Liam (The O’Sheas Fitheach #3)

CHAPTER 2

LIAM

All of them were falling like flies.

My brothers and even my cousin Tommy although I considered him a brother as he’d always been part of my life and had grown up in our home.

Not that I blamed them, the women they’d chosen, or maybe it was the women who’d chosen them. Either way, it didn’t matter; they were some of the best women I’d known. And I knew a fair few good, strong women. My new sisters-in-law were wonderful, and I loved them and the children they’d brought with them. I found I thoroughly enjoyed being an uncle.

However, with all the new members being added to our family, it meant there were changes within our business structure as Johnny and Adam now had other priorities. And that’s how it should be.

But it did mean we didn’t get to sit down as often as I’d like to go over how our businesses were doing. As far as I knew, it was only my clubs where we were still losing money, and while it wasn’t thousands, it was enough to be annoying. I hated not knowing how it was happening or who was doing it. I’d like to say I trusted everyone who worked for me, but that wasn’t true.

I wasn’t a trusting person. Not with the business we came from and the subsequent betrayal that meant the brother I was closest to had ended up in prison for a very long time.

I’d never wanted to be in charge of our family business. Rhett was the one I’d always followed, and I hated the feeling that I was letting him down by not knowing who was nicking money from us. Not that he would have thought that, and he’d be kicking my arse if he knew that’s how I felt. But he’d cast a large shadow, and I was content to let him. It had been a shock to no longer be in that shadow when he’d been sent down. It was especially hard not having him there to bounce ideas off about the changes I’d made once we knew there was no chance of him getting out of prison any time soon.

There had been hard decisions to make, but I knew in my heart of hearts that I wouldn’t be able to see another of my brothers in prison, and I knew it would kill my Da if it were to happen again.

I’d expected more pushback, but both Adam and Johnny had jumped on board, and surprisingly, Da had been fine with my suggestion of getting out of running guns. We’d passed all our clients as well as some of our crew that didn’t want to go into legitimate business onto our cousins in Ireland, and somehow, they made it work. A lot had retired, and we’d made sure they were comfortable.

Adam’s team had stayed with him; they were well-suited to the security and bodyguard business he’d opened. Surprisingly, we made more money now than we did when we sold guns, and it was a fuckton less dangerous.

Usually, I’d be at one of the clubs at this time of day. But today I was doing a favour for Adam and Tilly while they went to the hospital for a scan on the babies they were expecting. They hadn’t wanted to leave the office unattended as they were expecting someone to come and speak to them about setting up the security side of the business that Adam wanted to grow. Draco had passed on the details of someone they’d known in the military who had the right qualifications. Another great business decision had been going into partnership with the Crow MC.

We’d known them for years and at one time our families were related through Rhett’s marriage to Noni. Unfortunately, that hadn’t survived his incarceration. That was all on Rhett, though; Noni had been prepared to wait. His decision to divorce her had broken the normally bright, vivacious woman. She’d become a ghost of what she had been.

It was partly because of her generosity that we’d had the money to start up our businesses. She’d sold the house she’d lived in with Rhett and given the money she got for it to me to invest. The only thing she’d asked was that we not use it for illegal gains, and we hadn’t. We’d bought Johnny The Lounge with it but didn’t have enough for both the nightclubs until the Crows had agreed to be silent partners.

They left us alone to run them how we saw fit, for which I was grateful. And Noni was now travelling around Europe as she’d needed to get away from all the memories, not that I blamed her; there were days that I wished I could do the same. I knew she’d been to see Rhett before she’d left because he’d told me when I’d visited him.

He still loved her; we all knew that, and while none of us agreed with the way he divorced her, we could understand it. He wanted her to be able to live her own life and not wait on him because we’d all known she would. It was just the way she was built; she’d been loyal from the day she’d seen him. Her loyalty and love for my brother were two of the many reasons I had a feeling she and Bull hadn’t worked out. We missed having her in our lives—my Da the most—but Tilly, Maya, and their children were now filling that hole.

I was brought from my musings and memories by the sound of the office phone ringing.

“Hello,” I answer.

“Um, is that O’Shea Security?” The husky voice that came through the line had me shifting in my seat and adjusting my jeans. Jesus, what the fuck was wrong with me?

“Yeah, sorry it is. I’m covering the phones. Probably should have answered with that, hey,” I chuckle.

The answering throaty laugh wasn’t helping the tightness in my pants any. Clearing my throat, I ask, “Can I help you with anything?”

“I’m looking for Adam. Draco passed his number onto me; apparently, he’s looking for someone to help with security installations and I’m meant to be meeting him today.”

“Yes, he is. That’s why I’m here; they were expecting a call from you today.”

There was a slight hesitation before she answers, “I know I said I’d call before I arrived, but I’m in the car park and was wondering if now’s a good time or not to maybe have a face-to-face chat instead?”

“He’s taken his wife to the hospital for a scan, but they should be back soon if you want to come in and wait. I’ll send him a message and let him know you’re waiting.”

“If you’re sure?”

“Babe, I’m sure. Come in, we can have a coffee while you wait.”

“Okay,” in the background, I hear the sound of a car door open and close before she continues, “thanks, I’m walking up now.”

“I’ll buzz you in,” I let her know as I keep watch for her on the screen and then nearly swallow my tongue as a gorgeous dark-haired Amazon approaches, big breasts, narrow waist, hips made for fucking, dressed in combat trousers, boots, and a plain olive-green V-neck T-shirt.

She pushes her dark glasses up to the top of her head. I can’t tell what the colour of her eyes are on the camera, but something tells me they’re dark. My breath hitches as she leans forward and presses the button on the keypad, and I catch sight of the scar that runs along her face from near the corner of her eye down her cheek, disappearing down her neck. It has me wondering what happened. I’m pulled from my thoughts by the insistent buzzing from the door.

Pressing the button that opens the door, I wait in anticipation as the woman of my dreams walks towards me with her hand outstretched, “Hi, my name’s Sera.”

‘I’m so fucked,” I whisper to myself. Shaking off my lust, I take her hand, holding in my moan as a jolt of electricity runs along our joined hands straight to my cock.

Giving her hand a gentle shake, I reply a little hoarsely, “Liam O’Shea.”