“Rebel, you want to go play with Rose and Lily?” Molly said, breaking up the argument. Reb didn’t reply, but she must have done something that only Molly had seen, because a second later, Molly was sliding Reb off her lap to the floor. “Be good.”
Rose grabbed Rebel’s hand and marched her and Lily toward one of the couches near the far side of the room, where Trix and her boys were playing with some big Legos.
“How you feelin’?” I asked, leaning down to kiss the top of Molly’s head. She hadn’t been responding to my touches, but she hadn’t asked me to stop, either, so I was going to keep doing what I wanted. There was no way I could be near her and not touch her.
“Sore,” she said quietly. She lifted a cup to her mouth and gingerly took a sip of her coffee, wincing. “The inside of my mouth stings like a bitch.”
“Got a lot of cuts in there,” I reminded her as I pulled a chair over and straddled it backwards.
“Just don’t mess with them,” Farrah told her. “The more you fuck with them, the longer it’ll take for them to heal.”
“I know,” Molly replied. “But easier said than done.”
“Rinse with some sea salt, too. It’ll keep ’em clean,” Farrah said. “Think I’ve got some in Casper’s room from the last time I got pierced.”
I looked at her, not remembering the last time she’d had a new piercing. Then I shuddered and looked away. If I couldn’t see a new piercing, I sure as hell didn’t want to know about it.
“Cops are at the gate,” Tommy called from the doorway.
“Let ’em in,” Dragon ordered, meeting my eyes across the room.
Showtime.
“You ready for this?” I asked Molly. She looked scared. Super nervous.
“What if they don’t believe me?” she whispered.
“Baby, I’ll be right here. You tell them you want me present if they ask. It’s all good. They just wanna tell you about your dad—you’re not on trial, for fuck’s sake.”
“Okay,” she said a little louder.
I reached over and grabbed her hand, lacing her fingers with mine.
“I’m gonna go keep the girls occupied,” Farrah said, standing up from the table. “Don’t stress, Molly. They’re coming to give you bad news, they’ll be nice as hell.”
She ran her hand over the top of my hair, messing it up, then walked away, stretching her arms above her head like she didn’t have a care in the world. She’d always given that impression. The whole I don’t care if you like me vibe. It had been years before she’d actually believed it, though. My Uncle Casper had a lot to do with that.
My dad met the nervous cops at the door, shaking hands and patting one of them on the back like he knew them. They spoke for a few minutes at the other side of the room until my dad pointed toward Molly. Then they headed our way.
“Molly Duncan?” the younger cop asked as they reached us.
“Yes?” Molly stood up awkwardly, looking back and forth between the men.
“Are you okay, ma’am?” the older cop asked, taking her in from head to toe.
“I was in an accident yesterday,” Molly said softly, clearing her throat when she was finished. Jesus, she looked like she was afraid they were about to arrest her.
“An accident?” the older cop asked. “Did you report it?”
“Yeah.” Molly shrugged one shoulder, wincing. “I wrecked the four wheeler I was riding. You don’t have to report that, do you?” She glanced down at me like she was asking if I knew.
“No, you don’t,” the younger cop assured her.
“She was driving?” the older cop asked me. I felt Molly bristle beside me. The guy was a douche.
“Yeah, man,” I said, reaching out to put a hand on Molly’s hip. “I was ridin’ ’bout a hundred yards behind her. Took a year off my life.”
“Did my work call you?” Molly butt in, looking back and forth between the cops. “When I went in yesterday to get my arm checked, they were pretty worried. I think they thought Will beat me up or something.” She gave an incredulous laugh as the cops raised their eyebrows. My muscles tightened, but I didn’t let my expression change. Great, Molly. Tell the cops that the hospital thought this was a domestic abuse issue. Good fucking call.
“Did he?” the younger cop asked, setting his hand on his gun. Christ, now she’d gone and tripped the idiot’s protective instincts. I could see his chest puffing out.
“Of course not,” Molly snapped in disgust. Hell, at least that sounded real—since it was. “I’d rip his balls off while he slept.”
The older cop coughed uncomfortably as the younger cop turned bright red.
“That’s not why we’re here, anyhow,” the older one said. He glanced at me, then back at Molly. “I’m sorry, but we found your father dead in his house last night.”