Dare to Hold (5 page)

“What?”

“You’re a damned good cop, and the beat is a waste of your talents. Not to mention, you’re bored as shit. I want you to sign on as my partner.” Tyler pinned Scott with a look he’d never seen before. One that held admiration and something more.

“Cool!” Olivia said, clapping her hands. “That’s great for you, Scott, and he’s right. You need something more challenging, and this is it.”

“We all know you aren’t happy doing the cop thing. This will give you a chance to use your people skills and your training. Plus you can set your own hours, which has to be better than those night shifts you’ve been assigned.”

He couldn’t deny they were right. He wasn’t happy, and the thought of doing something different definitely appealed to him, as did working with his brother.

Scott ran a hand over his eyes. He’d never considered leaving the force. Never thought his older brother—by two years but still older—would want him on board. “You built your business yourself. Are you sure—”

“One hundred percent certain. You can buy in, and we can work out the details… I’d have asked you before, but I wanted you to get hands-on experience first. You deserved to follow your dream and see if it was for you before I asked you to leave it behind.”

Scott nodded slowly. “Let me give it some thought. But I’m interested.”

“Not too long. I’m going to take this job and with the business growing, I need you. As far as Greyson… If he shows up around Lola, we can tag-team him,” Tyler said, tacking it on as added incentive.

“Oh, you two better stay out of Avery’s business,” Olivia warned them.

They both shot her a look. If someone hurt either woman, they’d have to answer to a Dare brother.

“I’ve got to get going. Call me,” Tyler said to Scott. He paused to kiss Olivia on the cheek. “You feeling okay?” he asked their pregnant sister.

That was something Scott hadn’t wrapped his head around. His baby sister married and expecting a baby. At least her husband, Dylan Rhodes, treated her right. Now to get someone decent for Avery.

Olivia poked Scott in the arm. “You and I need to talk. Come to my office?” she asked.

He rose and grinned. “Am I in trouble?”

She pinned him with a warning look. Uh oh.

She waited until they were settled in her private office, she in the chair behind her desk, he in the one in front. “What’s up, Liv?”

“That’s what I want to know. I had dinner with Meg. I mentioned your name, and she said she ran into you at Mel’s this weekend.”

“And?” He stared at his sister, not knowing where she was going, and not jumping in with anything more before he knew what had her so on edge.

“You spent the night with her!” Olivia said it like an accusation.

Scott folded his arms across his chest. “She told you that?” Because Meg didn’t strike him as the gossipy type.

Olivia blew out a long breath. “Not in so many words. But I could tell from the hemming and hawing she did … from the way she blushed and couldn’t look me in the eye, then asked selective questions … I just knew.”

He inclined his head. “And?” he asked his nosey sister.

“And what were you thinking? I know there were sparks when you met her, but she’s coming off a really shitty relationship, she’s pregnant and vulnerable, and you’re…” She trailed off, her gaze darting away from his.

He stiffened. “Don’t stop now,” he told her.

“You’re
you
! All controlling and alpha.”

“So you think I’d hurt her?” he asked, offended.

Olivia wrinkled her nose. “Of course not. Well, not on purpose, anyway.”

He frowned. “Thanks for the vote of confidence.”

She rose from her seat and came around her desk, sitting in the chair next to him and leaning in close. “Scott, do you remember what happened with Leah? She gutted you when she had that abortion. You haven’t had any kind of relationship with a woman since.” Olivia held up a hand to make sure he didn’t interrupt. “And I’m not talking about sex.”

“Me neither and not with you,” Scott muttered. Nor did he need the reminder of how wrong he’d chosen when he’d married Leah Jerome.

Having seen firsthand what his father’s cheating had done, not only to his mother but to him and his siblings, Scott hadn’t believed he wanted a family. Leah definitely hadn’t. And then she’d gotten pregnant … and the reality of a baby had changed his mind. He’d thought he could change hers. He’d been wrong. And Olivia was correct. He hadn’t trusted another woman since.

Then he’d met Meg. “I’m not going to hurt her. You know me better than that.”

“Of course I do.” Olivia laid a hand on his arm. “But all your women lately have been one-night stands or close to it. I don’t understand how you can cavalierly sleep with a pregnant woman and walk away. Or think it’s okay to have an affair with her like she’s just a woman you picked up in a bar.”

“Whoa.” This time he held up his hand. “I’m not sure where you’re getting these ideas, but trust me, Liv, you have no clue what I’m thinking, feeling, or planning.” Unfortunately, neither did he. But it was the early days… They’d slept together once. And he wasn’t going to let his sister convince him to walk away.

His sister narrowed her gaze. “Care to share?”

“Not particularly. Just understand, you know who I am. That should count for something.”

“I know,” Olivia said, her voice softening. “You’re a good man. But Meg is different than the women you’re used to.”

He knew that. She was everything his ex wasn’t. He sensed it at a glance. All those differences—the softness beneath the prickly exterior, the outward fragility that he knew belied a strong core, and the beauty that shone from her inside and out all called to a part of him he’d never known before.

“She has a history of picking bad boys who aren’t good to her, and she’s just promised herself she’ll change.”

“And you think I’m going to stop her from doing that?”

“I know you
could
.”

He ran a hand over his face. Yeah … he could. It was in his nature to take over, to control. He wanted to help her, take care of her and get to know her better. But contrary to what his sister believed, he wouldn’t hurt her. He meant to see what could be between them. If that meant pushing her past her limits … he’d do just that.

Chapter Three

M
eg had a rough week. The meeting with the principal hadn’t gone as she’d hoped. Although she had a morals clause in her contract, it didn’t include having a child out of wedlock, and she’d counted on her abilities as a teacher and how much the kids loved her to hold sway. So she’d be a single parent. Women handled it all the time due to divorce or death. They also, occasionally, got themselves pregnant.

Unfortunately, Mr. Ryan Hansen hadn’t been happy. Meg wasn’t sure if his censure was more because he’d tried to date her before or because he really did have an issue with her teaching children and having to explain to young, impressionable minds why there was no baby daddy in her life. As if a kindergartener would even know about her personal life, let alone think to ask.

Luckily, he couldn’t get rid of her. She had just signed a new contract, and she hoped her job was secure … if no longer comfortable. She blew out a breath, knowing she had to get used to people having opinions and comments about her situation.

Meg settled into the couch in her apartment, laptop on her thighs, the television providing background noise. She drew a deep breath and began looking for baby items at online stores, making notes on a pad at her side. Budget was important, but safety was first. If she needed to deal with credit card debt to purchase what she needed for her baby, so be it. She had things she could easily give up to free up money. Professional haircuts, eyebrow waxing, mani-pedis, all things she could manage on her own.

A crib would be the biggest hit for now. She jotted down a few possibilities and prices. She didn’t want to go into stores until she had a good idea what she could afford.

Her doorbell rang, taking her by surprise. It was Friday night, and her friends had gone out for drinks. They’d invited her, but she’d begged off, wanting a quiet night at home.

She walked to the door, placed her hand on the knob. “Who is it?”

She was just about to look through the peephole when she heard, “Open the fucking door, Meg.”

Her heart skipped a beat.

Mike?

How could he dare show up here? She had a restraining order in effect. She didn’t plan on answering him or letting him inside, but she couldn’t stop the tremors that took hold. Shaking, she went back to the couch and picked up her cell.

She returned to the door and leaned against it, hoping he would go away.

He banged hard again. No doorbell this time. “Meg! We need to talk.”

She drew a deep breath. He could talk to her lawyer, and he knew it. All she wanted was for him to sign away rights to the baby. For whatever reason, he refused to do it. She didn’t have any illusions that he wanted the baby. He just didn’t want the child to exist, period.

She placed a protective hand over her stomach. “Go away or I’ll call the police.” What the hell had she seen in him? How had she missed this side of him? Oh, he’d been fun and exciting … at first. Until she’d let him move in and he hadn’t paid rent. He hadn’t contributed to food. And he’d done what he wanted, when he wanted. And she’d still tried to make things work because it was easier than getting him out of the apartment. Easier than fighting all the time. Just like her mother’s relationships.

Ugh.

“Come on, I just want to talk.” He banged harder on the door.

“I’m dialing 911!”

She lifted the phone.

“You stupid bitch!” He slammed his hand against the door, and then she heard the sound of footsteps storming down the hall. She wondered what her neighbors thought. It wasn’t the first time they’d heard screaming coming from her apartment. She cringed in embarrassment.

She was still shaking, and there was nothing she could do to calm down. She couldn’t pour herself a glass of wine. She couldn’t take a Xanax. She just had to deal.

She lowered herself back to the couch and drew in a deep breath. She wasn’t sure how long she remained motionless, seeing nothing, doing nothing but shivering. The last time she’d seen Mike, she’d told him she was pregnant … and he’d been angry. She still didn’t think he’d deliberately pushed her, but who knew?

She’d tripped and fallen back into the curio cabinet with all her glass items. She’d ended up bleeding and almost losing the baby. The doctor couldn’t say for sure if stress or the jarring from the fall had caused the bleeding. She was only two weeks off bed rest now. SShe’d been on bedrest for a few days and had had no problems in the two weeks since. She didn’t need Mike returning and causing problems. And she didn’t want to be afraid whenever she went out.

The sound of the doorbell jarred her and she jumped. God, not again. She rose and tiptoed to the peephole and looked out.

Scott.

Thank God. She didn’t stop to think, just unhooked the chain she’d installed after Mike had moved out and let Scott inside.

*     *     *

After his sister had ripped into him, Scott had actually felt bad, wondering if he’d pushed Meg into something she wasn’t ready for. He decided to call her … but his car just happened to pull off her exit. Yeah. He’d keep telling himself that.

He rang her doorbell, not even knowing if she was home. The door swung open wide, and he found himself facing a pale, wide-eyed Meg.

His protective instincts swung into high gear. “What’s wrong?” He stepped inside and shut the door behind him.

“I… My ex was here,” she said, her big brown eyes damp.

Rage at the thought of anyone scaring her, hurting her, filled him. “Here? As in inside?”

She shook her head. “No. I didn’t open the door.”

He breathed out a relieved breath. “Good girl.”

“But he kept banging and yelling, cursing, saying we needed to talk.”

“Not happening,” Scott said through clenched teeth.

“Not if I have anything to say about it,” she agreed. “I didn’t answer him. But he’s not going to just go away. Restraining order or not.”

Her hands shook, and he clasped both his palms around her cold extremities and held on. Despite the serious situation, he couldn’t help but notice how soft her skin was, how delicate she felt beneath his fingers.

“I don’t understand. I don’t want anything from him. Not a dime, even though his family can more than afford it. I just want him to sign away his parental rights. Why won’t he just do that?” she asked, her voice trembling.

Scott filed the information about his family’s money away for later. “People have strange reasons for doing things.” He’d have to figure out Mike’s. But right now, Meg was his only concern, and she needed to calm down.

He led her to the couch, where she’d obviously been sitting with her open laptop and notepad. He sat down, pulled her onto his lap, and she immediately curled into him, seeking comfort he was only too happy to give.

“It’ll be fine,” he assured her, wrapping his arms around her smaller frame. She felt so delicate, so perfect in his arms.