not good with the feelings stuff, but you bet your bottom dollar I can come through financially whenever the need arises.

My parents had already turned in for the night by the time I got back to their place after dropping Molly at the Bluebird. After a quick shower, I found myself with a Macallan in one hand and my phone in the other. I needed to touch base with Nick to see how things were shaping up since our latest acquisition. Settling in the sitting room where the best recliner was housed, I made myself comfortable and dialed Nick’s number. He picked up on the first ring. “Courtland. How’s it going?” He sounded tired, which was normal for him, considering it was after eleven.

“It’s good, but I should ask you the same question.”

He hesitated a beat too long for my liking before he continued. “Things are a little tense here. Lucas Morgan is blowing smoke about being in Stone Creek last week.”

“He was here. I didn’t exactly have a conversation with him about why he was in town, but I think it was personal.” My grip on the phone was so tight I thought it might break in my hand. I remembered how smug he looked standing next to Molly at the Lux Friday night.

“What? Why would you think that?” Nick sounded genuinely perplexed at my declaration.

“It’s just a feeling I have; intuition, I guess. Just know, I put a tail on him, and if he even thinks about coming here again, I’ll know before he crosses the state line.” I was done playing Mr. Nice Guy where my girl was concerned. It was time to unleash the heartless bastard I was.

I glimpsed the unbridled lust in his eyes when he looked her way. No one would touch what was mine and get away with it, especially that son of a bitch, Lucas Morgan. If he thought he could get to me through her, he was sadly mistaken.

After I disconnected the call and poured another glass, my gaze landed on the baby grand piano. Visions of blond hair that spilled over the edge and a slender neck that begged to be kissed sent my blood rushing south. The way her body molded to mine as we fit together perfectly made my head swim. Finding the fire iron beside the hearth, I stoked the embers from an earlier fire and flopped back into the recliner while the flames licked at the shadows of the room. Closing my eyes, my mind wandered to green eyes, luscious breasts, and the sweetest pink pussy I had ever tasted.

****

I woke up to the sun filtering through the windows. Rolling over to check the time, I felt the chill from the open window. What the hell? It was early spring on Mackinac Island, and no one in their right mind kept windows open.

Shaking my head in confusion, I heard a sound outside. Laughter.

Padding across the room, I glanced out into the early morning sunshine and saw her. Gorgeous hair and the brightest green eyes I had ever seen. She turned and said something I couldn’t understand.

Leaning out the window, I shouted to her. “Hey, what did you say?” After a few seconds, she turned back around and started walking toward the frozen bay. I called out to her a few more times, but she kept walking away. I tore out the door and took the stairs two at a time, but when I opened the front door, she was nowhere in sight.

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