I blinked. “Can we even afford something like this right—”
He shook his head. “You leave that to me. We’re still in this penthouse, right? We haven’t taken one single dent to our lifestyle yet, have we?”
“Well, no. But—”
He gripped my chin. “Then, you leave that to me. And all you do is focus on resting, taking care of yourself, and growing our child. Got it?”
Relief flooded my veins. “Got it.”
He sat me back down onto the bed. “Now, wait right here. I have something for you.”
“Wait, what?”
“Just sit there. Trust me. I’ll be right back.”
“Brody, what could you possibly—”
“Wait here,” he whispered.
I sat down on the edge of the bed, naked and drying off, as he rushed out of the room. I heard him whooping and hollering for joy as he ran across the penthouse. Scouring the place for whatever it was he felt was appropriate right now. I laughed with joy. I cupped my hands over my mouth as tears of happiness streaked my cheeks. And when Brody finally emerged, I saw a little red box between his fingers.
One that made him get down on both knees in front of me.
“Brody?” I asked.
He smiled up at me. “Hey there, sweet girl.”
“Brody, what are you doing?”
He held up the box and cracked it open for me.
“Proposing,” he said.
I gasped. “Brody.”
“Abigail, I’ve had this ring for weeks. I don’t—yes, I do know what possessed me to buy it. My love for you possessed me to buy it.”
“Oh, Brody,” I whispered.
“I’ve been waiting for a romantic opportunity in all this chaos to do this, but I can’t think of anything more romantic than you, sitting here naked, growing our child right before my very eyes. Abigail Callaghan, will you—”
“Yes,” I blurted out.
He grinned. “You didn’t even let me finish, you naughty girl.”
I cupped his cheeks. “Yes, Brody. I will marry you. Any time, any place, with anyone present.”
He helped me to my feet and plucked the ring from the box. As he slid it against my finger, I watched the massive diamond glisten in the sunset light streaming through the window behind me. I wiggled it around, watching it cast shards of rainbow colors against the walls. But when Brody gripped my chin, my gut churned. My thighs warmed. My nipples puckered as he guided my gaze back to his.
“I love you, Abby,” he murmured.
His eyes danced between mine as I smiled.
“I love you too, Brody.”
Then, his lips fell to my neck as our bodies fell back against the bed.
20
Brody
I kissed the naked shoulder of my fiancée and watched goosebumps trail along her crimson skin. Still flushed from our night of love-making. Still marked by my teeth as I worshipped her every curve. She shifted, and the silken sheet fell away from her skin. Exposing even more of her to me as she snored softly against the pillow. I slid my hand down her waist. I slipped it around her torso. And as my hand cupped the soft pooch behind her belly button, my mind ran away with me.
I saw Abby blossoming with life. Growing, and changing, right before my very eyes. My sweet girl, carrying our daughter. Or son. Creating life within her as her feet spread and her thighs thickened for my viewing pleasure. My cock grew hard simply thinking about it. Thinking about the way her breasts would swell with milk. How her stomach was protrude with our child.
I found myself wondering how many children she wanted.
“Morning, handsome,” she said groggily.
Her voice pulled me out of my trance, and I watched her roll into me. Like she had done every morning for the past few weeks. She gazed up at me with those gorgeous eyes, and I felt my heart skip a beat. She was the one for me. The girl I wanted to spend the rest of my days with. And the fact that she had accepted my proposal gave me a new outlook on life.
Especially now that we were going to have a child.
“What is it?” Abby asked.
She cupped my cheek and I nuzzled against her skin.
“We’re due at the family brownstone for brunch today,” I murmured.
“Ah, family duties. Is everything okay?”
“I’m assuming so. Declan didn’t sound urgent over the phone. But I figured you could come with me.”
She paused. “Are you sure that’s a wise idea?”
“You’ll be with me the entire time. The safest place you could be is surrounded by my brothers in that brownstone. I promise, you’ll be okay.”
She nodded. “If you want me there, then I’m there.”
“I figured we could tell everyone about, well, you know…”
I picked up her left hand and kissed the glistening ring. Watching as a smile crept across her face.
“Think they can handle that kind of news?” she asked.
I shrugged. “Does it look like I care?”
She giggled. “You say you don’t care, but I know how much you love your brothers. I know you care about what they’d think.”
“What if I told you I’d already gotten their permission long before I proposed.”
She slowly sat up. “When?”
“The night of the fire.”
“They’ve known about this for over two weeks now?”
I grinned. “Does that bother you?”
She blinked. “Actually, no.”
I searched her eyes. “Then, what is it?”
She sighed. “Is it possible for us to keep the pregnancy to ourselves until I’m a little further along?”
“I was actually going to discuss that with you when you woke up. I think that’s a wise decision.”
“It’s just, with everything going on and the threats mounting and it still being really early in the pregnancy—”
I captured her lips in a kiss. A soft kiss that silenced her words. She cupped my cheek and I laid her back down against the bed, slipping my body over hers. I hovered over her. Protecting her in her most vulnerable state as I pulled back. And as I gazed down into her eyes, my heart skipped yet another beat.
Like it always did when I looked at her.
“I support you in the decision to keep this between us for a little while. When you’re ready, I’m ready,” I said.
She smiled. “You’re amazing, you know that?”
“I get that from time to time.”
She swatted me playfully. “What time is brunch?”
“Ten thirty.”
“What time is it now?”
I looked over at the clock on the wall. “Nine thirty.”
“Well, then you better move so we can start getting ready.”
“And if I don’t?”
She giggled. “If you don’t, we’ll both be late. And you know how Declan is about people being on time.”
I grumbled. “Cock block.”
She kissed my lips softly. “Come on. Up, up. I need to pee.”
I growled playfully at her before letting her up from the bed. And as the two of us got ready for the day, I started scrolling through my phone. I still needed to make an appointment with a doctor. I wanted Abby to get looked at from head to toe. We needed a formal blood test. An ultrasound, to make sure everything was good with the baby. Especially with Abby not eating nearly as much as she usually did. I stole glances of her body in the mirror as she showered. That rolling glass door would be the death of me. But it also showcased something that made me worry.
Abby was definitely losing weight.
“Can’t keep your eyes off me, huh?” she asked.
I grinned. “Never.”
We traded places and I listened to her as she hummed. She always hummed when she brushed her teeth, and I thought it was the most darling thing on this planet. I washed myself down in the lukewarm water, trying to get out as quickly as possible. And when I hopped out, Abby had a towel waiting for me.
&n
bsp; Always thinking of me before thinking of herself.
“What should I wear to this brunch? Is it formal?” she asked.
I took the towel from her. “Wear something that makes you feel comfortable.”
“Well, if I go too comfortable, they’ll suspect something.”
“It’s supposed to be chilly today. So, if you come with me in a pair of nice jeans and a sweater, they aren’t going to bat an eye.”
“Oh, I have a pair of stretchy jeans that would look fantastic with an oversized sweater.”
I started drying myself off. “There you go, then. Sounds perfect.”
“Like you.”
She smiled as she kissed my cheek, then away she went. I watched her naked body walk around the corner, and I admired every curve that shook for my viewing pleasure. I shivered at the thought of how they’d grow. How they’d morph. How they’d change and be ready for me to explore their new depths and peaks. Holy fuck, I couldn't wait.
I wonder how long I can keep her pregnant.
I slipped into one of my more casual suits, then I grabbed everything I needed. My belt buckle that housed a knife I could easily pull out. Another knife slipped into my pocket. My ankle carrier for the small pistol strapped to my leg. My hip holster for the one almost anyone could clock. I slipped my small taser necklace around my head and tucked it underneath my shirt collar. A last-ditch weapon just in case I needed it.
“Packing enough heat there, handsome?”
I turned around and saw Abby with her eyebrow crooked and her lips twisted into a cheeky grin.
“Never enough when you’re at my side,” I said.
“Ever the romantic.”
She came over and wrapped her arms around my neck. Before gracing me with yet another kiss.
“Are you feeling well enough to come to brunch?” I asked.
My hands settled onto her hips as she nodded.
“I feel great this morning, actually. It seems that my morning sickness is more in the evenings than anything else.”
I nodded. “Good. Because if you’re not feeling up to it—”
She pressed her finger against my lips. “It’s okay, Brody. If I wasn’t feeling well, I’d let you know.”
I kissed the tip of her finger. “Good.”
“Ready to head out?”
“Ready when you are, sweet girl.”
She giggled. “I love it when you call me that.”
I patted her ass softly. “I know.”
She shook her head as I threaded my arm around her waist. And together, we started out of the penthouse. I told the bodyguard to keep up with his patrols before we left. Then, we started for the elevator. The entire way to the family brownstone, my mind focused on one thing. The one thing Abby and I would need sooner rather than later. Preferably, before this pregnancy became too hard on her body.
We needed a permanent living situation.
“Everything okay?” Abby asked.
Her hand slid against my knee as I drove us across town.
“Yeah, just thinking,” I said.
“About what?”
“About our living situation.”
“Is something wrong with it?”
I shrugged. “It’s not permanent.”
“Ah.”
“Ah, what?”
She squeezed my knee. “How long has that been worrying you?”
“I don’t know. How long has it been since you’ve told me you were pregnant?”
She laughed. “Less than twenty-four hours.”
“Then, that’s how long it’s been worrying me.”
“Brody, we can—”
“I know it’s stereotypical for the family to get a brownstone on that block. But let’s face it. I’m not really a brownstone kind of guy.”
She shrugged. “Then, don’t get a brownstone.”
“To be honest, this isn’t even going to be my permanent place. My place is back in Ireland with Flynn. And Gael, once our business is wrapped up here.”
“You won’t stay here with Declan?”
I shook my head. “This is his business now. He was the one named to take over after Richard passed on. Or passed it off. Whichever came first. The rest of us are back in Ireland making our own headway with things.”
“Your own family business?”
I nodded. “Exactly, yes.”
There was a long pause before she finally spoke.
“I’ve heard the mountains in Ireland are gorgeous.”
I grinned. “I live a bit more in the city. On the outskirts of it, really.”
“Sounds more like townhome land.”
“It is.”
“Are the mountains close to you?”
I paused. “About twenty minutes away.”
“Well, what’s a twenty-minute drive to a man like you about to have a family?”
I snickered. “I’m not going to get a say in this, am I?”
“Depends. How often do you want to get laid for the rest of your life?”
I laughed as I wrapped my hand around hers. I brought her fingers to my lips to kiss, paying attention to every knuckle. Every bend of her beautiful hand. I had no issues buying her a beautiful house in the mountains. Maybe with a hot tub on a balcony as it overlooked the valleys below. Something with a yard I could fence in for our little one. But not too far away from the brothers.
After all, I still had a business to run once Gael and I went home.
“Anything else worrying you?” Abby asked.
“Only everything,” I said.
“Well, let’s try to get through this brunch focused on one or two things. Then, we can tackle everything else as it comes. Okay?”
I nodded. “Sounds like a plan, sweet girl.”
I pulled into the driveway in front of the massive double brownstone. Why my family enjoyed these kinds of places, I’d never know. It was too cramped. Too narrow. With too many fucking stairs to hike. I couldn't hike all those stairs before coffee every morning. I’d end up killing myself.
Or killing someone else to get to the coffee pot.
“I’ll follow your lead,” Abby said.
I slipped out of the car. “Do that, and you’ll always be safe.”
Abby and I were the last to show up. And while Declan wasn’t happy with that, it wasn’t as if we were late. We walked into the formal dining room at ten thirty on the dot, walking in just before the staff came in with rolling trays of food. The silver domes over the plates glistened in the lamplight. I pulled out Abby’s chair and helped her sit before taking my rightful seat beside her. I nodded at Declan. At Gael. At Uncle Martin. Even at Mom, though things were tense between all of us right now. We all stayed quiet as food was dished onto our plates. And it wasn’t until the waitstaff exited the room that Declan spoke.
“Thank you all for coming on such short notice. There’s much to discuss, and I wanted to do it somewhere secure,” he said.
“Of course,” Gael said.
“Good morning, Abby,” Mom said.
“Good morning, Fiona,” she said.
I wrapped my hand around Abby’s underneath the table. Her engagement ring pressed against my skin. I looked over at her and winked, trying to get her to settle down. But I saw how tense she was, sitting in that chair.
“I’m sure you’ve all seen the latest news broadcast. While we’ve made some progress forward, we still have a long way to go,” Declan said.
“Good job, Brody, on covering up the deaths we suffered,” Gael said.
I nodded. “I told you I’d get it done, and I’m a man of my word.”
“You always have been,” Mom said.
Abby tensed beside me and I leaned over to whisper in her ear.
“Is the food getting to you?”
She shook her head. “No.”
“Then, what is it?”
Her eyes slowly met mine and there was something behind them that set me on edge.
“I don’t know what it is, but Fiona’s
got something up her sleeve,” she whispered.
My brow furrowed. “What do you mean?”
She shook her head. “I don’t know. It’s just a feeling a get sometimes. Dad always said I was a good judge of—”
“Something you want to share with the class?” Declan asked.
Abby snickered. “No, Professor.”
The table chuckled as Declan smiled at her. And when his eyes slid over to my own, I winked at him, too. Letting him know of the news I had. News that I figured would perk this table right up.
And the smile he returned to me told me he understood.
“Well, Gael and I have been on the prowl this past week. Questioning people. Digging around in that warehouse after hours. But the authorities have done much of the legwork for us,” Declan said.
“Was it really a magnesium fire?” Mom asked.
Gael cleared his throat. “Yes, actually. And we all know who would have access to something like that.”
I sighed. “The Maguires.”
“That doesn’t completely rule the Dalys out yet, though,” Declan said.
“Yes, yes. There are smoking guns for both families. But I think we need to be more aggressive about this. Someone has tried to cut this family off at its core. Someone who knew our operations well enough to know that a loss like that would do serious damage,” I said.
“We’ve never been shy about our operations. All of the families know a great deal about one another. That’s what keeps our system of checks and balances in play,” Declan said.
“Yes, but during times like this? It also gives them the information they need to strike where it hurts as quickly as possible,” Gael said.
“And what do the Maguires have to profit from striking us like that?” Mom asked.
“She poses a good question,” I said.
“We could use that same argument against the Dalys now. Especially since their debt was wiped clean when they handed Ciara over to me,” Declan said.
“Wait, seriously?” Abby murmured.
I leaned down to her. “I’ll fill you in later. It’s a doozy of a story.”
“Ahem.”
Declan cleared his throat and it caused Abby to giggle. She placed her lips against my upper arm, and I had to do all I could to stop from laughing with her. In some ways, this meeting was pointless. If Declan really was going to hash out what we already knew, then I’d have to pull him to the side and fill him in on the point of meetings.
Brody: The Callaghan Mafia #2 Page 15
