Runaway (A New Adventure Begins - Star Elite 4)

“God, I can’t believe I am doing this,” Molly whispered.

“Shush,” Jasper murmured. “Don’t speak because you sound feminine. Leave the talking to me.”

He lifted a hand and waved at a passing carriage which dutifully rumbled to a stop. Molly, temporarily distracted by looking for Phillip, who was disguised as a market trader, jerked when she felt Jasper’s hand on her elbow.

“In you get, lad. We don’t have all day,” Jasper urged cheerfully.

Molly blinked at him but climbed aboard. Her head was reeling from the speed with which her life had changed at Jasper’s hands again. It was still difficult to know if she could trust him or not, but until something else happened to make her think otherwise, she had to believe him when he said he could keep her safe. She had no choice but to accept that he was who he said he was, and did work with the Star Elite, an organisation who worked within the War Office and that they weren’t a rival yet better organised gang just like Denzel’s. Molly knew that she had to have faith that Jasper was a man she could put her trust, and her very life in because if she was wrong she had just sold her soul to the devil, and in disguise as well.

CHAPTER ELEVEN

Once in the carriage, Jasper slammed the door closed. A stilted silence settled between them. It wasn’t completely uncomfortable, just unnerving enough to leave Molly in little doubt there was something he wanted to say, and she was going to go nowhere until he had said it. His next words confirmed it.

“Look, we have to talk about us,” Jasper began. “I don’t know why you felt the need to run, but I hope it wasn’t because of what we have shared. In my job, I have to remain professional. Unfortunately, I haven’t with you. Kissing you is the worst thing I could do professionally because I am required to keep my private life separate to my work.”

“You regret it,” Molly whispered, ignoring the blossoming wave of hurt that spread out from the centre of her chest.

If this is what heartache feels like I can well do without it, she thought as she battled to keep her face as devoid of her emotions. There was little she could do about the wounded shadows of her eyes when she looked at him, though.

“On a personal level, no. Professionally, it shouldn’t happen. I am supposed to protect you, for God’s sake not molest you. You have to trust me, not look at me as a lover or anything. Don’t run from me because you think I have done something that has hurt you emotionally. I don’t want you having feelings for me. It clouds things, for me as much as you,” Jasper sighed.

He ran a frustrated hand down his face because he knew it was already far too late to have this conversation. He was personally involved with the woman seated opposite, no matter how much he wanted to deny it. She mattered to him personally far more than she ever should do. There was something about her that called to something hidden deep within him and brought forth emotions from him that he didn’t even want to consider himself capable of. It made him vulnerable, damn it. She made him care, in a world where caring could get him killed.

“Damn,” he grunted.

“I am sorry for putting you out so much,” Molly replied. “But I never asked for your protection.”

“You are a part of our investigation,” Jasper re-iterated once more for his own stake rather than hers.

“I know that,” Molly protested. “I didn’t ask you to kiss me.”

“I know,” Jasper replied. “It was a mistake on my half.”

“So you do regret it,” Molly murmured.

“You are young.”

“You do regret it,” she repeated.

She had no idea why it was so important he confirm it, and actually said the words, but it was. Maybe because it confirmed what she had suspected all al

ong and put a very firm wedge between them that neither of them would ever be able to cross. After all, a word spoken could never be unspoken.

“I have a job to do,” Jasper whispered. “I don’t want you putting yourself in danger like you have because you want to avoid me. I shouldn’t have kissed you. It was a mistake. I am sorry. I will make sure it doesn’t happen again. You are safe with the Star Elite. We will keep you and your brother safe. When you have finished helping us with the investigation, we will leave you with a new home and an income to start your new life off with. It is evident to us that you cannot go back to your old life. For now, you have to stay in London to help us by giving us any information you can about your aunt and her lover, as well as the life you left behind.”

“Why does the life I left behind matter? Surely it is Edith and Denzel you need to learn about?” Molly asked, more than glad to be able to focus on the investigation rather than the hurt that threatened to overwhelm her.

“Because we need to understand what has driven Edith and Denzel to do what they have, if Edith is even involved. As yet, we have no idea if she has any idea what Denzel is up to. He might have lied to her as much as he has deceived you into thinking he is a decent character.”

“I have never believed he is a decent character,” Molly assured him.

“Has he ever made any threats?”

Molly detailed her life at her aunt’s house. “It started from the very first day. She made no bones about the fact that we were there under sufferance, and that if we didn’t pay her for having us, she wouldn’t put a roof over our heads.”

“Did she ever suggest you go out to work anywhere?” Jasper asked.

Molly shook her head. “I wanted to because I wanted to earn some money to be able to afford some sort of lodgings, but she wouldn’t hear of it. She refused to help herself and ordered me or Oscar to do her chores for her. If we refused then we weren’t allowed to eat, it was as simple as that.”