Chapter 23
Life is Grand
Brooklyn
Eight months later …
“Aw, love. Shh … me wee, lass. Ya have to stop the tears. I can’t bear to leave ya like this,” I coo as I bounce Shauna in my arms.
I’m here for my weekly check-in. I just landed in Ireland from New York. I’ve been needed there as much as I’ve been needed here lately.
Felix has moved Kaye back to Cali, so that’s one less thing on my plate, but it seems ten others have been added in her place. If I’m in Ireland, I check in with Shauna at least once a week.
At eight months old, my niece is a cute little thing. Her tiny fingers are so adorable, and she has the sweetest smile.
Every time I’m here, I think of what my babies with DJ will look like. We’ve been going strong and my love for her is only getting stronger. I’m trying to leave now so I can get to her.
“Ya can go, I’ve got her,” Aisling says as she takes Shauna from my arms.
Shauna gives me that little face that asks where I’m going and why aren’t I holding her still. It breaks my heart. I wish I had more time today, but I’ve been away for too long.
DJ needs time as much as Shauna does. I thought Logan would be back by now, but he’s not. I’m growing irritated with how long it’s taking for them to release him.
They have nothing to hold him on. He shouldn’t be there in the first place. Each day he’s there, he’s missing out on a day of this wee one’s life. Another day that he doesn’t know she exists.
I’m tired of all the lying. Which is why I have a big surprise for DJ tonight. It’s our anniversary and I’m growing tired of feeling like I need to hide her away.
I’ve rented out a club in Belfast to throw a party. It’s by invitation only. All my guests are flying in by helicopter, including DJ and me, after I take her to dinner.
However, first, I need to fly to London, where our home is. I haven’t been able to move her to Ireland yet. Things are still volatile here.
“Thanks, Aisling. She hasn’t been giving ya any trouble, has she?”
“Not at all, she’s the sweetest babe ever,” she says while smiling at me.
Aisling takes good care of Shauna, but I still think Kate could have found a better option. This one eye fucks me whenever she sees me. Aisling is a pretty woman, but I’m not interested.
“How do I look?” Kate says as she comes out dressed in a tight black dress.
She looks like a supermodel. Both of my sisters are gorgeous. Kate is the taller of the two, with her long, dark hair and green eyes. I’ll have my guys keep an eye on her tonight.
Kate has been here with Aisling to protect my niece if anyone were to stumble upon her existence. Connie should be here soon to help out for a bit. She was just in California with Dylan for Felix’s proposal party.
I have to give the lad a call. I heard things didn’t go as he planned. I was sorry to hear that.
“Ya look gorgeous. Seán is downstairs, he’s going to ride to Belfast with ya.”
“Oh, I get the big security,” Kate coos and shimmies her shoulders.
I chuckle and shake my head. She comes over and begins fussing with the lapels of my suit jacket.
“Ya look handsome, yerself.”
“Thanks. I try.”
“Ya don’t have to try much,” Aisling says with a goofy smile on her face.
I don’t reply. Instead, I walk over and place a hand on Shauna’s back before I kiss the top of her head. She turns to look over her shoulder and begins to blow bubbles at me.
“So adorable. I’ll see ya soon, love. Ya be good,” I say, earning me a gummy smile.
“Ye guys have fun. I wish I could go,” Aisling says as she looks me over from head to toe.
I fight not to roll my eyes as I turn to leave. As I walk out, I nod my head for Kate to follow me. Once we’re out the door, I look back to make sure we’re not followed.
“Ya know ya could have found someone who doesn’t want to fuck me to do the job, right?”
“I chose her for exactly that reason. Her obsession with ya makes her willing to give her left tit to please ya. She’d die sooner than disappoint ya.”
I make a sour face. I don’t want her left or her right tit. What I want is for her to take care of my niece and make sure no one makes the connection to who she is. Aisling can move about with the babe and not need to look over her shoulder.
“Bad idea, Kate. She doesn’t know anything about tonight, does she?”
“No, I’m not crazy and neither is she. If she hurts Shauna, ya won’t get a chance to make her pay for it. She’d already be earth salt under my boot.”
“Hopefully this won’t be for much longer.”
“LaSalle offered to take her in. Do ya think she would be safer with him?”
“Ach, maybe, but she’s our charge. Our blood.”
“I hear ya. I was only thinking. I would go with her. She wouldn’t be a burden. I would—”
“Kate, Logan is already going to be furious with us. LaSalle has enough on his plate, and he needs to remain neutral when Logan finds out.”
“Okay, yer right.”
I turn to kiss my sister on the cheek before she climbs into the waiting car. Once she’s in the car, I tap the roof. The driver pulls off, and I go to climb into my own vehicle to get to the chopper that’s taking me home to DJ.
I miss her and can’t wait to see her. I hope tonight makes up for some of the bullshit I’m putting her through. I can tell she’s beginning to get frustrated.
“I’m coming, baby. Tonight is all about you,” I murmur as I press my foot on the gas.
Deja
“Don’t hurt ’em, love,” I say to my reflection as I look myself over one last time.
I can’t stop smiling. Cole is on his way back to London. I knew he would be back tonight, but what I wasn’t expecting was for him to send a dress to the house for me and a note to tell me to be ready for a date when he arrives.
I’ve been so excited. I showered and did my hair and now I’m standing here in the bluish-gray dress he sent for me. It’s sexy but classy.
It’s a halter dress. My back is bare down to my waist. Cole loves the tat down my spine, although I’ve never told him what the Japanese letters mean.
He’s asked, but I’ve told him I’ll tell him someday. For now, it’s my secret. I’m sure when he picked this dress, he chose the bare back so the tat would be on display.
As I’m sure the slits up the thighs were meant for his pleasure. I turn to the side and smile wide as I look down at the sexy clear stripper-looking heels on my feet, which I already had.
I can’t wait to see Cole’s face when he gets a look at them. The shoes that came with the dress were cute, but this looks better to me. I’m sure he’ll agree when he gets here.
Speaking of which, the alarm system lets me know he’s arrived. I turn and head for the front door. When I get halfway there, I stop in my tracks. Cole wears anything he puts on well, but tonight he looks amazing in a suit that matches my dress and a pair of shiny black full brogues.
He’s not wearing a tie, and the top three buttons of his shirt are open.
I bite my lip as I look the big lad over, knowing what those powerful thighs under that suit are capable of.
The fit of the jacket is chef’s kiss and the waistcoat beneath is his signature stamp on the perfection that is Cole O’Brien. He looks damn good.
“Are you just going to stare at me, or are you going to come kiss me?”
“I don’t know. I think ya were gone too long,” I say and give him a sideward glance.
“Get yer sexy arse over here,” he growls, his accent proper this time.
I laugh and rush into his arms. He cups my face between his palms and kisses me like a man starved. At first, I think he’s going to take things further, but he breaks the kiss and pecks my forehead before he places his forehead to mine.
“Happy anniversary, love. God, I’ve missed ya. We should go. We have a tight schedule.”
“Yeah? Where are ya taking me?”
“It’s a surprise. Ya look great by the way. It’s going to be torture trying to keep my hands off ya.”
“Let’s hope whatever ya have planned doesn’t keep yer hands off me for too long,” I say and smile at him.
He gives a slight chuckle and shakes his head. “I’ve created a monster, I have.”
“Ya love this monster.”
“Aye, I do.”
He holds my head between his palms and pecks my lips. I pout when it’s only a quick kiss. Taking my hand, he then leads me out to the car and opens the door to help me in.
I’m so excited I feel like I’m going to burst. I sit in the passenger’s seat and chat his head off as he drives. He doesn’t seem to mind.
He never does. Cole is always willing to listen to me and my rambling. He never makes me feel like I’m talking too much or as if he’s not listening.
In fact, I know he’s listening because he will bring things up days later and he always knows all the details. I’ve been falling deeper and deeper in love with him.
When he pulls up in front of a restaurant and the valet comes to open my door for me, I think I fall in love with him all over again. We don’t go out much. Maybe I should say we don’t go out together much.
Cole is always on the move. I, on the other hand, sometimes go out to handle little personal things. It wasn’t like that in the beginning. He’s been easing up a lot.
This … a date at a real restaurant shows he understands I’m growing tired of being in that house all by myself all the time. Don’t get me wrong. It’s a gorgeous house.
I have everything I could need and want, but I get so lonely there. I didn’t know we would be here in London for this long.
“Come on, our table is waiting,” Cole says as he places a hand on my back to lead me inside.
I look up at him and smile. His warm hand against my skin causes my stomach to flip and butterflies to take flight. I can’t wait to get him out of that suit later.
He drops his hand lower to rest on my bum. I move in close to his side and rest my head against him. I don’t get a chance to settle in as we’re taken right to our table.
I’m impressed. This place is nice. I smile when Cole orders a bottle of wine and then proceeds to order for me.
He has come to know me so well. I can’t believe we’ve been dating for a year now. Well, if you ask him, I’ve belonged to him way longer than that.
Honestly, there’s no point in arguing with him. Cole O’Brien gets what he wants. I still can’t believe that all this time that has been me.
“What are ya smiling about?” he asks over the rim of his glass.
I’ve finished my meal, but I’m not ready for the night to end and I don’t want to go back home yet. I’m enjoying being out and about. I can’t stop smiling because I have the best boyfriend ever.
“Nothing. This is nice. I’ve missed ya.”
“I’ve missed ya too.” He looks down at his watch. “Would ya like dessert? If ya do, we should order it now. We need to get to our next stop soon.”
“There’s more?”
“Aye, there is.”
I bite my lip in indecision. The chocolate mousse that went by looked delicious, but I’m excited to know what’s next. Cole laughs and lifts his hand to call for our waiter.
“She’d like the chocolate mousse with the raspberries on top and you can bring the check, please.”
“Aye. Can I get anything else for ya, sir?”
“No, I’m fine.”
The waiter nods and turns to leave. I look at Cole and tilt my head to the side. He looks back at me, amused.
“What?” he murmurs.
“Ya think ya know me so well.”
“Aye, I do.”
“How did ya know I wanted chocolate mousse?”
“I heard ya when ya saw it earlier. Oh, that looks grand. I love chocolate mousse,” he mocks.
“I don’t sound anything like that. And ya should mind yer own business. I was talking to myself.”
“If yer man isn’t listening to ya, ya need to let him go. I’m never going to give ya a reason to free me.”
“What if I get tired of ya?”
“Never, what is there to get tired of? I keep ya wet and coming, I give ya everything ya want and need, and I love ya.”
“Maybe.”
“Maybe,” he mocks with a smile on his lips.
“Whatever, Cole,” I laugh and roll my eyes.