Total pages in book: 62
Estimated words: 57471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 57471 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 287(@200wpm)___ 230(@250wpm)___ 192(@300wpm)
“You’re right about one thing; it’s her life, and I’d say she’s more than capable of deciding how she wants to spend it.” He folded his arms and gave me a glare that would’ve deterred other men. “Give her a chance to make the choice.”
“Sara grew to hate it here. What if Molly does too?”
“Yeah, that’s always a possibility. What if she doesn’t? What if she loves it and wants to stay until she takes her last breath?”
My own breath caught in my throat at the visual that presented. She had whispered that she loved me as she fell asleep in my arms last night. I love you. It wasn’t just the sex; I was sure of that. Which meant I had to figure out what my next move would be.
“I can see that you’re almost there in your head. Let’s get these bottles loaded and back to the barn; we’ve got more fencing to fix up.”
“Yeah, let’s get to it.” The one thing I knew for sure was that I had to tell Molly that I loved her too, and then I would ask her to stay. Not just for Hunter, but for me too.
Chapter 27
Molly
“What about this flower, Molly?” Hunter holds up a purple flower that I don’t recognize. “Is this okay?”
I nodded, flashing a wide smile. “It looks beautiful, and it’s the color of your mom’s sweater in one of the photos. What do you think?”
“It’s pretty.” He rushed back to the blanket I had laid out and set the flower beside me. “Do we need more?”
I couldn’t help but smile up at him; my chest was so full it was a physical ache. Hunter was so excited about this project, and I was happy to give him a piece of his mom, his history. “If we have too many, we’ll just have to make another, won’t we?”
His smile grew even wider, and he looked so much like Colton that I couldn’t help but pull him close and squeeze him in a tight hug. “Molly,” he groaned.
I released him with a laugh. “Sorry about that, kiddo.”
He rushed off a half dozen more times; every return brought back another brightly colored flower until he had exhausted himself and plopped down on the blanket beside me, his head resting in my lap. “I’m pooped.”
I laughed. “Flower picking is harder than it looks.”
“Yep,” he sighed, his eyes fluttering shut as I brushed his hair from his forehead.
A man-shaped shadow blocked the sun, and I looked up with a smile that died on my lips at the sight of the man who glowered at me. “Travis,” I growled. “What the hell are you doing here?”
He smiled, but there was no joy at all coming from him as he whipped out a shiny blade. “I’m here for you, Molly. Obviously.”
“Well then, you wasted a trip,” I shot back and wrapped a protective arm around Hunter. “You should go home.”
“I will,” he said and squatted down so we were face to face. “But not without you.” Before I realized what he was doing, Travis scooped Hunter up in his arms and stood, putting a few feet of distance between us.
“Put him down right now!”
Hunter screamed, his green eyes wide with fear as his body flailed in an effort to break free of his abductor. “Molly!”
“Travis, what do you think you’re doing?” I knew he was having a hard time letting go, but this was out of character even for him. “This isn’t going to go how you think it will.”
“Won’t it?” He touched the tip of the blade to Hunter’s cheek, and my heart stopped. “This brat will be fine. Every drop of blood will stay right where it is, as long as you stand up and come with me.” To drive his point home, Travis pressed the metal with a little more pressure.
Hunter screamed again, kicking and squirming with so much force I worried he might accidentally prick himself.
I jumped to my feet and held my hands up, reaching out for Hunter. “Yeah, okay, fine, Travis. I’m up, so just put him down and tell me where to go.”
He smiled. “That’s more like it.” Thankfully, he removed the blade from Hunter’s cheek and used it to point toward the copse of trees in the distance. “That way.”
“No, Molly! Don’t go! Please!”
My heart ached, squeezing hard at the anguish in his voice. “It’s all right, Hunter. I’ll be fine, I promise.”
“Yeah, little man, she’ll be fine.” Travis laughed loudly, the sound almost wicked in its intensity. “Keep going,” he motioned again with the knife for me to get a move on.
I stopped and glared at the man I used to look at and think long-term. He was useless, a waste of a man when there were so many others who could use him for parts. “Put Hunter down first.” I folded my arms and stood a little taller, putting on a brave face that I truly did not feel.