Page 9 of Island Protector

“My dad’s sister. They haven’t talked since she took me in.”

Emotion pinched Miles’s heart. Suddenly having to revamp his life after an undercover mission went sideways didn’t seem like such a big deal in comparison. He might not have any family ties, but he felt at home here in Brookwell. An unexpected and welcome change that grew stronger with each day’s distance from the edgy uncertainty of undercover work.

Molly was the strong one. Facing the stress of a teenage pregnancy with zero support was the true hardship.

“How can I help?” he offered.

“Pardon me?” She laughed, the sound brittle. “You’re a lawyeranda sailor?”

Did she have to make those occupations sound equally distasteful?

“I can solve the lawyer issue,” Jess redirected swiftly. “When there are cases Gamble and Swann can’t handle directly, they know who to ask to step in.”

“That’s great, but what about the legal fees? I don’t have much saved up for this kind of thing,” Molly admitted. “Do Gamble and Swann offer payment plans?”

His sympathy for her swelled. He’d never thought of Molly as young or uncertain. She always carried herself with such confidence, poise, and a genuine love of life that he never gave much thought to her age.

Until now. Right this minute, she looked shockingly young, filled with doubts about how to navigate the situation. “Molly,” he waited for her full attention. “You told me to stay, that I should probably hear this. If I can’t help…” If she wouldn’t let him help… “Would you like me to go?”

Tears glistened in her eyes, but she blinked them away. “I don’t know what I need,” she replied. “There might not be anything you can do.” Her gaze dropped to her hands and then lifted once more. He admired her tenacious determination, even when she was overwhelmed. “You spend a lot of time with Bryce and Sharon. I wanted you to be warned that this could get messy. When I searched online…” She paused for a deep breath. “It sounds like someone from child services or other investigators will probably get involved. I didn’t want you to be surprised.”

His spine stiffened and he did his best to mask the reaction. Not all of his encounters with child services or social workers had gone smoothly. “Were those threats in the letter?”

“Threats?” Molly looked bewildered.

At her desk Jess flipped through the pages. “Not exactly.” She frowned. “Although a custody suit is typically accompanied by family court processes and experts who assess the child’s situation. The Graingers will have to prove Molly isn’t fit if theywant full custody.”

“I know.” Molly pressed her lips together. “I can’t lose Bryce.”

Her trembling whisper knifed through his chest. For one wild second, he considered taking her and Bryce straight out to the marina. They could sail away from Brookwell and hide somewhere far from his enemies and this outrageous custody battle.

So damned tempting.

But then they’d be alone. And if his enemies found him, he couldn’t guarantee that by himself he’d be strong enough to protect her and her son. Ego and bravado and yes, temper, had him wanting to promise that he would never fail her.

But what if he did? What if he wasn’t enough?

He hated that pesky voice in his head. Couldn’t decide if it was wisdom or just an echo of old insecurities. The bottom line was he wouldn’t gamble with her. That started with being smart right now. Running away wasn’t the answer. But he reserved the right to change his mind tomorrow, or whenever the circumstances shifted.

Looking to Jess, he said, “Let me help.” Ignoring her arched eyebrow and all the judgment implied, he faced Molly. “Whatever you need, I’m here. I mean it.”

“I don’t even know what that is,” she repeated. “I’m afraid to make the wrong move. If I’m too aggressive, does that make it worse? Passive hope probably isn’t the answer either. If I just sit back and wait, they’ll think I don’t care.”

“No one would ever believe that,” Jess assured her. “Just keep being yourself. Stick with the routines that are familiar to you and Bryce. You’re an amazing mom and we all know it. You keep doing your thing. Let me talk to my bosses and see what we can work out for you.”

Molly inched forward in her seat. “That court date is only a couple weeks away. Is that enough time? To get a lawyer on board, I mean.”

“They only gave you a couple weeks?” Miles was outraged all over again. More than he should be. But she didn’t deserve any runaround bullshit from two people who hadn’t even known they were grandparents. How had they found out?

“Someone in town has connections to the Graingers,” he blurted. “Or maybe they visited recently.”

He caught the warning in Jess’s eyes, but he couldn’t dial it down. “I guess that’s possible,” Jess mused. “I’ll look into it.” To Molly, she said, “Trust me to solve the legal representation issue. I’ll make sure someone is in touch with you before the end of the day.”

“Thank you, Jess.” Molly stood, hugging her purse close. “Thank you.”

“And what about personal protection?” Miles demanded.

Molly sucked in a breath and Jess glared at him. As if a challenging look had ever stopped him before. “She said it herself.” He lifted his chin toward Molly. “The Graingers didn’t know about her or Bryce. Which means something has changed. And why start with the most aggressive move? This feels like a direct, personal threat. In my opinion.”

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