Dangerous Beauty (O'Connor Brothers Book 4)

by Rhonda Brewer

  “Not everyone with tattoos and leather jackets is a biker.” Keith crouched in front of her and ran his finger from her ankle up her leg until he reached her knee. “Just like not every wealthy person is a snob.”

  “You have a point.” Emily gasped as his large hands covered her bare thighs. There was something about having his hands on her legs that made her so hot.

  “To answer your question, I do have a motorcycle.” Keith’s hand moved under her robe.

  “I’ve never been on one.” Emily sighed when he started to massage the tense muscles of her thighs.

  “I take mine out after the May twenty-fourth weekend. I can take you for a ride.” Keith’s hand slid up to her hips as he lowered his knees to the floor and pulled her towards him.

  “I’d like that.” Emily placed her glass on the side table and wrapped her arms around his neck.

  Keith slipped his hands from under her robe and grabbed the remote from the coffee table. He pointed it at the stereo. She found it amusing that he used a stereo that was probably twenty years old. As the volume increased, he took her hand and stood up.

  “Johnny Reid,” Emily grinned because the singer was one of her favorites.

  “Dance with me.” Keith tugged her to her feet.

  “It’s appropriate that it’s the name of the song too, huh.” Emily stepped into his arms.

  “Yes, it is.” Keith pulled her tightly against him, and she pressed her cheek against his chest.

  “You’re a mass of contradictions.” Emily closed her eyes and swayed with him.

  “How’s that?”

  “You listen to country music, you read the most challenging books, and you let a kitten sleep in your bed, but if someone off the street met you, they’d probably say you liked Metallica, read Playboy and had a Pitbull.” Emily listened to the soft beat of his heart.

  “I let you sleep in my bed too.” Keith chuckled.

  “You’re so funny.” Emily tipped her head back and peered up at the man that had come to mean so much to her.

  “I like all sorts of music, Em. Country music is what I grew up listening to. It gives me a sense of calm. I read a lot of books because I can’t read the same book twice.” Keith brushed a lock of hair behind her ear.

  “Because you remember everything.” Emily smiled.

  “Yeah, and I haven’t really let that damn cat sleep on my bed. She kind of snuck in there.” Keith cupped her cheek and brushed his lips against hers. “The only one I like sleeping there with me is you.”

  “Good, cause your bed is really comfy.” Emily smiled.

  “Moreso since a princess slept in it.” Keith pulled her against his chest again. “Are you okay?.”

  The question made her wince because she’d been trying to put it out of her mind. It also forced her to have to think about the events of the day. Her parents refusing to tell her what the hell was going on and what they were keeping from her and then the explosion. She could still hear the crash of the glass when it shattered. She trembled.

  “You’re safe, Princess,” Keith kissed the top of her head.

  “I feel safe in your arms.” He made all the bad things fade into the background.

  She didn’t know how long they stayed swaying to the music there in the middle of his living room, but it was several songs. She was fine until George Canyon came on. The song called Let It Out had been one she’d heard before, but never actually listened to the words. Then as they were swaying to the song, Keith began to sing, and she actually listened to the lyrics. She couldn’t keep the tears from falling if she tried.

  While he sang to her, Emily let all the emotions of the last couple of days flow down her cheeks and let Keith hold her through it.

  “That’s it, baby, let it out,” Keith whispered as he picked her up in his arms and carried her to his bedroom. Emily trembled as he lay her on the bed and stretched out next to her. He held her tight against his side and softly hummed.

  It seemed forever before she finally stopped sobbing and took a deep breath. She wanted desperately to gaze up at the man who’d let her cry more tears over the last two days then she’d cried in the past 10 years, but she was sure her face was a mess.

  “You’re an incredibly patient man,” Emily whispered as she traced the pocket of his jeans with her finger.

  “Why would you think that?” He chuckled.

  “Let me see, I’ve been acting like a spoiled brat at one moment and then like an emotional wreck the next.” He put his finger under her chin, but she wouldn’t lift her head. Instead, she turned her face into his chest. “I can’t look at you now. My face is probably all blotchy and red, and my nose is running.”

  Keith flipped her over onto her back and forced her to look at him. She kept her eyes closed tightly as if that would keep him from seeing the mess she was in.

  “Open your eyes, Princess.” Keith cupped her cheek, but she shook her head. “I don’t know what you were taught, but just because you have your eyes closed doesn’t mean I can’t see you.” Keith chuckled.

  “Hey, it works for kids.” Emily opened one eye and peeked at him.

  “Not this kid.” Keith brushed his lips against hers.

  “Okay, you can run away now that you’ve seen me looking like a complete mess.” Emily threw her arm over her eyes, but Keith pulled it away.

  “Woman, will you open your eyes and look at me.” He sighed.

  Emily gazed up into his sparkling blue eyes. He was smiling as he pushed her hair behind her ear.

  “You’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. Yes, you are frustrating because you’re stubborn and independent, but none of that changes how incredibly stunning you are to me. I’m patient with you because I know you’re going through a lot, and if you need to cry it all out every night, then I’ll hold you while you do. Just do me one huge favor.” He brushed his thumb across her lower lip.

  “What?”

  “Don’t ever let me hear you say that you aren’t exactly what you are. Beautiful. Stunning. Exquisite.” Keith smiled.

  “I…” She stopped before she made a complete fool of herself and told him she loved him. He would probably run for the hills, but the way he was looking down at her made her want to test it.

  “You what?” He rested his cheek on his fist as he twirled her hair around the finger of his other hand.

  Damn.

  She couldn’t tell him she was falling in love with him. It was way too fast, and her life was in such a limbo it wasn’t possible the way she felt was real.

  “I’m drained.” Emily couldn’t meet his eyes. Knowing Keith, he’d know she was not telling him the truth.

  Keith didn’t say anything, and his silence had her glancing at him to gage his reaction. He had a sweet smile on his full lips, and he seemed to be studying her.

  “Why are you staring?” What was going through his beautiful mind?

  “Just wondering why you feel the need to hide things from me.”

  Busted.

  “I’m not hiding anything.” Emily sighed. “It’s just been a very long day.”

  He stared at her for another few seconds then shook his head.

  “I won’t push it, but just so you know, you can tell me anything, Emily.” With that statement, he jumped up from the bed and reached behind his neck to pull his shirt over his head.

  “What are you doing?” Emily was torn between wanting to see his incredible body and being too tired to move, but when his hands moved to the button on his jeans, she started to get a second wind.

  “I’m getting ready for bed.” He dropped his jeans, and there he stood in all his naked glory.

  “I like the way you sleep.” Emily kneeled in the middle of the bed and untied her robe.

  “I really like the way you think, but you’re exhausted and all I’m going to do tonight is hold you in my arms while you sleep.” Keith pulled back the comforter and pointed underneath.

  “You really are bossy.” Emily pulled off the
robe and slipped under the covers in just her panties.

  “Yes I am, and you’re trying to kill me by crawling into bed like that.” Keith groaned.

  Emily glanced down to see his partly aroused state. She lay on her back, and her eyes slowly moved back up to his eyes.

  “Don’t look at me like that, Princess,” Keith growled as he pulled out a drawer in his dresser. He tossed a T-shirt at her and pulled on a pair of shorts. “You need to sleep, and to make that happen we are going to need a clothes barrier.”

  “And here I thought you had good control.” Emily pulled the shirt on.

  “Not when it comes to you.” Keith crawled in next to her and pulled her into his side. “Now, sleep, Princess.”

  Even if she tried to defy him by staying awake, she couldn’t. She was exhausted, and being wrapped in Keith’s warm embrace was just what she needed to fall into a deep sleep.

  Chapter 16

  Keith slipped out of bed being careful not to wake Emily. She’d slept all night, but had a few times where she was restless. The only thing that calmed her was when he’d pulled her tightly against him.

  Keith made his way to the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. It was a little after five in the morning and Bull walked through the front door. Keith could tell that his friend had something on his mind.

  “Coffee?” Keith held up the pot.

  “Yeah, and a favor.” Bull grabbed a cup from the cupboard.

  “Sure, what’s up?”

  Dean Nash was his best friend and business partner. His nickname Bull, fit him like a glove because of his large size. He was covered in tattoos from the neck down to his waist, but each tattoo had a meaning for him. Keith knew that if Bull was asking for a favor, it was something big.

  “I need to go back home.” Bull plopped down on one of the stools.

  “Something with your family?” Keith knew there was trouble with Bull’s family. His parents and older sister were deceased. Bull believed they were all murdered by someone with a grudge against him. It’s why he’d placed his sister’s daughter in a safe house.

  “I’ll fill you in when I get back. I feel awful for leaving in the middle of this.” Bull folded his hands and pressed them against his lips.

  “Go do what you need to and if you need back up just call.” Keith bent over and rested his elbows on the counter. “I got your back.”

  “I know.” Bull stared at the wall for a moment. Keith didn’t need to ask why he was apprehensive about leaving. Bull had it bad for Kristy but kept her at arm's length until he figured out what was going on with his family.

  “Anything else on your mind, bud?”

  “Nothing I want to discuss. I just need you to give this to Kristy.” Bull handed him an envelope.

  “A letter?” Keith raised his eyebrow because Bull wasn’t the love letter type.

  “It’s a congratulations card. She graduates from nursing school next month. I may not be here to give it to her.” Bull tossed the card in front of Keith.

  “You’ll be gone that long?”

  “Maybe longer.” With that statement, Bull stood up and held out his hand.

  “Call if you need anything.” Keith shook Bull’s hand and watched him as he walked through the door.

  “He seemed kind of melancholy.” Emily’s voice came from behind him.

  “He always seems that way.” Keith chuckled. “Why are you up so early?”

  “It got cold in the bed without you.” Emily wrapped her arms around his waist and pressed her head against his back.

  “I’m sorry, I’ve got an internal alarm clock that won’t let me sleep past five.” He pulled her around so he could wrap his arms around her.

  “What time do you think Kurt will be here?” She sighed.

  “Probably around eight.” Knowing his Uncle, he’d be on this first thing.

  For a moment, she didn’t move or speak, but there was tension in her body. It was hard to believe that he’d known her less than two weeks, but he could easily gauge when she had something on her mind. Why wouldn’t she, considering what she’d been through, it was surprising she wasn’t a puddle on the floor.

  “Want to tell me what’s going through that beautiful brain of yours?” Emily tipped her head back and gazed up at him.

  “I was about to ask you the same thing.” He wanted so much to take away anything that could harm her.

  “I just want to know who hates me so much they’d want to destroy my salon and almost kill poor Ada.” Emily’s eyes filled with tears.

  “We’ll find out who’s behind this,” Keith promised.

  “I can’t stop thinking that what happened with mom and my salon is connected.”

  “I think you may be right, Princess.” It was too coincidental for both incidents not to be related.

  Kurt walked in through the front door of Keith’s house along with Aaron. After a couple of minutes of catching up, Kurt turned to Emily. She stiffened, and Keith covered her hand with his. Emily took a deep breath and nodded.

  “Emily, before I ask you any questions, I wanted to let you know that Ada is doing fine. I stopped by this morning when I checked on your mom.” Kurt said. “Your mom is looking a lot better today as well.”

  “I’ll go see her after I get off….” Emily stopped and her body tensed.

  “Don’t worry, Emily. It won’t take long to get your salon up and running again. As far as I know, the inspectors will be there today to check for structural damage.” Keith squeezed her hand.

  “I thought that would take weeks to get done.” Emily sighed.

  “That’s the perks of having a friend who owns a construction company. He has inspectors on retainer.” Aaron winked.

  “Thank you.” The way Emily looked at him made him want to puff out his chest.

  “Emily, I talked to your parents. They say they don’t know anyone who would do this.” Kurt said.

  “Why would you talk to them?” Emily asked, but Keith knew why. He’d made sure Kurt knew about the conversation Emily had overheard.

  “With your mom’s return and the explosion happening so close together, I’m pretty sure it wasn’t a coincidence.”

  It seemed that Keith and Emily weren’t the only ones to see the connection. Keith was sure that all of it stemmed from whatever her parents were keeping from Emily.

  “Kurt, nobody told me. Where was my mother found?”

  Keith hadn’t asked either, but with everything that had happened, the only thing he had been concerned about was Emily.

  “She was left in the parking lot of the hospital in Gander.” Kurt began. “A nurse found her when she arrived for her midnight shift. Whoever left her there knew that there wasn’t any video surveillance in that part of the parking lot.”

  “That says the dick is probably from that area,” Aaron interjected.

  “Your mother said the man that abducted her kept her in a small room. The only thing that was in it was a bed and a bathroom. She said there were no windows and for the last week she was in the room the water and power had been off.”

  Emily gasped, and Keith’s stomach clenched. He couldn’t imagine what it was like for Lynn in that situation.

  “Are you sure you want to hear this, Emily?” Keith asked.

  “Yes.” Emily breathed the word more than spoke it.

  “Up until the last week, he fed her once a day, but she had access to water. He’d turn off the lights every evening and bring her food into the dark room. He’d pass her a phone with a number already on the screen. All she had to do was tap the call button.” Kurt stopped.

  “Who did he want her to call?” Emily’s voice was just above a whisper, and she was clinging to Keith’s hand as if he would disappear.

  “He wanted her to call you, and ask you to come get her. When she’d refuse, he’d hurt her.” Keith could see it was killing Kurt to tell Emily about her mother’s experiences.

  “Why didn’t she just call?” Emily wasn’t crying, but her
voice cracked, and her eyes were full of tears.

  “He’s obsessed with you. According to your mom, he didn’t speak, but he would pass her notes. Some of the things he had written tells me the man is probably stalking you.” Kurt said.

  “But why destroy her salon?” Keith didn’t see the reason, but it was hard to understand someone out of their mind.

  “I think it was a distraction that didn’t work,” Kurt explained. “He probably hoped in all the confusion he could get to Emily. I don’t know for sure, but right now it’s the only thing that seems plausible.”

  “Which means he’s probably really pissed that he missed his chance,” Aaron said.

  “Emily, you’re going to have to be extra careful,” Kurt explained.

  “Nobody will get near her. I promise you that.” Keith’s body felt like a spring about to uncoil. There was no way he was letting this crazy bastard near Emily.

  Emily had excused herself before Kurt and Aaron left. It was something he’d figured out about Emily. When she was emotional, she wanted to be alone.

  “Bro, just so you know. If you need any help with this, I’m here.” Aaron said after Kurt left.

  “Thanks, A.J,” Keith said. “I may just take you up on that. Bull had to go out of town, and it leaves me one man short.”

  “I’m sure all of us can pitch in.” Aaron stepped out on the front porch with Keith behind him.

  “I know. I can’t let anything happen to her.” Keith had the words out of his mouth before he could stop them.

  “Mike owes me twenty bucks.” Aaron chuckled.

  “Huh?” His brothers were always making stupid bets on the weirdest shit.

  “I told Mike that there was something between you and Emily. Mike told me I was nuts.” Aaron laughed.

  “You’re a fucking ass, A.J,” Keith grumbled.

  “Yeah, but a loveable one.” Aaron chuckled as he jogged down the front steps.

  “Whatever gets you through the day, dick,” Keith yelled, and Aaron gave him the finger before he hopped in his car.

  He found Emily curled up on his bed with her arms wrapped around a pillow. She’d been crying, that was obvious, but at that moment she was focused on the window. She looked lost, and he had no doubt she was blaming herself for what happened to her mother.