Dangerous Silence (O'Connor Brothers Book 5)

by Rhonda Brewer

  “Mommy said we have to say goodnight to everyone. Poppy Stewart is taking us home.” Lily pouted.

  “You don’t want to go with Poppy?” Mike chuckled.

  “I was having fun, but Gracie is tired, and Alex is crying. So, Mommy said it’s time for us to go home.” Lily wrapped her arm around his neck.

  “I’m sure you’re a little tired too.” Mike lifted her into his arms.

  “Yeah, but can you dance with me just once before we go?” She smiled.

  “I would be honored to dance with one of the prettiest flower girls I’ve ever seen.” Mike kissed her cheek and headed inside.

  As pathetic as it was, he was the only one of his brothers on the dance floor that wasn’t dancing with a woman his age, but Lily’s smile made that all right. He didn’t even mind the snide comments from Aaron about not being able to get a date. The truth was he could have gotten a date, but he didn’t want to bring some random woman to his brother’s wedding. He’d been there and done that. The next time he invited a woman to a family occasion it was going to be for more than a one-night date.

  Billie flashed through his mind again, and he sighed. Maybe he should get Sandy to try and find her again. It was the only way he was going to get the woman out of his mind.

  Chapter 8

  Billie couldn’t believe the child protection worker was seriously considering allowing Eugene to have custody of Chloe. Just because he had an airtight alibi didn’t mean that the asshole would take care of Chloe. Why Eugene was even trying to get custody of the child was beyond her. Peggy had told her more than once that Eugene ignored Chloe and he wasn’t her father. It didn’t make any sense why they would even consider him.

  It was a wonder she hadn’t worn a path into her parent’s living room floor while she waited for Chloe’s lawyer. It was a stroke of luck that Stephanie called her mother to get an idea of what to get Billie’s grandfather for his upcoming birthday party. Her mother explained they were postponing the party until things with Chloe was cleared up. That was when Stephanie told her mother about a lawyer she knew.

  Billie wanted custody of Chloe since the little girl didn’t want to talk to anyone but Billie and her family. That didn’t seem to matter to Felix Morris the CPS worker dealing with Chloe’s case. He blamed his supervisor, but Billie knew of Felix from some of her co-workers in Labrador. She hadn’t had any run-ins with him, but she’d heard he could be a colossal jerk.

  “When is this lawyer going to be here?” Matt sat in the armchair next to the window.

  “He was going to see Chloe at the foster home, and then coming here.” Billie sighed and braced her back against the wall.

  “If that pencil neck would get his head out of his ass he’d know Chloe belongs with us,” Matt grumbled.

  “He’s just doing what he thinks is best for Chloe.” Billie tried to sound as if she believed what she said, but the truth was Matt was right.

  “I don’t like him.” Her grandfather lowered the newspaper and looked out over the top of his glasses. “Any man that can’t complete a sentence without sniffing has been sniffing something up his nose.”

  “Pop that’s not a nice thing to say. He could have allergies.” Billie couldn’t help but smile because Felix’s constant sniffing got on her last nerve as well. She also didn’t like how impatient he was with Chloe. He didn’t know sign language and would ask Chloe questions as if she could hear him.

  “Mark my words, that man don’t have no allergies, and how he got that job is beyond me, he wouldn’t know his arse from a hole in the ground.” With that statement, her grandfather went back to his paper.

  Billie rested her head back against the wall and closed her eyes. Peggy’s funeral had been two weeks before, and it was the worst thing she'd gone through since losing her grandmother. Then there was the fact that she couldn’t sleep. Every time she’d close her eyes all she could see was Peggy’s bloody body in the middle of the floor. If she finally got to sleep, she’d have nightmares of Peggy begging for help. She didn’t tell anyone about the dreams because she was afraid it would make it difficult for her to get custody of Chloe.

  The front door of her parent’s house opened, and Chloe ran inside. The first thing she did was run right to Matt and jump into his arms. She loved Matt and as gruff as he was, he’d become a different person with the little girl.

  “Chloe, how did you get here?” Billie signed when she could get the little girls attention.

  “My new friend brought me.” She signed back with a big smile.

  “Who’s your new friend?” Billie hoped that Chloe’s new friend was an adult and didn’t help her run away. Chloe pointed toward the door.

  When Billie turned around, she gasped. It might have been five months since he’d held her and kissed the hell out of her, but she would know him from a mile away. A man like that was hard to forget, but then the scene that played out in front of her eyes in front of Stephanie’s house flashed in her mind.

  “What are you doing here?” Matt growled before Billie could ask.

  “I’m Chloe’s lawyer.” Mike didn’t look at her brother. He kept his blue gaze locked with hers.

  “We’ll have to change that. You’re the last fucking person I want to deal with.” Matt snapped.

  “Watch your mouth around the little girl.” Mike broke their gaze and glared at Matt.

  “She doesn’t hear me.” Matt snapped.

  “She can read lips,” Mike replied.

  Billie glanced back and forth between her brother and the man that starred in her dreams before the nightmares started. She didn’t know how they knew each other, but it was evident there was no love lost between them either.

  “It's good to see you again, Billie.” His smile returned as his eyes met hers. “Or should I call you Belinda?”

  “Most people call me Billie.” Her voice came out in a squeak.

  “I like Billie.” He took a step closer, and it was as if a magnet pulled her toward him until the flash of his arms around Stephanie brought her out of her trance.

  “How did you get permission to bring Chloe here?” She stepped back and tried to compose herself.

  “I received some details that changed the situation.” Mike glanced over her shoulder at her brother. “Matt, could I speak to you in private for a moment?”

  “Outside.” Matt’s voice came out like a snarl.

  “What’s wrong with you?” Billie grabbed his arm as he stomped past her.

  “There’s nothing wrong with me. Why don’t you get Chloe settled?” Matt pointed toward the bags next to Mike’s feet.

  Matt pushed by Mike and disappeared through the front door. Mike didn’t follow at first. He studied her face, and she wanted so much to go back to the night she met him.

  “You look great, Billie.” Mike smiled.

  “I thought you wanted to talk to me.” Matt’s voice had Mike shaking his head.

  “Excuse me.” Mike nodded his head and followed Matt out through the front door.

  Before Billie could follow, Chloe grabbed her hand. The little girl stared up at her with wide eyes. It was like looking at Peggy, and it broke Billie’s heart that she would never see her friend again. The police still didn’t know who killed Peggy or if they did they didn’t say.

  “Do I get to live here now?” Chloe signed when Billie crouched down.

  “I hope so, but we won’t worry about that now. Let’s bring your things into the bedroom.” Billie signed. The little girl wrapped her arms around Billie and hugged her tightly. When Billie looked up her grandfather smiled at her.

  “Now all the family is under the same roof.” He nodded and went back to reading.

  Billie wondered just how long that would be.

  Chapter 9

  Could things get any more fucked up?

  How was it possible that Billie was the sister of Keith’s employee and Stephanie’s friend? She wasn’t actually his client, but she was involved in the case. Mike stepped outside
and scanned the front of the house for Matt. It seemed Billie’s brother was hiding things from his family which was why he didn’t tell Billie the reason he was able to bring Chloe home.

  Matt was at the end of the driveway glaring at him with his hands fisted by his sides. Mike knew Matt didn’t like him and Mike had to admit he was kind of anal about certain things. Not to be an ass but because the house was where he planned to spend the rest of his life and he wanted it to be perfect. When Mike found little things, he wanted changed Matt would get annoyed.

  “Your family doesn’t know, do they?” Mike kept his voice quiet as he approached Matt.

  “I couldn’t tell them until I knew for sure.” Matt seemed to ease the tension in his body.

  “You didn’t know yourself?” Mike wondered how a man couldn’t know he’d fathered a child.

  “It’s a long fucked up story.” Matt closed his eyes and plowed his hands through his hair.

  “I’ve got all day.” Mike shoved his hands into his pants pockets.

  “Do you think I’m going to tell you when I haven’t even told my family about any of this?” Matt glared.

  “They’re going to ask because the only reason I was able to get Chloe placed in your home was that I received papers saying you were Chloe’s father.” Apparently, Matt trusted Keith with the secret.

  “How the hell did I not realize you would be the lawyer Stephanie knew? You’re the only lawyer, right?” Matt linked his hands behind his head and sighed.

  “Nick did go to law school, but he changed careers.” Mike could see the tension in Matt’s face. “Look, I know you don’t like me but I’m damn good at my job, and my priority is Chloe. Can we just bury the hatchet and get your daughter kept where she should be?”

  For a few seconds, Matt stared over Mike’s shoulder at the house. He seemed to have some internal struggle going on in his head, and Mike started to feel some guilt about giving the man such a hard time.

  “I loved her,” Matt whispered.

  “Chloe’s mother?” Mike asked.

  “Nobody knew about the night we conceived Chloe. Peggy was Billie’s best friend. That night I was home alone. Billie had gone away for the weekend with a couple of friends, but Peggy was still dealing with her mom’s death.” Matt blew out a puff of air. “You don’t want to hear about this.”

  “I don’t need to know, but it seems like you need to tell someone. Matt, I’m not a bad guy.” Mike said.

  “Wait, how did Billie know you?” Matt changed the subject.

  “We met a few months ago downtown.” That was all he was going to say.

  “Keith told me about you and the other two. Keep your fucking hands off my sister.” Matt growled.

  “What happens or doesn’t happen between your sister and me is none of your business. I want to know when you’re going to tell your family about Chloe.” Mike wasn't sure anything would happen with Billie. The way she stepped away from him seemed to say her attraction toward him had changed.

  “My sister is my business. Don’t think you’re going to make her another notch on your bedpost. I know where you live.” Matt glared.

  “Matt, what’s going on?” Mike stiffened as Billie walked up behind him.

  “It’s just some stuff to do with his house.” Matt lied.

  “His house?” Billie glanced up at him and then quickly looked away.

  “It’s my house your brother is helping to renovate,” Mike answered hoping she would look at him.

  “That’s an awfully big house for a single person.” Billie glanced back at the house.

  “Trust me he won’t be alone there much,” Matt interjected, and it made Mike want to punch the guy.

  “I don’t doubt that.” Billie snapped and turned to face her brother.

  “Chloe is looking for you.” Billie turned to go back to the house.

  “I need to talk to you as well, Billie.” Mike touched her arm.

  “What do you need to talk to her about?” Matt snapped.

  “It’s Billie who’s petitioned for custody of Chloe.” Mike raised an eyebrow at Matt. “Unless there’s something that could change that.”

  Matt mumbled something under his breath and stomped back up to the house. Mike turned back to Billie, but she had her head down. He couldn’t even pretend to understand what she'd been through. Nobody would unless they’d been there.

  “I’ve been trying to find you for the last five months.” Mike couldn’t think of anything else to say.

  “Why?” Billie tipped her face up and met his gaze.

  “Because I haven’t been able to get you out of my mind.” Honesty was always best.

  “I’m sure you found some help to take your mind off me.” Billie rolled her eyes.

  “If I’d known that the Belinda, Stephanie talked about was you, I would have been here the second I knew.” Mike reached to take her hand, but she stepped back.

  “I wasn’t aware that you and Stephanie only talked.” Mike couldn’t understand the snarky tone of her voice.

  “Did I do something to offend you?”

  “I’m not offended.” Billie crossed her arms across her chest, and it pushed her breasts up.

  Mike felt his dick twitch, and he quickly averted his eyes before he grabbed her and reminded her just how hot it got that night with just a kiss.

  “I’m guessing the friend you were running off to that night was Chloe’s mother,” Mike said.

  Tears filled her eyes, and she swallowed hard. She looked down at the ground, but Mike put his finger under her chin and tipped it up, so she had to look at him.

  “I found her,” Billie whispered.

  “I’m sorry.” The pain in her eyes made his stomach clench, and his heart hurt.

  “There was so much….” Billie covered her face with her hands and took a slow deep breath.

  “You don’t have to talk about it.” Mike touched her cheek. “But if you do, I’m here to listen.”

  “Are you screwing around with Stephanie?” She’d said it so fast and soft that Mike wasn’t sure he heard her correctly.

  “I’m sorry, what?” Mike chuckled.

  “I saw you.” She finally looked up at him again. “A while ago. I was going to talk to Matt. That’s how I knew how big your house was. Stephanie asked me to come by for coffee and when I pulled up in front of her house, you two looked pretty intimate.”

  Mike laughed and then stopped. When he saw the expression on her face, he quickly realized she was serious.

  “Let me get one thing straight. I would never in a million years betray one of my brothers by having an affair with their wives. First, my brothers would take me out in the woods and beat me within an inch of my life. Secondly, my mother, grandmother, and father would skin me alive.” Mike continued. “If it’s the day I’m thinking of, I was there to babysit my niece because Stephanie had a last-minute appointment and I was the only one that could watch Olivia.”

  “Oh,” Her cheeks turned a little darker. He guessed she was embarrassed.

  “Billie, I love Stephanie but as a sister. Stephanie loves John with all her heart, and there isn’t anyone that would come between them.”

  “I’m sorry.” Billie sighed.

  “You don’t have to be sorry.” He met her gaze, and it happened again. She took his breath away with that beautiful smile.

  “You should know I thought you were John and assumed you were screwing around on Stephanie.” Billie tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear.

  “You did have me all wrong.” Mike chuckled.

  “From what my brother just said, maybe I didn’t.” Billie’s smile faded.

  “I’m not saying I’m a virgin because I’m far from it, but I haven’t been with anyone since I met you,” Mike whispered and took a step toward her.

  “Belinda, don’t be rude. Bring him in here so we can figure out what to do next.” Mike heard a female voice from the house.

  “I think we need to go inside.” Billie walke
d around him but he grabbed her hand, and she turned. “Not now, okay.”

  Mike dropped her hand and followed her into the house. She was right. It wasn’t the time or place to talk about how much he’d been thinking about her. How he’d fantasized about her and him together.

  The older woman standing inside the door had Mike doing a double take. He remembered a picture of himself and Lyle with a woman that resembled the lady currently smiling at him.

  “Mike, this is my mom, Marg Carter.” Billie linked her arm into the woman’s arm.

  As soon as Billie said the name Mike knew precisely who the woman was.

  “Mrs. Carter?” Mike couldn’t believe it. “Are you the same Mrs. Carter that used to teach at Holy Cross Elementary?”

  “Yes, that was a long time ago,” Marg replied.

  “I’m sure you don’t remember me, but you taught me in grade one.” Mike smiled.

  “Wait, your last name is O’Connor.” Marg stared at him for a moment. “Michael O’Connor, my goodness. I should have known those blue eyes.”

  Marg wrapped her arms around him and hugged him tightly. Mike met Billie’s shocked expression behind her mother. When Marg stepped back, she cupped Mike’s face in her hands.

  “You were one of the sweetest boys I’ve ever taught. I still remember the day when young Lyle came to my classroom. You two took to each other so quickly.” Marg smiled up at him.

  “Lyle and I are still great friends.” Mike chuckled.

  “How is he?” Marg stepped back but linked her arm into his and guided him toward the kitchen.

  Before Mike knew what happened, he was sat at the kitchen table with a cup of coffee telling Marg all about Lyle, Bobby, Ernie and himself. Billie had followed them, and Matt stood in the doorway of the kitchen he looked more than a little pissed.

  “Oh, look at me taking up time that we should be figuring out how sweet little Chloe can stay with us permanently.” Marg reached across the table and placed her hand over his.

  “It’s okay.” Mike sat back in the chair and glanced up at Matt.

  “Mom, I’m sure Mr. O’Connor has a hectic schedule.” Matt was obviously trying to keep his anger hidden from his mother.