Claiming Serenity(29)

“Daddy, no. There isn’t anything between us.”

Layla appreciated her father, his advice, his patience, even when she didn’t deserve it. He’d always supported her and her brother Ethan no matter what and Layla was grateful that she had him. He was only looking out for her, like any good father would do.

When he only cocked an eyebrow at her, still seeming unconvinced that nothing was happening between Layla and the Demon, she shook her head, accepting that her father wanted her to be a bit complacent. “I will, Daddy. I promise.” She kissed his cheek and linked her arm through his as they headed toward the door. “Come on, let’s get you to the pitch. I want nothing more than to get back here and wash off…”

“Your sinful regret?” he said, laughing like he thought he was hilarious.

“The night, Dad. I was going to say wash off the night. Perv.” Layla stared after him as he walked toward her car, laughing with him and hopeful her father bought her forced indignation.





The night before should have been mind-blowing. After all, Donovan promised to make it up to Layla. It should have been raw and real and something she would never forget. But Donovan being Donovan and Layla reacting to him when he was, meant that the bare experience never happened and the night as a whole, really, was less than spectacular.

She’d dropped off her father at the pitch and Declan leaned into her window asking her if she’d heard from Sayo. She hadn’t¸ but no one had and then Layla caught Donovan glaring at her through the windshield before he whistled at Declan. She hadn’t liked the look he gave her or the way he rushed through their night when she went to his apartment. He’d seemed tense, his touches half-hearted and though Donovan didn’t disappoint her, he never did, she caught on to his attitude, felt like he was just going through motions with her and a little annoyed by something he kept to himself. He’d been distant and made Layla feel unwelcomed and she left after she took a shower. He hadn’t stopped her. He hadn’t asked her why she wasn’t staying with him.

The next day when she and Mollie were at the university’s cafeteria—and Donovan was hanging out with some teammates a few tables away—Layla hated the way Donovan laughed like there was nothing out of the norm going on between them. Oh, sure she understood keeping up appearances, but completely ignoring her? That was a little juvenile.

“You don’t want your pickle, do you? I have a craving.” Mollie didn’t wait for Layla to answer and had eaten half the pickle before Layla could even open her mouth.

Layla looked at Mollie’s discarded napkins and empty plate. She’d eaten every single bite and was working her way toward Layla’s. “What gives? You’re eating like a Victoria’s Secret model the day after a bathing suit shoot.” Mollie ignored her, reached across the table to still another pickle and Layla slapped her hand away before she leaned forward, whispering to her best friend. “Oh my God, Mollie are you pregnant?”

A quick eye roll and Mollie tossed her crumpled up napkin at her. “Don’t be stupid. God, can you imagine?” When Layla only continued to stare at her, Mollie rubbed the bridge of her nose. “Vaughn is a little gun shy about the whole kid thing, Layla. Besides, we’ve only been dating a few months. A few hot, mind blowing months, but still only a few months and you know I’ve been on the pill since I was sixteen.”

Layla shrugged, knowing Mollie’s casual attitude wasn’t forced. Her appetite was likely just a result of all the activity she and Vaughn had gotten up to. She’d told Layla that her Marine had been training for a CrossFit competition and their meals had been protein-rich and regimented. Mollie might love the guy, but she wouldn’t mimic his diet. The girl loved food too much for that.

“I have a third cousin in Nashville who got pregnant while she had the flu despite being on the pill. She got landed with a kid at eighteen. The pill isn’t always a hundred percent.”

“Don’t scare me,” Mollie said, sitting up straight as a small shiver moved her shoulders. “Please, I know better. How many lectures did your mom or Autumn’s give us over the years about being smart with sex? No, I’m not pregnant. I just didn’t eat much last night because Vaughn came over and we…”

The quick eye waggling was enough of an explanation but when Mollie licked her lips and released an inflated moan, Layla shook her head, holding up her hand to silence her friend. “Okay. Enough. Please spare me.”

“You’re grumpy,” Mollie said through a laugh. “What gives? Your dad still hounding you about Walter?”