She tried not to let the doubts get a foothold, but they already had. With each minute that passed, they only grew stronger.
"I'd ask why you're hiding-but I suspect a poor farm girl like you didn't get invited to many parties like this growing up in a cornfield and you don't know how to act."
Molly faced Clive. "How astute."
"I try." Clive's gaze flicked to the door, then back to her. "But you aren't hiding because like Deacon you have zero social graces. So the question is, why are you out here and your beloved is in there?"
She said nothing.
"Sounds like a family fight and someone is unhappy. I'd ask you what's going on, but it's obvious you don't know."
"How can you be sure I wasn't tasked with watching the door so they didn't get interrupted during their family meeting?"
"Because you're pacing. If you knew what they were talking about, you wouldn't be outside the door, trying so hard to listen in, would you?"
"Are you always such a know-it-all asshole?" Molly asked in a saccharine tone.
"Pretty much." He leaned closer. "And doesn't it rankle that you're not allowed in the inner sanctum? For being the first girlfriend Deacon has brought home in years, you don't rate high enough to be involved in this family discussion?"
Stung, because he'd zeroed in on her insecurity, she retorted, "If you know so much about what's going on, why don't you tell me?"
"Because it's so much more fun to watch you twist in the wind and freak out about not knowing."
God. Clive was just like her cousins.
"I saw how you reacted last night when Deacon spoke of his upcoming fight." His eyes gleamed with malice. "That was the first you'd heard of it. So I have to wonder if my cousin tells you anything important. How long were you together before he told you about Dante and the accident?"
Molly's face heated.
"Ah, a while, then. Even longer, I'll bet, before he gave you the rest of the story."
Don't listen to him.
"So are you one of those women who will excuse anything that 'Con Man' the big-time fighter says or does just because you're so thankful he's with you?" Clive gave her a cruel once-over. "Even without the trust fund, Deacon is out of your league."
"You know nothing about the man he is now."
"On the contrary, I know he is violent and self-centered. He's got an immense ego and a chip on his shoulder the size of Texas. He's the same privileged prick he's always been. Nothing changes with him. He does what he wants and damn the consequences."
Ooh. Sounds like Clive has his cousin pegged, doesn't it?
The voices in the room escalated.
"The smartest thing for you to do is to walk away from him. Because sooner or later, he will drive you away. That's who he is and what he does."
"Why do you care?"
"That's the thing-I don't care. But this whole situation is a train wreck, and I can't look away."
"I'd think you'd want him in a good place, Clive."
His eyes narrowed into snakelike slits. "Why?"
"So he doesn't throw his support behind Tag to sell JFW and you're out on your ass."
"Deacon telling you confidential information about a possible upcoming official vote will be seen as a breach of confidentiality, and he won't be allowed to vote. That may even get him kicked off the board." His grin defined evil, and she shivered. "You just couldn't help yourself, could you? Proving me wrong that Deacon does talk to you about important things."
Oh god. How had she fallen for that? "But-"
The door opened and Julianne hustled out, tears streaming down her face.
Clive intercepted her. "Aunt Julianne? What's going on?"
She shook her head. "Personal family business that he just-" Julianne glared at Molly. "Why are you still hanging around?"
"I thought Deacon might need me."
"Why don't you be a good little girlfriend and go wait for him in bed at the hotel?" she snapped.
Molly wanted to crawl into a hole. But first she wanted to puke.
Except you brought this on yourself. She thinks you're fine being Deacon's sexual plaything.
Dammit. Stuff like this always came back to bite her in the ass.
Before she could explain, Clive had his arm around Julianne's shoulders and was leading her away.
When ten more minutes passed and Deacon still hadn't appeared, Molly had enough of waiting around and supposing.
She had plans of her own to make.
CHAPTER THIRTY-FOUR
THE next morning Tag fell into step with Deacon as he started down the hallway at the JFW office building.
"You're early." He checked out Deacon's clothing-the sport coat and dress slacks he'd worn to the country club last night. "And you don't look like a bum. What's up? Did you just get out of jail or something?"