"He's in the hospital too," Tom said. "Or maybe not anymore, but he was here."
"Are you serious? Addie didn't tell me that."
"They assumed he was like any other assault victim, and wouldn't want his attacker to know where he was, so they were keeping it from us until Angel said he wanted to see us." Tom smiled, looking at Rory. "This is news to Rory too. The nurse came in and told me Angel wanted to see us when and if we were willing."
"What are you gonna do?" I asked.
"We're gonna see him, of course," Tom said. "He's my son."
Drake's eyes cracked open at that, and he gave me a little wave. I waved back, but felt really bad about coming in and waking everyone up.
"I'm gonna let you guys get some rest," I said, picking my head up.
Rory held me securely in place. "Yer not leavin'. I haven't seen ye in days."
I didn't want to leave, so rather than argue, I rested my head on him again. I resolved to just lie there quietly and not ask any more questions.
No more than a minute into the silence, a nurse walked in. She crossed over to Tom.
"Mr. Reyes is right outside. He's been discharged, and—"
"Send him in," Tom said, without hesitation.
"She smiled and turned to the door." Drake and Tom both adjusted their posture to a more alert position, but Rory stayed where he was. The bed was in its upright position anyway, so there was really nowhere he could go. I glanced up at him to see that he was watching the door for Angel. I started to sit up, but he held me near him again, and I gave up easily.
Tom stood up as Angel walked in, and I watched as, instead of taking the hand Angel offered, Tom took him into his arms. Tears started to sting my eyes as Angel hugged his dad awkwardly at first, but then squeezed and gave a couple of hardy slaps. I felt like it was a personal moment, and I needed to look away. I did for a few seconds, but couldn't stand the temptation to glance at them again.
Addie was right when she described him as a tall, dark, and handsome type. He was like a Latino version of Drake and Rory, which was basically code for smoking hot. Like his brothers, he was taller than his dad by at least an inch.
"I'm sorry I hurt ye, Brother," Rory cut in.
Angel looked Rory's way.
"No he's not," Drake said, teasing. "He was just saying how he'd do it again in a heartbeat."
"Rule number one is never believe a thing that comes out of his mouth," Rory said.
Angel was smiling as he crossed over to stand closer to the bed. Rory took the hand that was resting on me and stuck it out for Angel to shake. They shared a slightly longer than usual handshake that seemed really heartfelt and had me wanting to tear up again. I looked away, this time at Drake, who stood to shake Angel's hand. Angel gave both Rory and Drake his left hand since his right arm was in a sling.
"What's the damage?" Drake asked.
Angel lifted his arm slightly. "My shoulder was dislocated, but they put it back into place."
"What about the head?" Tom asked, coming to stand at the foot of the bed so he could watch the action.
"It's just stitches. Eight here," he pointed to his cheek, "and twenty-two up here." The larger wound was bandaged, but the smaller was exposed. He also had some visible bruising on his face, and his left eye was black and swollen near the bandage.
"I'm really sorry," Rory said. "We had some trouble with Puerto Ricans recently."
In some sick way I actually liked it that he was still bent out of shape about Puerto Ricans. I certainly wasn't happy his brother got hurt, but it did make me feel good that he was ready to beat the crap out of someone he thought might hurt me.
Angel smiled at Rory. "I would kick your ass for payback, but I guess you already got what was coming since you got shot, so I'll let you slide this time."
Rory stiffened underneath me as Angel spoke, but then his chest shook with laughter. "Oh you'll let me slide? Let's get one thing straight, I'll take ye out any day of the week."
"If you open with a sucker punch."
"I'll let ye get two shots in first next time," Rory said.
Angel laughed. "I heard I had brothers, but I never imagined…"
"Who told you about us?"
"Mom, of course," Angel said. "I've known I was your son since I was a kid. My mother was proud of it, like I was special or something because you were my dad."
"Who's your mom?"
Angel looked at him. "Were there really so many in Puerto Rico?"
"It's down to three, but I'll know for sure once you tell me how old you are."
"I'm twenty-three."
"Same as me," Drake said.
"Yep," Tom said.
They both looked at him.
"You were probably born about the same time," he said, smiling. "I remember that trip."
Drake and Angel looked at each other. "I'll be twenty-four in May—the twentieth," Drake said.
"June first," Angel said.
"Seriously Dad?" Rory asked.
Everyone laughed.
"This is Drake," Tom said, pointing. "And Rory, and Rory's girlfriend Megan." I smiled up at Angel, and tried to wish away the blush that rose to my face at the sound of that word.
"I knew your names," Angel said. "I did a little research before I came looking for you."
"Then ye shoulda known better than to walk up to Drake's lady announcing yer Puerto Rican."
"I didn't know you were so racist, cabron."
"I'm not normally," Rory laughed. "Just to Puerto Ricans."
"What'd you have in mind to accomplish when you came looking for us," Tom asked, cutting to the chase.
Angel stared at him for a second, and then resolved to come out with it. "I was hoping to work for your fishing business," he said. "I helped Mom raise my two little brothers, and I don't intend to stop sending them money, but I couldn't stay there any longer. I needed to get out of Puerto Rico for other reasons I'll share at some point."
"Does it have anything to do with a man named Luis Martinez?" Rory asked.
Angel looked confused. "No."
"Okay, just making sure."
"Is that the guy who makes you hate Puerto Ricans?" he asked.
"Yes," Rory said. "He's a bad man, and if I ever find out ye have anything to do with him, I'll kill you, brother or not."
"I don't know anyone named Luis Martinez."
"Good."
"Do you have a place to stay?" Tom asked.
"I got a hotel for the week."
"See to canceling it, then, and just come stay at our house."
I stayed silent and still on the bed while the boys talked for the next hour. Angel was as sharp-tongued as his dad and brothers, and it was really cool watching them connect. It probably made it even more surreal that I was still sort of sick and out of it, but it was a crazy experience laying there listening to them talk in all their different accents. I got to be a fly on the wall during an awesome moment, and I enjoyed it thoroughly. Of course it was even sweeter that I was snuggled up next to my sweetheart.
Epilogue
It had been about five months since Rory got shot. He had scars where the bullet passed through, and we frequently joked about how gangsta he was for having bullet wounds. He often flashed me a gang symbol when he caught me staring at his scars.
Addie and I both spent a lot of time at Tom's. It was like our little compound over there. Addie and I, along with Angel and Thor were part of the family now, so it seemed. I was getting into a groove at work, and enjoying it, but was with Rory every chance I got.
He had to go out of town with his dad quite a bit, but I didn't really mind. Funny thing was, I still went by Tom's even when they were out of town, just to hang out with Drake, Addie, and Angel. Angel stayed busy helping with the fishing business, and had taken on more and more responsibility as time passed.
I even got in on it. I couldn't help but voice the marketing ideas that crossed my mind when I thought about their business, and Tom was always ready and
willing to take any advice I offered. It was a good old-fashioned family business—except for the times Tom and Rory were out at sea with no explanation of where they went. But just like Addie and I, Angel learned really quickly not to ask questions when answers weren't freely given.
It was nearing the end of May, and Tom and Rory had just come in from a two-week trip. It was one of the longest trips he'd done since we'd been together, and I missed him like crazy. It was Friday, and in spite of him getting home early that afternoon, I had to hold off until that evening to see him. I had a late day at work and Rory had to meet Mack in South Beach to do some unloading from their trip. It was hard not to drop everything and run to meet him the minute I knew he was in port, but I had to wait till that evening.
We were planning on going to that bar called The Dive where Rory and I first hooked up. It was Angel's favorite club, and since it was coming up on his birthday, he got to choose. I really didn't care where we went as long as Rory was there.
The boys were already at the club when I arrived. I saw Rory from a distance, and it took me a minute to make my way over to him. He had a fresh haircut, and I fantasized about running my fingers through the cropped sides of it. I stared at him, wondering how I ever got so lucky. Two weeks had seemed like an eternity, and I made a beeline toward him. He was the most handsome guy in the room, and I smiled shamelessly as I approached. He was talking to Mack, and didn't see me until I was just a few feet away. When he did, he smiled and opened his arms, and I walked into them.
"Christ Almighty, Megan, I missed ye something terrible," he said hugging me. He pulled away and put me at arm's length. "Shite girl, let me look at ye. I feel like I haven't seen ye in a thousand years. Ye look skinny. Have ye been eating?"
"Probably not enough. Plus, Thor wants to go walking all the time. I've been bringing him to that new walking path that goes over the bridge."
He hugged me again, and I wrapped my arms around him, squeezing him tightly.
"Oh, it feels so good to have you again once I've been missing you this bad," I said.
Mack was preoccupied talking to someone else, and Rory and I just went off into our own little world. The club was extremely packed and really loud, but it was like no one else was there at all.
"I'm pretty sure I'm happier than ye." He pulled me against him, letting me feel the evidence of his arousal that was tucked in his jeans.
I stretched up to speak close to his ear. "I missed my seafarer, and I'm happy I'm the one you come home to," I said. I knew what I was doing. When I said raw, honest things like that, it drove him crazy. He put his lips by my ear and spoke to me.
"Ye keep that up, Miss Richie, and I'm gonna drag ye out of this club and feck yer brains out in my truck."
"Why are you teasing me like that?" I asked, squeezing him tighter.
Without another word, Rory begin dragging me out of the club. He yelled at his brother on the way out, saying something about being back in a while, but I really didn't comprehend what he was saying. Rory took me to his truck where he made love to me in the backseat. We were both so consumed with desire that it wasn't until after we finished that I realized my hair and what remaining clothes I had on were a mess. I took a few minutes to straighten myself up.
"They're doing that rap thing again tonight," Rory said, as he watched me apply lip gloss in the visor mirror.
I turned and looked back at him. "I told you that was literally the only rap I know, right?"
"I don't want ye to do it. I'm too possessive for that. I just like knowing yer good at it."
I laughed. "I'm only good at that one song, and only because I practiced it seven thousand times. Yeah, there's no way I'm doing another rap contest—especially here. We'll just have to remember back to my one taste of the glory."
I closed the visor and stared at him.
"I love ye even if yer not a famous rapper."
"I love you even if you drag me out of clubs and make a mess out of me."
"I thought ye loved me because of that."
I smiled. "Maybe I do." I paused, soaking in the sight of him. "I missed you."
"I'm here now."
"I'm so happy about that."
He smiled. "Me too."
The End
(till book 3)
Thank you for reading Steal My Girl, Book 2 in the Kelly Boys series! The third and final book will release soon.
In the meantime, here are my other titles.
How to Tame a Heartbreaker series: (4 books)
Book 1 You're Dangerous
Book 2 A Few Little Scars
Book 3 Better with Ben
Book 4 The Real Me
In Too Deep Series: (5 books)
Book 1 Three Years Later
Book 2 Seeing Clearly
Book 3 Second String
Book 4 Mind the Gap
Book 5 Three Months and You're Mine
Stand-alone romances:
Julien's Book
Feels Like the First Time
For the latest news on upcoming releases, please visit my Facebook page at:
https://www.facebook.com/caseymcmillinauthor
Much love and happy reading!
Steal My Girl Page 17