Page 4 of Johny

“Nah, no need,” he assured me, patting Emy gently on her back. She’d snuggled right into his neck, her thumb in her mouth and her eyes drooping. She’d be asleep within minutes.

“She was just a stopgap. So,” he looked down at Emy, then at Jackson, who had his arm wrapped around my leg, looking uncertain, “you’d better introduce me to my children.”

Snorting, I slap a hand over my mouth, trying to stop another bout of laughter escaping. I don’tknow if I was slaphappy from being so tired or what was going on with me, but for some reason, this man tickled my funny bone and brought out a Maya that I’d not seen in a long time.

He grinned at my snort, eyebrow raised as he waited for me to get myself together. “Right, okay. This is Jackson,” I put my hand on Jackson’s head and tilted it up so Johnny could see his face. Johnny held out his hand for Jackson to shake, which he did exactly as I’d shown him to years ago. “And the little diva you’re holding is Emma or Emy.”

Johnny had gone back to patting Emy’s back while I made introductions, and she was now fast asleep and drooling on his suit jacket.

“And what are you doing here so late or so early? I thought you came in at around eight in the morning.”

Johnny started to walk towards the office with Emy still in his arms. Taking Jackson’s hand, I followed along behind them.

“I do usually,” I agree. “But Emy’s getting her molars, and she was pretty miserable. As none of us were getting any sleep, I decided to bring them with me, and they could watch movieswhile I cleaned. I’d hoped that a ride in the car and a change of place might work its magic. But it seemed all I needed was to call on a handsome Irishman.”

“You think I’m handsome,” he smirked at me. I rolled my eyes, “Don’t get a big head now. I was thinking of Adam and Liam.”

He dramatically collapsed into his office chair at my words, as if I’d done him in. Emy, still firmly held in his arms, he fakes a glare at me, “What? Woman! You’ve hurt me. Everyone knows I’m the best-looking O’Shea.”

Rolling my eyes at his ridiculousness. The man had to know he was delicious. I’d heard about all the women that he had on a revolving door. His smirk alone would have panties catching on fire and they’d be dropping once that dimple came out to play. Pity I’d given up on men and was immune to it.

“You’ll get over it,” I assured him as I started to pick up the toys we’d brought. Jackson had sunk back onto the couch and looked like he was about ready to go back to sleep. I hesitated, not finishing packing up. If they were all asleep, I could get the rest of the place cleaned.

“What are you thinking,milseán?”

Biting my lip, wondering why I was so comfortable with him. I’d completely ruined his night, and yet here he was holding my sleeping baby on his chest, not in the least bit worried about the amount of drool that was covering his suit jacket while my other baby got comfortable on his couch.

“I’m thinking that if they both sleep another hour, I can be finished here and then I only have the clubs to do later today while they’re at nursery.”

“Do you need help?”

I shook my head, “No, I have a system.”

“Well then, you go do what you have to do, and the children and I’ll be here waiting for you when you’re done.”

“Are you sure?” I asked uncertainly.

“I promise,milseán, we’ll be fine. And if we’re not, you’re just in the next room.”

“Okay,” I agree, hurrying out to finish my cleaning.

CHAPTER 2

JOHNNY

This was not how I expected my night to end. But the minute I’d seen the dark-haired beauty hysterically laughing as she slid down the wall in the back hallway of The Lounge, her blue eyes sparkling with mischief, I’d been hooked. I’d known immediately who she was and why she ended up being a cleaner for us. I’d not mentioned that I knew who she was because I hadn’t wanted to dim the sparkle in her eyes. I’d not even felt the slap from the woman I’d picked up at Ozone when I’d gone to visit Liam earlier this evening. It didn’t even register once I laid eyes on Maya.

My day had gone much like any other day. I’d got up late, had lunch with my Da and Liam. Adam was the one who got up with the sparrows to get to the office by eight. Liam and I only had to be atour clubs late afternoon, but as we got home in the early hours, we usually slept late.

To cut costs after Rhett had been imprisoned and we’d made the decision to go legit, we’d all sold up and pooled our money. That meant we’d had to move back in with Da. Although I think Da enjoyed having us all home.

We’d enjoyed a leisurely lunch, then Liam and I’d gone to our respective businesses to sort out paperwork. This was the bit I hated. I hoped that by the end of the year we’d be able to hire someone to take over the paperwork side, leaving me more time to be on the floor where I was most comfortable.

It was a good night at work with hardly any problems to sort out. After I’d closed up, I’d driven over to Ozone because I knew Liam would be there. He alternated the club he was at every night. Like me, he hopes that we’ll be earning enough by next year to hire someone to take on as manager, leaving us with a bit of free time. While there, I’d found myself some company for the evening. Now that I was living back with Da, I couldn’t be taking my flavour of the night home with me, so I usually ended up taking them back to The Lounge.

Little did I know that tonight the woman thatLiam had hired as a favour to Reaper would come in early and set my world on fire. While I knew who she was, I hadn’t yet had the courtesy of meeting her because our hours differed so much. Maya usually cleaned at eight in the morning before moving on to the nightclubs so was done by the time I arrived.

The first inkling that something wasn’t quite right should have been the lights coming from the front of the club. I was sure I’d switched them off when I left.

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