Connelly Crime Family Trilogy

by Winters, KB

  “Worm is going through it now.”

  Worm was the Connelly family computer nerd, named because he’d been a bookworm since he was old enough to read.

  “He’ll find the details we need to confirm who did it, but we already know.”

  “Anything else?”

  “Yeah.” Rourke raked both hands through his thick blond hair, looking more stressed than I’d seen him since Aunt Fiona was hurt. “The Onyx Room was raided. By the cops.”

  I let out a low whistle. “They must be desperate to waste their money on one of the few cops we don’t own in Rocket.” It meant there was more to this story than we knew. “Can you have Worm look into Milano finances? I have a feeling this is about more than swinging dicks.”

  “You think?”

  Hell yeah, I did. “I do but I want to talk to Worm first. Who led the raid?”

  “Markham. Reggie Markham from Vice.”

  “I should have known. There’s always one eager bastard.” There was always that one officer who thought his shit didn’t stink, who thought he was too damn special to be bought. It rarely took them long to realize everyone had a price. And I meant everyone. “Where is he now?”

  A slow, evil spread across Rourke’s face. “Carjacking late last night. My guess is he’s somewhere in this building. A pity, really.”

  “A damn shame,” I shot back, smiling like a fool.

  “Patrick isn’t happy, not about any of this.”

  “I didn’t imagine he would be, at least I hoped not.” The old man was wound tightly and after all the drama of the past week he was probably ready to rip old Lorenzo Milano apart with his bare hands. “How is he otherwise?”

  “Bloodthirsty. Foaming at the mouth. The usual,” Rourke smiled affectionately. “He wants you discharged as soon as possible.”

  “That makes two of us. Doc said soon. and I’m feeling better, a little sore but nothing being here can help.” And this place had no Jameson on the menu, which put it squarely on the list of places I shouldn’t be.

  “I hope it’s soon because Ma is threatening to come up here and take care of you.” Rourke grinned because none of us were exempt from the extreme mothering of Aunt Fiona. She would storm inside, clean the place from top to bottom, cook a weeks’ worth of meals and fatten us up before we even realized what happened. It was nice. Until she started in on us boys providing her with some grandbabies to spoil.

  “I really wish you hadn’t said that,” I told him on a sigh. “Now I’m going to have to bribe or threaten the doc to get me out of here.” We shared a laugh at that because yeah, I was crazy, but I wasn’t out of my goddamn mind.

  “Mr. Connelly,” the doctor said as he walked in with a smile. “You have company. Should I come back later?”

  “That depends, Doc, are you here to tell me you’re giving me my freedom?”

  He laughed. “I am. Your x-rays and scans look good, no lasting damage. You’ll hurt like hell for a while so I’ll give you a prescription for pain management before you leave. If you have any dizziness, headaches or nausea, get right back here. Okay?”

  I would’ve agreed to just about anything at that moment so I nodded. “Whatever you say, Doc.”

  “Great. I’ll write the order. It may be a couple of hours to get the discharge process underway. I want you to talk to the nurse about concussion watch and set up follow up appointments with my office, but you’ll be home in time for dinner.”

  “Good.” I turned to Rourke with a smile. “Bring me a change of clothes?”

  Rourke nodded and the doctor wrote out two prescriptions on his pad. “Take care of yourself, Mr. Connelly.”

  “Will do.” Rourke and I both fell silent after the doctor left the room, deep in thoughts of how serious shit would get the minute I got out of here.

  “Don’t even fucking think of doing something stupid, Shae.” Rourke’s voice was low and deep, cold and deadly. “You’ll get your chance, but we have to do this smart.”

  “I would never do anything to put the family or our interests in jeopardy, asshole.” And fuck him for even thinking I would.

  “I know, but I can see you right now and anger is radiating off you. I’m just telling you to take a few minutes and calm down. Come to the house and let Ma feed you, and then maybe go find a willing woman to bury your cock in so you can have a clear head tomorrow.”

  Now that was an idea with some merit. It was too bad I didn’t manage to get Ivy’s phone number before she left my room earlier. Dammit. “You know Rourke, you may just be on to something. That’s an excellent idea.”

  I didn’t know how yet but I would find Ivy.

  “I’ll grab you something to wear and leave Shamrock here with you. Stay out of trouble.”

  “I make no promises, Cuz.” Rourke rolled his eyes and stood, smoothing his slacks.

  “See you in a bit. I’ll let Ma know that you’ll be ready to eat soon.”

  “Tomorrow,” I shouted after him, drawing a curious look because I was screaming like a damn fool. “Tell her tomorrow I’ll be ready to eat everything in sight.”

  He frowned. “You’ve been in the hospital for almost three days.”

  I shrugged. “What can I say? Layla brought me some food earlier and I might have a date tonight.”

  “All right. I’ll bring you some clothes.,” he replied with a look in his eye that made me chuckle.

  Rourke was a mystery when it came to women. He never spoke of his lady friends, if there were any, and he never brought them around. Not that Eamon or I brought women around the family, but we had no problem talking about our conquests. Rourke always kept quiet about it.

  That was a thought for another time. Now I had just a few hours to figure out how to find Ivy.

  Chapter Eleven

  Ivy

  “You can just go on up, Miss. Really, visiting hours are for another hour and ten minutes.” The perky blonde nurse smiled up at me but her eyes were wary, like maybe I was some kind of hit and run stalker.

  I flashed my sweetest non-threatening smile. “My brother’s friends are up there, and I don’t want to disturb them, plus I promised I’d stop mothering him. Only I can’t quite stop yet, so if you could just make sure he gets it?”

  The wariness faded and her whole body went soft. “Yeah, sure, I can make sure he gets it.”

  Thank goodness. “Thank you very much. And just so you know, the guys in with him? They’re all single.” Her eyes lit up as I thought they would, and she pulled the bag filled with delicious diner food closer to her.

  “No problem at all. I’ll make sure he gets it.”

  “Ian. Make sure Ian Anders gets it or else his friends might mob you for it.”

  With one last wave, I turned and headed toward the nearest stairwell to make my way out of the hospital before Ian found out I’d showed up again. Of course he’d figure it out when the food was delivered, but he would be too grateful to say anything about it. The stairwell was about ten steps away when I felt eyes on me again.

  I froze and glanced around the hallway for someone boring holes into the back of me, but no one paid any attention to me. It was the strangest damn feeling and honestly, it freaked me out a little so I turned left and decided to wait for the elevator. At least there were cameras inside the elevators, which didn’t guarantee my safety but it did increase my odds.

  I was so busy turning my head left and right, up and down the hall, searching for a set of eyes that never made their presence known that I ran into a big, hot wall of muscle. Lean, hard muscle that felt vaguely familiar under my hands. “This is a nice surprise.”

  Shae. I looked up into his smiling face, hands practically fisted in his shirt. A long sleeve maroon Henley and dark blue jeans that made him look tall and lean and sturdy. “Shae. Did you miss your stop?”

  His laugh was deep and rumbling, his face still bruised, but some of his color had returned along with his good mood.

  “As it so happens I was just looking for you
, or your brother’s room. To get your number.” He flashed a boyish grin but the big redheaded mob boss looking guy laughed.

  “Yeah?” My antenna went up. “Why?”

  While I would have loved to spend more time with him, I knew exactly what kind of guy Shae was. Love ’em and leave ’em was written all over his charming smile and gorgeous face. I had no illusions that what we’d done, magnificent as it was, had been a one-time only deal.

  “To call you. Spend some time with you.”

  In my bed was more like it, but Ian’s words still had me feeling raw and vulnerable. I had a feeling Shae was just the distraction I needed. I lowered my antenna and said, “Anywhere specific?”

  His smile spread, slow and seductive and, right there in front of the elevators and his friend, my panties grew wet.

  “I have a few places in mind, but I’m a nice guy, you can choose the first place.”

  Hell. Fucking. Yes. “Here’s my number, Shae,” I told him and pulled one of my business cards from my purse. “Call me when the doctor gives you the all clear.”

  “Why do you think I was looking for your number? I’m free when you are.”

  Spending the entire night wrapped up in Shae’s big sexy body, his thick cock making me feel better than anything had in a long time, sounded like a damn good time to me. And a hell of a lot better than Netflix and junk food.

  “Need a ride somewhere?” I asked.

  “That’s my line,” he replied and his friend snickered beside him, drawing a glare from Shae. “And I would love a ride,” he added with a raised eyebrow.

  “Shae, wherever you go, I go.” The tall redheaded man looked like a teddy bear until that deadly serious look crossed his face. “If I don’t, Patrick will have my ass.”

  “Don’t worry about it, Shamrock. I’ll let him know I’m going someplace safe. For the night.”

  The man named Shamrock looked me over with a warm smile. “Where do you live?”

  I blinked. “A house on East Clayton. Why?”

  They both ignored me, staring at one another, silently communicating in that way that lifelong friends tended to do in mixed company. Shamrock was insistent in his gaze, but Shae wore determination like a ten-thousand-dollar suit. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Rock.”

  Realizing he was beat, the big ginger stepped inside the elevator, and held it open for us.

  “Thank you,” I whispered at his kind gesture.

  “Sure, sweetheart.”

  The elevator ride down to the lobby was quiet, but it wasn’t tense or oppressive. My thoughts were full of Shae and the things he would do to me, the things I would do to him and all the fun we would have tonight. Just for tonight. The doors slid open, and I turned to Shae.

  “Did you need to refill your prescriptions before we go?”

  He slipped his long fingers through his hair and sighed. “No,” he said at the same time Shamrock countered.

  “Yeah, he does.”

  “I’m fine.”

  “No you’re not,” I insisted and grabbed his arm, leading him toward the pharmacy near the exit.

  “Just because you’re getting out of here doesn’t mean you’re better. Follow the doctor’s instructions or you’ll end up in here for a much longer stay.”

  Shae blinked. Nodded. “Yes ma’am. You’re really hot when you’re being bossy, you know that?”

  “Thanks. Go fill the prescriptions while Mr. Shamrock and I wait right here.”

  Looking resigned and a little put out, he turned and went inside, smiling at the elderly, blushing pharmacist.

  “Thanks for your help.” Mr. Shamrock said.

  “No problem.” Shae and I weren’t friends, we were casual sex partners and that was it, but I still didn’t want anything to happen to him.

  “I probably shouldn’t tell you this, but you seem like a nice girl and all.” That big strong man was nervous and that notion made me smile.

  “Girl?”

  “Woman. Whatever. Shae is a great guy, but he doesn’t do serious.”

  Ah, a warning. “I know. He told me. And I am a nice girl, but there’s a reason I was here when he was thrown out of that van. My brother. And I’m not looking for anything serious, either.” For the moment, anyway.

  “Okay, then. If you hear or see anything that doesn’t feel right, give me a call.” He handed me a heavyweight card with just a number and a Shamrock on it.

  “Uhm, okay?”

  Suddenly it occurred to me that I didn’t know a hell of a lot about Shae, and everything I did know seemed to scream trouble. And now this guy was giving me a suspicious looking card and pretty much telling me that Shae was in some kind of trouble. Too bad I was too big of a chicken shit to ask one of the nine million questions running through my mind.

  “Will do.”

  Fifteen minutes later Shae walked out of the pharmacy with his loose-legged gait and a bright smile on his face, then wrapped an arm around my waist and guided me out of the hospital.

  “I picked up some condoms too. Just in case.”

  “In case we get drunk and make water balloons?”

  “Is that what the kids are doing these days?” He leaned in close and brushed a kiss along my neck that sent a shiver through me.

  “I need to talk to Shamrock really quick,” he said. “I’ll be right back.”

  I watched him walk away. His cute little ass wrapped tight in dark denim made my mouth water.

  Yeah, tonight would be a good one. If only for one night.

  ***

  “Food?” Shae asked.

  Now that Shae was inside my house I was nervous. He was tall and lean but something about him seemed to take up all the oxygen in the room. I was aware of him, too aware. Every move, every intake of breath caused a reaction in my body and that left me feeling disconcerted. I turned my gaze up to Shae’s smiling face and let out a swoon-y sigh.

  “I made potato and broccoli soup. There’s even Irish cheddar in the fridge.”

  He threw his head back and laughed. “Is there any other kind of cheddar?”

  “Scottish, of course.” The look he sent my way was equal parts surprise and disbelief.

  “That look is priceless,” I told him and turned away, heading toward the kitchen for no other reason than I was a coward, running away from Shae and the intense feelings he made me feel.

  “So, food?” I called over my shoulder.

  He didn’t answer right away so I ducked into the cabinets under the counter for my favorite ceramic bowls. I needed a moment to compose myself. Make sure this was the right thing to do.

  I stood back up and felt the heat and the hardness that was Shae’s masculine form against my back. His long thick erection pressed against my ass and I gasped. His deep chuckle vibrated through my whole body.

  “Soup sounds delicious. Later. Right now all I want is you.”

  He nipped at my earlobe and his teeth skidded along the length of my neck just before his tongue nipped at the dip between my neck and shoulder. His mouth was even more wicked than I remembered.

  “All of you, Ivy.”

  Shae spun me around and his hands felt like they were everywhere. My ass, gliding up my back before spearing his fingers through my hair. It was rough and inelegant, clumsy and fully charged but it was also the hottest damn kiss of my life.

  A moan escaped me and it added fuel to Shae’s inferno. He held me tighter, closer and deepened the kiss until I didn’t know which way was up. It made the kisses in his hospital seem like child’s play and honestly, that was a little bit scary. My knees weakened and it was Shae’s turn to laugh and grip me even tighter, but I knew my limits and the way his tongue danced with mine pretty much guaranteed it.

  I held on tight, making sure not to hurt any places Shae may still be tender. I directed us toward the living room because that was where I wanted him. As soon as the thought appeared, an image followed. Shae on my sofa, naked and hard, with me pleasuring him with my mouth. My body.

&nbs
p; “Yes!” I swooned.

  He ripped his mouth from mine and it curved into a sexy grin. “I haven’t done anything yet.”

  “You’re doing enough. For the moment.” A wide grin spread from ear to ear and a surge of confidence heated my skin.

  “I think what you need,” I told him, “is to relax.”

  I stripped the Henley right off his sculpted muscles and tossed it behind me as my hands began to roam his body, a mind of their own as they traced the hard ridges of his chest, the stiff peaks of flat pale nipples. And sweet Jesus the man’s abs had abs.

  “I think you’re pretty damn gorgeous. And I think you need to relax.” With a few quick movements, his jeans and boxers fell to his ankles, and I pushed him down on the sofa.

  “Not feelin’ too relaxed right now, Ivy.”

  A sexy laugh escaped, and I felt my skin heat.

  “You will. Soon.”

  I wanted to make sure of it, especially when my eyes caught a few spots of discoloration on his torso. I removed my sweatshirt first, tearing it off at the speed of light because his cock tempted me beyond all reason, rising up between his legs, long and hard.

  “Go slow,” he bit out between clenched teeth, and I did as he said, taking my time.

  And dammit, I couldn’t take my eyes off Shae’s intense, hungry gaze. Or the way he stroked his hand slowly up and down his cock while he watched me. I refused to look away as I reached for the hem of my camisole, pulling it up slowly, exposing myself to him. Normally, I probably would have obsessed about the extra pounds I’d put on because I sat on my ass all day, worked too hard and exercised too little, but the heat in his gaze was like a double shot of confidence. I stood a little taller and pushed my boobs out a little more.

  “Show me those beautiful tits, Ivy. I need to see ’em.” His voice pitched so low I felt it vibrating all over my body, and it sent a deep pulse between my thighs.

  “Ivy,” he growled.

  I couldn’t stop the smile that widened as I cupped my tits and flicked open the hook between my boobs. The bra popped open, and I slid the straps down my arms. Shae groaned when the bra hit the floor and wetness leaked to the insides of my thighs. Unsnapping my jeans, I gave a sexy little shimmy until I was in nothing but a tiny scrap of pink lace.