Page 8 of Liam

“Come on,” I say, sitting down in one of the chairs in front of Adam’s desk and waving a hand at them. “Let me have it. Get it off your chests now because I won’t have you embarrassing Sera.”

“Aww, we wouldn’t do that,” Johnny grins at me. “We won’t tease you much, but I have to say I was beginning to wonder if you batted for the other team. Not that there would be anything wrong with that if you did,” he assured me when I rolled my eyes.

“Just because I don’t fuck everything in a skirt like you used to doesn’t mean I wasn’t getting any. It just means I’m discreet about it,” I informed them.

“I think what Johnny’s trying to say is that we’re happy for you and that we like her,” Adam, always the peacemaker, glares atJohnny, who just smirks at him. How we haven’t got rid of him, I’ll never know. He was such a cocky little fucker.

“In fact, I like her so much I want to bring her into the security side of O’Sheas as a partner,” Adam continues.

“What now?” Johnny sits up, getting serious. If there is one thing I can say about both my brothers, it is that when it came to our businesses, they didn’t fuck around.

“Here,” Adam hands Johnny a sheaf of papers. “Look over her résumé. Plus, she comes with glowing references from Draco. Even the Crow brothers who didn’t serve with her say she’s trustworthy. And get this—she was part owner of a security company up in Leeds.”

“So why isn’t she still a part owner with them?” Johnny wants to know as he flicks through the paperwork.

“Because her brother is a dick,” Adam answers before going on to tell us about what her brother had done—stabbing her in the back in the worst way you could. It has always been unfathomable to me that family could do that, but then I suppose everyone has a black sheep in their family. Our black sheep is Andy. How he came from the same parents as Rhett, me, Johnny, and Adam, I’ll never know because he sure as fuck didn’t behave like us.

“What a shitehawk,” I growl out through clenched teeth, thinking of the way he treated my queen. “I’ll tell you here and now she’s my one, my queen, so do whatever you have to do to make her a partner.”

Adam and Johnny smile broadly. “Your queen, huh?” Johnny smirks.

Eyeing him, I nod my head, “My motherfucking queen, brother. Best you let all the crews know.”

“And does she know of her elevated status?” Adam smirks at me.

“Not yet, but she will. You saw her. If ever there was a woman who was born to be a queen, it’s her,” I state.

“I can see it,” Johnny nods in agreement. “She’s perfect for you. From the looks of her, she’ll not take any shit from anyone. And after reading the notes that were in there from the Crows, she’s seen and done stuff that not many would be able to stomach. Along with what Adam’s told us, I’m good with her joining the company as a partner. Let me know when you want me to sign the paperwork.”

“Fan-fucking-tastic. We can start working on getting that waiting list whittled down,” Adam claps his hands. “I’ll get onto the lawyers in the morning and get it written up.” Standing up, he grabs his keys and phone, “I’m fucking happy for you, Liam; there’s nothing better than having a strong woman standing next to you.

“Let’s get going. Tilly invited Sera and her girls’ squad for supper so that we can meet them all. Sera reckons her girls’ squad will be happy to give us a hand to get things up and running before they start looking for jobs of their own. I’ll speak to Sera about getting some of our crew trained up in the meantime.”

Slapping my hands down on the arms of my chair, I push myself up, for once happy I’m not working tonight. It was one of the changes I’d made recently. I’d hired a manager so that I didn’t have to work every night. So far, it was working out okay. If I could figure out where we were losing money, it would be even better, but that was a problem for another day.

Deciding to jump in with Johnny rather than take my own vehicle since we were all meeting back here tomorrow, I’d catch a lift back in with him in the morning. It wasn’t long before we were driving up towards the house, and I had to smile because,even as cold as it was, Jeanie, Ally, Jackson, and Emy were waiting outside for their dads to arrive.

My own Da was sitting on the veranda we’d added two summers ago with one of his never-ending mugs of tea in his hand. Next to him sat Tommy, our cousin whom we’d thought was lost to us until he’d unexpectedly turned up last Christmas, saved from a bike accident by his very own sprite.

Johnny chuckled and smiled at the excitement on Emy’s face when she saw him driving in. Ally, being the great big sister that she was, had a tight hold of her hand to ensure she didn’t run towards the cars. Emy was a proper daddy’s girl, and Johnny lapped that shit up. I didn’t see that changing anytime soon. As the only girl in their little family, he spoilt her. It helped that she was as cute as a button and sweet as pie.

Getting out of the vehicle, I followed along behind Johnny and Adam, laughing as they were tackled by their kids before they even thought of entering the house.

Skirting around them, I stomped up the veranda stairs; I’d got no further than the second stair when Da says happily, “I hear you met your queen.”

My eyes met Tommy’s to find them twinkling with humour before I met Da’s gaze. “I may have,” I agree.

“Mmh,” Da hums as he rocks back slightly. “Tilly likes her.”

Grinning at him, I reply, “Sera’s very likeable.”

“For fuck’s sake,” he grumbles, “what is it about you boys and not wanting to tell me about the lady that hooks your interest?”

“Don’t worry, Da,” I chuckle, sitting down next to him. “You’ll meet her soon. She’s coming for dinner and bringing four of her friends with her.”

“Really now,” Da looks off into the distance. “Maybe we need to invite some of Adam’s boys over for supper.”

My lips twitch with humour at the old man’s blatant attempt at matchmaking, “How about we just keep it to family tonight? We’ve not met her girls yet. It will be easier for you to matchmake once you’ve met them.”

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