Chapter 63: Dresses and Guests

-Scott's POV-

The moment I saw Molly in her beautiful, tight dress and her hair around her shoulders like a veil of golden silk. She looked like a goddess when she turned and gave me that sexy, confident grin. As she turned away and bent down to fix her sexy stiletto heels, I was forced to adjust myself in my pants. Otherwise, the proof of my erection would be all too obvious.
I knew I was supposed to be teasing Molly into a fluster. But, honestly, she was doing the same to me.
"Monroe!" one of the guests popped through the door and greeted me enthusiastically.
I couldn't for the life of me remember the man's name, but he certainly knew my father and me. The man immediately launched into a business proposal that he was hoping to talk to my father about.
I tried to listen to him, but when Molly and Becca came into view, all words were lost on me. While Becca looked beautiful and a thousand times better than she had in the god-awful dress her mother had put her in.
It was Molly that had my entire attention. I was in awe that this beautiful, vibrant woman gave me the power to protect and guide her.
A sappy smile curved my lips, and for a moment, I allowed myself the dream that I could own her body, heart, and soul.
His own heart squeezed with affection and joy to know that even for a little while, she was mine.
Oblivious to my inner thoughts, Molly gave Becca a quick jerk of her head.
"How this?" she asked, almost arrogantly.
I chuckled softly. Becca was obviously her canvas, and Molly was damned proud of the art she had created.
"Much better," I admitted. "How do YOU feel, Becca?"
"Like a princess," Becca had admitted with a charming, almost shy smile on her face.
The beautiful moment that she became a butterfly was interrupted by the harsh shrill of her mother's loud protests. The butterfly was gone in an instant, and the mouse was back. But Molly was not about to put up with that. Becca and I sat back and watched as Molly handled the shrew with ease and poise.
Of course, she lied through her teeth, but it got the point across. Becca's mother wouldn't dare deny them anything that had to do with Paul Monroe.
The moment her mother was out of earshot, giggling from the girls ensued. The hair stood up on the back of my neck when I heard the giggles abruptly end.
"Keith," Becca whispered, her voice tinged with fear.
I jerked my eyes to the door to see the son of the newest addition to one of my father's circle of contacts.
Keith Horton.
There had been gossip around the Horton family. Keith's father had been forced to move here because of a lawsuit he was trying to avoid due to Keith's behavior. Though the truth of the gossip was always more underwhelming than the tidbits themselves. Even if that was correct in this situation, I did not want that man anywhere near Molly.
He was absolutely bad news, regardless of how important his father was. I wasn't shocked to see that he was invited here, but I was shocked that he had sent his son. The senior Horton must not have thought the Delaney family was worth his time. Which might have been funny if it hadn't left Keith in his place.
I stepped in front of Molly, not wanting him to lay those creepy, yellowish eyes on my woman.
Keith's eyes snapped to me, my movement bringing his attention away from Becca. A slow, nasty smile crossed his face as if he knew exactly what I was doing and found it funny.
"Monroe," he greeted me.
"Horton," I returned it, not caring if it sounded rude.
"Who ya hiding back there?" he asked, much too pleasantly for my taste.
Molly pushed herself from behind me, not understanding what I was doing. That was something I would definitely have to talk to her about when we got home. No matter what, she needed to be warned to stay far away from Horton and warn Becca about it while I was at it.
"Gosh, Scott!" Molly snapped out in frustration. "I'm Molly. A friend of Becca's."
I bit back a growl as Horton's eyes looked her up and down like a piece of meat. Worse, he seemed to like what he saw and pulled her closer to him as if he had a right to touch her.
"Ohhh, yes.... you're Monroe's little SISTER," Keith commented with a nasty connotation to his last words.
He had all too bright gaze and held a perverted sense of enjoyment that reminded me too much of Jean-Pierre to enjoy it.
"My step-sister," I corrected him, unsure exactly why I did.
Molly's back stiffened in front of me, and her face went blank as she tucked her feelings back behind that current of hers.
"Oh! Forgive me!" Keith gave a false apology. "If I had a step-sister as beautiful as you, I would want to make that distinction as well."
The instant Keith let Molly go, I drew her back to my side and stepped away slightly.
"I'm sorry, baby girl," I whispered to her. "But Keith Horton is not a good man, and I don't want him to have anything to do with you or even be near you."
"I caught that rather quickly. I just... the moment the man said that I felt as if he was calling us out on everything," Molly admitted quietly. "It made me feel dirty."
"You're not, little one. That man's the disgusting one. We're not doing anything wrong," I reassured Molly as I squeezed her hands. "Please just promise me you'll stay away from him. And we'll need to tell Becca to do the same thing as well."
"Thank you for thinking about her. I think... I think she needs someone to care for her... almost like you care for me," Molly said with a bright blush.
I chuckled and gave her a wink. "Well, my hands are deliciously full at the moment. But maybe we'll see what we can do."
Molly giggled quietly. "I think that's a great idea."
I leaned down and whispered in her ear. "Almost anyone would be better than that bastard."
Molly eagerly nodded just as Becca rejoined them with a curious look on her face.
"What's going on?" she asked.
"How do you know him?" I countered quickly, not wanting to explain exactly what we were talking about.
I really didn't think Becca would quite understand any part of the situation between Molly and me.
"He drives the bus I take to school," Becca explained simply.
"Is HE why you didn't want to ride the bus?" Molly asked in shock.
Becca looked away as if she was ashamed and made me feel awful for pushing her. I reached a hand up to get her attention and apologize, but a voice from the doorway stopped me in my tracks.
It was the very last voice I had expected to hear, especially with the tone that it had.
"What have I told you about dropping your eyes, little one?"
The shock on Molly's face did not touch how stunned I was. There is no fucking way that HE was here tonight, and there was no fucking way that He was talking to BECCA like that.
Noah stepped further into the doorway and didn't even spare a glance in either Molly's or I's direction. He only had eyes for Becca. Very protective, possessive, and heated gaze for Becca.
This was not good at all.