Dangerous Witness (O'Connor Brothers Book 7)

by Rhonda Brewer

  “You’re sure you want to marry that punk out there?” The serious look on her father’s face made her heart plummet.

  “Dad, I love him, and I thought you liked Aaron.” Bethany was about to burst into tears.

  “I’m kidding, honey.” Her father laughed and pulled her into his arms.

  “Okay, that was so not funny.” She breathed but giggled as he kissed the top of her head.

  “I wanted to know you were sure about this.” He gazed down at her with a broad smile that took years off his handsome face.

  “I’ve never been more sure of anything. I know I’ve denied it for years, but I’ve always loved him. We were meant to be together.” Bethany smiled at her dad.

  “Cora has mentioned that once or twice.” Her dad chuckled.

  There was a light knock on the door, and Bethany turned to pull her veil down over her face. She picked up her flowers and linked into her father’s arm as she walked toward her future.

  Epilogue

  Jess dropped down on her bed and sighed. She’d worked four twelve-hour shifts straight, and she was ready to fall into her comfy bed and sleep for twelve hours.

  It was the first day of her two-week holidays, and she was about to enjoy them. After she slept, of course. She stripped off and climbed into her bed, letting out a huge sigh.

  She closed her eyes and snuggled into her pillow. Jess was dozing off when her telephone buzzed on her nightstand. Wanting to ignore it but knowing she’d never sleep if she did, she sat up and snatched it off the nightstand.

  Isabelle’s number appeared on the screen, and Jess groaned as she tapped the screen. Her sister was in need of another chef for her restaurant, but she kept putting it off. Her sister had trust issues with letting anyone take over the kitchen at her fine dining business. The last one had left, and it had taken her almost two years to hire him finally.

  “Hello,” Jess answered and lay back on the bed.

  “I’m going to do it.” Isabelle groaned.

  “Do what?” Jess closed her eyes and lay her arm across her eyes.

  “Hire Lora’s friend. Well, her brother’s friend but I’m going to hire him. He’s coming by today, and I’m trying hard not to be negative because his references are amazing and Lora says he’s a great guy but …” Isabelle rambled.

  “But you have control issues and hate to give anyone else the reins.” Jess cut off her sister with a snicker.

  “I do not… okay, maybe I do, but this is my baby. I worked hard to get the reputation I have, and I don’t want to screw it up.” Isabelle sighed.

  “Do you trust Lora?” Jess asked.

  “Yes,” Isabelle responded.

  “Do you trust the references?” Jess knew the only way to make her sister calm was to get her to have confidence in her decision.

  “Yes, he’s worked at several great places, and I know two of the managers very well,” Isabelle returned.

  “It’s been over two years since Lora told you about this guy and you’ve been busting your ass trying to keep up with how busy the place is. If you don’t get help, your business is going to suffer because you’ll be too exhausted to make sure things get done right.” Jess yawned.

  “How am I the oldest and you give the best advice?” Isabelle chuckled.

  “Because I’ve always been the smartest.” Jess laughed.

  “Bitch.” Isabelle snorted

  “Yep, now I’m going to sleep, or I will be a bitch.” Jess turned on her side and ended the call before her sister could respond.

  Before she put her phone down, it vibrated in her hand. She cursed and glanced at the screen. Pam sent her a text that she needed to come by right away.

  “Are you fucking kidding me?” Jess growled and called Pam.

  “I’m out by your door. Come let me in.” was the way her cousin answered the phone.

  “Fine,” Jess tossed her phone on the bed and scuffed out of her room to the front door of her loft apartment.

  “I need a place to stay for a few days.” Pam looked completely panicked.

  “What’s wrong?” Jess lost all her exhaustion at the sight of her cousin’s expression.

  “Mom.” Pam plopped down on the couch.

  “What’s Aunt Cora done?” Jess sat next to her cousin.

  “She keeps inviting Damon to the house for supper and not telling me.” Pam pouted.

  “What is it about that guy you dislike and why does he call you Trixie?” Nobody had been able to get the information out of Pam or Damon since he’d come to town more than a year earlier.

  “I don’t want to talk about him. I need a place to stay until the apartment over my store is ready.” Pam turned to Jess and put her hands together as if she was praying.

  “You’ll have to sleep on the couch. I only have one bed, and I remember sleeping with you in a bed when we were kids. You kick. A lot.” Jess shoved her cousin.

  “Thank you, thank you.” Pam hugged her tightly.

  “But you’re going to have to deal with whatever crap is going on with that guy and to be honest, why the hell would you not want to jump him. He’s freaking hot.” Jess laughed.

  “Not talking about it.” Pam sighed.

  “Fine. How’s the store going?” Jess stood up and stretched.

  Pam had recently opened a clothing boutique. She’d designed all the clothes in the store as well as the purses, belts, and scarves. Pam was very talented, and it was the reason she’d gone away in the first place. She’d done well for herself because she’d bought a piece of land next to Emily’s beauty salon and built a cute little store. It was opened on October first, and she’d named it Cupid’s Closet.

  Her mother was elated when Pam named the store after Cora. Pam had a place in the back of her store for creating her clothing and had an apartment for herself put over the shop.

  “Now, as much as I love you, I need to get some sleep.” Jess waved to her cousin as she made her way into her bedroom and flopped down on her bed.

  The only thing she had to worry about now was sleeping and in the morning picking up her car from the garage where Aaron had brought it after it broke down. Again.

  Jess woke to the phone ringing again, and she wanted to toss it through the window, but when she opened her eyes, she realized it was morning and later than she intended to sleep.

  “Shit.” She jumped out of bed and picked up her phone.

  “It’s about fucking time you answered,” Aaron grumbled.

  “Sorry, I must have died last night. I’ll be ready in five minutes.” Jess tossed her phone on the bed.

  Aaron was taking her to get her car, and she’d told him she would be ready at nine in the morning. It was now after ten. Jess pulled on a pair of jeans, a t-shirt and pulled her hair back into a ponytail. After she shoved on her sneakers, she grabbed her keys and headed out the door, almost tripping over her own feet as she ran down the steps from her apartment over her parent's garage.

  “Sorry,” Jess huffed as she got into Aaron’s car.

  “Late night?” Aaron chuckled.

  “No, just four long shifts, a sister that is in panic mode and a cousin who is running away from her problems.” Jess snorted.

  “Sounds fun.” Aaron drove onto the highway.

  “How’s married life?” Jess poked him.

  “Incredibly satisfying.” Aaron wiggled his eyebrows and Jess made a gagging sound as Aaron pulled into Wade’s Auto Service.

  “I don’t take my car to this place.” She sighed because the place was not cheap.

  “Which is why the fucking thing was falling apart.” Aaron motioned for her to follow him.

  “This place costs a small fortune.” Jess groaned

  “This is the same guy that fixes the department’s vehicles, and I wouldn’t trust my car to anyone but Wade.” Aaron opened the door for her to go ahead of him. “Come on; I’ll introduce you.”

  Jess reluctantly stepped inside and the reception area. A man behind the counter handed
a set of keys to a woman who looked like she just walked off an issue of Cosmopolitan. Jess glanced down at her jeans and wanted the floor to open up and swallow her.

  “Run for the hills, the cops are here.” The man behind the counter held up his hands as Aaron approached him.

  “You couldn’t run the length of yourself, Kennedy.” Aaron held out his hand to the grinning man.

  “Remember who beat your ass in basketball last week.” He poked Aaron in the shoulder.

  “Only because you cheated, you fucker.” Aaron gave the man a playful shove.

  “That’s real nice language to be using in front of this beautiful lady.” The man winked at Jess as he rested his large arms on the counter.

  Aaron glanced at her. Her cousin was sure to see the annoyance at the blatant flirtation. She wasn’t the typical girlie girl. None of the sisters were, and even Pam could be a bit of a tomboy.

  “How the hell do you always end up with the hot women?” Everett glanced at Aaron then his eyes moved back to Jess.

  “Gross.” Jess gagged.

  “Kennedy, you’re a fucking idiot. This is my cousin Jess O’Connor. Jess, this dick is Everett Kennedy. By the way, I’m a married man now.” Aaron laughed.

  “She obviously got all the looks in the family, and I know a guy who sells seeing eye dogs because the only way a woman would marry someone with a face like yours O’Connor is if she was blind.” Everett stepped back as Aaron made a swing at him.

  “My wife is not blind, but she’s damn hot, and Jess is Uncle Kurt’s daughter.” Aaron grinned.

  “Rivers, the cops are out here,” Everett shouted through the opening behind him as he held up his hands.

  “Chicken shit.” Aaron chuckled.

  “I’ll see you this weekend at practice.” Everett disappeared into the back of the garage.

  “Well, he’s interesting.” Jess stepped next to Aaron.

  “He’s a good egg.” Aaron nudged her with his hip.

  “I don’t know if I can afford this place, A.J.,” Jess whispered as she looked around the pristine place.

  It wasn’t that she didn’t have any money saved if she really needed it for her car, but she saved every cent she made from her job and her flower shop, so she could buy her own house. It was also the only reason she hadn’t bought a new car because she wanted to get out of her parents’ garage.

  “Trust me. Wade’s a good guy, and you work for N.P.D. which means he’ll give you a good price.” Aaron rested his elbows on the counter and mirrored his stance.

  It took a few minutes before she heard heavy footsteps behind her. From the sound of the steps, the person walked with a limp. Jess turned around just as a gorgeous man appeared.

  “Hey, Wade.” Aaron held out his hand to the large man.

  “A.J., what brings you to this neck of the woods?” Wade asked, but his eyes kept flicking back and forth between Jess and Aaron.

  He was tall. Probably about the same height as Bull or even a little taller. His hair was thick and dark, and her fingers suddenly itched to run through it to see if it was a soft as it looked. Long dark eyelashes surrounded hazel eyes, and all she could think was how women would kill for lashes like his. His face showed at least a two-day growth of facial hair that only made him look that much sexier.

  “Jess, are you okay?” Aaron poked her, making her jump.

  “What? Yeah.” Jess glanced behind her and then back to her cousin.

  “I need to know if you can fix a vehicle for me,” Aaron said to the man.

  “I told you those Chargers were shit.” Wade grinned as he wiped his hands with a rag.

  “Not my car, fucker. My cousin Jess has a piece of shit that broke down yesterday, and I got it towed here.” Aaron winced when she elbowed him in the ribs.

  “My car is not a piece of shit,” Jess grumbled.

  “I see by the key it’s a Honda.” Wade raised an eyebrow, and the corner of his mouth twitched.

  “Yeah, so?” Jess turned and looked up at Wade.

  “I’m afraid I’ll have to agree with A.J. on the car being a piece of shit.” Wade chuckled.

  “Hmm, and here I thought A.J. brought me to a place where they knew how to fix vehicles, but I guess not.” Jess turned and started to walk out. “Come on, cuz. I’m pretty sure that place down the street knows how to fix my car.”

  “She’s Kurt’s daughter, isn’t she?” Wade laughed.

  “One of three and the one that can kick your fucking ass.” Aaron snickered.

  “I don’t doubt it, and she’s got her father’s attitude.” Wade tapped his hand against the thigh of his left leg.

  “I’m still here, you know.” Jess turned around and fisted her hands on her hips.

  “I’m well aware you’re here.” Wade’s voice rumbled and her stomach clenched.

  Jess was pissed because she hated when anyone insulted her car but the heat in her cheeks had to be visible and she narrowed her eyes when she saw Aaron smirk out of the corner of her eyes.

  “When you’re able to stop hitting on my cousin, could you go have a look at her car and find out what the hell is wrong with it now?” Aaron waved his hand in front of Wade’s face, and the man shook his head as if he was hypnotized.

  “I don’t hit on women. Especially when I know I wouldn’t have a snowball’s chance in hell. Maybe if I had a pretty boy face like you and your brothers, instead of this ugly mug.” Wade winked at Jess as he disappeared into the small office off the reception area.

  “Is that guy serious?” Jess said as she followed Aaron.

  “About what?” Aaron asked.

  “Ugly mug? That man is far from ugly,” Jess whispered.

  “You want a date, cuz?” She knew he was teasing her.

  “You’ll get the hard part of my knee in your favorite appendage if you open that big mouth, A.J.” Jess narrowed her eyes at him, and he crossed his legs, making her laugh.

  “You’ll never get a date with that attitude.” Aaron cringed.

  “I get dates when I want them.” Jess punched his arm.

  “That’s good to know.” Wade appeared at the counter again, and she saw Aaron press his lips together to keep from laughing at her gasp of embarrassment.

  “Yeah, I’ll be outside.” Jess turned and practically ran out of the building.

  “Jesus, Wade. You always scare them away like that?” She heard Aaron laugh at Everett as she pushed through the door.

  “Just go pull the fucking car inside,” Wade shouted as Everett followed Jess outside.

  Jess sat shooting daggers at Aaron with her glare as he sauntered toward her. The bastard smiled at her probably because she didn’t usually get so flustered around men. There was just something about Wade Rivers that had her heart pounding and her body aching with need. Something that drew her to him and she so didn’t need that right now.

  About the Author

  What does someone say to describe themselves? You could start with giving what others say about you. Scratch that. It doesn't really matter what others think about you. It matters what you think of yourself. So here we go.

  First of all, I'm a wife and mother. I'm also a grandmother. That alone would fulfil any woman's life and to be honest it does. But.....

  I'm also a writer. Someone who loves to tell stories of love, suspense, heartache and of course happily ever after. For most of my life, I've written those stories for myself. A type of therapy, I suppose. I love the characters I create. They become part of who I am because there's part of me in them.

  So.... Now that you know this about me. I hope when you read my books, you fall in love with them.

  You should also know that I'm a Newfoundlander. What is that you ask? Well we're a proud people who live on an island, off the east coast of Canada. Some people believe Canada ends with Nova Scotia. It doesn't. If you keep going east, there is a beautiful island full of amazing people and magnificent scenery. That is where my stories are set because let’s face it. The best
stories always come from the places you know and love.

  If there is anything else you would like to know about me. Ask me!

  O’Connor Brother Series

  Read about the sexy O’Connor Brothers

  In Books 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5

  All are available on

  Amazon and

  Kindle Unlimited.

  Dangerous Therapy

  Book 1

  Officer John O’Connor is giving up on life after a terrible accident. His family are at their wits end when he refuses any kind of therapy. The only thing keeping him sane is his dreams of a beautiful woman he pulled in for a traffic violation months before.

  Physical Therapist Stephanie Kelly is healing from a broken heart. When she is hired by Nightingale’s personal care and physical therapy, she’s ecstatic, but she's shocked when her boss asks her to take on a new patient. Shocked because the patient is her boss's nephew and he’s not exactly keen on therapy. He’s also the cop who's been heating up her dreams.

  As Stephanie helps John get back on his feet, they grow closer, but someone is out to hurt Stephanie, or worse. After multiple attempts on her life, John’s family tries to figure out who’s after the woman he loves and stop them before it’s too late.

  Dangerous Abduction

  Book 2

  Widower James O'Connor has been fighting his growing attraction to his brother's sister-in-law for four long years, but when someone breaks into her home, destroying everything she owns, James takes her and her young son into his home. The break-in wasn’t random. Marina and her son are in danger, and James swears to protect them, but can he keep them safe?

  Marina Kelly dedicates her life to caring for her sweet little boy, Danny. Since she broke free from her abusive husband, she's sworn off men, but when James O'Connor keeps entering her thoughts and her dreams, it takes everything she has to keep her feelings hidden. Now, her sister and parents are out of the province, and she's in danger, Marina has no choice but to accept James’s help and try to hide her attraction and growing feelings.