Dare to Hold (Dare to Love 4)

Scott spent the morning with Tyler, in a meeting with Lola Corbin. She came alone, no handlers or other band members with her. She was a pop star and music phenom, a woman who’d recently been voted sexiest woman alive by a men’s magazine, yet she was clearly down-to-earth and … normal despite her party-girl image. Most men would be salivating over her long dark hair, blue eyes, and killer body, but Scott preferred the brown-haired, brown-eyed schoolteacher he’d woken up to this morning.

He looked across the table at Lola, and after hashing out the security plans they’d implement if she hired them, Scott came to the conclusion that she knew how to handle her life. She didn’t take shit from her bandmates, nor did she plan to let angry fans ruin her life. She was engaged to Peter Grissom, Jr., a Miami Thunder all-star player and another reason Tyler and Scott couldn’t turn down the job. No matter how they felt about Grey Kingston.

They wrapped up the meeting with a firm commitment from Lola to hire them.

Scott’s cell rang, and the screen showed Rick. “Talk to me.”

“She just walked out of school, ignored me, got into her car, and drove off.”

He glanced at his watch. They were barely halfway through the day. Was she sick? “Where is she headed?”

“Looks like your place.”

“Okay, stick close to her. I’ll be there soon. Thanks, man.” Scott disconnected the call and dialed Meg, but it went straight to voice mail.

After a quick check-in with Tyler, Scott headed home, making the trip in record time. He acknowledged Rick, who sat in his vehicle on the street in front of the house, and pulled into his driveway, not surprised to find Meg’s car already parked there.

He headed inside, not sure what to expect. “Meg?” He tossed his keys on the credenza by the front door.

When she didn’t reply, he checked the kitchen and, finding it empty, headed for the bedroom. He found her lying on the bed, fully dressed, curled up on her side.

As much as he liked the sight of her on his bed, his stomach cramped with worry. “Hey.” He sat down beside her on the mattress. “Are you sick?”

“Did Rick call and tattle on me?” she asked.

“He let me know you left work unexpectedly. You didn’t answer your phone, so I came home to check on you.”

She sniffed and pushed herself upright, then settled back against the pillows, her hair falling messily around her shoulders, makeup-streaked tears on her face. His stomach clenched at the sight.

“I’m not sick,” she said, and he breathed freely for the first time since Rick’s call.

She bit down on her lip, looking up at him with those big brown eyes. “But I am unemployed.”

“Excuse me?”

“Parents called school to complain about the strange man in an unmarked car sitting on school property. The principal talked to Rick. He didn’t give my name, but considering I’d put Mike on a list of people not to be allowed into the school, it wasn’t difficult to figure out who he was guarding. One of the parents who complained is a board member, and she wanted to have a meeting.” Meg rubbed her hands up and down her bare arms.

Scott was dying to pull her against him, but she didn’t appear at all receptive at the moment. Unlike the time she’d thrown herself against him, she was stiff and unyielding, her body language screaming don’t touch. She clearly didn’t want to rely on him, and damn, but that hurt.

“How did that lead to you being fired?” he asked, sticking to facts.

“Unpaid leave,” she said, enunciating each syllable. “The principal didn’t force things. But when he asked me if Mike was a danger to the kids, I just didn’t know. What if he showed up and was drinking? What if he got past Rick and the kids were in the way… I couldn’t say for sure it was safe. And if it were my child, I’d want me gone.” She shrugged in defeat. “There was no point in letting a board meeting happen, so I just accepted the inevitable.”

Scott swore loudly. “I wish we could find the bastard, but according to Luke, Mike is MIA. We can’t locate him, and he’s spoken to friends and last-known coworkers. Any calls you’ve gotten have been on burner phones and are untraceable. But the Ashtons seem different.” Scott needed to tell her more about what Luke had uncovered about the couple, but now wasn’t the time.

“It doesn’t matter. Mike’s got the upper hand, just like he wants.”

“Let’s see if we can’t tilt things in your favor. I think it’s time to talk to Mike’s parents. Let’s see if they have any sway over their son.”

“It didn’t seem like it when I spoke to them, but it’s worth a shot. I need this job,” she said, her voice breaking. “I tried to think of alternatives. I can’t tutor older kids to make money for the same reason I?

??ve basically been asked to leave. And I have savings, but I counted on my income to buy a crib and baby furniture, clothing, formula, diapers… I can’t afford to let this situation go on.”

Needing to touch her, hoping she needed contact with him too, he grasped her hands, threading their fingers together, the act meaning something to him. He pushed back the rush of panic and focused on the now. On Meg.

“We’ll figure this out.”

She glanced at him, her eyes glassy, her jaw set and determined. “I will.”