Page 47 of An Angel's Share
“Oh, I thought you were married to a rock star. You’re not here to announce you have yet another man in your life.” He throws his head back and laughs without restraint or clearly any thought. “What’s the rock star’s name again? Marcus something.” The moron smiles at her, clearly expecting her to be guffawing at his crappy and insulting joke.
I see Jonno’s face blank out, and Marshall’s go red. Oh shit.
But I needn’t have feared. Tommy stands up, putting his hand out to be shook. Liam hesitates for a second, as his eyes are level with Tommy’s muscled chest. And they just keep travelling upwards, across his muscled pecs being restrained by his polo shirt. His neck muscles pop up at him as if on cue. The grip Tommy has on Liam’s hand is plainly causing blood restriction, as his limp hand is white. Finally some sense has reached Liam’s snake-like eyes. Tommy is built like The Rock.
“Tommy. Security, bodyguard, and hired hitman. Anyone that comes for my Evie and her kids will have to get through me. But don’t worry, I’ll protect your family as well whilst I’m here. No one will get to them while I’m breathing. I’m prepared to take anyone down who gets in our way.” He stares into Liam’s eyes until Liam drops his first. “And Evie’shusbandsare rock stars. Marcus Russell and Xander Barclay. I’m sure you know who they are. If not, look them up. Pretty hard to miss the pair of them.” His grin is that of a shark.
“Of course I know who they are. Just my little joke. We’ve heard a lot about you, Evie, how you control all these men. Patrick and I are in fear of our lives if you give any tips to our ladies.”
What a dickhead. I unleash a big sigh and look away, out towards the gardens. Granda Healey, give me strength.
“I don’t think Aoife needs any tips on that. Or Christy. They seem well in control.” Jonno laughs, looking at me appreciatively. “I, for one, love being bossed around by women. Best job ever.”
Evie laughs. “Jonno, don’t make out you had a choice in any of that. You know the score, baby bro. I say, you do. All four of my brothers know the law. That’s right, isn’t it Aoife, Christy? I bet little Lara bosses everyone around. I saw her today, she had my boys and Ryan lined up earlier in a game. Women, every time.”
We all laugh and I smile my gratitude at her. She’s managed to deflect what could have turned into a sticky situation. Marshall takes her hand and kisses it.
“Even as a baby, she had us all on the hop. Now it’s little Rio’s turn.” His face displays all his love and emotion. “If you need to go to bed, Midarlin’, don’t wait for us.”
“I think I will hit the hay. The kids get up in the night sometimes, so I apologise now if you hear us in the kitchen.”
“I’ll get up with the boys, Evie.” Jonno repeats his offer, and my envy in how easy he is, how comfortable with her and the boys, surprises me. “I can’t sort out Rio, but if you need to feed her, I’m happy to take her after and wind and get her back off. Just let me know. The boys can get in with me. Give Tommy and Valentina time to sleep.”
It’s such a beautiful snapshot of how they all live at home. They all help, support each other, all are involved. I want that, I want him to be involved. A family.
The kitchen isin semi darkness as I make my way to the gleaming silver beacon that is our family fridge. It’s like ithas a tractor beam on my baby, calling to us both. My baby seems to like my night eating.
I spot him laid out in a corner of the kitchen, his body languid on the old, comfortable, very large sofa. The baby on his chest. Skin on skin. She’s so beautiful, so peaceful the pair of them. I stand and take him in. Low slung PJ bottoms, no T-shirt or top. His glorious abs on show. His skin is slightly tanned, obviously spends time outdoors, or in warmer climes. His sculpted muscles. His arms cradling the baby. If he hadn’t already fertilised one of my eggs, they would have jumped out of my body and done it themselves.
He opens his eyes and catches me blatantly checking him out. He smiles a lazy smirk. So goddamn sexy. The man needs to stop with the sex appeal. I’m practically drooling, as much as the baby on his chest. He nods to the baby, and as he goes to move, she snuffles a little. He tightens his arms around her and the grip on my heart.
I can see him doing this with our baby. I feel like I am looking at a future film reel of our lives. I’ve watched him tonight with all the kids. Letting them run free, but always being there to support them, guide them. God I want him, I want us.
22
Jonno
I openmy eyes and she’s stood over me. I could kid myself that I just happened to be here with my little queen, Rioghnach. That this settee is the most comfortable settee in the house, and I just needed to be on it with Rio. But it isn’t. I came in here hoping her night eating was still in force and I would see her. I knew Rio was still being fed in the night, so my helping out and taking her, letting Evie sleep, was a selfish act on this occasion. Although in my defence, we all do muck in at home. And I do take the kids on a regular basis at home. Yeah, right… Not tonight.
I watched her all evening. Her body is calling to me constantly. Glowing at me in the fading sunlight. I’d only been away a few days, but I noticed the minuscule changes in her body. How her bump is sitting to the left and is bigger. How her breasts have enlarged again. Her hair seems thicker, shinier, the red deeper. Her face fuller, her lips plumper. She’s magnificent. The pregnancy enhances every aspect of her.
I imagine my son here with us all. Him being bathed in love, like Lachlan, Sorley, and Little Rioghnach. Ryan and Lara. I love my niece and nephews, my family is everything to me. I’ll do whatever it takes to protect them all. Even if it means ignoring the theft of the century, and keeping the thief out of prison.
I get up and kiss the sleeping baby. “Let me take her back to her mummy. I need to see you. Wait here for me.” She shivers. “Are you cold? Go back to bed, I’ll come up there. Don’t stay here if you’re cold.” I know I’m dictating again, but I don’t want her to catch a cold. My need to look after her is in full effect, increasing to epic proportions each passing second.
“I’m not cold, but I’ll go up.” She heads for the fridge and I smile at her as I walk back to Evie’s room with the sleeping child.
My mind is running to Aoife. Something’s not the same with her. She feels a bit off, and I’m hoping she may tell me what it is. Christ, is she going to confess?
I push open the bedroom door and lock it behind me. I don’t want to have to deal with Mae coming in bright and early.
“I didn’t check if you had knickers on at dinner tonight. Did you? Do you need me to punish you tonight?” She’s laid in bed facing away from the door, but she turns her head towards me when I speak. My eyes are boring into hers. They must look black in the darkness.
Throughout this conversation, my hands have got a mind of their own. They have gravitated towards her body. Caressing, silk-like touches with my fingertips. Reminding her of what my touch feels like. I need her senses to fire to life, to match the inferno that is building within me. She’spractically arching off the bed at my touches, her body responding immediately to me. Fuck, I love that.
“I forgot, in my haste to get sorted today. Plus, you were not here this morning so… I, er, I put them on.” She pants her confession as my hands still on her body.
“Naughty girl. What shall I do to you to make you remember?” Her panting is so loud, I grin at her in the darkness. I can see she knows, my teeth must be gleaming at her. “You have to be quiet, Rua. If they hear you scream, someone might try to get in.”
