Liam (The O’Sheas Fitheach #3)

CHAPTER 5

SERA

The O’Shea dinner table was loud, happy, and a little chaotic, and I loved it. Liam’s dad, Colm, lorded over the table, a happy, proud look on his face as he watched the shenanigans going on. My girls fit right in, which made me relax a bit. I’d had a feeling they would, but I’d wanted to be sure. Johnny and Maya were just telling us about the night they’d met, and we were in stitches when she got to how he’d been slapped.

For me, it showed what good men the O’Sheas were. Many would have retaliated, but he’d taken it in his stride, and now they were a family of five, having added to Maya’s two children from her first relationship with a gorgeous little boy of their own. Although if you didn’t know better, you’d say that Johnny was Jackson and Emy’s father the way he doted on them, and they loved him in return.

There was no feeling of being uncomfortable, as you’d expect when meeting new people. Instead, there was a deep knowledge that this was my place; these were my people, and instinct told me I’d found my home, and it wasn’t just a place.

No, my home was a slightly broody, if gorgeous-looking, blond Irishman with soulful eyes and a demeanour that came across as if he had the weight of the world on his shoulders. And he more than likely did if he was in charge of all decisions pertaining to his family and the crews that worked for them, no matter how much his brothers helped. I knew this because until a week ago, that had been me. Dad had run the company, and we’d left it in his name while I was enlisted, but all big decisions pertaining to the company had been made by me. This was not something my brother was aware of. I’d love to be a fly on the wall when he realised how hard it was to keep the goose golden.

“Johnny, Liam, and I had a meeting this afternoon about what you and I discussed,” Adam interjects, breaking my train of thought. Turning my attention to him, I waited for him to continue, which he did in due course.

“We’d like to offer you the partnership. If you come into the office tomorrow morning, we’ll get the paperwork sorted so you can have your solicitor look it over. And before you worry about the money side, we’ll sit down with you tomorrow and go through everything.”

Suddenly, Adam grins at me, and it lightens his entire serious demeanour he had going on. I could see why Tilly had fallen for him. All the O’Shea men were good-looking men, and by the amount of muscle they were packing, they worked out on the regular. “And don’t worry, I’ve banned Liam from the office until further notice.”

His words set the whole table laughing. Slanting my eyes towards Liam, I see he’s grinning, taking the teasing with good humour. “I seem to recall you not being much different when Tilly came along, brother, and as for Johnny and Tommy, they don’t seem to have grown out of the phase, so I wouldn’t hold my breath,” Liam smirks at Adam.

“Ah Jaysus, is it hot in here,” Billie mutters, fanning her face. “Yous lot need to stop with the accent; this half-Irish lass is getting homesick for some hot Irishmen, and as yous lot are taken, I’m going to have to go hunting.”

Evie, JoJo, and Ange snorts with laughter. “What the hell, Billie? That was broad even for you. Don’t worry, girl; it seems Sera’s man and Maya’s man both own clubs. We’ll go hunting this weekend.”

“If it’s nice Irish lads you’re after, we can help with that,” Colm smiles at Billie. I wasn’t sure what the gleam in his eyes meant, but I’d be watching out if the girls weren’t careful. I had a feeling that Colm, under that gruffness, was a romantic.

“Not for me,” JoJo declares, holding her hand up, “I’m not ready yet.”

“Fair enough, lass. I’ll just wait until you are,” Colm nods, as that decided that. Choking back my laughter at the gobsmacked look on JoJo’s face, I buried my head against Liam’s shoulder. I’d have to fill them in on JoJo’s history, but I had a feeling this move was going to be good for all of us.

Evie, Ange, and Billie caught my eye, their eyes alight with amusement. Supper ended not long after that, and I had to smile when the men got up to clear the table and clean up while Maya sat nursing little Ronan and Tilly had her feet up on Adam’s chair.

“Uncle Liam’s going to take us to the Crows this weekend for Trunk and Treat,” Ally tells me quietly. “Do you want to come with?”

Somehow, I had a feeling this question was a test, and it was one I hope I pass because in the short few hours I’d been in this house, I’d seen how close and tight-knit this family was. It didn’t seem to matter to them that not one ounce of O’Shea blood pumped through the girls’ veins; as far as they were concerned, when Adam and Tilly got married, the girls automatically became O’Sheas, and I can’t say that I hated that idea. In fact, I loved it.

“I’d love to come with, but only if it’s okay with you and Jeanie. I can help Molly and the rest of the Old Ladies while you two escort your uncle around. How does that sound?” I reply.

Jeanie tilts her head to the side, “Do you know the Crows?”

Nodding with a little smile playing around my lips, I tell them, “I was in the same unit as Draco when we were in the Army. Although we met all of them at one time or another, so yes, I know them well.”

“Does that mean you knew our father?” Ally wants to know. Immediately, the tension in the room ratchets up as the men tense and stop talking. Both Maya and Tilly sit up straight. My eyes dart to my girls to see if they’ve noticed, which, of course, they have.

“That depends, darling. Who was your father?” Evie asks gently.

Ally’s eyes dart to her mum, and Jeanie shifts closer to her sister. I have a feeling this is not about a father who died over there but something else. Catching Liam’s gaze, he looks grim. Adam has stopped packing the dishwasher and moved up behind Tilly, wrapping an arm around her shoulders, pulling her to his chest. His other arm wraps around both his daughters.

At Ally’s question, Johnny hurried to Maya’s side and was with her and Jackson both in the same way. When Emy’s lip starts to quiver as the tension in the room ratchets up, even as young as she is, she knows something’s wrong. Liam picks her up out of her highchair and cuddles her close.

Even with the tension in the room, I still can’t help that my ovaries want to stand up and clap an ovation at the way he looks holding a baby.

“Who was your dad, honey?” I echo Evie’s question.

“Troy Rhodes,” it’s not Ally who answers but Tilly through tight lips. I sit back, understanding crossing my face.

“Ah,” Ange nods, “you don’t need to say more. Yes, sweetheart, we knew him.”

“And he isn’t our dad,” Ally declares fiercely. “Adam’s our dad and Uncle Johnny is Jackson and Emy’s. He was just someone who made us. I only wanted to know because I needed to find out if you liked him or not.”

Taking her hand, I squeeze it gently, “No, honey, we didn’t like him. He wasn’t a very nice person. But I promise he’s gone.”

“Oh, we know,” Jeanie nods her head. “He can’t ever hurt us again. My dad and my uncles made sure of it.”

Confused, I raise my eyes to Liam’s. “I’ll fill you in later,” he mouths.

Nodding that I understand, I say, “It’s good that you have uncles and a dad that love and take care of you.” My gaze doesn’t stray from the girls opposite me, who both look relieved that I didn’t like their biological father.

I sit back in my chair and decide to change the subject to another topic completely until I find out what is going on. Turning to my squad, I tell them, “Adam wanted to know if you’d like to pick up some work while you’re looking for something permanent. Apparently, they have a waiting list of installations to be fitted. What do you say?”

“Not me,” JoJo replies, holding up her well-manicured hand. “These hands are not made for manual work.”

“How you and I are twins, I’ll never know,” Evie chortles.

“Don’t worry,” I tell JoJo, “I’ve volunteered you for the administration side of the work.”

JoJo takes up the conversation, knowing we need to change the subject from the seriousness until we can find out what exactly had happened with Troy. We’d all been friends long enough to read each other’s cues.

“Now that I can do,” she agrees. “Also, I need to get hold of Kate tomorrow. I found a property I’m interested in. It’s in the industrial area, but it looks like it’s being converted into residential. It’s a warehouse conversion, by the looks of it, near a small river.”

“I know it,” Johnny says, “it’s within walking distance from the security office. They’re pretty pricey,” he warns, “but they’d make a good investment.”

“That’s what I thought,” JoJo replies, then hums a little as she takes a sip of coffee. “The one I’m looking at has four flats in a block, each with three bedrooms. The girls and I’ll need somewhere to stay soon, and I figured that would do for us for now.”

“JoJo, you don’t need to be spending your money on us,” Ange protests. “We can rent for a little bit.”

“And if I don’t spend it on my sisters, who the hell else am I going to spend it on?” JoJo demands. “Bry would want me to invest it, and you know he’d love that it was invested with you girls in mind. So that’s what I’m going to do,” JoJo declares, blinking rapidly to clear the film of tears that has gathered in her eyes. “Besides, it will piss his father off.”

“Well then, by all means, spend away, sister dear,” Evie declares dramatically. “Anything to piss off that c… um, cookie,” she quickly changes her words when she realises how many little ears there are at the table.

Even Jeanie and Ally laugh with us at her quick change of wording. I guess it was something we’d have to think about. We all swore, but if we were going to be around the little ones, I’d ensure we all made a concentrated effort to do better.

“Well, now that that’s decided, I’ll see if Kate can get us in there to have a look,” JoJo nods decisively. “What are you lot going to start with?”

“I’d like it if you could put cameras up in the nightclubs,” Liam says as he walks back around the table, Emy still in his arms but now looking decidedly sleepy, and sits back down next to me. God, this man. I had a feeling if everything worked out between us, it wouldn’t be hard for him to persuade me to have a baby. There was just something about a strong man and a baby that got to me every… single… time.

“Why? What’s going on that you need security in the club? Is it drugs?” Billie asks.

“Nah,” Adam shakes his head. “Dealers know to stay away from our clubs. We’re losing money in the nightclubs. Not a lot, but enough to be annoying, and we just can’t figure out how it’s being done. We have a camera on the bar and the tills but haven’t found anything. But then again, the staff know the cameras are there. I want to put up hidden cameras when the club is empty of staff.”

“Good idea,” Evie nods. “We’ll come to the office tomorrow and have a look at everything, make sure you have enough stock and such for the jobs. We’ll get it sorted, don’t worry. Now, I don’t know about the rest of you, but I’m ready for bed.”

“Me too,” Tilly agrees. “Come on, I’ll show you to the static caravan. Maya put clean bedding on the beds. It has three bedrooms and a sofa bed in the lounge.”

“Sounds good to me,” Billie says, getting up with the rest following suit. Goodnights are said, and hugs are dispensed to their grandad, who’d been suspiciously quiet, but I had a feeling he missed nothing of what was going on. Soon my girls were out the door following Adam, Tilly, and their girls, who were going to show them to the caravan before going on to their house. Johnny and Maya had disappeared with their small brood. It was just me, Liam, Colm, Tommy, and Lana left at the table.

“What was that with dickhead Troy?” I ask. “I thought he was KIA.”

Liam sighs and wipes a hand down his face, his shoulders slump wearily. “So did we, but he wasn’t. He followed Tilly and the girls here but only after beating the hell out of her and Ally. Let’s just say he’ll no longer be a problem for anyone and leave it like that.”

“Good,” I say fiercely, “it couldn’t have happened to a nicer guy.”

“I’m guessing some of you had issues with him too?” Tommy enquires.

Shaking my head negatively, “No, not us. I wasn’t his type, especially after this happened,” I point at my face. “My girls and I were too loud and bolshy for him. There was a woman in the communications tent that he set his sights on; she was quiet and demure, or so he thought,” I grin at the memory. “He tried to accost her in the showers one evening and paid dearly for it. Rumour was she nearly ripped his dick off; she gripped him so tight and twisted, all the while making him walk towards the main tent so she could lay a complaint. It was awesome, but unfortunately, it was swept under the carpet. Last I heard, she’d resigned and left.

“He wasn’t a good guy, but he somehow had a great relationship with the men; he didn’t let them see what he was like. Although I have a feeling some saw through his bullshit. I’m glad he’s gone. I don’t need to know the nitty-gritty bits. I’m happy with what you’ve told me.”

“Yep, she’s the one,” Colm nods at Liam. Standing up, he leans over and kisses my forehead. “Welcome to the family, lass. Night all.” And with that, he walks out the door and into the night.

“Where’s he going?” I ask a little concerned that he was out there in the dark by himself.

Tommy and Lana grin as they also stand up to leave. Tommy says, “He has a cottage at the back of the house; we’ll make sure he gets there all right. Night, you two.”

“Night,” Liam and I echo back.

“Well, mo bhanríon , it’s just me and you now. What do you want to do?”

“I want you to take me to your home and fuck me, Liam. That’s what I want.”

Liam grins wide, “Never let it be said that an O’Shea man doesn’t give his lady what she wants. Let’s go, mo bhanríon.”

Taking my hand, he pulls me up from my chair and hustles me out of the house toward a well-lit path at the back of the house that leads past a house where I can see Adam and Tilly in the lounge sitting cuddled on the couch. Adam looks up as we rush past and flashes us a dirty grin, which I completely forget about as soon as I’m hoisted over Liam’s shoulder, making me squeal in surprise and then laugh as he stomps up some stairs and into his house, where he continues walking until we are in what I can only assume is his bedroom. Then I know it is as I go flying off his shoulder and onto a bed that’s as soft as a cloud. Laughing as he attacks my boots and pulls them off, followed in short order by my jeans and then my shirt, until I’m completely naked in front of him and he’s watching me like he’s deciding where he’s going to start.

“Strip,” I tell him. “Show me what I’ve been thinking about since I met you.”