Conned

by Jessica Wilde

  Emily stepped inside and gave Ash a wary look. She understood Conall's father being aware of the situation, but that was about as far as she could go.

  "Damn Fergus. Doesn't know when to keep his mouth shut. Emily, this is my sister, Ash. She also doesn't know when to keep her mouth shut."

  Emily smiled at the feigned annoyance in his voice and at the way Ash smacked him in the back of the head. "I do too! I'm just done doing it with you two idiots." She turned back to Emily and held her hand out. "It's so nice to meet you. And don't worry, I only know about you because Fergus said Conall would need some help controlling his inner urges since you are so - and I quote - 'damn hot'."

  Conall started coughing violently like he was choking on something and Emily felt her eyes nearly pop out of her head as she shook hands with Ash. She looked extremely pleased with herself and winked.

  "Um, thanks?" she said and looked over at Conall who was doing everything in his power to not look at her. She wondered if he agreed with his brother, but would never dare to ask.

  "Plus, you guys will need my help getting established so you're not locked up inside of a house all day." The way she glared at Conall when she said it told Emily that there was more to that story, but Ash's smile returned and she winked again. "Well then, my work here is done I guess."

  Definitely got the vibe that there was a little sibling rivalry, but couldn't imagine it was more than a little fun. They both looked like they loved each other.

  "Sorry about that. My brother is a cop, too. Everything has been cleared so there's no need to worry."

  Once more, those words made her feel like she didn't have a choice. She had to trust him.

  "You're supposed to be my girlfriend. That's the story, but we can go over the details later. My sister can be really inappropriate, well we all can be… I'm just… sorry. She has this vendetta against us lately."

  She quirked an eyebrow in question and he sighed.

  "We kind of - well mostly - didn't let her really live her life at all. She's our little sister and we protected her. Things have changed recently."

  She smiled because how could she not like him after that. "I get it. And now?"

  He snorted, which was adorable, and raked a hand through his wavy hair. "She's got Luke and wants revenge. I'll tell you about it later, it's a long story."

  "What have we here, son?" a voice said from the stairs and when Emily looked up, she knew without a doubt this man was Conall's father. An older - well aged- version of him with the same exact blue eyes and crooked grin, but a little thicker around the middle.

  "Dad, this is Emily Dawson. Emily, this is my father, William Brannock."

  "Liam, please. You can call me Liam," he said and made his way over to her with his hand outstretched. She placed her tiny hand in his and her eyes nearly popped out of her head when he leaned down and kissed her knuckles lightly. "You are a beauty aren't you? I'm so sorry for everything you have been through, but know that you will be safe with Conall. Safe with us."

  "Thank you," she replied a little shakily. "I believe I will be."

  He smiled down at her and turned to his son. "Take her bags up to her room and I'll keep her company."

  Conall didn't hesitate and Liam pulled her toward the kitchen. "I know you must have met my Aislinn, she wouldn't have waited, but prepare yourself for Fergus."

  She didn't have time to prepare herself for anything because when they walked into the kitchen, the second most handsome man she had ever seen was standing at the sink washing a pan and grumbling about manual labor.

  "I'm a cop for fu- uh, hell's sake! I shouldn't be doing dishes."

  "You're on vacation, Share Bear. And thanks for watching your language. We have a guest and I'm sure she doesn't want to hear your potty mouth."

  "First, stop calling me that. Second, the ladies love my potty mouth and third, by the way, vacation means no labor."

  "Gus, stop complaining," Ash scolded. "Lucas washes dishes all the time and I don't think you realize how sexy it can actually be."

  "Sexy?" he scoffed. "I think I'm gonna be sick. Luke isn't sexy."

  "He is because he washes the dishes," she countered with a smug grin and a flicker of heat in her eyes.

  Whoever this Luke guy was, must be a big deal because Gus paused and looked like he was considering her argument when he looked up at Emily with a cocky smile. "You don't think it's sexy, do you?"

  Emily was too busy trying to find out how two men who were as hot as him and Conall could be in the same house at the same time and not burn it down. Fergus looked like his father and brother, but had more features that were similar to Ash and she figured they must be from his mother. His eyes were blue and gray and his hair was lighter than the others, but it didn't look like that's what he was born with. The tips of his hair were lightened as if by the sun and the tanned skin around his eyes crinkled when he smiled. He was tall, but not as tall as Conall, though his arms and chest looked like he packed a little more muscle than his brother. It was his perfectly clean shaven face that made her realize why she had been warned about him.

  He was just too pretty.

  "Um…"

  "Leave her alone, Gus Gus. She's supposed to be Con's girlfriend, not yours."

  Gus smirked and went back to cleaning the dishes but asked again, "Well? Is it really sexy?"

  Emily glanced over at Ash who was nodding her head vigorously behind him with a wink. She smiled and tilted her head, ready to help his sister out. "I've never really seen it until now, but…" she eyed him carefully as he puffed out his chest and exaggerated his washing of the pan while she observed him, trying to help her decide.

  Liam chuckled beside her and Gus was still watching her, waiting for her answer. It was obvious this family was close and there probably wasn't a boring minute when they were all together.

  "I can't quite decide," she said with a shrug as Gus set the pan on a waiting towel to dry. "Maybe wash another one while I watch from a different angle."

  He eagerly took a dirty pan from Ash who looked like she was going to explode with laughter and began washing it. "Okay, how about now?" Gus asked, standing tall as he scrubbed the pan.

  Emily tilted her head again and took a few steps over so she was standing more in front of him. "Not sure, keep going. I think I'm getting something."

  He raised his eyebrows in surprise and started scrubbing the pan more vigorously and she fought the urge to burst out laughing.

  "What makes it sexy? Is it because you are picturing me in a bathtub covered with soap bubbles?"

  "Ew! Gus, stop! That image will probably make her want to throw up."

  Emily wasn't sure about that. He looked like he had a really nice body, even if she thought Conall's leaner and more cut look was nicer.

  When he was finished and set the pan off to the side, Ash handed him another one with her good arm. Emily looked around and saw quite the spread on the table for breakfast and knew that she must have worked hard to cook for everyone, even with a hurt arm, so she nodded and told him to wash the pan while she stood closer to him.

  Ash was covering her mouth trying to contain the laughter and looking at Emily with a twinkle in her eye.

  She liked her.

  Gus washed the last pan then shut the water off and gave her a look that said he was still waiting for her answer and was impatient now.

  She smiled wryly, "It's really sexy. In fact, I'd like to watch some more later if that's okay."

  He shook his head, but she caught the grin on his face when he looked at her again. "Seriously? You women… I'll never understand." Then he winked at her and turned to his sister, kissing her on the cheek and making his way to the table with a knowing smile.

  "Come on, Ash. Sit down and eat so you can take a break," he chided and Ash immediately moved to the table. "So, Emily, right?" he asked, loading his plate with bacon and eggs. Liam was already sitting down and eating his mountain of food and watching them with a smile on his face.r />
  "Yes, and you are Fergus?"

  "Yep. I'm the sexy one."

  "You are not the sexy one, Gus," she heard Conall say from right behind her, then felt a hand on her lower back that sent warm tingles up her spine. He guided her to the table and pulled out a chair for her. It shouldn't have surprised her after his reaction to her opening her own door, but her heart still skipped at the gesture and she saw Ash smile knowingly then quickly look down at her food.

  "I am," Gus argued. "You're the stoic one, Ash is the gullible one," he pointed to his chest and smiled, "I'm the sexy one."

  Ash snorted and rolled her eyes, "Yeah, I'm the gullible one. I'm not the one who just washed all the dishes trying to prove that the act wasn't really sexy."

  Conall sighed as he sat next to Emily and dished up a plate for her, "Seriously, Gus? Again?"

  Emily thought she sensed a hint of amusement in his voice and when she turned back to Gus, he flashed her a wicked smile before he very exaggeratedly feigned offense.

  "What? Okay, that's the last time that happens, Ash! I'm telling Luke."

  Ash giggled as she scooped a small bite into her mouth before getting up from the table with her dishes. "And I'm sure he will take your side, sweetie. Emily, it was nice to meet you. I'm outta here. I got some packing to do."

  Liam rose from the table and gave her a big bear hug, "You aren't leaving for a week, my beauty and you barely ate. You have plenty of time."

  She pulled back and smiled, but Emily could see it was forced, "Yeah, but it's slow going, so I'm getting a head start."

  "Why the hell isn't Luke helping you?" Conall asked with a scowl.

  Ash rolled her eyes - something Emily figured must have happened a lot around here - and waved him away dismissively, "He is, everyone just calm down. I'm leaving. Love you all."

  Then she was gone.

  "Dude, I don't know how much longer she is going to believe this crap. I was seriously grasping with the dishes, man," Gus complained, pointing at Conall and scowling at him.

  "Then it's a good thing you're leaving in a few days."

  Emily looked between the two brothers in confusion and when Conall saw it, he grinned at her and she about choked on her tongue. That grin was wicked and did all kinds of things to her stomach.

  "Ash went through a lot recently, but she's determined to do things on her own. We can all see she is still struggling, but Luke helps her. She won't let any of us help her unless she thinks she is tricking us into it," he explained.

  When she looked to Gus for confirmation, he just winked at her. He had known exactly what they had been doing to him, but he hadn't called them on it. It made something in her chest tighten to see a brother taking care of his sister like that and her eyes stung as she stared down at her hands fidgeting on the table, her food all but abandoned.

  A brother who loved her like that would be a fucking miracle.

  Chapter 2

  Conall

  God, she's beautiful, I thought as I watched Emily stare at her hands. There was something poetic about her, the way she watched the eyes when someone spoke to her or the way she couldn't hide a damn thing about how she was feeling.

  From the moment I saw her at the airport, it felt like someone was constantly punching me in the chest. She looked sure of herself until she lost that hold on her mask. When that happened, she looked lonely and it made me want to rip into someone.

  Seeing her standing next to Jules was like watching a solar eclipse straight on. No matter how hard you try to look at the shadow blocking out the light, you see the brightness of the sun and it's blinding. I could have found her in seconds if she had been in a sea of thousands of people in that airport.

  And it scared the shit out of me.

  I had a job to do and those thoughts weren't helping to do that job.

  I figured I'd be fine once I saw her and I'd get over it. Then she giggled at my comment about Jules and it was another blow to the chest. I usually hated giggling, but when Emily did it, it was like I'd been lit on fire.

  I didn't have these kinds of feelings. Ever. About any woman. Especially one I just met and I've been charged to protect with my life.

  Gus started snickering and brought me back to the conversation. "You should have seen Conall a few days ago, down on his hands and knees scrubbing the floors. How many times did you have to drop that can of soda before it finally exploded?"

  I tore my eyes away from her and scowled at my brother. I shouldn't be looking at her anyway. I was supposed to protect her, hide her.

  Gus smirked at me. He could see it, saw it before any of us ever even met Emily. He may act like an idiot, but he certainly wasn't one. I never really had a type before, but according to him, she was it. That blonde hair was begging me to run my fingers through it and I never stood a chance with those bright emerald green eyes.

  I blinked over at Gus and decided to finally answer him and take my mind off of those eyes before I let myself get carried away. "I lost count. Strongest can I've ever seen."

  Emily's brow furrowed and she looked between us and damn it if every time her eyes landed on my brother I didn't feel like tackling him to the ground. This was getting ridiculous. I took another bite of eggs and chewed slowly, the flavor lost to me since my mind couldn't focus.

  I don't believe in love at first sight. I don't even believe in soul mates outside of the case of Ash and Luke because those two had been made for each other. I wasn't the guy that was looking for emotional fulfillment or even the guy that wanted to settle down. I tried that once before and it backfired. But something about Emily made me wonder what it would be like. Her eyes were filled with so much emotion and I could only guess that had to do with a past I was forcing myself to ignore completely.

  I quickly took a bite of bacon and swallowed to see if Gus would be filling in the blanks for her. I didn't like to talk about myself even though not talking about myself seemed to attract the wrong type of women. They considered me brooding and mysterious when I really just didn't want them knowing anything about me at all. No attachments. They were all wrong for me, but I didn't need right. I just needed a night.

  When Gus just sat there smirking at me with a wiggle of his brow, I wiped my mouth and hoped he could understand the look I was giving him. Guess it wouldn't matter, though. He liked to see me squirm.

  When I turned back to Emily, the green in her eyes seemed darker and they were zeroed in on my mouth, which in turn made me look at her mouth, and that was just too God damn dangerous. I shifted in my chair and waited for her to meet my gaze and when she did, her cheeks burned red.

  "It was the only way to get her to let me clean the floor," I said vaguely.

  My brother rolled his eyes, ever annoyed by my limited use of words.

  "I don't understand."

  "Luke, her fiancé, kept stalling her until Con here could discreetly make a mess and get her to make him clean it up himself," Gus explained and I seriously agreed with Ash that he was begging for a kick between the legs. I have never wished that on any man, but he was pushing it.

  Gus kept going, "Ended up cleaning all the floors on his hands and knees."

  I interrupted him with a shake of my head, "That's because you thought it would be a harsher punishment and she heartily agreed with a big smile on her face."

  This made my brother throw his head back and laugh and I couldn't stop myself from joining in.

  Emily smiled at us before looking back down at her hands. "You boys are good to your sister. That's sweet."

  She sounded surprised about that and I couldn't for the life of me figure out why. I mean, I know other families aren't anywhere near as close as we are, but still. She's our sister. The girl may have annoyed the hell out of us over the years, but we love her. I hated going very long without talking to her so I had made it a point over the years to call her often. Why wouldn't we be good to her? Why wouldn't we protect her and watch out for her?

  Yes, we may have taken it a litt
le farther than we should have in the past, but look how that turned out. She was now engaged to the love of her life. Our sister was happy. Our job was done, until she needed us again and if Luke wanted to keep his balls, she wouldn't need us again for anything other than the things normal brothers do.

  I glanced up at Gus who was watching Emily carefully and apparently trying to figure out the same things I was. "We are her brothers," he stated as if that explained everything. Which, to me, it absolutely did.

  Dad had been standing at the island watching the whole conversation and when I met his gaze, he nodded at me, the look on his face telling me to keep my eyes open.

  Emily's file reported that she had a younger brother who hadn't been around for a while. When I saw his name, it made sense. Rayce Dawson was a total piece of shit.

  The Ripley investigation had been straight forward since the beginning, until Rayce and his employer decided to start some competition for the man. Ever since, Lucien Ripley had gone underground and it was nearly impossible to get an inside man, so we all had to sit on our hands and wait it out. Didn't mean he stopped his ventures altogether. No, he was still very much in business, just quieter about it.

  After his little brother murdered a cop and was being taken to trial, he'd crawled out from under his rock and caused a shit ton of problems. Stanton Ripley had shot down one of our own, an officer in my department that had apparently been in the wrong place at the wrong time. Emily Dawson was a witness to that murder. The only witness and the only one brave enough to testify against him.

  Lucien didn't like that and had made several attempts on her life. Being the leader of the biggest crime/drug organization in Colorado, he had the resources. They did everything from selling pot on the street to making certain people disappear. Every time we get close, we end up further away. Something always goes wrong and the investigation pulls back. He's smart, he's stealthy, he's incredibly dangerous, and he wants Emily dead before she can testify. The man loves his family, especially his little brother, and is willing to do anything to keep him out of prison. Something admirable depending on how you look at it, but totally fucked up under the circumstances.