Chapter Forty
Molly
Eventually Dom and Baze came to help the rest of the guys with the moving process. Molly and Corey kept their happy asses on the couch. They had an indulgent rom-com movie marathon and ate bags of fast food. Molly stretched her arms over her head and yawned. “This was the most relaxing Saturday I have had in a long time.”
Corey smiled and turned the television off. “Me too. I’m starting to feel a little guilty about not helping the guys though.”
Molly laughed. “What? You’re the one who thought up that punishment, and you’re the one who sent Riley for our lunch.”
“Yeah, but we could order some pizza and go over there and unpack with them. Besides, you don’t want those five trying to figure out where you want everything, do you? I’d hate to see how Linc decorates your new house.”
“Very. True.” They both got up and put their shoes on. After ordering pizza to be delivered to her new place, Molly grabbed all the beer out of Corey’s fridge and headed home. When she walked in the front door, she was amazed by the progress the guys had made. All the furniture had been rearranged to accommodate her stuff, her books were on Keller’s large bookcase, and her yoga mat was leaning by the door. Her heart warmed. This was her home. The home she would share with the man she loved, her mate.
Keller came out of the bedroom and his face lit up. “Hey, darlin’. I’m glad you’re home.” He crossed the room and kissed her deeply before unloading all the beer from her arms. “I missed you.”
Linc coughed out. “Pussy.”
Molly giggled. “I am so impressed, you guys. You have done a whole weekend of work in a matter of hours. We ordered pizza—it should be here soon.” She grabbed a beer from the case on the kitchen counter and popped it open, taking a long swallow.
Corey groaned at the sight of Molly drinking an ice-cold beer. “The one thing I crave more than chocolate? A cold beer. Really, what’s better than a cold beer when the sun is shining?”
Dom walked in and put his arms around his mate, resting his hands on her growing belly. “Being pregnant with our daughter?”
“Stop it. You know what I mean. I love beer, and wine, it’s hard.” Corey turned to face her fiancé. “In fact, I think you should stop drinking until the baby is born.”
Dom took a reflexive step back while Molly hid her smile behind her hand. “Come again?”
Keller started to chuckle. “You know, I agree, Coop. It’s only fair.”
“You bite your tongue, Byrne. You’re mated. How long before Molly gets pregnant?” His gaze followed Keller while he quickly grabbed a beer and Molly’s hand, walking out of the line of fire. “Baby. Baby, please don’t make me do this.”
Baze breezed into the kitchen and pulled a beer out of the fridge. “What’s she making you do now? Does she want you to just chop off your balls and hand them to her? You should—you don’t use them anyway.”
Dom picked up a roll of paper towels from the counter and chucked it at Baze’s head. “No, asshole. She wants me to stop drinking until the baby is born, because you know, she can’t.”
Baze easily caught the paper towels and set them back on the counter, shrugging. “You should. Solidarity and all that shit.”
“Maybe we all should stop drinking? A pack that abstains together stays together.” Dom smiled over Corey’s head when Baze shot him the finger, but he kept on talking. “Baby, you were just getting onto Linc about how much he drinks. Maybe this could be good for all of us.”
Corey tapped her finger against her lips like she was contemplating his suggestion. “Nah, I won’t do that to everyone.” She kissed Dom squarely on the mouth. “Just you.”
Dom dropped to his knees, hands clasped, begging like a damn fool. “Baby, no. I’ll do anything.”
Corey let a cruel smile spread over her face. “Anything?”
“Anything.”
She tilted her head from one side to the other, clearly trying to think of the perfect request. “When I wake up in the middle of the night to feed our daughter, you have to sit up with me. Every single time. If I’m up, you’re up.”
“Deal.” Dom got off his feet and kissed his mate. He glanced over his shoulder when he heard Keller erupt with laughter. He looked over at Baze and saw him chuckling too. Poor man didn’t realize what he’d agreed to.
Molly left Keller’s side when the doorbell rang. She paid then grabbed the pizzas from the deliveryman. She returned to the kitchen and placed the six boxes on the bar, quickly stepping out of the way before the wolves descended. All the guys grabbed plates and piled them high. Keller walked up and handed her a paper plate with a couple slices of veggie pizza and kissed her neck.
Suddenly she realized something was missing. “Hey, love? Where’s Tibby?”
“Tibby?” Keller looked confused, like he didn’t remember she had a cat.
“Here’s your cat, Miss Molly. I wanted to wait until everything was moved before I brought her over here. I didn’t want to accidentally step on her or anything.” Riley smiled smugly at Keller over Molly’s head.
“Riley, you are just the sweetest. Come here.” Molly grabbed Riley and hugged him tight before taking the crate and letting Tibby out.
“Yes, Riley. You are wonderful.” Keller rolled his eyes skyward.
Tibby immediately flung herself onto his leg. “Molly? About this cat…”
Molly reached down and pried Tibby’s claws out of Keller gently. “Man, she really doesn’t like you. Oh well, I’ll just give her back to Aunt Maggie.”
Keller studied his leg for signs of bleeding before looking up. “Wait. She’s Aunt Maggie’s cat?”
“Yeah, I was kind of lonely living alone so she let me borrow her. Tibby is old. I’ve known her most of my life. I swear you and dogs are—oh wait. Oh wow, that’s hilarious. She hates you because you’re a dog.”
Keller puffed out his chest. “Wolf.”
Molly was laughing so hard she could hardly get her sentence out. “Same…difference to…her.”
After everyone had a good laugh at Keller’s expense and polished off all six boxes of pizza, they all piled into the living room and collapsed. Jasper had headed back to the dorms, punishment over, so it was just the pack gathered in her house.
Molly looked around at all of them and smiled. So much love in one room, so much family. She hadn’t just gotten a mate; she’d gotten brothers, a sister, and a niece on the way. Life was perfect. Molly was just about to express her feelings of gratitude when there was a knock at the door. They all just kind of looked around the room at each other, counting in their heads.
Linc spoke first. “Uh, we’re all here.”
Molly climbed off Keller’s lap and went to the door before he could get all protective and caveman-like. When she looked through the peephole her stomach dropped. Agent Brooks. It was her own fault really, tempting the universe with her happy contentment. “It’s Brooks.”
Keller and Dom both rose to their feet.
Molly held up a hand, “Please. Just let me see what he wants. There is no reason to cause a scene on campus.” She met Keller’s gaze, silently begging him. When he gave a curt nod she opened the door. “Agent Brooks. What can I do for you?”
Brooks kept his hands in his pockets. “I’m sorry to drop by like this but after last night…you weren’t in class this morning. I just wanted to make sure you were okay.” Keller walked up behind her and put his hand possessively on her hip. She smiled at Brooks. “I’m perfectly fine. Today was moving day. I had my aunt cover my class so we could get started early.”
Brooks gave a tight smile. “Oh, well, congrats then, I guess.” He looked past Molly and saw that the house was full of the rest of the St. Leasing coaches. He met Keller’s glare. “Do you mind if I come in for a minute? Since you are all here, there is some stuff I need to tell the group.”