Page 47 of My Captive's Heart
Molly arrives last.
The backyard is filled with people. Some friends. Some family. A few neighbors.
Yet, like every single time, her green eyes find mine in the crowd. The world blurs as our gazes lock. My heartbeat thunders behind my ribs, then gallops to my stomach as she skirts her eyes away.
My feet move toward her before my mind can comprehend what I’m doing.
I’m two steps away when Matt cuts in.
I stop dead in my tracks.
He leans down and kisses her.
I feel sucker punched. I’m breaking apart and nobody notices. My hands ball into fists, itching to pull him offmygirl.
Is she yours, though?
They pull apart, but the image of them is burned into my brain. It’s like I’m on my way to my worst nightmare becoming a reality. In a few minutes, my son will propose to her and there’s nothing I can do to stop it.
Matt takes her hand, tugging her toward her mother standing on the opposite side. Genuine delight mixed with shock brightens Molly’s face. After Alexis married her boyfriend, she moved away to live with him. I think it was the first time Molly didn’t follow her and chose to stay behind.
I selfishly hoped it was because of me.
A hand lands on my bicep, followed by a sugary sweet voice that grates on my nerves. “Hey, Sheriff.”
I look down at Kathy, gazing flirtatiously at me. Ever since she got divorced, her attempts to ask me out have doubled down and become bolder. At least, when she was married, I could keep her paws off me with the excuse that she was taken.
Today, I don’t have the patience to be polite. So, my voice comes out tight and unfriendly. “Kathy.”
Does my rudeness have any effect on her? None whatsoever.
She bats her eyelashes at me harder, resembling a flapping bird. The Botox she’s injected into her face makes her sultry smile the opposite of attractive. “Do you know every woman in town calls you Sheriff Steamy?”
Every man calls herGrabby Kathy.
Gluing herself to my side, she whispers, “Are you ever going to go out with me, Sheriff Steamy? Show me some of your moves.”
Great. She’s drunk in the middle of the day.
She digs her pointy nails into my forearm when I try to create space. “You should drink some water.”
“Ooo… caring about me…”
Molly is throwing daggers at Kathy when I glance up. Her lips are pursed as she scowls where the other woman is touching me.
Should I take her jealousy as a sign I stand a chance today?
As much as I adore her possessiveness, I don’t want her to get any wrong ideas. I not-so-gently remove Kathy’s hand from my arm and step away. “Excuse me.”
Molly swallows at getting caught. She tries to cover her emotions, but it’s too late. I stalk in her direction. Panicking at my determined expression, she twirls and walks toward Matt, who is chatting with a group of friends.
Tsk. Tsk. Tsk, little bird.
You’re not getting away.
I circle and block her path.
“Alex—”
