Page 86 of Mob Saint

“Tiera, I need to talk to my dad for a moment.” Seamus kisses me on the cheek, and I’m pretty certain his dad can tell his hand is precariously close to my ass.

I watch them walk into the kitchen while I head to my office. I was serious about quitting my job. I don’t know what the fuck I’m going to do now, but I have a healthy nest egg saved. Aaron and I saved for the baby. Then there was the life insurance payment. I don’t know what the hospital bills came to. My parents made them disappear while I was drowning in my grief. Maybe Darren did something, or maybe Gareth. I don’t know. I asked, but the answers were always vague.

I used the life insurance and the proceeds from selling my New Jersey house to pay for most of my place here in New York. Now that I live alone, I have very few expenses. My grad school loans will probably go to the grave with me, but beyond that, I live modestly. Truly, I’m not extravagant about anything. In fact, Gareth says I’m miserly. I say life taught me to save for a rainy day. It’s not a flood like it was three years ago, but it’s a steady downpour right now.

I sit at my computer and start typing my resignation letter when I hear Seamus walk toward the door. He comes in and smiles. It lights up his face like it’s a piece of art. He truly is the most gorgeous man I’ve ever seen. His face, his body, and his heart. All of it. He’s remarkable, and I’m extremely fortunate.

I push back my chair, but he shakes his head.

“It’s all right. You don’t have to get up. I told my dad an abridged version of what we learned. I didn’t go into everything that happened. If you don’t want others to know, then it’ll stay with the O’Briens. If you want others to, we’ll explain it together. I don’t want to speak for you and say the wrong thing.”

“That’s thoughtful. I don’t mind you speaking for me. I have nothing to hide from you or your family. I’d rather it all be out in the open.”

“I’ll still be circumspect about how I say it. I’ll have to say more than I’d like to because I need to give them as much information as I can, so we can figure this out. My dad’ll be here until I get back. It shouldn’t take me too long. I just need to post the guy’s bail and find out when the arraignment will be. I’ll probably have to take him home. A few hours, but not more than three-and-a-half, probably.”

“We’ll be here.”

“My dad’ll keep himself occupied, so work or do whatever you need. I just ask that you stay away from all windows. Don’t go near any doors, and if anyone does come, you go to your bedroom and lock yourself in the bathroom until my dad comes to get you. I want you to do that regardless of whether you recognize the person. You do it before Da opens the door. I don’t want anyone coming in, Tiera, unless he’s related to me within two degrees—my generation or my dad’s. Absolutely no one from your family or any O’Briens.”

I push my chair back and walk around the desk. I slide my arms around his waist, and I feel the gun at his lower back. I want to ask why since he’s headed to a police station. But my guess is that’s the place he most needs it, and the least likely place for anyone to take it from him.

“It’s okay, Daddy. I know you don’t like this, but we’ll be okay. Your dad is as big as you, and honestly, I think I’d probably put my money on him. He doesn’t scare me, but I’m certain he terrifies most people.”

It takes one glance to see who Seamus inherited his build from. His dad has blue eyes, but Seamus’s hair is pretty close to his dad’s. The man could pass for Seamus and Cormac’s brother rather than their father. Seamus and Cormac look youthful for their age, and it’s clear where they get it. I’m sure I don’t want to know about Seamus’s experiences in the mob, but nothing I guess about him can possibly touch what I’m certain Kieran knows or has done. He has at least twenty more years’ experience as a mobster.

“He does, and that’s what I want. If you get another call from that ring tone, leave it like you did before. I’ll give the phone to Sean tonight. I’ll be back here as soon as I can. Then I need to speak to the guys. They can come here if you don’t want to leave, or we can go to my place.”

“Six of you here? Seven if your dad stays. You’ll be overflowing out to the yard. We can go to your place.”

“They can sit on each other’s laps for all I care. Where will you be more comfortable?”

“Wherever you feel most comfortable. I don’t want you on edge because you’re worried there isn’t sufficient security.”

“Here is all right. My dad is the only one who comes near you, but Dillan texted me a few minutes ago. He has men positioned around the block, and there’s a guy outside your back gate. He’s tucked behind the elm tree, so your neighbors won’t question why there’s a man skulking around.”

It doesn’t surprise me. The week Aaron and I found out I was pregnant, he insisted we have the same security at our home. I thought it was excessive, and so did Darren. Aaron wanted it permanently, but Darren refused. He said I wasn’t the first pregnant woman, and every other one made do with nothing. I want to think no one would’ve tampered with Aaron’s car if we’d had the guards. But they would’ve been Darren’s men, so they wouldn’t have stopped the guy who fucked around with the brakes.

“Thank you. That makes me feel even better.”

“Do you want to come back here tonight after the meeting?”

“Should we?” If he feels like we need that many men surrounding my place, then maybe we shouldn’t.

“It’s up to you. I normally have that many men at my place, but I’ll have more wherever we are once it’s dark.”

“I don’t want to impose on you.”

“Impose?”

He looks insulted before he turns to shut the office door. Then he’s on me in an instant. He presses me back around the desk until there’s nowhere for me to go short of climbing on it.

“Let’s get this clear this one time. You are not an imposition. You are my girlfriend. You are entitled to all the security in the world regardless of your status because it’s the right thing to do. But your status as my girlfriend damn well means you’ll have all the protection I deem necessary. No one argues with that. If you even imply you aren’t worthy of that, I will spank you with whatever I can reach. It will not be foreplay. It will be the worst punishment you’ve ever had. You are more important to me than anyone else in the world. It’s not up for debate or discussion. You know why I can’t always put you first, but that doesn’t make you less important than the fecking mob. No one comes near you unless I say they can. Anyone stupid enough to try will learn just how possessive I am of what’s mine. There’s nothing I won’t do to keep you safe, and there isn’t a fecking person alive who can stop me, including you. We go wherever you want to stay, but we do things my way.”

I fist his shirt and yank. He only leans forward because he lets me pull him. I kiss him as hard as I can. I nip at his tongue before sucking him into my mouth. I slide my hand between us and run my hand up and down his cock through his trousers. I rip my mouth from him.

“When we’re alone, you will strip. Slowly. I want to enjoy every moment. Then I am going to suck you off. You are going to toy with me and edge me until I think I’m going to lose my mind. Then you’re going to fuck me in the ass like you said you would.”

His hand wraps around my throat and squeezes until I think I’m going to pass out. He stops just short of that.

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