The Naughty List Bundle - Kylie Adams [102]
“Misty?” Honey looked oblivious to Sawyer’s efforts. “You were going to leave without telling me?”
There was no mistaking her hurt, and although Morgan wouldn’t have put Misty through such an ordeal, he decided it was probably best to get it all out in the open at once. The sooner Misty got through it, the sooner she could understand that she didn’t need to leave.
He was surprised and pleased when he felt Misty’s hand slip into his, and he squeezed her fingers tight, then answered for her. “Well, she’s not going anywhere right now because her car won’t start. You don’t have to worry.”
Honey’s brows shot up. “Her car won’t start?” She sent a suspicious look at Gabe. “Did you tamper with her car like you did mine?”
Gabe straightened from his sleepy, slouched position and crossed his heart with dramatic flair. “Never touched it. Hell, I just got up. I’m not awake enough to be playing with engines.”
Jordan spoke before Honey could turn her cannons on him. “Same here. I didn’t even know she was planning to leave until I saw her with her suitcase.”
Misty stared at her sister, and Morgan could feel her tensing. “They tampered with your car?”
Honey shrugged. “I wanted to leave, because I thought I was intruding and putting them all in danger. But they weren’t worried, and they thought it’d be better if I stayed here with them. They knew I couldn’t very well leave without transportation, so they kept my car disabled. I thought Gabe was fixing it for me, but instead he was making sure it wouldn’t run if I tried to sneak off.” Honey smiled at her husband, then added, “Their intentions were good, so I forgave them.”
Misty pulled her hand away and slowly turned to glare at Morgan. Her eyes were dark with accusation and anger. “Did you ..?”
Shrugging, he said, “You didn’t exactly leave me a lot of choice.”
Her gasp was so loud she sounded as if someone had pinched her. She drew back her arm and slugged him in the stomach, gasped again, then shook her hand and glared at him. “How dare you!”
He tried to rub the sting out of her hand, but she held it protectively away from him. Morgan frowned at that. “You wouldn’t listen,” he said by way of explanation. He was more than a little aware of their rapt audience, but saw no way around it. Damn it, she was Honey’s sister, and she’d been preparing to slip off without a job, without money….
He’d never heard a woman growl so ferociously before. Everyone was frozen, silent. Misty looked as if she might hit him again, then thought better of it. Her expression was angry but resolute. “Fine. I’m calling a cab. He can take me to the bus station.”
Morgan glared at her. “Don’t push me, Malone.”
“You’ve done all the pushing, you—you…!”
“Bastard?” he supplied helpfully.
She growled again. “Fix my car!”
“No.” He crossed his arms over his chest.
Sawyer, ever the diplomat, cleared his throat. “Uh, Morgan…”
Still matching Misty glare for glare, Morgan shook his head. “She can’t leave, Sawyer, all right?”
“Why?”
Gabe spoke. “If she’s that set on going—”
“I’d prefer she stay, too,” Jordan added, “but—”
Morgan closed his eyes, trying to think of some way around the problems. Nothing too promising presented itself. When he met Misty’s gaze this time, he knew she could read his purpose.
“Don’t you do it, Morgan,” she warned.
He touched her cheek and gave her a small, regretful smile. “I’m sorry, sweetheart.” Then he turned to everyone else and announced, “I don’t want her to go, because she’s pregnant.”
The reaction wasn’t quite what he’d expected. Honey’s mouth fell open, Gabe and Jordan both became mute, Casey’s neck turned red, and Sawyer leaned on the counter with a sigh, holding tight to his share of the sheet.
Misty went ahead and hit him again. He took hold of her hands before she hurt herself. This time she didn’t pull away, but chose instead to stare at him with evil intent. He supposed she’d rather look at him than face everyone else. If he could have thought of a way to spare her, he would have.
Then Morgan realized no one was looking