Fake Fiancé Next Door_A Small Town Romance

by Piper Sullivan

  “Who is it?”

  “I have no fucking idea, but judging by the color of that Mustang, it’s the Red ‘Rock assholes.” It’s a good thing I’ve been driving these streets since me and Seamus stole our first car at thirteen. They couldn’t keep up with me if they tried, and by the time we hit South Boston they were still stuck in traffic.

  “Shit Keane, where’d you learn how to drive like that?” Her face was flushed pink, either from excitement or fear.

  “Around.”

  She laughed and the sound echoed in the car. It felt nice to hear her laughing again. “Vague answer.”

  “I’ll teach you some time if you want.”

  She laughed again. “I think that was more excitement than I can handle. But you might have a second career as a stunt driver.”

  “You think?”

  “Of course. I mean if this whole ganster-ing thing doesn’t work out for you.” Her smile sobered as her words became a reality. “Shit you know what I mean.”

  “Yeah I know. I wanted to be a stunt driver when I was a kid. Seamus and I used to tear up the streets, racing and turning on two wheels all through the city.” I laughed at the memory. “Seamus wore that same ‘oh shit’ expression you did.”

  She grinned and shook her head, running one hand through her silky red hair. “Dad always said you drove like a bat out of hell.”

  “More like a mick out of hell, but the need for speed is real,” I told her with a deadpan expression that sent her into a fit of giggles.

  “Don’t look now, but there’s another red car behind us, this time a Tahoe.”

  A quick look in the mirror and I saw what had her worried. The SUV was filled with angry Red Shamrocks, gunning for us and they planned to use the car as their bullet.

  “Hang on.” I zipped through traffic but the driver of the truck had more talent than the Mustang Driver. He kept up with me around every hairpin turn, through every yellow light, squeezing through impossible narrow ways just to stay close. “Fuck!” I smacked the steering wheel as we came upon 93. I thought about heading back to the North End, but I knew if I headed South instead, I would be leading the Rocks into enemy territory, and these enemies would shoot first and ask questions later.

  “Seriously,” she squeaked when she caught sight of the exit. “This is better?”

  “For us it is,” I told her and turned on Dorchester Avenue. I slowed down after turning onto a residential street, giving a nod to one of the corner hustlers who sent a signal out to wherever the rest of his crew hid. The squeal of tires braking told me those dumb fucks tailing me finally figured out where they were.

  Ten minutes later we were back on course, taking the 93 to Somerville. Another safe house was there and one of the women Seamus sometimes spent time with, so I knew if he was still breathing this was where he would be.

  At least I fucking hoped so.

  “Shit Keane, where the hell you been?” Rosie glared up at me, plump bosom on display in a silky red housecoat that barely covered her ass.

  “Looking for Seamus, you seen him?” Traffic had been fucked heading this way, and after dealing with those Shamrocks I felt tensed and pissed. “Well have you?”

  Rosie’s eyes were fixed on Fiona, recognition and surprise shining in their grey depths. “Oh you’re all grown up and so beautiful.” Tears pooled in her eyes. “I haven’t seen you since you were a little girl. Come on in, both of you.” She waved us in and looked around the block for anything unsavory. Rosie’s father and uncle had both been part of Cearul so she knew the score, particularly because they’d both died at the hands of enemies. She knew dying of natural causes was rare in this business and more importantly, she knew how to stay safe.

  I couldn’t help but smile because Rosie was a good woman. A little rough around the edges, but good and loyal.

  “Seamus, Rosie?”

  “Quit your bitchin’, I’m getting to it.” She rolled her eyes as she waved a dismissive hand at me and smiled at Fiona. “Thinks because he’s got those movie star good looks he can have bad manners.”

  “Don’t I know it,” she commiserated.

  Rosie dropped a hand on her shoulder. “Seamus is here but he ain’t doing too well. He’s got a bullet in his shoulder and the crazy old fool refused to let me call a doctor.”

  “Fuck.” Seamus had been shot who knew how many days ago, without treatment. He could be septic. I picked up the phone and stepped away, keeping one ear on the conversation behind me.

  “Did he get any medical treatment?” Fiona’s voice sounded small and scared for the first time since everything had gone down. Hell, she hadn’t been this scared with that asshole Shamrock inside her apartment.

  “A guy I know is a vet. He came by and cleaned the wounds, stitched’em up and gave him some antibiotics. That was last week though.”

  “Them? He was shot more than once? Can I see him?” She sounded so urgent, so terrified I moved and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, ignoring the flash of surprise in Rosie’s all seeing eyes.

  “Sure, follow me honey. Just try not to react, you know how ornery Seamus can be.”

  I felt her spine stiffen under my hand, and I saw Fiona’s transformation from worried daughter to her mask of blankness. “Yeah,” she whispered in a shaky voice.

  Rosie pushed the door open with a breath that appeared to have only one purpose, to steel her own resolve. “Go on in honey, I need to speak with Keane.”

  I gave her a small push in the direction of the dimly lit room, curling my mouth into an encouraging smile. “Put your mind at ease, Fi.” She nodded and went inside, leaving me alone with Rosie and her inquisitive eyes. “Spit it out Rosie.”

  She grinned, shaking her head and making her way towards the kitchen. I followed her into the throwback kitchen with yellow high back chairs, floral and chrome table. “Coffee?”

  “Yeah sure. So how long has he been here?” He must have been here almost since we lost contact if she was worried about infection.

  “At least a week, can’t really remember because it’s all a blur. The first few days I stayed right by his side to make sure the old goat didn’t die on me.” She was a tough old broad, so the tears pooling in her eyes told me just how worried she’d been. And how she cared more for Seamus than she let on.

  “Do you know what happened or who did this?”

  She shrugged and poured water into the coffeemaker. “All he would say was ‘those fucking Shamrocks better hope I die.’ Not much of a comfort to the rest of us, but I assume they were behind this.”

  I didn’t know how much business Seamus shared with Rosie, but if he stayed here to recover she needed to know. So I told her everything about the setup, the FBI and how Fiona had cleared her dad and Cearul.

  “I’m sure there will be retaliation when the news hits.”

  “So…you and Fiona? Can’t say I imagined you going for the good girl type.” She grinned like she knew what I’d been up to with my best friend’s daughter.

  “I don’t know what you’re talking about Rosie. Seamus asked me to keep her safe, so that’s what I’ve done.” No one else needed to know what else we’d done.

  “Right, hmph,” she rolled her eyes and brought the coffee pot to the table along with milk and sugar. “I don’t have none of that fancy crap pods, so take it or leave it.” Ignoring her, I prepped my coffee and took a sip. “And I don’t believe for one second that there’s not something going on with you and that girl.”

  Yeah she got me and I choked on hot coffee, much to her delight. “Dammit Rosie.”

  Her laugh was more like a cackle and she took a seat across from me. “I don’t get why you’re denying it when it’s so obvious. You protect her sure, but it seems more like a lover protecting what’s his.” Those grey eyes saw entirely too much, probably because Rosie had spent all of her life with gangsters. She knew how we thought, how we reacted to just about any situation. “You’re worried about how Seamus will react.”

&nbs
p; “There is that. If there were something to worry about. Which there isn’t.” As much as I wanted to scowl and intimidate her I knew she didn’t intimidate easily so it would be a waste.

  “I don’t know, I think he’d be happy about his little girl in such capable hands. He trusts you more than anyone.”

  Yeah that’s exactly what had me so worried. Seamus was the closest thing to family I had anymore and unlike Rosie, I didn’t think he’d be too thrilled with his second in command fucking his twenty-one-year-old daughter. “Doesn’t matter Rosie. She’s just a kid.”

  “Old enough to save your ass,” she scowled at me and when her looked turned thunderous I felt a fist take hold of my guts. “Hey honey, how’s he doing?”

  I turned and saw Fiona, looking so small and frail as she steadfastly avoided my gaze, instead focusing on Rosie. “He’s asking for you Rosie,” she said quietly and went back to Seamus.

  “Dammit!” I smacked the table knowing I would pay for whatever she heard later.

  Rosie stood with a smirk. “Nothing going on, huh? Keep telling yourself that.”

  “Why didn’t you call me? You look like shit by the way.” Seamus sat in bed, pale and ashen with red ringed eyes. The sheen of sweat covering his skin proved Rosie’s worries. “Someone’s coming to look at you.”

  “You know the Shamrocks probably have somebody sittin’ on Doc’s place right?”

  I nodded because I did know that, and that fact had been confirmed by one of my men. “Fiona called someone she says is a concierge doctor. Means he comes to you, wherever you are.”

  He smiled and his eyes drifted shut. “She’s the best part of me, I’m tellin’ ya. That girl is too smart for the likes of us.” His lids lifted to reveal clear blue eyes that were too serious at the moment. “She seems quiet. And sad.”

  I knew his words were meant as a question. He wanted to know if I’m to blame for her mood. “She’s had a busy few days and we had to outrun a bunch of Red ‘Rocks in our search for you.”

  “And that’s all? It has nothing to do with what may or may not have happened between you two?”

  Shit. “What are you trying to say?” Raking a hand through my hair, I let out a breath that held more tension than I should have now that Seamus was found. Alive.

  Seamus laughed, wincing at the pain it caused the bullet still lodged in his shoulder and the wound in his gut. “She’s been in love with you since she was too little to understand her feelings. I appreciate you trying to fight it Keane, I do. But you have to know you’re the best man I know.”

  My laugh came out hard and bitter. “You just said she’s too smart for the likes of us.”

  Seamus laughed again, this time without regard for his pain. “Hell that’s the truth. Could you have figured a way out of this without killin’ a bunch of Shamrock assholes? Because I was ready to kill them all until I got shot.”

  I fell into the chair beside his bed, a testament to Rosie’s care of him, and groaned. I never expected to hear Seamus give me permission to be with Fiona and honestly, I had no fucking clue how to respond. “Seamus,” I began but he raised a hand to cut me off.

  “I don’t need to hear the details Keane, just don’t hurt her. And fix whatever the fuck you did to make her all quiet and sad, you know I hate that shit. Especially now when I can do fuck all about it.” We were both quiet for a moment, absorbing all that had happened in the past few weeks. “I’ll bet those Feds were shocked as shit that my little girl saved our asses.”

  I couldn’t help but laugh as I told him all about watching it from the parking garage across the street. “They thought they had her, could maybe implicate her the way Maeve intended. But she’d done a lot more than just ‘help out’ the past few years.”

  “Fucking Maeve, I can’t even believe it. I just thought it was a bit of rivalry between them, you know how women are.” His expression mirrored my own disbelief that Maeve had betrayed us, then I recalled the argument it had kicked up between me and Fiona. “Do you think she’ll make a deal?”

  I nodded. “She’ll get bail probably tomorrow, but I’m betting the Red ‘Rock’ll scoop her up after not too long.” I doubted Maeve would make it past her arraignment but I didn’t voice it aloud.

  “Good fucking riddance, can’t stand a traitor.”

  “What are you gonna do Seamus? Stay here with Rosie until you’re healed up?”

  “Probably. Do you think Fiona’s alright with me and Rosie?”

  “She didn’t know about it so I think you surprised her, but she didn’t seem upset. I’m sure she’s happy you have someone. Especially now.”

  “She didn’t say much in here, just wanted to make sure I was okay. Couldn’t even get her to tell me how she got me out of the Fed’s crosshairs. So what did you do?”

  “Nothing, not really. We argued about Maeve and about the fact that I think she’s too green.”

  “Well pissing her off is better than making her sad,” he said, voice now sounding labored.

  Fiona stuck her head into the room. “The doctor’s here Dad.”

  I stood and gave my old friend a sympathetic look. “I’ll check on you again before we head out.”

  “Keane. Take care of her.”

  “Always.”

  Fiona

  Just a kid. I knew, I absolutely freakin’ knew that’s what he thought of me. Still it hurt like hell. After all the work I’d put in to help him, well to help Dad and Cearul, and him, that’s still what he thought of me? Well screw him, dammit!

  Dad decided to stay with Rosie until he was better, which meant I still had to be under the protection of Keane, whether I wanted it or not. Instead of focusing on Keane and his poor opinion of me, I decided to think about Dad and Rosie. That was a pleasant surprise. I hadn’t really thought about what he did for companionship since Mom’s death, but I’m glad he found someone. Rosie seems like a nice woman and she’s tough enough to handle him, which is good. She’s so different from my mom in every way, yet somehow just as right for him. Odd how that worked out.

  “So you’re not talking to me at all now?”

  Really? “I know I’m just a kid Keane, but I do have other things on my mind than the guy I had sex with a few times.”

  “Dammit Fi, you know that’s not what I meant!” He smacked the steering wheel in anger but I refused to let him startle me. To force me to respond.

  When I did respond, I made sure to keep my voice calm and even. “All I know is what I heard, and it’s not like I was all that surprised to hear it. My point is, my thoughts don’t start and end with you.” Arrogant jackass thought the only thing that could upset me was him. “Did you ever think that maybe seeing my dad with two bullet holes in him might have something to do with my mood? Of course not, because it’s all about you Keane. Right?”

  “Then why won’t you talk to me?”

  “Because I don’t want to!” He may be my designated protector but he wasn’t my friend. He was nothing more than a guy I crushed on and then slept with. The end.

  “Why not?”

  “Because I prefer to talk to people my own age, okay?” I bit back a smile at the shocked expression on his face, he deserved it. I couldn’t say anything else to him or else I knew we’d end up fighting and I just wanted to go to bed. Seeing my dad laid up like that, so pale and weak had shaken me up. I just needed to be alone and that’s exactly what I did as soon as we set foot in the penthouse.

  I showered and put on pajamas before curling up with a book on the bed. This wasn’t home, but then my apartment wasn’t either considering what had happened the last time I was there. Yeah, the time had come for me to truly consider my options for the future. Once I had that degree, there would be plenty of opportunities for me. Grad school, a job with any number of security firms or creating apps like everyone else with basic programming skills.

  None of it excited me even a little bit, but the time had come for me to think about myself. My future.

  “Fiona
we need to talk.”

  “No, we don’t,” I sighed and knocked my head back against the wall. Keane wouldn’t stop, not when he felt he was right. Too bad for him I didn’t feel like talking and he wouldn’t win this argument, not even if he banged down the door which he seemed to be on track to do. “Just go away Keane. I need to be alone. Just pretend like it was those first few days here when you left me on my own.” I knew shouting at the door was immature but damn him. I was done letting the men in my life bully me.

  “Dammit Fi, you said you got it.”

  “More than you know. Doesn’t mean it felt good to be abandoned for days on end. Now go away.”

  “No.” He smacked the door, and had I been closer, instead of cross legged on my bed, I probably would have jumped. “Open the door goddammit.”

  The man could be infuriating! I jumped from the bed and stomped the few feet to the door, yanking it open with the fires of hell flaming in my eyes. “I. Don’t. Want. To. Talk. To. You.” If he wanted to act slow, I’d treat him that way. “Got it?” I slammed the door in his face and it would have been glorious. If his giant hand hadn’t reached out and stopped it.

  “I don’t think so Fiona.”

  “Just because you think I’m a child Keane, doesn’t make it true. I know respect holds no meaning to you when it comes to me, but respect my wishes.”

  “No.” His green gaze darkened, the sharp features of his face looked fiercer than ever.

  I knew when to cut my losses, hell I’d done it enough in my life. “Whatever Keane. You do what you want, you always do anyway.” I felt too tired to deal with him right now, too exhausted to fight.

  “No I don’t. If I did, I would do this,” he spoke in a low gravelly voice as he reached for my arm and twisted me to him, slanting his mouth across mine in a punishing kiss that was too hard and not enough all at once. The man kissed like he was paid to do it, and I wondered if it was possible to come just from a simple kiss. Though nothing about the kiss was simple, in fact it was nothing short of complicated. And confusing.