Page 80 of A Ryan Recollection

“I’ll come with you,” Conor says with a wicked glint in his eye. No doubt remembering the very first time he and I had sex in Callie’s dressing room — and the many times since.

“No you won’t,” Liam says as he walks into the room wearing only one sneaker. “I’m taking Jessie shopping.”

“But taking her shopping is kind of my thing,” Conor says with a frown.

“I’ve been looking for that,” Liam says, spying his stray sneaker on the floor.

“The pint sized terror stole it,” Mikey says, indicating Ella, who has started to wriggle now that she doesn’t have Conor’s full attention.

“Sorry, bro. I haven’t spent any time alone with my wife for three days,” Liam says as he pulls on his shoe. “I get the shopping trip.”

“Fuck!” Conor mutters just as Ella starts to cry and hold out her arms to me.

“Oh, you want your mama when you’re upset,” I chuckle as I take her from Conor and give her a quick squeeze before placing her back on the floor where she wants to be.

“Besides, we have to go to The Peacock Club after to make sure everything’s set up for tomorrow,” Liam adds as he stands up straight.

The Peacock Club is one of a string of exclusive, private clubs we own across the States and Europe. They are sex clubs which cater to every kink imaginable. Every year they hold a Christmas Eve masked ball and they are the hottest tickets in the city. We didn’t go last year because I was eight months pregnant, and I had thought we wouldn’t make this years either. None of us wanted to miss our children’s first Christmas Eve, but Shane insisted that they move the ball to the day before – a Christmas Eve, Eve masked ball – so now we are all going.

Liam, Mikey and I mostly look after The Peacock Clubs, while Conor handles the main nightclub, The Emerald Shamrock, which makes up half the basement and the entire first floor of our building.

“I can come with you to the club,” Mikey says with a flash of his eyebrows, never one to miss out on an opportunity to visit and make use of one of the basement rooms while we’re there.

“No. They’re going to work, you fucking deviant. Besides, you’re watching the babies,” Conor reminds him. “I have some work to do.”

“Why can’t you watch the babies and let me have an afternoon of fun with my wife too?” Mikey suggests with a wicked grin.

“Because I have to work.”

“But you were going to take the afternoon off to go shopping with Jessie?” Mikey reminds him.

“Yeah, well shopping with Jessie is worth taking an afternoon off for.”

“But looking after our beautiful children isn’t?” Mikey teases.

“Of course that would be worth it if they didn’t have a perfectly good father right here already.”

“You think I’m a good father?” Mikey pretends to choke up and wipes a fake tear from his eye.

“You’re an asshole,” Conor says with a roll of his eyes.

“Shall we go, baby?” Liam cuts through their bantering and slides an arm around my waist.

“Yes,” I say with a smile.

“Will you buy some new panties please? Just for me?” Mikey asks me with a wink.

“Of course,” I reply giving him a quick kiss.

“And get something for me, angel,” Conor growls as he comes up beside me, pressing his lips against my ear. “Something you don’t mind me tearing in half later.”

* * *

Liam sits in the plush,purple velvet chair in the dressing room of Callie’s boutique. His legs sprawled and his hand resting on his chin as he watches me intently.

“I picked everything you asked for, Jessie,” Callie says with a smile as her eyes sweep the room and land on a pile of underwear. “And also Conor called me a half hour ago and added to the list,” she adds with a soft giggle.

“I bet he did,” I laugh too.

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