by V Vee
Logan scoffed. “How could you cut off all communication. You made promises to her, just like I did to Parker. You stayed away for eight years. I stayed away for four.” He slapped me against the back of my head and I oofed out in pain, reaching up to rub the stinging spot. “I know you wanted to emulate me, but copy the good shit. Not the bad.”
“Ooohh!!! Mommy! Daddy said a bad word!” Noelle yelled, her hazel eyes wide, her little mouth dropping open in shock. She put her hands on her hips, and though she was going for stern, to me she just looked adorable in her bright teal halter shirt, and jean shorts with the embroidered flowers at the hem. Her brown hair was pulled up into a solitary ponytail at the back of her head, the curls bouncing with every movement. Her feet, which were wrapped in white sandals, were shoulder-width apart, and planted firmly in the grass as she stared up at her father with censure in her little gaze.
But it wasn’t Noelle that made me burst into laughter. It was Holly. Who was wearing the same as her sister, except in pink. Her hair was in two pigtails, and though she was identical to her sister and should look as cherubic, I’d always warned Parker and Logan that Holly was the scary one. She followed behind her mother, who was holding her and Parker’s four-month old son in her arms, as she came out and quirked an eyebrow at Logan.
After having six children, you would think Parker would be nothing but sagging tits and a perpetually rounded belly, but she was still… hot. I mean, I was hopelessly devoted to Heaven—even in spite of the huge secret she’d been keep from me since 2018, when I left for the Marines—but I could still admit that my sister-in-law had it going on. Her and her friends, Ava, Rachel, Nia, Kyra, all had multiple children, and they were all still hot. Which could explain why they all had so many kids. Not one of them was too far from their husbands, each man watching them as if they wanted to take them to the nearest horizontal surface and put another baby in them.
Which in Ava’s case would just be… crazy.
“Logan, are you out here using bad words?” Parker asked.
Logan shook his head. “Baby, come on. Are you going to believe me or the child?” He reached out and palmed his daughter’s face, causing Noelle to giggle. He tugged her closer to him, with his hand covering her eyes, something which had Parker’s lips twitching.
“I think I’m going to believe our daughter,” Parker said with a soft chuckle.
Holly nodded and Nick, my nephew ran up, pointing at Logan. “Daddy uses bad words all the time!”
Logan gasped in faux surprise. “Nicky! Come on! You’re supposed to be on my side!”
Nicky shrugged. He was wearing a one-piece child mechanic’s costume with a blue tutu around his waist, his long honey brown hair blowing in the wind.
I have to admit I was a little surprised when Logan had explained to me that my nephew was “experimenting” with his gender identity, even at the age of 3. Now at the age of 6 it seemed as if Nick had decided he was who he was. Boy. Girl. Both. He was free and himself. Which meant my brother, Parker, and I would beat the ass of anyone who tried to make him feel ashamed for living his life the way he wanted.
“Traitor,” Logan groused, and we all laughed.
It felt nice. Being there with my family, the smell of cooking meat in the air, kids and adults swimming and splashing in the pool. Conversations taking place all around the yard and in the house. I knew that some of the talk was innocent, but with the number of Clan McCarthy men and women there, a lot of the dialogue was no doubt deadly and dangerous. And yet…
I wish Heaven was there.
With our daughter.
They belonged there. Surrounded by my family and friends. They were my family.
Logan chuckled and I turned to look at him, my eyebrows lifted.
“I know that look.” He pointed at me with the tip of his beer bottle. “You have finally decided to pull your head out of your ass and are going to get your woman.”
“Ooohh!!” Parker and Logan’s kids simultaneously said, their tiny voices sounding a bit like a youth choir.
I chuckled and shook my head, patting my brother on the shoulder. “Good luck.” Then I turned and headed out of the yard towards my car. I waved and said goodbye to everyone, acknowledging the nod from Andrew “The Irishman” McCarthy and his very pregnant wife, Kyra “The Boss of Baltimore.” Fuck. How many children did the two of them have?
I climbed into my car and headed towards Heaven’s place. It was time for me to meet my daughter.
And it was time for Heaven and me to settle things between us. This upcoming week would end with the two of us together, and my ring on her finger, not Zander’s.
Then next week, I would kill the bastard.
Chapter 14
Heaven’s Condo
Heaven’s Living Room
Baltimore, MD
Heaven
My heart still hurt from the way Eddie had simply stared at me after my confession, before he’d gathered all of his clothes, dressed, and left without a word. Even when Kynan and Ashley had returned from their trip to the mall, I was still walking around in a funk. I thanked my brother-in-law for his help, then called Zander so that Ashley could talk to her “Daddy.”
Every time I heard her call him that it turned my stomach. For the last seven years I’d been constantly fighting the urge to vomit all over the place because of my little girl’s devotion to the man I was beginning to realize was completely evil.
The last time I’d spoken to Zander he’d made sure to let me know that he had every intention of settling the score with Eddie. I tried to talk him out of fighting with his former best friend, especially since of the two of them, Eddie was more in shape and much more likely to kill someone, but Zander wouldn’t hear of it. As a matter of fact he’d been pissed that I seemed concerned for him.
“You should be worried about your ex,” Zander had hissed into the phone.
“Zander—”
“No. Do you think I’m fucking stupid, Heaven? I know.”
Fear turned my stomach and I swallowed to wet my suddenly dry mouth. “Y-you know… what?”
“You really are a stupid bitch if you think I wouldn’t find out that you’ve been spreading your legs for that two-bit hustler.”
My eyes widened and I stepped away from Ashley who was flipping through the channels on the television.
“I don’t know what you’re—”
“Oh save me from the lies and theatrics, Heaven. I saw you. I watched you take his filthy cock inside of your pussy. Pussy that’s supposed to belong to me, or did you forget that you have my goddamn ring on your finger?”
My hand shook as I heard the malice in Zander’s voice. Oh this was bad. This was really, really bad.
“H-how d-did y-you…” I stammered.
“I told you my family is powerful. You still don’t even realize how much. Your life is forfeit. If you want to keep breathing, if you don’t want your daughter to grow up without a mother… if you don’t want me to have someone put a bullet right in between your precious Eddie’s eyes, then you’ll stay the fuck away from him, and be ready to smile sweetly at our engagement party, and say I do at our wedding.”
I wanted to deny him. I wanted to scream and yell at him. But I’d discovered that the man I’d gotten in bed with, the one I’d turned to for comfort and security, was actually the devil in disguise. While the one who had my heart, the one I’d been so angry with, was my knight-in-shining armor.
A knight I’d just crippled in battle.
“I-I will, Zander. I promise.”
“See that you do,” he cautioned me, before he continued muttering. “Can’t believe this bullshit, I have to either beg or fucking take pussy from you, but you’re just giving it away for free to that goddamn joke of a man.”
And yet again, I kept my mouth shut. I had to. He’d threatened everyone around me, and while I knew that Eddie would do everything in his power to protect me, my family, and Ashley… I couldn’t chance it. I couldn’t chan
ce his life.
Because I still loved him. Had never stopped.
And I would love him until my dying breath.
Heaven’s Condo
Heaven’s Living Room
Baltimore, MD
Heaven
Later That Day
The sound of heavy knocking on the front door caused my heart to skip a beat. I took a breath, trying to steel my nerves, and prepared myself to be fucked by Zander. I was a little surprised he was already out of the hospital. Granted, I hadn’t actually gone to see him, having been delayed and distracted by Eddie, but from what the nurse had told me when I’d called, he was pretty bad off.
Then again, should I really be shocked? The man threatened my life from his hospital bed. Evil had a strength I would never be able to fathom.
I pasted a welcoming smile on my face and opened the door. Seeing Eddie standing on the other side, wearing the same clothes he’d had on when he left early that morning caused tears to flood my eyes. I reached out and grabbed his wrist tugging him inside quickly.
“I’m glad you came back,” I said.
He shrugged, wrapped his arms around my waist and tugged me into his body, placing a kiss on my lips.
“While I’m upset that you kept something like this from me, I can’t really be too upset. I mean… I left. I disappeared. And honestly? None of my reasons or my excuses make much sense. Not in light of all that I missed. All that I almost lost.”
He reached up to grip my hair and tugged my head back.
“You belong to me. You’re mine. And that’s my daughter, so she belongs to me as well. You’re my family. Not his. Mine.”
I moaned as he took my lips with his own and kissed me to within an inch of my life. The sound of a small gasp caused us to separate, and I spun around, my eyes widening at the sight of Ashley standing in the hallway staring at us.
“Ash… Um… there’s something I need to tell you…”
“Is it that this is my real father? Because I already know,” Ashley said with a shrug. I gasped and looked back and forth between her and Eddie.
“W-wha—? How did you know that?”
Ashley gave me a sad smile and walked up to me, patting the back of my hand. “Mommy, Uncle Logan and Aunt Parker were talking about it. Then I heard Daddy talking to some lady on the phone about how I wasn’t his “real” daughter, but he was raising me,” she said, using her fingers to make air quotes just like I always did.
I shook my head and looked up at Eddie, unsure of how to proceed. And like that, he showed me exactly why I had fallen in love with him back in high school and why I was in love with him still. Kissing my temple, he then crouched in front of Ashley, holding out his hand for her to shake.
“Well, first of all, I’m sorry you had to find out that way. Your mommy and I were having some problems. I was away in the military and your mommy thought I didn’t love her anymore, so she didn’t tell me about you.” He reached up to brush Ashley’s hair back behind her ears. “But I am so glad that you’re my daughter. And I am so glad I’m here now.”
While I would have loved for Ashley to throw herself into her father’s arms, I knew my daughter, so I wasn’t surprised when she leaned back and crossed her arms, regarding Eddie silently. After a moment, one in which none of us moved, she nodded.
“You want to marry my mommy?” She asked.
Eddie looked up at me and gave me a gentle smile. “More than anything. I’ve loved her for a very long time.”
Ashley nodded again and walked over to me to hold my hand in one of hers. “Good. Because Daddy Z is a bad man, but he wants Mommy too. So you’re gonna have to fight him for her. Uncle Logan said that.”
I widened my eyes and looked at Eddie who stared at our daughter in surprise, before he burst into laughter.
“Well then, it’s a good thing that the Marines taught me how to fight.”
Ashley simply nodded, then gave him a wide smile.
“Want to come see the prank I’m going to do at school on Monday?”
I opened my mouth to say no, but before I could Eddie’s eyes lit up and he clapped in excitement.
“Absolutely!” As they walked off to Ashley’s room, hand-in-hand no less, Eddie turned around to look at me. He winked at me and pointed at her.
“Definitely my kid.”
I merely nodded and waited until the two of them were out of sight before I dropped the grin drop from my lips and wrapped my arms around my waist. While I was happy that Ashley finally knew the truth, I was still stuck. I had to figure out a way to get Zander to give up on the idea of being with me, or it wouldn’t matter if Eddie claimed Ashley as his own or not.
We’d both be dead, and Ashley would be an orphan.
Chapter 15
Ava
I walked out of the nursery, closing the door as softly as I could so as to not wake up the kids who were sleeping inside. I breathed a sigh of relief when I heard the gentle click of the door latching.
Thank. God.
I’d only walked three feet when some fucking idiot rang the doorbell, not adhering to the sign on the door. The one Kynan had installed just for me.
It is NAP TIME.
That means that inside are sleeping children.
And very exhausted parents.
Do. NOT ring the doorbell.
All packages, letters, summons, etc. can be left at the door, or delivered to the guard gate.
Ringing the doorbell is putting your life at risk.
You have been warned.
DON’T RING THE BELL!
I growled the minute I heard crying from the nursery and wanted to join my children and sob. However, I couldn’t. Instead, I grabbed the shotgun that was sitting inside of a hidden panel on the wall outside of the nursery, and after pumping it to make sure it was loaded and ready, I marched—waddled—down the stairs and after unlocking the door, I swung it open angrily, immediately lifting the shotgun to my shoulder.
I lowered it when I noticed the person who’d rang the bell hurrying away. I was about to step out to growl at him, when I noticed the green envelope taped to the door. Putting the safety on my shotgun, I pulled off the letter and stepped back in the house. I would be having a conversation with Kynan about the fact that some stranger was able to get all the way up to our door, without the guards stopping them or even alerting me.
Kynan’s going to kill someone.
Shaking my head, I slid open the flap on the envelope and pulled out the single sheaf of paper. Typed on the page and signed with a clover were three sentences.
Twenty-eight words that felt like ice water down my spine and had me rushing for my phone to make some calls.
Zander O’Sullivan has put out a hit on Eddie Steele.
Your sister and niece will be collateral damage.
It is due to take place after the engagement party.
Nia
Zander O’Sullivan has put out a hit on Eddie Steele.
And plans on Heaven and her daughter Ashley being killed in the chaos.
His father and his grandfather were involved in what happened to you as a kid and a few years ago.
The hit is due to take place after the engagement party.
Sig was a man of few words, but even I had to say that fifty-four words that sent such fury through me, was a miraculous feat. I appreciated my friend for giving me a heads up, and I didn’t even need to ask him how he’d gotten the information. I was just thankful that he was on my side.
I felt him before he slid his arms around me and inhaled my scent. Though I was still upset and plotting out what needed to be done, I had to admit that being in Carrick’s arms brought me a measure of comfort. It always had.
After everything we’d been through over the years, the attempts on our lives, me dying, Carrick almost dying, me being brought back to life, but… changed, the miscarriages, the high-risk pregnancies… it would feel good, cathartic to put one chapter of our lives to rest.
“What’s
up?” Carrick’s brogue was heavy, and I know it’s because he was just spending time with my brother.
I wonder what Andrew and the rest are up to now?
“Just got some intel from Sig that’s going to help us put a few monsters to ground.” I handed him the letter and watched as he read it. The minute he straightened, adrenaline began to thrum in my veins, making my fingertips go numb. After a moment, Carrick looked down into my eyes.
“Ready to make it burn?”
I nodded eagerly. “Let me just get a babysitter.”
Hours later, my husband and I stood on the other side of the O’Sullivan estate, watching as the fire department and paramedics tried to put out the inferno that had overtaken the home, while also trying to save the lives of those who were trapped inside.
The screams from the members of the O’Sullivan family who weren’t able to escape made my nipples hard.
Reaching up, I grabbed Carrick’s head and tugged him down until I could kiss him hungrily. I bit his lower lips, sucking it into my mouth, sipping from his lips, licking the plump flesh. I heard him groan and wrapped my legs around his waist when he lifted me into his arms.
A part of me screamed that I should be sympathetic. I should be consoling the man I loved, who’d just helped me set his family home on fire but…
Fuck. That.
Carrick was the only good O’Sullivan, and if there was any justice in the world, the whole lot of them would have been wiped out with that blaze, but I knew that the odds were we’d only lit a fuse to really heat up the war between the McCarthys and the O’Sullivans. I wasn’t afraid, though. And I knew that no one in my family would be either.
We’d been fighting battles over the past few years, always on defense.
It was time the McCarthys went on offense and set about doing whatever we had to in order to make sure we were the victors in this war over power.