Chapter 19: Crystal Clear

Molly’s POV-

I looked into Jean-Pierre’s dark eyes, and I felt every color in my face rush out. How had he found me? I hadn’t been hiding, but I definitely didn’t tell him where I lived. One of the main reasons I had met Jean-Pierre at the restaurant was so my family wouldn't stick their noses in my business just yet. But as I had laid down to sleep last night, I had been thankful that he couldn’t find me.
But here he was.
“What are you doing here?” I demanded in a hoarse voice.
“Well, I was here to see Paul Monroe. I will admit, seeing you here is far better,” Jean-Pierre confessed with a grin that looked like a child on Christmas morning.
But there was no way in hell I would be his Christmas present. I raised my chin and looked him square in the eyes. “Well, Paul is not awake yet. You’re going to have to come back later. As for me… I do not wish to see you again. AT ALL. Got it?”
“Molly?” My mother’s voice came from the dining room area. “Who is it?”
I gritted my teeth hard. I did NOT want to introduce Jean-Pierre to my mother and expose her to this person. My mother was sweet, kind, and in a way, very innocent. I didn’t want to make her feel the same thing I was feeling right now.
“Someone that was just leaving,” I told my mother as I gave Jean-Pierre a firm look.
That was when Jean-Pierre’s smile dipped a bit, and I saw that flash of anger on his face. But right now, I really couldn’t give a damn. What was he going to do with me without the authority of the club? He reached toward me, but I slapped his hand away. There was a shocked look on his face as if he really couldn’t believe that I would dare lay my hands on him. But all I could do was smirk at him.
“Do not touch me without my permission,” I stated clearly.
I rarely ever felt the need to put my foot down so hard. But my gut told me that it was absolutely vital that I made my boundaries and my feelings clear.
“Do not tell me what to do,” Jean-Pierre replied through gritted teeth.
“Let me be very, very clear, Jean-Pierre. You are not my boyfriend, you’re not my Dom, you are NOTHING to me. DO NOT TOUCH ME!” I growled out harshly but quietly.
I didn’t want my mother to overhear me, but I needed to make sure I SAW the understanding in his eyes. When I saw what I was looking for, I felt a sense of relief wash over me. There was no way that he could pretend like he didn’t hear me or understand what I was saying. For a moment, I honestly thought he was going to try something, no matter who was there or where we were. I watched as his jaw clenched and unclenched for several seconds before he finally stepped back.
“Very well. But I can guarantee that this is a decision you will regret,” Jean-Pierre stated with confidence and bravado that I truly believed he hadn't earned.
I looked him squarely in the face. “I already regret meeting you.”
He bared his teeth at me and snapped something in French. I didn’t recognize the curse word, but I had an idea about what he meant. A few choice responses ran through my head, but I kept them to myself as I watched him walk away.
“What is going on?” my mother asked as she finally joined me.
I waited until the front door closed on Jean-Pierre and turned to my mother. “Nothing, Mom. Everything is fine now. But you might want to tell Paul not to do any business with Jean-Pierre. He may come from a rich family, but he has a head full of potatoes.”
Willimina gave me an odd look but, thankfully, didn’t argue. Finally, I asked the one question that I had been dying to know the answer to. This time it was because I actually needed to talk to him.
“When is Scott coming home?” I asked her.
“He didn’t say. Why? Is everything okay?” she asked.
I slowly nodded as I considered what exactly I would say to Scott. Or if I should say anything at all. I didn’t want to upset Scott or bother him.
“No… No,” I said out loud, mostly to myself. “No, everything is fine. Don’t worry about it.”
I gave her a bright smile and a tight hug. “I’m going to go get dressed, and I’ll be back.”
I turned away and hurried upstairs to my room. The whole way there, my mind swung back and forth on whether or not I should tell Scott about Jean-Pierre. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to inform him or just wanted to hear his voice. I was unnerved by Jean-Pierre’s sudden arrival at my house so suddenly. I felt like my safe space had been invaded by him.
As soon as I was dressed, I felt like I had my armor on again, and I changed my mind about calling Scott. I didn’t need his help. I had handled the situation on my own, and I would continue to do so. Jean-Pierre was a spoiled rotten child that just needed to be reminded that he couldn’t have EVERYTHING he wanted.
I walked down the stairs and back into the kitchen to finish my breakfast and coffee. As I ate, I repeated to myself that I was a strong, independent woman, and I didn’t need Scott to help me out. I didn’t want him, I didn’t need him, and I wasn’t going to call him to fix this because I didn’t need his help... I had it handled.

The rest of my day was spent with my mother. It was a traditional vacation day as we went shopping, had lunch, and just explored Paris. It wasn’t like I hadn’t been there before, since it was my mother's favorite vacation spot. But, now I was exploring it as an adult, and I found that I absolutely loved it as well.
By the time we got back to the house, I had almost forgotten about everything that had happened earlier and felt absolutely wonderful. Once we hit the door, my mother went upstairs to get ready for a party and talk to Paul before she headed out for the night.
I headed to my room to get ready for bed. As soon as I opened my door, Scott was right there, and he was furious.
“Why the hell didn’t you call me when he showed up?!” Scott demanded.