Guns 'N' Tulips

by Kristine Cayne

  Rourke spun her around, murder in his eyes. “Think you’re smart, don’t you? You think that baby in your belly is going to save you?”

  Her pale skin turned white as Lily’s gaze flew to Connor’s face. “Baby?” His voice sounded strangled, like a rope had been cinched tight around his throat. Christ! He’d noticed that her breasts seemed fuller and her hips a little rounder, but he hadn’t thought much of it beyond knowing he wanted to put his hands all over her new curves. But a baby? Was it his? In the months since he’d started this mission, he hadn’t even considered the possibility that he might lose Lily to another man.

  “I didn’t agree to killing any pregnant woman,” Owen said, backing away from Joe and lowering his weapon. At that moment, Connor could have kissed the man. Owen had his faults, but Connor had heard enough to know the man wanted out. Rourke probably had something on him to force his continued cooperation. But maybe… given an opportunity, Owen might turn on his leader. Owen might be the ally Connor needed right now. But if Connor was wrong… That thought didn’t bear thinking about.

  “I don’t pay you to have morals. If I say she dies, she dies. Got it?”

  Owen took another step back such that Rourke had to turn to see him. Which put Connor in the perfect position to jump him. “I don’t know, boss.”

  Easing his hand into the waistband of his jeans, Connor pulled out the security guard’s gun. He aimed it at Rourke’s back and released the safety. Rourke spun around, his weapon ready. Connor squeezed the trigger, hitting the man in the chest before he could pull off a single shot. Rourke fell to the ground, his hand covering his wound, injured but not dead. Connor kicked the MP5 out of reach.

  “I should never have trusted you. Or you,” Rourke said to Owen when the man approached.

  “You shouldn’t have threatened my girlfriend, you stupid bag of shit,” Owen said, slamming his boot into the man’s ribs.

  “Let’s tie him up.” Connor leaned down to get some rope from his backpack.

  A flash of movement caught his attention. Rourke had retrieved his sidearm and now held it pointed at Lily. Connor felt his heart stop, saw every moment he’d ever shared with her flash before his eyes, saw every moment he’d dreamed of sharing with her evaporate into a dark nothingness.

  “No!” he shouted, throwing himself in front of her.

  But once again, Owen was there. He raised his weapon and shot Rourke in the head, twice. Silencing him permanently. Connor quickly moved to block Lily’s view. She didn’t need to see Rourke’s eyes go dead. Nor did she need to see the blood and brains sprayed everywhere, even marking the legs of his jeans. Almost made him sick. Almost, but not quite. Rourke got what he’d deserved.

  Connor pulled the stocking off his head and cleared his throat. He needed to know if he and Owen were on the same side. “Hey, we good, man?”

  “Yeah,” he said, removing his own stocking and dropping it on the ground. “I knew you were still a cop all along.”

  Connor’s eyebrows popped despite his effort to keep his expression blank. “So why did you risk it?”

  “Crazy motherfucker had to be stopped.”

  Nodding, Conner clapped him on the shoulder. “Let’s not declare this ‘mission accomplished’ just yet.” The report had echoed throughout the bank and the rest of the Bandits would come running any second. Hopefully, Terrence had stayed outside with the getaway car. If not, he and Owen would have a third guy to contend with. Not terrible odds, but two on two was better.

  “Lily, Joe. Get against the wall and don’t make a sound. As soon as we get Neil and Frank away from the door, you two run back to the lobby.” He handed the gun to Joe. “This belongs to the security guard. Give it back to him. He’ll know what to do to get everyone out of the building. And make sure to tell the police that the driver and getaway car are at the employees’ entrance.” He reached inside his pant leg and got out his Glock 27, giving it to Lily.

  “What about you?” she asked, her eyes glistening with tears.

  He traced a finger along the soft curve of her cheek. “I’ll be fine as long as I know you are.”

  She smoothed a hand over what he now noticed was a slightly rounded belly. “It’s yours, you know.”

  A lump formed in his throat and he couldn’t speak. He leaned in and gave her a quick kiss on the mouth. “I love you,” he whispered. Hearing a noise coming from the offices, he straightened and pressed a finger to his lips, then indicated the wall. Lily nodded and she and Joe followed his orders without a sound.

  After picking up Rourke’s MP5, Connor moved to one side of the entrance to the saferoom while Owen took position on the opposite side. Weapons drawn, they lay in wait.

  Lily plastered herself against the wall. Armageddon was about to occur and she had a front row seat. Without being conscious of it, her eyes were drawn to the bloodied ruin of the man who’d caused this nightmare. A shudder rippled through her.

  An uncertain hand gripped her fingers, gently squeezing them. She tore her gaze from the horrific sight and offered Joe a tight smile, grateful for his reassurance.

  Suddenly, gunfire erupted, the reverberations deafening. Connor and Owen drew their former compatriots deeper into the room. Joe tugged on her hand, pulling her along the wall toward the door. She searched over her shoulder for Connor in the melee. He had to be safe, he had to get out of this alive. She and the baby needed him.

  Joe urged her to hurry. Together they raced toward the lobby. “Tony!” Joe shouted. “We need to get everyone out of here.”

  The bank employees and patrons stared at them. “Let’s go. It’s safe,” she said, reaching for old Mrs. Lundquist. The poor woman looked shaken.

  Joe handed Tony his pistol. The security guard’s large hand closed around the grip and a renewed sense of authority seemed to fill him. His spine straightened and his shoulders pushed back. “Listen”—he cupped his ear—“the cops just arrived. We’ll need to go out one at time with our hands in the air. Joe, you go first. Let them know we’re coming out. Use the word hostages. That should get them to stand down.”

  Worry churning in her gut, Lily urged everyone toward the door. She hadn’t even considered that the cops might be confused, seeing them run out of the bank. But Tony was right. They needed to be careful.

  And what about Connor? Did any of the cops outside even know he was undercover? Or would they think he was one of the Bandits and gun him down the second he stepped through the door? Her belly cramped painfully, making her stumble. Mrs. Lundquist held her arm tightly until she regained her balance.

  “We’ll be okay, dear. The police won’t shoot a little old lady like me.” She smiled and patted Lily’s hand.

  Joe inched the door open and shouted, “This is Joe Romano, the bank manager. The hostages are coming out.”

  A voice on a bullhorn responded. “Come out in single-file with your hands above your heads.”

  Joe went out first, walking slowly. An officer raced up to him and pulled him to the side behind an ambulance. Lily sent Mrs. Lundquist out next. Then one by one, the others exited. Finally, it was her turn. She gripped Tony’s arm. “The tall one they call Conman? And the other one, Owen? Don’t hurt them. They saved me and Joe.”

  Tony nodded. “Go ahead now, Ms. Stephens.”

  As soon as she was out the door, an officer whisked her to the side. “Anyone else?” he asked.

  “The security guard. But listen, two of the Bandits helped us. Please don’t shoot them.” She wanted to tell him that Connor was undercover, but he’d made her promise not to say anything. “Oh, and there’s a driver waiting in a getaway car near the employees’ side door.”

  “Not to worry, ma’am. We already got him.”

  Thank goodness. Two against two was definitely better odds for Connor. But that assumed Owen, an admitted criminal, could be trusted. Her stomach tightened again. Rubbing it, she blew out a breath and tried to relax. All this worry wasn’t doing her or the baby any good.

 
Now that she had a moment to look around, she noticed many familiar faces. Several of the men and women with their guns drawn and pointed at the bank entrance were members of Connor’s unit. A few of them had to know he was undercover. One of the men broke from the ranks and approached her.

  “Lily?”

  Ease washed over her when she recognized Connor’s partner. If anyone could help Connor, it would be him. “Paul. Thank God.” She gripped his arm and pulled herself up on her toes to whisper in his ear. “Connor’s in the bank. You’ve got to make sure he gets out safe.”

  “I’m sorry, Lily. Connor’s on his own.”

  “But he’s your partner!”

  Paul scowled. “Ex-partner. It’s taken me four months to live that down. Don’t start it up again.”

  “But he said he was under—”

  “Whatever he said, don’t believe any of it. Connor’s a liar. You can take the boy out of the South Side, but you can’t take the South Side out of the boy. He’s still the same safe-cracking hood he used to be.”

  Well, that certainly answered her question. If Connor’s own partner didn’t know he was undercover, the others wouldn’t either. Fear for Connor’s safety clawed at her chest, making it hard to breathe. Just as she decided to tell Paul everything, his chin snapped up and his eyes focused on the bank’s entrance. “Something’s happening. Get behind the ambulance.”

  She clutched his arm. “Don’t—” Her dry throat closed around the words. She swallowed and tried again. “Please, don’t hurt him. This isn’t what it seems.”

  Paul shook his head, pity in his eyes. “You need to let him go, Lily. Forget him. He chose the fast road, now he has to pay the toll. These Bandit bastards have been killing people.” He nudged her toward the ambulance and, taking out his gun, crouched behind the fender of a police vehicle.

  Lily positioned herself so she could see the door to the bank. Could Paul be right? Had Connor duped her? While she and the others distracted the police, he and the rest of the Bandits might even now be absconding with the money from the teller drawers. It wasn’t a fortune, but it was something.

  On the other hand, Connor had done everything he could to protect her and the other hostages. He’d even shot Rourke. Shuddering, she remembered the blood and… other stuff on Connor’s pant legs. Had that been just so he could take over the gang?

  She shivered and wrapped her arms around her waist. An EMT placed a blanket over her shoulders. Lily smiled at him in thanks.

  Either way, she’d know soon. If Connor didn’t come out of the bank in the next minute or so, she’d know he’d lied to her yet again. But if he did come out in peace, she’d do whatever she could to make sure he got through this alive. She owed it to him, owed it to their baby.

  Just then, Connor appeared through the door, Owen close behind him. Their hands, held out to their sides, were empty. The officer with the bullhorn shouted for them to drop to the ground. As she watched, her heart in her throat, Connor complied. And then the cops descended on him like a swarm of army ants.

  Chapter 4

  The perfect end to the perfect fucking day.

  Connor lay face down in the dirty slush covering the sidewalk. He looked around, trying to catch a glimpse of Lily, but all he saw were boots. Boots that were approaching his face, his ribs, his legs. Oh Jesus.

  “Stand back,” a familiar voice shouted. Connor clenched his teeth, biting back a groan when he spotted Paul weaving through the crowd of officers. He could only imagine the razzing Paul had taken when Connor had been jailed on bribery charges. They’d been partners, best friends, and it must have felt like being slapped in the face. No. It would have felt like being stabbed in the back.

  “Well, well. If it isn’t Connor ‘Conman’ Kavanagh,” Paul said, contempt coating each word. Connor grunted when a well-placed knee sank into the middle of his back. Paul grabbed one of his arms, angling it sharply behind him and snapped a cuff around his wrist so tightly it dug into his skin. Okay, Paul was pissed. He got it. His former partner made short work of cuffing Connor’s other wrist, then dragged him to his knees using only the cuff chain. It was a wonder his arms weren’t pulled out of their sockets.

  “Take it easy, Paul. I’m not going anywhere.”

  “News flash, asshole. You’re going to prison. No getting off on a technicality this time.”

  Everyone laughed and jeered. Connor didn’t recognize all of them, but it was obvious from the angry faces of his old unit that none of them knew about his mission. He had to keep it cool if he didn’t want his teeth kicked in. Or his head blown off.

  Tugging on Connor’s elbows, Paul pulled him to his feet. “You know what they do to cops in prison?” Paul asked, his mouth pressed to Connor’s ear. “Remember Benny? He’s waiting for you. Needs a new bitch.”

  Shit. Just the thought of Benny Pumoni, the mobster henchman Connor had collared last year, touching him anywhere below the belt made Connor want to puke. But he wouldn’t give Paul the satisfaction of seeing the horror he felt. Instead, he asked the question he most wanted answered. “Where’s Lily? Is she okay?”

  Paul jerked him around, anger contorting his face. “Like you care? If you wanted to protect her, why did you bring your new friends to rob her bank? She’s the fucking loan manager. Did you want her dead?”

  “Of course not, I had no idea she’d be here.” The thought of what could have happened to Lily left him cold. He needed to see her, needed to know she was all right. Oh God, the baby. What if all this stress hurt the baby?

  The crowd of officers surrounding them parted like the Red Sea, revealing not Moses, but Captain Morris. Hallelujah. After a moment, Morris nodded to Paul. “Uncuff him, Officer Thorten.”

  “But, sir, he’s one of the Bandits.”

  “Now.”

  Paul undid the cuffs and shoved him forward. Captain Morris shot Paul a narrowed glare, then turned to include the rest of the officers. That’s when Connor realized many of them still had their guns trained on him. He looked around, studying the faces of his closest friends—masks of disgust and disapproval. Everyone seemed to be waiting for him to make a wrong move.

  “Put away your weapons,” Captain Morris barked, reaching into his pocket. When he pulled his hand out, something glinted in his palm. It was the right size and shape. Every molecule of air in Connor’s lungs seized. Was that his badge? His heart pounded and his vision tunneled as he eyed the shiny metal. It seemed like a lifetime ago that he’d handed his badge over to the captain as part of the cloud of lies and innuendo that made up his cover. His gaze rose to Morris’s face, almost not daring to hope.

  Morris held out his hand. “Kavanagh—”

  Before the man could say another word, Lily launched herself at Connor. He barely had time to catch her. But when he felt her soft body against his chest, her legs circling his waist, his arms closed around her protectively. More precious to him than any badge, Lily was everything, and he never wanted to let her go again. He just hoped it wasn’t too late for them.

  “I was so scared. I thought they were going to kill you before you could get everything straightened out.” Ignoring the presence of Captain Morris and everyone else around them, Lily clasped his cheeks and sealed her lips to his. If he died right now, he’d die happy. Her hands slipped from his cheeks to his back, her fingers touching and probing as if to be sure he was okay. Laughter bubbled in his chest. She’d always been a good multitasker. When she unlocked her ankles and slid down his body, he didn’t know whether to shout with pleasure or cry with regret.

  She stopped her exploration and looked up at him, a grin on her face. “What’s this?”

  “What?” he asked, loving the glow brightening her cheeks.

  “Is that a gun in your pocket, or are you just happy to see me?” she asked with a saucy sway of her hips.

  Uh-oh. Instantly, every officer around them drew their weapons. Connor pulled Lily behind him and glared at his former colleagues. “Don’t fucking point your g
uns at my fiancée.”

  “Ex-fiancée,” Paul called out helpfully.

  Oh yeah, dickhead? He’d take care of that right now. He turned to Captain Morris. “May I?”

  Eyes alight with secrets, his boss smiled and waved for him to go ahead. Connor pulled out the box containing Lily’s engagement ring. She’d mailed it to the precinct after he’d been arrested four long months ago. He’d kept it in his pocket since the day Morris had returned it to him, hoping he’d someday put it back on her finger. Where it belonged. Was that day today? He prayed to Saint Patrick that it was.

  Turning to Lily, he dropped to one knee and opened the box.

  Her hands shot to her face. “Oh, Connor.”

  “This is so not the way I imagined this scene ever going down, but I guess when it’s the right time, it’s the right time.” But was it, or was he making a huge mistake? Shit. He should have waited until they were alone. One of his friends had proposed in a restaurant, and he remembered telling Lily he’d never do that to her, that only an insecure twit would impose the pressure of a public proposal on the woman he loved. The corners of her pretty pink lips tipped up as though she knew what he was thinking.

  He took a deep breath and brought her fingers to his mouth, kissing them. “Lily Stephens. Will you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?”

  Her brown eyes filled with tears, and his heart seized. He knew it. What an idiot he was. Lily was probably still pissed at him for the way he’d left without telling her anything. What had he expected? That she’d forgive him and fall into his arms, just because he’d told her he loved her? Those were just words. She deserved so much more from him. He started to get up. “I’m so—”

  “Of course. Yes! Yes, I’ll be your wife,” she shouted, brushing at her wet cheeks.

  “Are you sure?”

  She stroked his chin and smiled. “You’re a good man, Connor.”

  “Thank you, Saint Patrick,” he said, pressing a kiss to her belly. That was his child growing in there. Their child.