Men Of Honour. Lori Foster

the situation, Dare reentered the building by the front door. Hell, anyone could walk in and out of the place. And her apartment door wouldn’t offer even a modicum of protection, not even to the dumbest criminal. And that damned fire escape …

      Her apartment door opened right before Dare reached it. Jett stood there, a half-eaten piece of pizza in his free hand. “Didn’t go after them, huh?”

      He shook his head and pulled out his cell phone. From the corner of his eye, he saw Molly sitting on the couch. She curled in the corner, her knees up to her chest, her arms around herself, her shoulders hunched.

      Beside her, Natalie hovered, no doubt offering comfort.

      Dare punched in Trace’s number as he went to Molly and sat down beside her. The couch dipped, and her hip rolled against his. He put his arm around her.

      She remained rigid, but she’d get over it.

      As soon as Trace answered, he said, “Sorry to wake you, but I need you to run some plates for me.”

      Looking suitably impressed over that, Jett went for another slice of pizza. The excitement of the night hadn’t dented his appetite one bit—or else he was used to danger.

      That’d make sense, because it wasn’t the danger that affected Dare as much as Molly’s reaction. If he wasn’t so drawn to her, he’d have gone for the pizza, too.

      There was the sound of Trace moving, probably hunting up a pen and paper, and then he said, “Go.”

      Dare gave him the number. “Soon as you know, let me know. And if you can connect the driver with anyone, it’d help.”

      “I’ll see what I can do.”

      “Thanks.”

      Jett watched him. “Men of few words, huh?”

      Ignoring Jett, Dare closed the phone and put it back in his pocket. That done, he caught Molly’s chin and, ignoring her sister, turned her face up for a kiss.

      From the beginning, that had been the easiest way to reach her, to take her out of her worry.

      He meant it to just be a peck of affection, to thaw her a little. But her lips were firmed, and he could feel the tension vibrating through her, so he lingered, keeping his mouth on hers until she softened.

      Smoothing her bottom lip with his thumb, he asked, “You okay?”

      “Of course. Why wouldn’t I be?”

      Snippy. Dare gave a tight smile. “Good. Let’s eat.”

      Her hands knotted his shirt. “I’m not hungry.”

      “Yeah, you are.” He stood, caught her wrists and pulled her to her feet, too. “But you’re also pissed. And scared. Not eating isn’t going to help, though.”

      Her eyes reddened. Her bottom lip quivered.

      Ah, hell. More softly, he said, “Everything is fine.”

      “What happened?”

      “You heard me give the plates to Trace. He’ll check them and we’ll go from there.”

      “You … you didn’t …”

      “Chat with them? No.” Fuck, he hated explaining himself. Especially with Natalie and Jett as a fascinated audience. “The driver got a call and left before I could decide what I wanted to do.”

      “Oh.” Relief left her swaying on her feet. She averted her gaze.

      “Molly.”

      “What?”

      It wasn’t like her to be detached. “We’ve got a long day ahead of us tomorrow, so it’d be better if you used the time we had for something other than sulking.”

      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