Men of Honour: Ready, Set, Jett / When You Dare / Trace of Fever / Savor the Danger / A Perfect Storm / What Chris Wants / Bare It All

That got her attention.

She snapped her head around to glower at him. “Sulking?” She sounded mean. “Is that what you think?”

Dare narrowed his eyes. “I think Jett better stop his goddamned smiling.”

Jett laughed and held up a hand. “Sorry.”

He heard Natalie muttering to him, and then the two of them pretended not to listen.

Molly propped her hands on her hips. “Seriously, Dare?” She stomped two steps closer. “You seriously think that just because you ran outside after deranged kidnappers, I’d sulk?”

Reining in his temper, he closed his hands over her shoulders and brought her closer. “I think you were worried about me, like I’m some damn grade-school boy without an ounce of sense or training. And you’re starting to realize that your life is never going to be the same after this, and that’d fuck up anyone’s day. And if that wasn’t enough, you’re wishing you were at least paying me, because then you’d feel like you had more control.”

She gaped at him.

“Nailed it, didn’t I?”

Her tongue slicked out over her bottom lip. “Pretty much … minus the insults.”

Dare hooked his arms around her waist. “But it was insulting, because, Molly, I’m not going to get hurt, I will get your life back in order and paying me wouldn’t really change anything. Something is going on between us, and money wouldn’t blunt the effect of it at all.”

“Maybe you’re right.” Her fingers played with the front of his shirt. She stared at his sternum. “What kind of something, though?”

Hell, he didn’t know. And he sure as hell wasn’t going to hash it out right now with people listening in. “We’ll figure that out along the way.” He kissed her forehead. “But it goes both ways, okay?” That was about as much of a promise as he could give her.

“I don’t know.” She let out a breath. “I hate it that you’re in the line of danger trying to keep me safe.”

“Funny, because, possessive as I am, I sure as hell wouldn’t leave your security to any other man.” He glanced at Jett. “Other than very short-term.”

Jett saluted him with a canned cola. “Piece of cake. She’s a reasonable woman, just like her sister.”

“Glad to hear it.” It did reassure him that Molly hadn’t tried to do anything foolish, like follow him out.

When Molly stayed quiet, Natalie shoved her shoulder. “For God’s sake, Molly, men need reassurance, too, you know. Put him out of his misery already, will you?”

Jett laughed. “Seriously. From one guy to another, it is rather painful to watch.”

Dare paid no attention to either of them. “Molly?”

She met his gaze. “Well, I’m possessive, too, and I can’t help worrying when you run out blind to face off with people we already know are dangerous.”

That was more like it. Dare turned her toward the table where the pizza waited. “Do you believe that insult, Jett?”

“Got ya where it hurt, didn’t she?”

Natalie elbowed Jett. “What are you talking about? She didn’t insult him.”

Sprawling back in his chair, Jett said, “The hell she didn’t. Insinuating that he can’t handle himself against some thugs too damned stupid not to be noticed is a definite insult. Look at the man, Natalie. You can see that he knows what he’s doing.”

Dare accepted the accolade with a nod.

And then as an aside, Jett added, “And he took me down with almost no effort, a fact that still smarts. So you can see why I choose to think he’s that good, rather than that I got taken so completely off guard.”

“I’d say it was a little of both, but thanks all the same.” Dare held out a chair for Molly. “If I’d wanted to get those bastards out of that truck, I could have, and I wouldn’t have broken a sweat.”

Natalie made a face. “Are all men so modest?”

Jett grinned. “Probably.”

“But if I’d done that,” Dare said, “there would have been a scuffle, maybe gunfire, and cops would be called. There’d not only be questions, but we’d be tipping our hand, and whoever is behind this would go to ground.”

“Smart.” Jett leaned forward, an arm on the table. “So, you’re working with someone who can look up plates that easily?”

Dare put a slice of pizza on a plate and set it in front of Molly. “It’s unfortunate that you’re here, listening in, but you have to know that I’m not going to tell you jack shit.”

“Fair enough.” To Molly, he asked, “He’s legal?”

Her gaze went from the massive slice of pizza to Jett. She opened her mouth, closed it again and shrugged. “Whatever he is, I’m glad, because I don’t think anyone else would have found me in Mexico.”

Dare grinned at her answer. “I operate outside the law when necessary, but usually with amnesty.”

“Huh.” Jett stared at Dare as he mulled that over. “Got a lot of pull?”

“Enough.”

“This is all damned intriguing.” He pulled Natalie into his lap. “When I asked you to marry me, I had no idea that your family would be so interesting.”

Dare got his own plate ready. “If interesting is the best description you’ve got, I have a feeling you haven’t met their father yet.”

Natalie and Molly both winced.

Dare regretted his words. Regardless of her father’s sins, Molly had feelings for the man. It was the way of nature.

For now, he’d withhold what he’d overheard from the driver of the Ford. She’d had enough confusion for one night. It’d be better to tell her away from the others, maybe right before she reunited with her father.

Facetiously, Jett said, “Ah, no, I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting her folks. Something to look forward to?”

“If you have a strong constitution, you should be fine.” Dare noticed that Jett hugged Natalie a little closer.

“That bad?” he asked.

“Stop trying to scare him off,” Molly said to Dare. “You’ve only met my father once.”

Once was enough, but Dare kept that thought to himself. Hedging the question he knew Natalie was about to ask, he brought up a new subject. “We can’t stay here.”

Slumping, Molly nodded. “I know.”

Damn, but he hated seeing her life disturbed this way. She deserved her old life of naiveté, where bogeymen didn’t exist. “Even if you didn’t have creeps hanging around outside, this place isn’t secure.”