“City, where is my son?” Lydia had been as patient as she was going to be when it came to her son.
“The only place I knew to take him here where he’d be safe.” She smiled, looking to the brothers.
“Carigan,” Declan said, referring to their sister.
City smiled, “Yep. She has him, and he has no clue. Colton and Meg are there and a few others. They sort of called in their own little posse. That’s a tight little group watching over that little boy.”
Lydia burst into tears. “Thank you. Thank you, City.”
With the brothers each still side-eyeing her, she went on to say, “In my defense – because I know what you’re thinking behind those bad boy glares – we tried to reach you.”
Each looked at their smart watches, scrolling through data to see they each missed at least a dozen attempted calls.
Liam was still clearly irritated by her actions, more so than the rest. “So you thought you’d go all G.I. Jane and just skip out here to deliver a message…in the middle of a standoff…with a killer?”
Wylie was the first to succumb to surprise, ending in hysterics – he was both impressed with her and found it funny how she got under Liam’s skin. “How did you even find us, anyway?”
Smiling sheepishly, she tapped her watch, shrugged and said, “Same way you guys hunt. I tracked your watches – I always know where you are.”
As EMT’s loaded Lydia into the ambulance, Declan climbed in with her, leaving the brothers to start processing their crime scene. Eva was working both sides. Esteban thought she was committed to avenging their father when she was really committed to putting it all to rest and freeing everyone from the terror their father left. With Tom’s help in that effort, she reached her goal, and he found redemption for his past misdeeds.
Eva gave them an earful while still at the original crime scene, which led to several more immediate arrests. Because she was part of the original plan, when she gave their goons a change in orders, they listened and waited for further instruction, so as not to alert her brother to what she was up to. They all sat and waited as the authorities arrived and took them all in, confiscating drugs, weapons, and even a jet.
It quickly became obvious that Eva was on their side, despite how deceiving her method of insinuating herself into the group was. It was all in the name of justice and already forgiven. She was prepared to help in any way she could if it meant being free of the life she feared most, one influenced by her father, then brother. The contacts she was left with, however, would hold her hostage until every last one was dealt with.
On the way to the hospital, Declan proposed, not once but six or seven times. He vowed to always protect them, love them, and cherish them. This was his second chance and he wasn’t wasting it.
“I was…afraid, Dec. I was afraid he would win.”
“Never again. I will move you wherever you want to live – wherever you’ll feel safe. We can stay here too; McKenzie Ridge is a great place to raise kids and your sister is here…”
“How about Portland? Maybe we come here for weekends and summers, but I like Watermark.”
“Really?”
“Yes, really. Do you think you can keep us safe there? I mean there is a lot of potential shopping that could happen there compared to here,” she teased.
He rested his head on her hand, which he was holding after he had kissed it. “Absolutely.”
A buzz from his watch grabbed his attention and left him with a smile. “Carigan is meeting us at the hospital with Jax. She says he’s perfect.”
Lydia’s smile faded when she realized she was about to be faced with her son’s innocence. “I don’t want him to know. I know one day I’ll have to tell him, but…”
“We’ll tell him together.”
With a slow nod, she wandered into thought. “Eva. I can’t believe she is who…she is.”
Nodding in agreement himself, Declan said, “She saved a lot of lives, today, and put an end to something only she could. Those two were Esteban’s best kept secret and his revenge. We’re lucky she wasn’t poisoned by him like his son.”
“She was very brave, is very brave.” Lydia didn’t have hard feelings for Eva. If anything, she was grateful for her sacrifice. “What will happen to her?”
“Not sure, but she’s about to bring down the cartel. That won’t be easy, and I have a feeling she’s about to become a Brother’s Keeper client – she’ll need protection – a new identity. I’m letting the boys sort it all out though – I’m officially on vacation! My family needs me.” He leaned in and kissed her again. “Let’s get your arm fixed and your head checked out so we can plan…”
“Plan?” she asked with an odd expression, unsure what he was eager to plan given the day they just had.
“Our forever…you owe me one. Actually, you owe me a wedding first,” he teased, maintaining his macho bravado on a not so macho topic.
“I hope that doesn’t take long; we have dinner with your mom in two days,” she laughed.
“God, I love you,” he said, kissing her sweetly, “even if you are a spoiled brat.”
When Lydia arrived at the hospital, she was met by a team of waiting Doctors and nurses, Declan trailing close behind.
“Mommy!” Jax’s voice carried down the corridor, immediately grasping their attention as he slid out of Carigan’s arms and ran right for them.
Lydia was elated. Her son was finally within reach, but she didn’t want him to see her covered in dirt and blood. Pulling the blanket a bit higher to hide what she didn’t want him to see, she tilted her head to Declan, eyes brimming with tears. “Go to him. Go to him, Declan.”
Though Jax was unaware of what had been going on around him, kids were intuitive, and there was an obvious sense of worry about him. In that very moment, it struck Declan just how close they came to losing him. The emotion that realization provoked was nearly crippling as he scooped the boy in his behemoth arms and buried his face in the boy’s shoulder. Relief washed over him as he breathed him in.
“It’s okay, kid. Doc Charles is going to fix up mommy’s arm real quick. She needs a band aid, little dude.”
The little boy took Declan’s face into his little hands and stared him in the eyes. They had a moment of who knew what, maybe understanding, maybe a silent appreciation for each other – whatever it was, it was special. Declan broke their stare with a rare smile and kissed Jax on the forehead.
Jax whispered, “I love you, Buddy.”
With tears in his eyes, Declan replied, “I love you too, kiddo – let’s go find mommy.”
“Do you love mommy, too?” Jax asked in his little raspy voice.
“Yes. Very, very much. You okay with that?” Dec asked.
“Yep, cause I love her, too.”
It wasn’t long before they were able to see Lydia. Her injuries were minor, just an easy treat and release. A few stitches on her shoulder and possible concussion to watch for a day or two.
“Mama?”
“Yes, baby?”
Jax leaned in and whispered not so quietly, “Declan said he loves you, a lot.”
“Did he, now?” she questioned with a silly grin, to which Jax nodded.
“You told her, Jax?” Declan leaned back in a dramatic motion and covered his face with his hands, as if he were embarrassed. “Aaawwwww.”
Jax tossed his head back and laughed at Declan’s reaction.
“I suppose I better marry her now that she knows,” Declan said, shaking his head sarcastically
“That means you’re going to have to kiss her a lot! Ewww!” Jax giggled.
“I suppose it does… I guess if I have to…” Declan leaned down to kiss his lady, happy to spend the rest of his life doing just that.
THE END
Five months later…
SUNDAY DINNERS AT the O’Reilly Pub were anything but boring. Especially this Sunday as they were together celebrating Declan and Lydia. The newlyweds.
They spent the bea
utiful spring day in the lovely Pittock Mansion, a savvy Portland landmark, saying their I dos, surrounded by their friends and family in the vibrant rose garden the place was known for. Immediately following was a reception, held inside the grand historic mansion’s ballroom that overlooked the grounds and city below them. The day was perfect, and there wasn’t a single murderous psychopath in the place.
The O’Reilly family their closest friends moved the party to the Pub where they celebrated with an expensive Irish whiskey and Bulmer’s Cider, brought in from Ireland for this very occasion. There was food, plenty of drink, and a good time had by all.
All these months later, and the brothers were still working to take down every threat Eva helped them find, but this day, they didn’t work. They celebrated. The deep wounds of that day still resided, healing slowly but surely. Eva wearing most of them.
As expected, she fell under Brother’s Keeper protection, and was living in Watermark with a new identity. Wylie had taken a liking to her until he found out who she really was. He was the most easygoing brother, most forgiving, but for some reason, he couldn’t forgive her.
Their interactions were few, and at that, awkward and business only. With her guard up high, Lydia let her continue to have a relationship with Jax, though they told him very little about who she really was. That day would come, and they would deal with it when they had to. Until then, Eva lived in Watermark and helped Lydia open her second location of Outside In the waterfront district, near Watermark.
It gave both women something to do and a way to work on their trust for one another, while keeping Eva close by and easy to watch over. Watching the kids play, the women got lost in conversation. There was something about weddings and Irish whiskey that made people confess their most sentimental inner thoughts.
“I really do love that little boy. My father, even in death, put you through so much, both of you. Jax deserves better, and he has it now. I can’t tell you how much relief that brings me. I understand if he never knows who I really am, in fact…it may be better if he doesn’t,” Eva shrugged, not sure what would be right. Time would tell. “Know that I do love him, though, and I will always be here should either of you need me.”
With tears in her eyes and a wobble to her alcohol induced tears, Lydia hugged the woman. “You’re a good person, Eva. I don’t doubt that for a moment, and I hope one day you can forgive yourself because I certainly have. I did the very moment I knew he was safe…because of you.”
Wylie had been sitting only feet away, well into his share of booze, listening to the women pour their hearts out. “Pfffft. Whatever. What a crock of shit.”
He stood up and moved to the other end of the pub, shaking his head. He landed on a seat near his brothers, never taking his angry eyes of Eva.
“He’ll come around, honey,” Lydia said, to which Eva nodded.
City sat down with the girls, having heard and seen the whole thing. “I don’t know; those O’Reilly men are stubborn! I have no idea how you trained Declan as well as you did.”
Lydia snorted, “Trained? Oh, that boy is far from trained. He did seem to go a little sweet on me though.”
The ladies giggled when Declan looked over and smiled as he caught Lydia looking at him.
“Look at them down there. What do you want to bet they are all giving Declan tons of crap right now?” City joked. “He’s the only happy one in the bunch.”
“Let’s see,” Eva started, “Wylie is pissed at me…still. Liam…well, he’s always pissed at you, City. Luke is pissed at the world for…well, being the world. Then there’s Dace. Actually, I have no idea what he’s pissed at. What’s the story with these boys, City? You’re their keeper…you know better than anyone.”
“Wylie and Eva, well we know what happened there. Dace disappears a lot, chases leads on something. I haven’t figured it out entirely, but it’s about a woman. Don’t buy into those tattoos and the bad boy Harley thing. Luke’s just trying to find himself in civilian life – forced early retirement was like a prison sentence for him. Then there’s Liam.”
City stopped on Liam and just stared. When he felt her looking at him from across the room, he locked onto her gaze, neither giving anything away. Though they always seemed at odds, there was something more there – everyone saw it, but nobody understood it. The love-hate, or love to hate thing they had going was as obnoxious as it was…sweet. Eventually, one of them would give in, and it was only a matter of time before one did. The mourning widower or the tortured beauty that hid behind her dark framed glasses and cardigans – time would tell.
“Liam…he’s just…Liam,” she said in a half daze.
When the family patriarch, Magnus O’Reilly’s, booming voice commanded the crowd to congratulate his eldest son and new daughter’s-in-law nuptials, he had the attention of all but two. Liam and City. They sat, locked in each other’s stare, from across the room lost in a place that was all their own.
Stephanie St. Klaire debuted in 2016, launching her writing career with Rescued, the first book in the widely popular, five book series known as McKenzie Ridge. Stephanie is a Pacific Northwest native currently living in Oregon with her husband, five children, and two ferocious lap dogs.
As a writer, Stephanie brings realistic circumstances to the pages, and fills them with real emotion, reactions, and outcomes. Her characters are passionate, have bold personalities, and full of life. She writes happily ever after’s, with plenty of twists, turns, drama, and of course, steamy romance.
Stephanie has always been a story teller, with the gift of “gab”, and a life-long goal to be a writer. Unfortunate circumstances with her health, finally afforded her the time to do so. Irony at its best, she began writing her first novel at an adverse time, to escape her circumstance and explore the stories in her imagination for relief. She is happy to share those stories with her readers, and bring a little fun, entertainment, and of course smexy characters to the pages.
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Brother's Keeper I: Declan Page 31
