When his brothers left, John checked on Stephanie. She lay on the bed with her hands tucked under her cheek. Her breathing deep and steady. At least she was sleeping. No matter what happened, he’d protect her at all costs. Nobody was going to hurt her. He eased onto the bed, and she snuggled into him.
“I’ll keep you safe, baby,” John whispered as he pressed his lips against the top of her head. “I promise.”
John wanted to talk to Kurt. He needed to talk to Kurt. Which was why he was spending his day off at the station. When John walked into his Uncle’s office, Kurt was engrossed in a file on his desk.
John cleared his throat and Kurt looked up.
“How are the young ladies today?” Kurt tossed the file on his desk and pointed to the chair across from him.
“I don’t think Marina’s going to move back to St. John’s after this. Stephanie’s upset.”
“And what about you?” Kurt raised a brow.
“Pissed,” John said. “Uncle Kurt, there’s gotta be something we can do to keep this fucker away from Stephanie’s sister.” Kurt sat back in his chair and folded his hands across his stomach.
“He’s been charged with disturbing the peace, and he’s got a restraining order, but it only applies to Janet and Doug Kelly.” Kurt blew out a breath. “The young ladies can get their own order.”
“I mentioned that to Marina, but she said a piece of paper wasn’t going to stop him,” John said.
“But that’s not why you’re here. Is it?” Kurt locked his hands behind his head.
“No.” John scrubbed a hand over his chin. “I’m trying to figure out who’s trying to hurt Stephanie. We know it’s not Marc.”
“It’s not good seeing someone you love scared.” Kurt leaned his elbows on his desk.
“No, it’s not.” John sighed.
“I was starting to wonder if James was the only one of you seven ever going to settle down.” Kurt chuckled. “Your dad tells me she’s a really great young lady.”
“She’s amazing.” John smiled.
“I haven’t really gotten a chance to get to know her. It seems the only time I associate with her, it’s when the shit’s hitting the fan.” Kurt said.
“I know.” John stood up and started to pace.
“There’s nothing telling us who’s doing this shit, but John, whoever this is...” Kurt stopped.
“They’re getting more aggressive.” John finished.
“Yes! She needs to be extra careful. I know you don’t want to scare her, but maybe we should get Ian, Keith or even Jess to give her some self-defence lessons.” Kurt suggested.
“You’re probably right. I’ll talk to her about it.” John turned to leave.
“By the way it’s good to have you back.” Kurt smiled.
“Thanks, Uncle Kurt, and give Aunt Alice a hug for me.” John left the office.
Driving home, he was trying to think of the best way to bring up the self-defence to Stephanie. Keith and Ian were probably not good suggestions, but Jess would be. She was a third-degree black belt in Karate. John knew self-defence techniques himself, but Jess was the better option. Next to Ian, Keith and Kurt, Jess was the best. It was a running joke in their family, how the little flower child could kick all their asses. Jess owned her own flower shop, and to see her with the flowers nobody would ever say she could kill someone in one move.
Stephanie was still at work. John planned a nice romantic evening for her. At least it would take her mind off everything for a while. A quick stop to the grocery store and he had the ingredients for his famous grilled chicken and garden salad. John wasn’t the best cook in the world, but this was the one meal he learned how to cook well.
With supper almost ready, he set the table with candles, turned on some soft piano music and had a bottle of wine chilling. Stephanie would be home soon. John hurried to the bathroom. Next job was filling the bathtub and using the bubble bath she liked. Then he grabbed the candles he picked up at the store and spread them out on the bathroom counter. He glanced around at the preparations he’d made. Not bad at all. He was rushing back to the kitchen when Stephanie came in the front door.
“Hey!” Exhaustion was written all over her beautiful face.
“Good day my fair lady,” John said in a really bad English accent. He bowed as he took her hand and kissed it.
“Um…. okay.” She giggled. “Something smells delicious.”
“No….no my lady. First I have drawn your bath.” He took her hand and linked it into his elbow. Then he pulled her toward the bathroom. “For your comfort and relaxation, my lady.” Stephanie’s face lit up. So far so good.
“John, what did you do?” She glanced around. When she turned back to him, there were tears in her eyes.
“Oh no, baby. I didn’t want to make you cry.” John groaned.
“No, these are happy tears.” She cupped his cheeks. “Nobody’s ever done anything like this for me.” She kissed his lips softly. “Thank you so much.”
“You’re very welcome, sweetheart.” He pushed a stray piece of hair from her face. “Supper will be about an hour. So you can enjoy your bath and relax.” He left the bathroom to pour a glass of wine. When he came back, she was covered up to her neck in bubbles. Her hair was piled up on top of her head and her eyes were closed. He smiled. The candles gave a warm glow around the room and cast a shimmering light against her skin. All he could do was stand there and gaze at her. She opened her eyes and squeaked.
“You scared me.” She gasped.
“Sorry, I was just hypnotized by how gorgeous you are.”
“You’re so amazing.” She leaned her arms on the side of the tub and rested her chin on her hands. “Is that wine for me?”
“Your beverage my lady.” John bowed and passed her the glass of wine. A quick kiss on the lips and he returned to the kitchen. Hopefully, she’d enjoy the rest of the evening. Tonight was about her, and keeping her mind off all the shit that happened over the past few weeks.
John was taking up supper when she came into the kitchen. She smiled as she jiggled the empty wine glass in front of her. He refilled her glass and topped off his own. After placing the plates on the table, John pulled out her chair.
“John, this is so amazingly beautiful.” She kissed his cheek and sat.
“I wanted to give you a special night.” He took her hand and placed a soft kiss on her knuckles.
“I love it.” She stared into his eyes and he couldn’t look away. “And I love you so much.”
“I love you too,” John whispered. “More than I ever thought possible.” He leaned closer to her and kissed again then pulled back before supper was forgotten. “Now let’s eat.”
“This looks really good.” Stephanie picked up a forkful and put it in her mouth. Her soft hum of approval filled him with pride. It was rewarding.
After supper, John sent her to the living room.
Stephanie offered to clean up, but this night was for her. The only thing she had to do was relax. John poured her another glass of wine and guided her out of the kitchen.
John was the one to get the surprise when he walked into the living room. Stephanie had the candles around the room. The soft music was still playing from the television. It seemed she had changed to some sax music. Kenny G, if he wasn’t mistaken. John sat next to her and she snuggled into his side.
“Tonight was so great.” She linked her fingers with his.
“I’m glad you enjoyed it because I plan on doing it a lot.” He kissed the top of her head and she tipped her head up so he could kiss her lips. It was tender, soft and loving. When he pulled back from her lips, she sighed.
“You’ve made this the best night of my life, John.” She stared into his eyes. Sometimes when she did that, it was like she was looking into his soul.
“I’m glad, and guess what else I did to make this special.” John grinned.
“What?”
“I texted all my brothers, and warned them that unless it was a
matter of life and death, they were to stay away from this house or I’d make them sorry they were ever born.” She playfully slapped his arm.
“That’s terrible.” She giggled. John pulled her onto his lap and relieved her of the wine glass.
“No, it’s not. I wanted an entire night with you. Alone, and uninterrupted.” He started to unbutton the blouse she was wearing.
“Why Officer O’Connor, are you trying to take advantage of me?” She smiled.
“Definitely,” John growled as he traced the edge of her bra with his tongue. Her breath caught. His lips followed her blouse as it slid off her shoulders. He traced his fingers ran up the length of her arms. Goosebumps spread across her skin and she shivered. He could see her nipples harden through the thin fabric of her bra.
“Stephanie, you’re so beautiful,” John whispered as she pressed against his chest. He nuzzled the side of her neck. The fruity scent from her bubble bath was still evident on her skin. John stood with her in his arms and she wrapped her legs around his waist. “I need you completely naked. I want to make love to you all night.” He whispered.
“Sounds like it’s gonna be a long night.” She sighed. John eased her down on the bed. A very long night indeed.
John woke the next morning with Stephanie snuggled into his side. He grabbed his phone from the night table. Nine o’clock. He never slept this late. Last night was amazing. He’d lost count of how many times they made love.
Stephanie came into his life when he thought it was over. She made him want to live again. He never thought he could love anyone as much as he loved her. Stephanie was his life, and nothing was going to take her away from him. He wrapped his arms around her and closed his eyes.
The intermittent buzzing brought John out of a deep sleep. Stephanie was still sleeping peacefully next to him. He carefully untangled from her and grabbed his phone. Kurt’s number.
“Hey, Uncle Kurt.” John went to the kitchen to avoid waking Stephanie.
“John, did I wake you?” Kurt’s gruff voice came through the phone.
“Yeah, but it’s okay. What’s up?” John started a pot of coffee and leaned against the counter.
“Marc O’Rielly was released today.” Kurt sounded almost apologetic.
“I figured he wouldn’t be locked up long.” John sighed. “What are his release conditions?” Marc wasn’t permitted to come within one hundred meters of John’s house or any house where Marina, Stephanie or her parents resided. He was to stay away from alcohol and drugs and keep the peace and be of good behaviour.
“You know how it works if he breaks any of those, he’ll be in custody until his court date,” Kurt said.
“He’s a Meth addict. Does he have to do drug testing?” John asked.
“No there’s nothing stating that.” John cursed under his breath.
“I hope he obeys the orders,” John said.
“He better. The report said he had a rougher time locked up this time.” Kurt told him.
“Let’s hope it scared him enough.” John sighed. “But he isn’t the one who worries me the most. I wish I knew who was trying to hurt Stephanie.”
“I talked to Jess. She’s going to drop over to your house after supper. You should probably let Stephanie know about it.”
“I will.”
Stephanie entered the kitchen.
“Thanks for the info Uncle Kurt. I really appreciate it.”
“No problem, my boy.”
John ended the call. “Good morning my lady.”
“Don’t start that again.” Stephanie giggled as she wrapped her arms around his waist.
John pulled her tight against him and kissed the top of her head.
She pressed her cheek against his chest. “I’m assuming since that was your Uncle, the call was about Marc.”
“Yes.” John gave her all the information he’d learned from Kurt. He could tell the way she squeezed him tighter, the news wasn’t putting her at ease.
“I just got off the phone with Marina,” She said. “That’s why I was looking for you.”
“Is she alright?” John asked still holding her.
“She decided she’s not gonna let Marc ruin her life, and she’s not going to give up the promotion,” Stephanie said. “She said James talked to her on the way back to my parent’s house. He told her since you and I are together, it makes her like family, and she’d have all of your brothers to help if she needed them.”
“James is right. If she ever needs anything, all she’ll have to do is ask, and besides, she’s a very strong lady.” John smiled down at her. When he gazed into her eyes, he could see she was sad. “She’ll be back home before we know it.”
“I know.” Stephanie sighed.
“There’s something else I need to tell you,” John said.
“Is it good or bad?”
“Well, it depends on you.”
She raised her eyebrow so he continued.
“You know my cousin Jess.”
Stephanie nodded, her head tilted with curiosity. “She’s trained in martial arts since she was a little girl. She’s a third-degree black belt and she teaches self-defence. Uncle Kurt thought it would be a good idea if she came over and gave you some lessons.”
“Is that really necessary?” She raked a hand through her hair.
“Uncle Kurt thinks it is, and so do I.” He cupped her face in his hands. “I want you to be safe, and Jess is the best.”
“I didn’t know she was into martial arts,” Stephanie said.
“Yeah we all were at one time, but she was the only one of the girls to stick with it. We used to tease her about being the only flower child who could kick ass.”
Stephanie giggled. “I guess it wouldn’t hurt.”
As long as Jess could show Stephanie how to protect herself, John would be happy. He couldn’t follow her around to protect her every day, and she wouldn’t let him anyway. “Are you hungry?” It was time for a change of subject.
“Yes, I’m starving, but I’m cooking breakfast,” She said adamantly.
“I don’t mind cooking, baby.” John smiled.
“John, you did everything last night. It was the best night of my life.” She cupped his face in her hands. “Let me do this for you.” She placed a quick kiss on his lips. She spun on her heel when he grabbed her and pulled her against him. He crashed his lips against hers in a deep passionate kiss. When he released her, her dazed expression made him laugh.
“Now you can cook breakfast.” He playfully slapped her bottom. “I’ll grab a shower.” He whistled as he left the kitchen. Stephanie was the woman he’d spend the rest of his life with. As he stepped into the shower, his mind raced with ideas for the most romantic proposal anyone has ever seen.
Chapter 26
Monday mornings were the worst. Stephanie was running behind and John was trying to help by making breakfast. He was so amazing. Always knowing what she was thinking before she said it. Even though it had been a week since his romantic dinner, she still felt like she was floating on air. Which was the reason she was running behind. Her head was in the clouds.
The great thing was, Marc pled guilty to the charges and requested to go to rehab. The judge agreed. As long as Marc stuck to this, he’d receive probation. He was also not allowed to contact any of her family and would have to go through family court to see Danny.
“I should be home around six,” Stephanie called to John as she hurried out the door. “Love you.”
“Love you too. Have a good day.” He blew her a kiss as she closed the door. Stephanie ran down the steps and turned when she heard her name.
“Stephanie.” Sandy was walking toward the fence.
“Hey!” Stephanie glanced at her watch. She still had a couple of minutes to chat with her friend.
“I hate to ask, but my car won’t start and I’ve got to be in town in forty minutes,” Sandy said. “It’s the hotel downtown. Would you be able to drop me off?”
“Sure! My first c
lient is down that way.”
Sandy sighed with relief. “I’ll even buy coffee. I just need to get my things out of the car.”
Stephanie walked toward the end of the driveway where her car was parked. A strange smell made her wrinkle her nose. The closer she got to the end of the driveway the stronger it was. She was almost at her car when she heard John.
“Steph.” John stood in the door waving her cell phone in front of him.
“Shit!” She dropped her bags and ran back up the driveway. Stephanie was on the bottom step when she was hurled forward. An explosion erupted behind her making her ears ring. When she looked up, John was crouched down on the step pulling her inside.
“Get in the house. Now!” John yelled, but his eyes were looking over her head. When she turned her heart stopped. Her car was completely engulfed in flames.
“Oh my God!” She screamed. “Sandy!” John stared down at her.
“What?” His voice was so muffled.
“I was going to drive her to work. Where is she, John?” Stephanie sat on the step frozen. John was yelling out to Sandy. Stephanie held her breath when John jumped over the fence into Sandy’s yard. When she saw him walking with his arm around Sandy, she let out a ragged breath. Stephanie ran to the fence and helped John lift Sandy over it.
“Are you okay?” Stephanie yelled and hugged her. John’s arm wrapped around her pushing her toward the house. Her ears were still ringing, and she couldn’t hear John speaking to her. He grabbed her face and spoke slowly.
“Get in the house.” John put the phone to his ear.
Stephanie didn’t let go of Sandy as they entered the house. Sandy looked dazed, but she didn’t seem to be hurt. Stephanie checked her from head to toe.
“I’m fine. I got knocked down by the force of the blast.” Stephanie could barely hear her.
“Sit down.” Stephanie needed to sit because her legs were like jelly.
“What the hell happened?” Sandy asked. That’s what Stephanie would like to know. Her car exploded. What the fuck? How the hell did her car explode? She was trembling.
Dangerous Therapy: O'Connor Brothers (Volume 1) Page 24