Protector (The Brannock Siblings Book 4)

by Jessica Wilde

  Maggie couldn't have been more right and Izzy suddenly found herself panicking.

  "Calm yer breaths, child. I'm nah going to chase ye off just because ye have secrets, but I will say this. Ye've come to Ireland for a reason and not the reasons yer thinkin'. My house is just a house," she said, glancing around the cozy home and grinning. "Tis no mansion and no summer getaway. The fact that ye ended up sitting at my table in the middle of my kitchen is no coincidence."

  It's exactly what Izzy had been thinking all along. There was a reason she came here, a reason she ended up in that small house in Rathnew.

  Maggie stayed a few minutes longer until she was finished moving her food around her plate. They cleaned up the kitchen and, without warning, Maggie pulled Izzy into a tight hug before patting her cheek and saying, "Don't ye dare give up on yerself. Ye have just as much right to happiness as anyone else, love."

  Izzy followed her to the front door and wished she would have just come clean. But her fear of making everything more complicated won that battle.

  Maggie said another goodbye and opened the door only to find Liam walking towards the porch with a grin on his face. His hair was wet and he had changed his shirt.

  "Oh, he's askin' for it," Maggie mumbled before spreading her arms wide and hugging Liam. "Yer just in time, boyo."

  Liam kissed her cheek and returned the hug. "I'm always just in time, Maggie."

  "Aye, more so these days I take it," she said, shooting a wink toward Izzy. Maggie firmly patted her nephew on the cheek and smiled up at him. "She's all yours now, my boy. Take care o' her."

  Izzy felt her cheeks heat with the meaningful look Liam sent her way. He stood before her, not moving a muscle until Maggie drove away.

  "Your aunt asked me a lot of questions tonight," she finally said, not really knowing what else there was to say in that moment with his eyes on her.

  Liam shrugged, a not so innocent grin on his face. "I've no idea why she would be so curious about ye, Izzy. Yer so boring."

  At first she wasn't sure if he was joking, then she saw the gleam in his eyes and burst out laughing. "You must be pretty boring yourself to always spend time with me."

  "Nah, that just makes me the luckiest man in Ireland."

  She turned away to hide the blush that completely overtook her face. He usually started out their encounters by flirting with her. His way of breaking the ice or any awkwardness she may feel. It worked for the most part, but he was clueless to the effect he had on her heart.

  "I didn't think I would see you until tomorrow," she said, keeping her voice steady and her eyes pointed away from him. She sat at the table gesturing for him to sit with her, but he politely declined.

  "I'm only staying a moment. I wanted to ask if ye would like to accompany me to the festival tomorrow. There will be music and games as well as art. I thought ye might enjoy it. My family would like to meet ye as well."

  "They will be there?"

  "Aye, they go every year."

  "I would like that. Thank you, Liam."

  He nodded and shifted on his feet. "I'll come for ye early. Do ye think ye can be ready by eight?"

  She chuckled when he winked at her, obviously teasing her about her habit of sleeping in. "I think I can manage."

  He turned away and she followed him back to the door. Standing together in the open doorway felt somewhat intimate. Liam smiled down at her, watching her for a moment longer. His expression changed from teasing to something else entirely. Then his eyes dropped down to her lips like they had the night before and she saw him swallow thickly. Was he going to kiss her this time? She hoped he would and at the same time, dreaded it.

  "I'll be back in the morning," he said roughly then quickly descended the porch steps. He looked back a few times until she walked inside and closed the door.

  She fell back against the door and took a deep breath, unable to hold in the smile that stretched her lips.

  "Get a hold of yourself, Izzy."

  Needless to say, she dreamed of Liam that night.

  Chapter 7

  Liam

  "I didn't realize there would be so many people here."

  Liam glanced over at Isabelle and smiled at the look of awe on her flawless face. Her cheeks were a rosy pink from the heat of the day and wisps of hair flew around her face from a warm breeze. That dark hair shined in the sunlight, finding traces of gold to reflect off of. She had no idea just how beautiful she was to him and it was getting more and more difficult to not touch her.

  "Aye, they come from all over. We Irish know how to throw a good party," he replied, gently bumping her with his elbow.

  She graced him with a coy smile and turned back to the men on stage. There was music throughout the entire day and she loved to listen and watch. The entire festival was held in a giant field surrounded by trees along the Vartry. There were more people than he had seen there before, but there was still a lot of room to move around. Entertainment never stopped and the nearly endless amount of booths always stayed busy.

  They'd only been at the festival for an hour and already he was getting anxious. The looks people were giving him and Isabelle were starting to grate on his nerves. He was well known in town and that came with its negatives. Over the years, he dated often, but rarely did he ever show up to a family gathering with a woman.

  He didn't purposely keep them away from his family, plus, they were usually always women his family already knew. And maybe that was why he kept his distance. Too many expectations and too much familiarity. It just never really appealed to him.

  With Isabelle, he couldn't seem to help himself. He wanted her with his family and he wanted all of them to see the woman that he was falling fast for. Not that he was really admitting it to anyone. He already had to deal with his brothers and their nonstop prodding about Isabelle. Plus, his mother already told him that if he didn't introduce Isabelle to them soon, she would kick him out of the house.

  She wouldn't really do it, but Aunt Maggie had peaked her interests and there was no getting out of it even if he wanted to.

  And he didn't want to.

  "Is your family here, yet? I can't wait to meet Fiona," Isabelle said anxiously, wringing her fingers together. Her eyes crinkled with her smile and Liam wanted to kiss those small lines at the corners.

  He looked around knowing his parents would be arriving at any moment and he wanted to be ready for them. When he spotted his father in the crowd, his pulse kicked up a notch. "Come with me, Izzy."

  She let him take her hand and he appreciated that she seemed to have a permanent smile on her face whenever he touched her. A smile he just couldn't get enough of. Not when her lightly freckled nose wrinkled and her cheeks turned scarlet. It sent his blood racing. Every. Single. Time.

  The feel of her tiny hand in his was so right. Letting her go always left a bitter feeling, but he knew this was nothing permanent. Her stay in Ireland was halfway over and he couldn't expect her to give up her life to stay in a foreign country where she knew absolutely no one.

  They still didn't even know each other well enough anyway, and that scared him. His feelings for her had already fixed themselves so deep, he wasn't sure he could stand being away from her for long. A part of him wanted to push for more. Her innocence wasn't something he would ever take advantage of, but the pull between them made it nearly impossible to keep his distance.

  He wanted to tell her. God, he wanted to tell her a lot of things. But Isabelle was already hanging on by a thread. Pushing her too much might cause him to lose her forever. The problems she still had to face back home were not minor and he had no idea how she would handle them let alone himself.

  Liam's mother saw the two of them coming her way well before they were close enough for introductions. Her grip on his father's arm noticeably tightened - not to mention the grimace on his father's face when he felt her nails dig into his skin - and she sent a beaming smile their way when her eyes landed on Isabelle.

  "Oh dear, I th
ink I've lost my breath, son. Please tell me this is the Izzy you have told us so much about," his mother exclaimed and immediately reached for Isabelle's hand, tugging her closer so she could get a better look at her.

  "Aye, Ma. This is Isabelle Moore. Izzy, this is my mother, Mary Brannock."

  Mary was known for her self control. She only lost it when something was just too much to handle, which was rare. The woman could handle just about anything, but Liam didn't miss the way she held Isabelle's hand longer than normal before pulling her into a hug. He also didn't miss the way her smile trembled. She was feeling emotional, which couldn't be good for anyone.

  Mary looked completely different from her sisters who each had bright red hair. She was blessed with a dark chocolate color that Maggie and Aivy always envied - according to her. Her soft blue eyes were clear and bright and saw everything. The Brannock siblings never got away with anything and they saw her wrath when she turned it on them. Most of the time, she didn't need that wrath. She could move mountains with a sweet smile that usually had to do with one of her children or their father.

  Liam's mother was only slightly taller than Izzy, but one would think she was a queen with the way she held herself. Confidence. She believed in herself and in her children. That's what made her so beautiful to all of them.

  "It is so wonderful to finally meet you, my dear. Liam told us so much about you already and I feel like I've known you a life time. That and my sister cannot stop blatherin' about the fine bird staying in her house. You've made quite an impression on dear Maggie." She leaned in closer to Izzy and mumbled, "Which is not easy to do these days."

  Izzy laughed nervously and nodded at her. "It's a pleasure to meet you as well. I have heard so much about your entire family and you haven't seemed real until now."

  "Aye, dear. We are quite real. Just wait until you meet the rest o' them. You'll probably be changin' your mind," his mother winked and gave Izzy a crooked smile.

  Liam easily saw the adoration Isabelle had for his mother and felt a pang in his chest for what she had missed in her life. What would it be like to grow up with a mother that wasn't entirely grateful for her child?

  The moisture in his mother's eyes didn't escape his notice either and a lump formed in his throat. Ma wouldn't understand when he had to let Isabelle go. She would be heart broken right along with him.

  Perhaps it wasn't the brightest idea introducing her to your family!

  "It is my turn, love. You can't take her for yourself just yet," Liam's father teased with a smile and offered Izzy his hand. "William Brannock, a pleasure to meet the notorious Izzy."

  Isabelle looked up at Liam's father. Way up. The man towered over her like he towered over all his children. His salt and pepper hair was full of tight curls that would puff up at the end of a long day and the vibrant green of his eyes brightened whenever Liam's mother was around. William Brannock was a strong man with massive shoulders and an even bigger heart. Patience wasn't his strong point when it came to his children, but the love he had for Liam's mother rivaled any other. So, he spent his life trying.

  Liam heard Izzy gasp. "You are an older version of your son, Mr. Brannock. You two look so much alike."

  He burst out laughing and elbowed Liam in the ribs. "You hear that, son? She thinks I'm juicy."

  Liam rolled his eyes. His father was usually a pretty serious man, but today he seemed lighter on his feet. There could only be one reason for that.

  "Da, she does not think your juicy. She did say 'older'."

  Isabelle looked like her eyes were about to pop out of her head and Liam laughed at her scandalized expression. "You think my Da is juicy?"

  Her mouth popped open then closed, then opened then closed, as if she just couldn't form the words. "I-I am sorry. I don't really know what that means. If I offended you, I'm-"

  Liam wrapped his arm around her shoulders and brought her back to his side, "It means you think he is cute, as you would say. Good lookin'."

  She smacked him in the chest when he wiggled his brow up and down. Then her face went bright red. "Oh, you are going to pay for that."

  The firm warning didn't have any effect when her blush made her look so incredibly sweet.

  "I hope so," Liam whispered in her ear.

  He only meant to tease her a little more, but her body practically molded against him and her eyes glimmered with heat. God, he wanted to kiss the living daylights out of her. Did she have any idea what that look did to him?

  "I thank you for the compliment, Izzy, but I am a taken man," his father said with mock firmness as he wrapped his arm around Mary's waist. "I prefer the older women."

  "Older? You've a mind to get yourself clattered," his mother replied with a scowl.

  He chuckled and kissed her forehead sweetly. "If it's a clatterin' from you, love, I admit I do." He lightly patted her bottom, thinking no one else could see, but everyone could.

  Liam looked up at the sky and sighed in exasperation. His parents were not the most subtle people.

  His mother shook her head at his father, a coy grin on her face before she turned back to Liam. "Have you seen Cara and Colin yet, Liam. I do not want your brother makin' another mess of Cara's day. Jerry is a fine lad and you boys need to give him a fighting chance, you hear me?"

  She shook her finger at Liam and gave him a look only a mother could pull off.

  He sighed heavily and nodded his head. "Aye, Ma. I remember. I'll go find him."

  Liam took Isabelle's hand to lead her through the crowd, but his mother latched onto her other hand. "Izzy can stay with us. I've a mind to find out more about this bird before she steals my son's heart forever."

  This time, it was Liam's cheeks that flushed with heat. He refused to look Izzy's way when he nodded at his mother, but he felt her eyes on him.

  "I'll meet you by the fountain then."

  His mother nodded with a wink and he saw his father's shoulders bounce up and down with silent laughter. He needed to be quick about finding Colin, or Mary and William Brannock would be the ones to chase Isabelle off. There was no question as to where he and his brothers learned to chase off boys who were after Cara. It was in the genes.

  It only took him a few minutes to find his youngest brother. The key was to follow the lines of young girls and Colin was sure to be at the end of it.

  Sure enough, Colin was sitting at a table surrounded by those very girls, both his age and older. Liam shook his head. His brother was not only a hellion, he was a charmer. Always chasing girls and running from them. Well, he didn't ever really run from them and they always just seemed to be hanging from his shoulders.

  Colin looked more like Brian than Liam. He was a tall boy for his age, but he still had a young look about him. His dark hair was longer than it should be according to their mother, but he insisted the girls loved it. His blue eyes were just like their mother's, but with a touch of green like their father's. The only difference between Colin and the other Brannock men was that Colin could talk his way out of anything.

  Liam spent a lot of time smacking his little brother on the back of the head for being an idiot. A smart idiot. An idiot that usually got what he wanted and laughed his way through life. Something that Liam admired, but knew it would end up getting the boy into more trouble than he could handle. Eventually.

  Everyone had to grow up at some point.

  "Colin, Ma wants to speak with you," Liam called through the group of giggling girls. The endless see of blondes, brunettes, and redheads made him want to throw his hands in the air and let the boy do what he would.

  Colin's head popped up and he gave Liam a wicked grin. "Did you finally introduce them to your woman?"

  "She isn't my - " he stopped suddenly. The sound of those words pulling his lips into a similar grin.

  Colin about went into hysterics. "Aye, of course not. That's why you look like you've found the end of a rainbow."

  "Shut it. Get your arse up and follow me or I'll be sure Ma knows you've go
t plans for Jerry. She'll crack you silly if you mess this up for Cara again."

  Colin shook his head. "She just loves to suck the joy out of life, doesn't she."

  Liam smacked his brother on the back of the head playfully. "Only yours you dope. I've no doubt Jerry will have a go with you so do not worry about that. He'll knock your noggin clean off."

  The girls giggled and Colin shot him a death glare with no power behind it. "You've no faith in me, Liam."

  "Aye, I have faith in you. I just paid attention all my life. Bigger is bigger and you're no Jerry."

  Colin seemed to be processing that information, almost as if he was trying to invent a way to get around that little obstacle. Then he shrugged and stood to follow Liam.

  It was almost comical. The group of girls collectively sighed and Liam looked around to find almost every single one of them pouting. Colin just ignored it and walked away. He had no problem letting them down and if Liam didn't know any better, he would worry that Colin lost his chances with most of them.

  Not a chance. Colin would have one of them in the trees within the hour and her father would probably catch them like the fathers always did.

  They found his parents and Isabelle at the fountain behind the stage. The sun's reflection off the water lit up Isabelle's face as she laughed at something his mother was saying. It was as if the angel's were pointing down at her any way they could.

  "Aye, you're a dope, brother," Colin said strangely.

  "Excuse me?"

  They stopped just several feet in front of Isabelle who was giving her attention to Mary. Liam watched her neck redden and her eyes crinkle again when his mother patted her cheek adoringly.

  "I said you're a dope. You've gone and met yourself a woman you cannot keep. Not a chance she'll stick around with you after she sets her eyes on me. If it's a fight you want, it's a fight you'll get."

  Liam smacked Colin on the back of the head a little harder than normal. "She doesn't need a boy. She needs a man."