I looked toward Sean who evidently had gotten the next call. “Oh mine wasn’t much better, maybe more embarrassing but not better. ‘Sean, I’m getting a baby from Michael and Reese. I’m sure Fin and Tony will have Brooklyn pregnant soon, that makes my first and second sons contributing to the O’Malley bloodline, you are my third, so how are you going to handle that? I don’t see you date much, you never talk about a woman you are seeing. It’s okay to be gay these days, son.’ Yeah, he went there, and now I might as well be, ‘cause I was in the damn grocery store while he was being all loud through my phone.” Sean flipped us off as we laughed.
“Bry, you didn’t say what he said to you?” Asking earned me a finger. “What?” Bry walked over beside me and my first thought was he was going to knock the crap out of me. Nope, to my surprise and the others he yanked me out of my chair and hugged me.
“Congrats, bro.” He let me go and stepped back. “I was out with Reed when I got my call, so yeah, everyone knows. I received the same about you giving him a grandkid, his first, then he hit me with ‘You need to look for a woman with good birthing hips. You’re large like me and your kids will be too. Not that a small woman couldn’t handle giving birth to your children. I worried about your mother every time she carried one of you boys. When you were born and I saw you crown, her vag—’, he didn’t get the rest out, I cut him off. Reed was damn near on the floor laughing and I had to drink Tequila shots to get the image out of my head. Christ, but there are things you can’t erase. And as I sat there on the bar stool I realized our quiet, unassuming father is worse than the moms put together. I personally think he is the one behind them, secretly planting shit in their heads.”
By the time Bry had gotten done talking, my side hurt from laughing. I straightened the desktop while we talked about Zoey and they asked how Reese and I felt about becoming dads. I more than expected to catch hell from them but they were genuinely happy for us. Oh, I had no doubt at some point the ribbing would come.
The next clients came in and it was back to business for them, and I was headed for the door that led to the gym.
Everyone in the gym was busy when I walked through, headed for the stairs to Reese’s office.
“Yo!” When I turned Fin stood by the ring, the glare directed at me was all the warning I needed to know that he had spoken to our mother or Tony’s or from what I learned from the others, it could have been our dad. I reminded myself it was the price you paid for being an O’Malley as I changed direction toward him.
“Save it. Don’t care. Be a man, knock up Brook and move on.” Every man for himself so I was not going to apologize for beating him out in producing the first grandkid. Plus, I was too damn happy to give a shit if he and Tony were catching hell.
“Tough guy, that is how you want to play it? Do you know Brook listened to Sonia rant for like three damn hours about not having a grandbaby on the way, then when she finally gets off she is so mad at you and Reese for what she had to go through that Tony and I didn’t know how to calm her down.” When his fingers pinched his nose and he closed his eyes, I smiled ‘cause yeah, this was going to be good and I couldn’t help but give him a little push.
“So, that is our problem, why?” Fin’s eyes opened, he turned and gave the clipboard he was making notes from Xavier and Jamison sparring in the ring to Franco. Then he faced me, pointed to the weight room door and headed in that direction. I followed, still smiling.
“Because we tried to calm her down and our way of doing it usually works but instead she got mad at us for the suggestion,” Fin shifted his weight from one foot to the other and I waited, no way they were that stupid, “so while we were doing our usual, Tony and I might have said something along the lines of we could have her pregnant in no time at all.” I stared at him and then I couldn’t contain the full blown, deep belly laughter that erupted. Fin stood and continued to glare at me.
“Laugh it up, fucker,” the smirk on his face was not good.
“What did you do?”
“Nothing. Tony and I have found out since being with Brook every day that she may have grown out of the shy and nice young girl we grew up with. She has a mean and vindictive side now. We were just glad when we witnessed it, that you and Reese were the ones in her crosshairs.” It was then my turn to glare at Fin.
“Great, damn great. I was headed to tell Reese we’ve been summoned for dinner tomorrow night with Zoey in tow. I swear if everyone messes this up for us I am going on an ass kicking expedition.” I opened the door to go find Reese.
“Michael?”
“What?”
“You may have won this round but tonight when you are jacking off, Tony and I will be enjoying our woman, you know, the one who lives with us.”
I flipped him off, wasn’t going to respond to his childish shit. We’d have our woman soon enough if we could get five damn minutes alone with her. And fine, he wanted to rub in the fact he had his woman at his house, I could work with that. When I walked in Reese’s office Brook was walking out.
“I hope you assholes have triplets and our moms want to move in with you. See you at dinner tomorrow night.” Brook turned down the hall and I looked at Reese.
“You heard?”
“Oh yeah, I say we take Zoey down to Arthur Avenue tonight and drop the bomb about tomorrow’s dinner. Will be in public so maybe it will keep her from going off on us.” I sat down in the chair in front of his desk. We killed time talking about all the work we had done the last few days. It was nice being back and calling up buddies who would start a renovation job on a Sunday. But I shouldn’t have been surprised, that’s what people in the neighborhood did, they helped each other.
There was still a lot to do in the house but the basics were covered and at least when the rest of Reese’s stuff arrived, the majority of the rooms wouldn’t be empty.
“Man, I’m so happy, I don’t think anything can get to me. How about you?” With the look Reese returned at my question I didn’t really need an answer, the smile said everything.
“Mike, I haven’t been this happy in a long ass time. Do you know how close we are to having everything we have ever talked about?” I knew exactly what he was saying.
“Yeah. Jobs we like and the added benefit of actually making money at them. Family close, friends, living in the area we grew up in, and a woman who fits us both.”
“Well, let’s get to that woman. I’d like to have her living in the same house with us sooner than later. You know?”
“Agreed.” I stood, “I want to go by the house and change before we go pick up Zoey.” Reese nodded and stood also.
“Me too, so let’s head out now.” We left his office and headed downstairs to the gym and ran straight in to Tony who had been on his way up.
“Yo, it’s the diabolical duo. What length people will go through?” Reese and I chuckled.
“Really? What? We set this up months ago: picked a woman, slept with her in the hopes we got her pregnant, just so you and Fin, on the off chance found a woman, so we could one up you both? Seriously?”
“Yes, Michael, it’s not that farfetched. You and your brothers compete on everything.” Reese and I burst out laughing.
“Well, glad you all think we are so smart. Only one I haven’t heard from is Mia. Can’t wait to see what she has to say.”
“Oh, that should be soon enough, I saw her in the weight room when I came in.” We turned at Tony’s words toward the windows that looked into the area. I spotted Mia right off, she was on her hands and knees with one leg stretched out behind her but what had me moving in that direction wasn’t to get her response on Zoey and the pregnancy, nope, it was the man who stepped up behind her and had his hands on her outstretched leg.
“Did you see that shit?” I said to Tony and Reese who were following me. When I passed Fin the only thing I could do was slap his back and point, drawing him away from the desk where he’d been talking with Brant. Figured he got the jest when stepped beside me.
&
nbsp; “What’s going on?”
“You tell me. How long has your boy been hitting on our sister?”
“Michael, maybe it wasn’t what it looked like.” Reese was trying to be the sensible one for once and I should’ve listen but hell, Mia was our baby sister and we had always took care of her. And from the look of things we haven’t done our job very well as late.
“Oh, yeah. You going to tell me you didn’t see the same thing I did?”
“What did you see?” Fin pulled me to a stop and faced me.
“Other than Xavier putting his hands on Mia’s leg, running them slowly up the leg until he reached her backside, then patted her ass. You mean, that? Or how his one hand lingered between her legs out of view but you get the point.”
“The fuck you say.” Fin was on the move now with me right behind him.
“Oh shit,” was heard but I couldn’t have told you who said it, ‘cause when we reached the door, Mia stood in front of Xavier with her hands on his chest. His bare chest.
“What the fuck is going on in here?” Mia dropped her hands and stepped back from Xavier at Fin’s question.
“Nothing. Why are you four barreling in here? Don’t you two,” Mia pointed between Tony and Fin, “have a woman to get pregnant?” Then she pointed between Reese and me, “And don’t you two have a pregnant woman to talk into having you?”
“Don’t try to shift this off you and him,” I snarled as I looked at Xavier, “What the fuck, man?”
“Screw this. Mia—”
“I had a cramp and luckily Xavier was in here finishing his workout, he was just working it out of my leg,” Mia cut Xavier off and stepped in front of him to give her lame ass explanation, which I nor Fin, by his face, believed a damn word of. But before we could call her on it, Ranger and another man walked into the room.
“Just the men we are looking for.” From the serious look on Ranger’s face, Mia and Xavier were forgotten. At least for the moment.
Chapter Thirteen
Reese
“This is Detective Jako Juarez from the 48th Precinct. He is investigating Hector and Manny Sanchez’ deaths and the subsequent involvement in the case of Jorge Vasquez, sixteen. Vasquez’ body was dropped in front of my precinct last night at around one a.m.” After acknowledging Detective Juarez, everyone sat down while Tony leaned on his desk in front of us.
“So, you saying Vasquez has gang ties? So do a lot of kids. You said he was dumped in the city, how would we know anything that could help you?” Tony asked.
“Well, it seems that Vasquez was beaten and then shot. The bruises and marks found on his body suggest his involvement in a fight and though they were substantial enough he would have needed medical help, it was the bullet at the base of his skull that caused his death. Forensic came back just a little while ago, it matched the bullet that took out Hector Sanchez. Ties the cases together.” Detective Juarez moved till he was sitting on the edge of his seat, leaning forward with his arms resting on his knees.
“I’ve been working on gang activity in around the boroughs for the last year and a half. It was what I was working on when my wife was shot and killed in a drive-by just last year. When I went through all the files this morning, it made me think I was close. My theory is my wife was targeted. I think she got a phone call, probably told it had something to do with me. I couldn’t link it then and I can’t link it now but my gut is screaming it all connects.
“I went to the 48th to talk to Juarez and he and I feel the whole mess goes back to the warehouses that are involved in the underground fights. Lot a money in that shit. We came here to talk with you guys, see if something was missed or might remember anything about what came across or heard.” I listened along with everyone else, I had even been tasked with financial records when Tony’s men were trying to backtrack ownership of some of the warehouses. I hadn’t found dick as to where the money ended up but the records balanced, the money though went from account to account, each one owned by another individual with no ties to the ones before.
“Those records on the warehouse were clean.” I looked at Tony, “Jet and Reeds backtrack of property ownership came back clean too?”
“Yeah, though we couldn’t find anything past dummy companies to come up with the actual owner. And my guys are good, they know what the hell to look for.” Tony looked at Ranger and Jako to see if they were going to dispute his claims.
“Figures, but I’d hoped you might’ve had something. People who need to hide always seem to find a way.” Jako stood. “Ready, Detective Marshall? I need to get back, do some more digging.”
“Wait,” Mike looked at me when my word stopped Ranger who stood and he and Jako were walking to the door. “Ranger, is my sister in danger still from all this mess?” My happy was leaving fast with the thought.
“Yeah, are you two hiding something about mine and Tony’s fiancée?” Now Fin and Tony along with me and Michael all stood, as Ranger turned and looked at me, then Michael. When he turned to Juarez I’d had enough.
“What the hell is it you aren’t saying, Ranger?”
“Your sister isn’t in any danger. But Zoey could be.” That had Michael and me stepping forward.
“What do you mean, Zoey? How the hell does she come into this shit?” Michael yelled.
“She is/was the social worker assigned to Vasquez.”
“Sonofabitch,” was said simultaneously by Michael and me just as Detective Juarez’ cell rang. He answered and listened to the caller.
“On my way,” was said as he disconnected the call, his eyes immediately going to Ranger.
“What?” Ranger asked while we all waited.
“There’s been three shootings. Judge Sanders was involved in a drive-by, he was shot at going to his car. Bullet hit him in the shoulder and exited, he is on his way to the hospital. Another drive-by happened at the same time in front of the courthouse where Prosecutor Roark was exiting.” I heard Tony say “My sister” but Juarez didn’t stop to answer, he just nodded his head yes and continued. “Roark wasn’t hit. The third one happened at Southside Haven, Ranger, your sister wasn’t hit but she was shaken up and told the officers who answered the call that she was pregnant. She is in route to the hospital to be checked out.”
Not another word was said as we each headed out of the office. Michael had to be thinking the same as me. We could have lost her, both of them, before we even had them.
Zoey
I laid back on the gurney and groaned. Seriously there was nothing wrong but they had insisted on bringing me in since I was pregnant. I put my hand on my stomach and sighed, nothing was going to happen to my baby. Everything was fine, shit, we had been trained in how to handle this situation, and it had all come back to me. We worked in a volatile career, I knew it. After getting my degree in social work, I had gone through self-defense training, as well as a gun safety course. I never wanted to be caught off guard, over the last few years the stories we had listened to from case workers were enough to scare the shit out of most newbies. However, it was the new way of the world, scary but true.
When I had been leaving Southside Haven I had sensed something was off, and yeah, some people would probably laugh at me, but the tension in the air outside of the facility was thick. When I heard the squeal of tires, I knew and moved before whoever was trying to scare me had been able to react. When the first shot had hit my car, I was already underneath it and out of the line of fire.
But the shooting had brought back some bad memories for the people at Southside, because before I knew it, the place was crawling with policemen. I should have known they were going to call my brother. I warned them but they so didn’t listen, and I was not going to feel sorry for the doctor who had made the call.
“Well, Zoey, the tests all look fine, you have a couple of good scrapes on your forearms. I am going to prescribe you an antibiotic, just to be on the safe side, the nurse will explain the discharge care to you. Are you in any pain at all?”
I sh
ook my head, “Nope, just the arms, other than that I am fine.”
“You are fairly early in your pregnancy, so just to be sure, make an appointment with your OB/GYN so they can follow up. Also, if you have any break through bleeding, or other problems, come back here immediately or to your doctor.”
“Got it,” Zoey smiled and leaned back. Yes, everything was fine. That had been an hour ago, and I was currently still sitting in the room waiting to be discharged. What the hell was the hold up, I just wanted to go home.
I heard the yelling from the hallway and before I had a chance to warn the nurses, the room was filled with overprotective testosterone laden males who looked like maybe a vein was gonna pop on one of their foreheads. Ranger was standing in front of everyone as his eyes roamed over me, checking for blood I am sure. My heart tightened and I felt like shit. Damn it, I didn’t think how he would feel about a phone call about my shooting. It had to be a flashback to Noel.
“Ranger?” I said softly and my brother’s eyes snapped to mine and I smiled softly. “I’m okay.”
Ranger stared for a moment and then nodded and relaxed slightly and turned to the other officer who was in the room with him. It gave Reese and Michael a chance to move around him and come to my side.
“What happened?” Reese snapped and I frowned. Oh no he did not snap at me, I thought and opened my mouth to yell at them. But Michael put his hand on Reese’s arm and pulled his friend back a little.
“Cool it, man,” he murmured which gave both of them a reprieve from getting the sharp retort I had been planning. “Zoey? You okay?”
I nodded slowly and then sat up a little and both men moved and helped me, yeah, I was gonna roll my eyes but they were so gentle and sweet, I knew their attitudes were out of concern.
Pierced and Inked (KO Ink Book 2) Page 10
