Craving Molly (The Aces' Sons 2)

“I had my dad and Mel, so we made it through,” I replied with a tight smile.

“You’ll always have me,” Mel sang as she came up behind me, setting my fresh beer down on the table as she sloppily kissed the top of my head.

“And Mason’s parents,” Will said, grabbing a beer from Rocky. “They were always pretty cool, right?”

“Cunts,” Mel replied, making the word come out as a cough.

I snorted, reaching for my beer. “Yeah, they’re not around.”

“That’s crazy,” Trix said, leaning against Cam as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder. “Especially if they lost their kid. My mom and dad would never let the boys out of their sight if something happened to me.”

“Don’t say shit like that,” Cam muttered, glaring at her. “Nothin’ happening to you. Ever.”

“Yeah, yeah,” Trix replied, rolling her eyes at me.

“It’s all good—” My words cut off as Mel and Rocky started kissing. Right there at the table. Like they weren’t in the middle of a crowded bar. I was pretty sure I saw Rocky’s tongue.

Will laughed at the disgusted look on my face.

“You didn’t mention you saw me, huh?” he said quietly, leaning down toward my ear so I could hear him.

“Of course not.”

“Wasn’t my best moment,” he murmured, his voice tight.

I tilted my head up to look at him and swallowed hard. His face was closer than I’d realized.

“You’d had a hard day,” I replied seriously, making his lips quirk.

“That’s a fuckin’ understatement, sugar,” he whispered back.

“Yeah.” I gave him a sad smile at the remembrance of that hellish day.

He’d come into the hospital, full of bullet holes and in and out of consciousness. When he was out, I’d heard that he was an ideal patient, in good physical shape and without any underlying health problems. While he was awake, though? He’d raised holy hell until they’d had to strap him down.

That’s how I’d seen him. By the time he’d reached the floor I was on, he’d been stitched up and cleaned off, and was restrained like an animal.

“You don’t wear glasses anymore,” Will said abruptly, making me realize that we were still staring into each other’s eyes like the main characters in a Lifetime movie.

“I do,” I replied, looking back down at my beer. “I just have contacts in tonight. Less nerdy for a night on the town.”

“I liked the glasses,” he teased, just as Mel and Rocky climbed to their feet.

“We’re out of here!” Mel announced as she grabbed her purse off the back of the chair. “You’re good with Will, right?” she asked me, not waiting for an answer before saying, “Of course you are. Call me in the morning!”

She took off and I watched in horror as my ride walked away. She didn’t even know that guy! He could be a serial killer. He could be into weird, kinky sex games. He could tie her up and make her his kitchen slave, which would never work since Mel sucked at cooking anything but ramen, and then he’d kill her for not doing her slave-job.

I shot to my feet, scrambling to stop her.

“He’s a good guy,” Will said, grabbing my forearm gently. “I mean, I doubt he’ll marry her—but he’s not gonna hurt her.”

“What the fuck?” I snapped, my eyes wide. “She doesn’t even know him!”

“Sugar, you don’t have to know someone to leave the bar with them,” Will laughed. “She’s fine—I promise.”

“But—”

“I’ll text Rock and make sure he’s on his best behavior.”

“But—”

“You can text Mel, too.”

“But she was my freaking ride!” I moaned.

I dropped back down into my seat as Will’s smile grew wide. “I’ll give you a ride home on my bike.”

Oh, shitballs.

“I could grab a cab,” I argued, still scowling.

“You don’t want to ride with me?” Will’s voice dropped, and for a second I thought he’d asked if I wanted to ride him.

“Uh, no, that’s fine,” I stuttered once I realized he wasn’t trying to have sex with me. “Thanks.”

“No problem.” His arm went back around me, and for a moment, I almost wanted to lean in against his chest the way Trix was with Cam. They seemed so comfortable with each other.

I’d had that with Mason, the ease and comfort that came with being with a person for a long time. But Mason hadn’t been into public displays of affection. I knew he was faithful, and his eyes never strayed, but I’d wondered sometimes if I’d embarrassed him. He was a football star, bound for great things, and I wasn’t exactly the type of girl people had expected to see on his arm. We hadn’t matched—not at all.

“We’re gonna head out, too,” Cam announced, kissing Trix’s forehead. “Boys’ll be home early in the mornin’.”

“Alright,” Will said with a nod, “Helpin’ Dad out at the house this weekend—I’ll see ya Monday, though.”

“I think Gramps asked Leo to help with that retaining wall at the back of the house this weekend, too,” Trix said as Cam helped her pull a leather jacket over her arms. “Are you helping with that?”