“I knew me dating Alberto would piss Daddy off. I told them I’d be quiet about it if Alberto helped me to push my father’s buttons. They were all for it.
“I’d unknowingly offered to be Alberto’s beard. I found out later that Alberto’s father had been getting suspicious. They were already afraid and needed to figure something out.
“As the years went by, I saw and heard some of the things Alberto’s father said and did to him. I kept up the ruse as much to make my Daddy angry as I did for Alberto’s sake. I noticed his dad was a little easier on him as long as we were ‘dating’,” I make air quotes as I say the last word.
“Yeah, he’s an asshole,” Felix grumbles.
“You can say that again. We had tried to call it off once. His father berated him in front of a bunch of guests at a dinner party. Danny and I had only been there because Alberto asked us to come. I made the mistake of saying we broke up and all hell broke loose. I was in near tears for Alberto by the end of the night.
“Then there’s my father. Danny was so scared Daddy would lose it on him. He and Alberto were in a relationship for years. They had a few steady girlfriends from time to time, but they remained a couple or whatever, forever. I say whatever because they swear they weren’t boyfriends,” I stop to rub my forehead.
“I can’t for the life of me tell you what they were thinking. Christa was one of their steady partners. She and her family are members at Daddy’s church—”
“Yeah, I know her,” he replies. “I’ve seen her with Danny a time or two.”
“She’s Dashawn’s mother. Those idiots weren’t using protection. She got pregnant and started to threaten to expose them both. She knows Alberto’s dad is a big time producer and his mom is an actress. She wanted money for the abortion and to keep quiet.”
“She was blackmailing them? Why didn’t they come to me?” Felix asks, pain lacing his words.
“Danny wanted to. Alberto didn’t want you to know. He gave her the money, but Danny couldn’t live with her killing the baby. That’s when they dragged me in. Christa said she would be quiet about everything if no one ever found out she had the baby.
“The last time I saw you was when Danny asked me to do this. To pretend to be the baby’s mother until he could figure something out. Christa and I would stay out of view while she was pregnant. Danny said he’d take care of everything afterward.
“I know how crazy this all sounds. It was crazy when Danny asked me to do it. At first, I told him no. I’d gone to the house with him so he could come clean with everything. Things just didn’t turn out as planned,” I scoff.
“What happened?” he coaxes.
“We got to the house and you know Daddy. He can sniff out when something is wrong. He pounced on me before we could get a word in. Called me irresponsible. He knew I’d let that boy get me pregnant one of these days.
“I’ve never seen a penis other than that day I walked in on Danny and Alberto. How the heck could I be pregnant and irresponsible? I’ve done everything my father has asked me to do all my life. Even when I try to be bad it falls flat.
“The one thing I love to do, I’m too afraid to do because I know he wouldn’t approve and there I sat being berated and thrown under the bus for something I didn’t do.
“I snapped. If I was going to be blamed, I might as well protect my brother. I got into it so bad with my father, he threw me out. Told me go stay with my spoiled baby’s daddy.
“Alberto wanted Christa as far away from them as he could get her so we flew here that night. I was so mad. Danny knew I didn’t want to go back, that’s when he promised me a nicer place once the baby was born,” I say, wiping at my tears. “That never happened.”
“I walked in on one of their threesomes before. Not like you did. They were both having sex with the girl. I was so pissed. I thought Alberto was cheating on you. Danny covered for him…”
His words trail off and he stares into thin air. Knowing Felix he’s thinking of all the ways he could have helped if he’d known. He takes his beanie off to run his hand through his hair then replaces it.
“I—”
My words are cutoff by my nephew’s little cries. I go to get up to get his bottle, but Felix places a hand on my arm. That hum seems to be stronger as it zaps up my limb. I lift my eyes to his, but once again he’s masking all of his emotions.
“Sit and eat. Let’s get you guys fed, then we’ll figure all this out. I have family here in New York. We’ll be calling in a few favors,” he says.
“Thank you,” I say softly.
He leans in to kiss my forehead.
“Anything for you,” he murmurs.
I chide the butterflies in my belly. He means that as a big brother. Nothing more, nothing less.
Chapter 6
Trading Favors
Felix
“Good to see ya,” Jamie says pulling me into a hug.
“Likewise,” I reply patting him on the back.
“Logan said yer in need. So the gang is heading in to set ya right. He’s on his way, just needed to make a stop. What’s up?”
I turn and wave Kaye over. She hesitates for a moment before stepping forward nervously with Dashawn’s carrier clutched in her fingers. I give her a reassuring smile. Jamie is my family. I’d only trust Kaye and Dashawn’s care to family.
I can’t drag her ass back home like I want to. The truth of the matter is, what they’ve done is illegal. She could get into a lot of serious trouble. I need to call Mairettie and get some advice on how to cover her ass on this.
When I know what all we are facing legally, I’ll bury this shit so far you’d have to be Houdini to uncover the truth. I need to make sure the birth certificate will stick and I need to make sure Christa never comes back to cause any problems. She didn’t want anything to do with Dashawn, I’m going to make sure it stays that way.
For now, I need Kaye and the baby safe. That apartment in Queens wasn’t my idea of safe. One call to my cousin Logan and he had a new place for Kaye within the hour.
I’m sort of grateful Danny made the choice to hide her in New York. I can control things here—even when I’m not here. This is as good as my city, as Logan told me over the phone earlier. She’ll be more than safe here.
“Kaye this is my cousin, Jamie. Jamie these two are as important to me as Mom, Dad, and my brothers. You get want I mean?”
“Aye, I got ya. This place is as safe as can be. Would put my own sisters here and wouldn’t lose sleep. We won’t be far away. Anything ya need, ya give us a call,” Jamie directs his last words at Kaye.
I crowd her space when his green eyes scan her. I want to make it clear that she’s not available. Not that Kaye is mine. I just know the men in my family and Jamie is one to charm the pants off of a pretty girl in a heartbeat.
Jamie’s eyes twinkle with mirth and his lips kick up into a smile, but he gives me a nod of understanding. That’s all I need. I trust him like one of my brothers. We don’t get to spend a lot of time together, but we’re still close.
“Thank you,” Kaye says. “It’s nice to meet you.”
“Aye, nice to meet ya too, lass,” he says, before turning and waving us to follow him. “Let’s get the babe inside. Connie is up there getting things ready for ya guys. It’s a three bedroom apartment, but it’s a walk up.”
“You okay?” I lean into Kaye’s ear to ask.
She shivers, turning her head up to look at me. I move closer to share some of my warmth. It is a bit cooler here in Brooklyn. That other apartment will be a distant memory for her now that I’m here. That place was a sweatbox.
“I’m fine,” she nods, turning away before I can get a read on her eyes.
I reach for the carrier, taking it from her hands to carry the baby up the stairs for her. We all walk up to the fourth floor apartment. My eyes are trained on the sway of her ass in her tight blue jeans.
Damn. Does she know how sexy her walk is? I’d bite the shit out of that ass.
She’s mine to claim.
Guilt settles in as that thought crosses my mind. I never told Danny how I felt about his sister. It doesn’t feel right that I never told him.
Just as quickly, my guilt turns to anger. Danny should’ve told me what was going on. He should’ve trusted me with the truth. It would have saved us all a lot of pain. Still, I know none of that would’ve kept the two of them out of that car crash.
“Here we are,” Jamie croons. “That’s me sister over there munching on the food I bought for ya. Connie stop stuffing your gub with her food.”
“Shut up, Jamie,” Connie hisses back. “I’m starving. Cole didn’t let me finish me breakfast before he started barking orders. I’ve been running all day.”
“Quit ya belly aching. He sent ya shopping. Yer in heaven and ya know it,” Jamie grumbles.
Connie flips Jamie the bird, giving him the evil eye. She wipes her hands off, before rushing over to give me a hug. I return the embrace with one arm, still holding Dashawn inside his carrier.
“Oh, let me see the wee lad,” Connie coos when she pulls away.
She bends at the waist to pull the blanket back. Dashawn is wide awake, sucking on his pacifier as he looks back at us. He’s an alert baby for his age. His eyes roll over Connie then bounce to me.
“He’s adorable. Ya have to come see what I’ve done with his room,” Connie gushes. “Oh fuck, where are me manners? I’m Connie, by the way.”
She straightens and pulls Kaye into a hug. I roll my lips trying not to laugh at my cousin. The O’Brien family as a whole is a colorful one. My uncle and cousins give my mother a run for her money. I couldn’t tell you who’s crazier. Dad’s side of the family or Mom’s.
I lean in favor of Dad’s when Connie steps back from Kaye and looks her over, assessing her from head to toe. A tiny smile kicks up the corner of her mouth. She turns to me with a lifted brow. I groan internally, knowing something crazy is most likely about to come from her lips.
“Aye, I’d be hiding this one for meself if I were ya. What a ride she is,” Connie purrs.
Jamie groans. “Ya knickers are safe. She’s just being an eejit,” he directs at Kaye.
Kaye stands with her brows knit. It dawns on me how heavy Jamie and Connie’s accents are. Dylan is the most Americanized of my cousins. He hardly ever slips into the Irish brogue the others do. Dylan sounds like a true New Yorker.
With Jamie, it depends on his mood what you’ll get. Cole, or Brooklyn as we all call him, has a heavy New York accent that mixes in with his Irish one. Most times he’ll flip back and forth between the two. Although, when back home in Ireland, forget it, all the New Yorker melts away.
Connie, please, even I have to listen closely at times. She’s the second oldest, after my cousin Logan. They were much older when they arrived here in America. All of my cousins were older and set in their habits when they arrived, except for Dylan. It shows in how each of them have adapted to the States.
“Connie thinks you’re pretty and Jamie is reassuring you that you’re not going to mauled by Connie. She’s straight. She just likes to tease,” I say to Kaye while laughing.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to be rude,” Kaye says as her cheeks heat.
“No, we’re being rude. You’re family so we didn’t think about it,” Connie says more clearly. “We’ll get you up to speed and then we can bend your ear. Come on. I’ve gotten the baby’s room ready.”
“Thanks,” Kaye smiles, reaching to take the carrier away. When I don’t release the handle right away, she looks up at me. “I think I should change him.”
I loosen my hold and allow her to take the carrier from me. Jamie grabs my attention, nodding for me to hang back. My eyes remain on Kaye until she disappears from my sight.
“She hasn’t understand a word we said to her, has she,” Jamie says humorously.
“Probably not.”
“Grand, so we can talk freely. Brooklyn found the lass still here in New York. Big front, slope back, she is. She’s burning through her cash like she’s Rockefeller. Dylan says she doesn’t look good,” he fills me in.
“Aye, she just had a baby and she’s run off. I bet she looks like shit,” I hiss, allowing my own mix of my parents’ accents to fall into place. I pause to tamp down my anger. “Ye get the cameras I sent over?”
“Aye, installed and ready to go,” Jamie replies with a nod. “Brooklyn gave the order to bring her in at ya word. What do ya want to do?”
“Have Connie and Kate sit with her and make things clear. She can go crawl under a fucking rock for all I care. I just don’t want to see her come back out. He’s none of her concern anymore and I want it to stay that way. If she breathes a single word about any of this Con and Kat will leave her in tatters on the next visit,” I order.
“She fucked with the wrong one,” Jamie scoffs. “I’ll let Brooklyn know and talk to my sisters.”
“Thanks,” I reply as the front door opens.
Logan, Brooklyn, and Dylan walk in. If they weren’t my own family and I didn’t know I could handle myself, I’d probably piss my pants. Not one of them has a smile on their face until they lock eyes with me. Logan gives the big smile, always known for a good laugh and teasing.
“Where’s yer lass? Don’t have the heart to take the piss out of ya in front of her,” Logan teases.
“She’s with Con and the babe,” Jamie answers.
“Aye, good. C’mere ya rawny fucker,” Logan croons.
“Who you calling skinny?” I huff, puffing out my chest.
“Ya,” Logan and Brooklyn say in unison.
Brooklyn points at me and laughs. “Ye see this. Kid’s got nerve. Comes to our city, asking for favors and then wants to puff out his chest,” he jeers.
“Like we won’t beat the clothes off of that bird chest and send him back home to Uncle Joe,” Logan adds with mirth in his eyes.
We meet in the center of the room and my oldest cousin pulls me into a bear hug, lifting me from my feet to prove a point. I laugh, throwing a punch at his arm when he places me back on my feet.
“Good to see ya,” Logan says patting my cheek.
“I’d say the same if ya weren’t trying to reddener me,” I toss back.
“Oh,” all four of my cousin bellow out.
“There’s it is. That’s our little cousin and everyone thinks he’s the quiet one. Stop trying to embarrass the lad, Logan,” Brooklyn chuckles, pulling me into his embrace.
“Whatever,” I grumble good-naturedly.
“Hey,” Dylan beams at me as I pull him into a hug.
Dylan is the quiet one. Explosive temper but normally as quiet as I seem. I guess being the youngest of six has a lot to do with it in his case.
“Hey. We have to get in a few rounds before I head out,” I say to him causing his smile to grow.
“Sure, sure,” he nods.
“When do ya plan to leave?” Logan quizzes.
* * *
Kaye
I hold my breath. I’ve been wanting to know the answer to that question. I appreciate everything that Felix has done for me since showing up. He has no idea how grateful I am.
“I have to leave in a few days. I need to get back to work. I’ve been handling things remotely, but that’s not going to cut it for long,” Felix says.
I swear I hear a note of disappointment in his voice. Then again, it could be wishful thinking. I know he’s doing all of this as a friend. He’d do anything for Danny, which in proxy includes me.
My heart sinks. I don’t know why I thought he would be able to be here longer. I start to feel lonely all over again and he hasn’t left yet.
“We have to get ya to the restaurant for a few drinks and a game of Spades,” the biggest one in the bunch says.
They’re all gorgeous, mostly dark haired versions of the Blacks. The one standing next to the one that just spoke could pass for Wyatt if his hair were a bit lighter. Jamie, the one I met earlier reminds me of a green-eyed version of Braxton, with a dark shoulder length mass of curls. The youngest looking one with the long strawberry blonde hair is the first to notice me.
Dashawn starts to wail drawing everyone else’s attention. All eyes turn on me. Connie’s heels click against the hardwoods behind me.
“Look at ya all looking like a bunch of bears. Stop scaring the lass with yer loud mouths, ya mingers,” Connie sings out.
“Mingers, ya look just like us. So that makes ya ugly too,” Jamie snorts.
“Ya wish,” Connie snuffs back.
The big one that invited Felix out for drinks twists his lips waving Connie off. He turns for me and moves closer. I have to tip my head back to look up at him, while bouncing my nephew in my arms.
“Hello, Kaye. I’m Logan,” he says with a thick accent while pulling a key from the inside of his leather jacket. “This is for ya. Is everything to yer liking? We can get ya anything you need.”
“Yes, thank you,” I reply, wrapping my fingers around the key to take it. “I think we should be fine.”
He’s even more handsome up close. His eyes are green like Jamie’s, but Logan’s eyes tell a darker story. I can tell this isn’t a man to be crossed.
“Who do we have here?” Wyatt’s look alike says as he comes over to pluck a crying Dashawn from my arms. “Hello there, little fella. Tell yer Uncle Brooklyn what’s the matter.”
His eyes are a gorgeous green, but again, I note the brooding danger hidden in their depths. Felix comes to my side, allowing me to relax a little. He may be as tall and intimidating as these guys, but I know him. I know he’ll never hurt me, or my nephew.
“Cole, what do ya know about babies?” Connie says.
Brothers Black 5: Felix the Watch Page 4
