Molly remembered the last time she was coming back from the cemetery in San Rafael and her heart sank. The night she saw Connor on the bridge.
No, no, no, not now, Molly,
she thought.
“I’ll stop at Market Street. You can take all the cash, just leave me alone, okay?” Molly said.
“Take all the cash, just leave me alone,” Kit mocked her. “We gave you life. We own you, you ungrateful little bitch.”
“Dad… I’ve got nothing else to give.”
“I remember a time when you were very giving, isn’t that right, Mama-bear?”
“You dirty little slut, you loved it,” Anna said, her voice grating on Molly. “Who would’ve thought my little baby Molly could be a cock sucker.”
“Mom…” Molly’s eyes hurt as she blinked through the tears. “Please… Just stop.”
Kit and Anna loved getting a kick out of tormenting their child. They were the perfect example of why some people should never have been allowed to procreate.
“How much longer?” Kit asked as he scratched at his crotch. “I’ve a meeting with Benny Boy tonight, and I need my monies.”
“Soon,” Molly answered, then asked. “How…did you find me?”
Anna laughed, clapped her hands, then her voice began to sound weirder by the second. “We’ve been watching, listening and waiting. We knew it would happen, sooner or later… You would have to come and visit your dear old Aggie.”
Aggie would be turning in her grave if she saw what they were doing. Molly had to be brave just a little longer. Surely someone would come to her aid. Someone out there would see how insane her parents were and would save her, and if not, Molly would not think twice about driving off the edge of a cliff.
Less than fifteen minutes later, Molly drove through traffic, the ache in her head beginning to pound, and finally, she saw the bank up ahead and looked for a place to pull over.
Please, please, please
, she prayed in silence, hoping someone would have heard the whole thing.
She needed her savior now.
Chapter Thirty-Three
Connor drove like a lunatic.
There was no way in hell he was letting those two bastards weasel their way back into her life. Not now, not after everything she had been through. Having made a call to Barry and to his friend Eric, in the local precinct, he made sure that he’d have them taken care of.
If this was the challenge Mark had suggested, then Connor was about to fight to the end for the woman he loved. Even heeding Barry’s warnings, he didn’t care about Molly’s changed personality. She had been let down so much in life, he had to give her a reason to want to live again, to be more than a survivor, to be someone who could be happy with life.
Turning onto Market Street, Connor looked out for the Bank of America, watching out for Molly’s small blue Fiat. Taking it easy, he pulled his foot off the gas and concentrated, then he saw it, sitting in on the left. Three people inside.
“The motherfuckers,” he muttered to himself.
He picked up his cell and called Barry. “Hey, they’re here. They’re still in the car… Yeah, I’ll wait, but I can tell you now, they try anything, I’m not going to be able to control it.”
Just as he was pulling over, a patrol car appeared. It sounded its siren as it pulled alongside Molly’s car.
As Connor jumped out of his car, his vision became tunneled.
Connor raced across the street and tried to get to the car as two police officers approached the vehicle from the rear. Connor could clearly see Molly hunched over the wheel, not moving.
Jesus Christ,
he thought as he began to fear they’d already done something to her.
A long-haired man tried to run from the car, but Barry had his way blocked.
“Don’t you fucking touch him,” a woman roared as she appeared from the back seat. “Get your hands off him.”
“Molly,” Connor whispered as he opened the driver’s side of the car, gently touching her, afraid that they’d hurt her.
Turning her head, she looked at him. Her face was streaked in tears, her nose red and her mouth bleeding. Closing her eyes, she let out a long breath, before lifting her head from the wheel, looking out at the chaos her parents were causing.
“Are you okay?” Connor whispered as he wiped the blood from her mouth.
“I don’t know.”
“Thank God you called. I don’t know what I would have done—”
“Connor, just shut up for a minute. All the noise is giving me a headache.” Molly closed her eyes again. “I can’t hear myself think.”
Connor was instantly taken aback by her. But he had to remember that her accident had caused damage. “I just want to make sure you are okay, nothing else. I don’t expect anything from this,” he lied.
“Okay,” Molly replied as she looked at him.
Kit and Anna were on the ground, handcuffs being attached, as their rights were read. Molly smiled when she saw the look on her father’s face. Complete satisfaction.
Molly got out of the car, a bit unsteady as she stepped onto the curb, barefoot. “How does it feel, you sick motherfuckers?” Spitting on them, she turned around, looking at Connor, then at Barry. “The bitch stole my shoes. They were going to rob me, take every penny I’ve saved… I hope they die.”
Connor couldn’t believe the tone in her voice. She sounded mean and emotionless. Not at all like the woman who had saved him from the bridge. Barry gave Connor a sympathetic look, shook his head and approached the weary Molly.
“I think we should get you home,” he said as he touched her shoulder, Molly flinching from the touch.
“Don’t dare come near me.” Her eyes blazed with so much anger Barry drew back his hand, not wanting to cause a scene.
“Molly,” Connor said as he stepped up to her. Holding out his hand, he offered it for her to take. “There was a time when you stepped into my life, saving me from myself. Please let me do that for you.”
“I don’t need saving,” she spat, trying not to cry.
“Then at least let me take you away from this.”
Glancing down at his hand, Molly stood still. “If I let you do this…it doesn’t mean anything.”
“No strings, I promise,” Connor replied, desperate for her to allow him to do this one thing for her.
“Okay.” Molly took hold of his hand, not making eye contact with him, but still touching him.
Connor’s heart raced from the touch of her skin against his. He knew he wasn’t to get his hopes built up, but damn it, it was so hard when she was there, next to him, looking and smelling like the woman he loved.
Barefoot, Molly crossed the street, refusing to touch her shoes that her mother had so cruelly taken.
“I’d rather not, thank you,” she said as she got into Connor’s car.
“Okay, I’ll leave these right here,” Connor replied as he set them next to a trash can.
It was hard for Connor not to stare at her. To not reach out and touch her, grab her into his arms and kiss her. Simple things that had felt so natural not so long ago, and now—now he was afraid, even to say her name.
Pulling out, Connor drove slowly, not wanting to give Molly another reason to get out, or, worse, berate him. There were so many things he wanted to say, yet he couldn’t find the right moment—if there would ever be a right moment again.
“Thank you,” Molly said out of the blue, staring straight ahead, not once looking in his direction.
“No problem,” Connor replied as his stomach did a flip. “I would gladly help you if I can.”
“A real gentleman, huh?”
“I’m not sure about that, but I do have my moments.” Connor glanced over at her, wanting to step back in time and stop any of the hurt he’d caused.
“I remember your good moments,” she said. “You’re a good person, Connor.”
“So are you, Molly.”
“I should have known they were cooking up some stupid-assed plan,” she said as she rubbed her temples. “It was due.”
“How do you mean?”
Molly let out a long breath and glanced over at Connor, her sad eyes observing him. “This is what they do. Disappear for a few months, maybe a year at the most, then show up, blackmailing me. The last time they showed up at the shelter. They made such a scene that I almost lost my job.”
“I’m so sorry you have to deal with that.”
“Yeah, me too.” Molly sounded miserable.
Connor turned onto Molly’s block, taking his time, before pulling over, getting ready to watch her walk back out of his life again.
“Listen, I know I’ve made a mess of things, but how about we get out of the city for the night? Go to the villa, relax—and I promise, no funny business.” There, he had said it, he propositioned her, but in a way he hadn’t actually planned.
Molly stared at him for a few moments, then scowled. “You’re un-fucking-believable. Seriously? Like, are you out of your mind?” she roared. “Get a fucking grip, Connor. I mean, how in God’s name am I meant to sit with the guy who broke my heart for near two hours, let alone be together under the same roof? I know I’m the one with the head injury, but, boy, you’re stupid crazy.”
Connor was completely taken aback. He looked at her, observing how her face twisted when she got angry, but then he saw it, the glimmer of something in her eyes. A small hint of something, but it was enough to convince him that she still loved him, even if she refused to admit it.
“I am stupid crazy in love with you, is that not enough?”
“It was once.”
Connor’s heart sank.
Looking down at her hands, he could hear her breathing change. “I thought we would be together forever. I was so stupid to ever think that.” Opening the car door, Molly got out, avoiding having to look at Connor at all costs.
“Molly,” Connor called after her. “I didn’t mean to upset you. I only wanted to spend some time with you, that’s all.”
Molly stopped, not moving, looking down at her bare feet—her hair hanging over her face. “If I do this, promise me one thing.”
“Anything.”
“I don’t want to feel like you are doing this out of pity. I don’t want your pity.”
“I would never do anything to upset you, you should know that.”
“Whatever,” Molly chided, then bit her bottom lip. “Give me ten minutes, I’ll go grab a few things.”
“Okay,” Connor replied as his heart began pounding. He wasn’t sure if it was anxiety beginning to get the better of him or excitement, but whatever it was, he had to lose it fast. He couldn’t risk Molly thinking he had ulterior motives.
Controlling his breathing, he waited patiently for Molly to come back and just as he suspected, Regina came thundering behind her.
Opening the trunk, Molly threw in her small overnight bag, ignoring Regina.
“Molly, this is not a good idea,” Regina said.
Molly opened the door, got in and glanced over at Connor.
The way her eyes met his was electric. Still full of the same passion they had had before their world went nuts. Connor was sure that if they were to give each other a chance, they’d surely rekindle the love and wash away all the pain. Their kind of love was worth the effort, he owed it to her and to himself.
If something was worth fighting for, then you’d die trying.
Chapter Thirty-Four
“This is a bad idea,” Regina said as she held open the door, looking across at Connor.
“Gina, isn’t the decision mine?” Molly asked as she glared at her.
“Yes, you can make your own decisions, but I am offering you some sage advice. This is wrong.” She made eye contact with Connor. “Connor, this is crazy. What if something happens? Are you willing to risk her health in some crazy attempt at rekindling your romance?”
“Gina, go back inside, I’ve got this,” Molly said. “I promise the moment I don’t feel well, I’ll call you and Dr. McGraw.”
Molly knew from the way Regina stood that she was uneasy, and the deep frown she wore made her look more wicked than she actually was. “Connor, if anything happens—”
Connor cut her off before she could deliver the warning. “It won’t. I’ll have her back here before noon.”
Regina closed the door, folded her arms and watched as Connor drove away, taking him and Molly back to the one place Molly adored—Capitola.
* * * *
Sitting in silence for almost an hour, Molly rummaged through her bag, pulling out a small bottle of pills. Popping one in her mouth, she helped herself to Connor’s water before swallowing.
Connor looked over at her. “Are you okay?”
“Just a headache brewing. I’ll be fine once I eat.”
“Oh, if you’re hungry we can pull over somewhere, get something to eat.”
“Stop fussing, Connor. I’ll survive,” she replied as she rested her head back and closed her eyes. “You have no idea how stir crazy Regina and Jenna were making me.”
Connor smiled as he listened to her.
“Seriously, the two of them have driven me nuts,” she said as she turned her head and looked at him. “You know, I took my car without getting the green light from McGraw.” Her eyes glistened when she said it.
Connor glanced at her and frowned. “Wait, you weren’t meant to be driving?”
“Nope,” Molly replied. “I just had to get out of there, go pay Aggie a visit, then those two fucktards showed up and… Well, you know the rest.”
“Fucktards?” Connor asked surprised. “Since when did you use that terminology?”
“No idea, but it suits them, right?” Molly laughed, then her tone began to sound more serious. “I don’t know… I think the bang in the head has fucked me up in a way. Everything gets so jumbled sometimes. Like, I want to say something one way, but it comes out all wrong, or, worse, I cut those who care for me with some pretty nasty things.”
Connor slowed down as he pulled up outside the gates of the beach house. Molly smiled when she saw the palm trees and the small water feature as they drove up the driveway. There was something about being at the beach house that brought a sense of calm over her. She could never pinpoint what it was, but it was almost like coming home.
“I love the smell of the air,” Molly said as she closed her eyes, inhaling deeply. “I sound stupid, don’t I?”
Connor lifted their bags from the trunk, observing her the whole time. “No, not at all. One day I’ll leave city life behind me and settle here for good.”