Page 13 of Strip Search
Chapter Six
Molly
The last thing I expectto see Monday morning is Cody walking into the office with a black eye and busted lip. Certainly not the way to start a week.
“What the...Cody, what happened?” I push back from my desk and walk around to get a better look.
Cole comes barreling in the door right behind him and growls, “He deserved it.”
“Cole Anthony Davenport, you did not!” I instinctively scold the arrogant asshole as he stomps past us and into his office, slamming the door behind him. “Cody,” my voice softens as I turn my attention back to my friend and co-worker.
“I’m fine, Mols. Not the first time he’s tried to kick my ass,” he defends.
He’s right. It’s not the first time he and Cole have come to blows. In fact, back when I first started, I used to find their impromptu wrestling matches entertaining to watch. Those were usually always in fun in nature though. And those were never because of me.
“It’s because of me, isn’t it?” I already know the answer, but a quick nod from Cody confirms it.
“He’ll get over it. He knows this was the best option,” Cody reassures me.
“He still had no right to do this to you!” I yell loud enough that I know Cole can hear me behind his closed door.
“Let it go, Molly. Let’s get to work and forget about it.” Cody gives me a side hug then heads down the hall to his space as I circle back behind the receptionist desk and take a seat.
What I really want to do is march into Cole’s office and give him a piece of my mind, again. Except, that didn’t work out so well the last time. Never mind the fact that I’ve slept like shit since he stormed out of my condo in the wee hours of Sunday morning.
Brushing off the reminder of how incredibly wrong things went, I try to focus on the work in front of me. Keeping my mind off the fact that I’ll be heading over toThe Landing Stripto ’work’ for the first time tonight. No. I have better things to do than dwell on the nerves in the pit of my stomach. There are phone calls to be made. Appointments to book and clients to call back.
I am able to bury myself in my work until lunchtime finally rolls around. Then, the two brooding men that have avoided me all morning emerge from their offices and grace me with their presence.
“You’re not going toThe Landing Striptonight,” Cole grumbles demandingly.
Cody leans against the wall behind my desk. “She has to. You need to get over it. If she doesn’t show up, he’ll come looking for her, and you run the risk of blowing our cover.”
Cole lunges forward, but I quickly jump between them.
“Knock it the fuck off.” I push against Cole’s chest, forcing him back only an inch or two. “Grown the hell up. Put your head on straight and help me do this the way it should go down.”
He looks down at me for a brief moment, long enough that I can see his eyes soften. “You being involved was not part of the plan.”
“Yes, so you’ve said. Too late now. You’ve lost this round so give in already. We should be hashing out what the plan is once I’m inside, instead of you acting like a hot head, beating up your brother and effectively ignoring me all morning.”
“She has a point,” Cody quips from behind me.
Cole bucks at him again, earning himself a punch right in the solar plexus from me. “Enough, Cole. Get your shit together, or I’ll quit.”
I take great pleasure in the pained look on his face as he gasps for air from my hit.