“I didn’t get a chance to introduce myself.” The woman smiled as she glanced back at Keith. “I’m Pam.” She held out her hand, and it took Emily everything she had not to slap the woman’s hand away.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Emily,” Emily really wanted to choke on those words.
“I know. My mom told me all about you.” Pam smiled. Emily glanced over her shoulder. Keith glared at her with his arms folded over his chest.
“Your mom?” Emily tore her gaze from Keith and back to the woman.
“Yes, Cora’s my mom.” It took a second for it to register, but when it did Emily wanted the ground to open up and swallow her.
“Cora’s your mom, so that makes you Keith’s….” Emily groaned and covered her face with her hands.
“Cousin,” Pam finished.
Emily looked up at the woman expecting to see her laughing at the way Emily had behaved, but she wasn’t.
“I’m sorry for being so rude. It’s just…. I thought….” Emily sighed.
“No problem at all. I’d probably have punched me in the nose.” Pam chuckled.
“Pam, can I talk to Emily alone for a moment?” Keith’s voice was the way she’d heard it the first time she met him.
“Keith, don’t go getting bent out of shape.” Pam turned towards her cousin and put her fists on her hips. “I’d be pissed too if I thought some woman was coming to the house and jumping in my man’s arms.”
“Pam, go inside. Make yourself a tea.” Keith didn’t pay any attention to her as he stalked towards Emily.
“Bossy as ever,” Pam grumbled as she turned and gave Emily a sympathetic smile.
The next thing Emily knew, Keith had her face cupped in his hands and was kissing her mouth harder than she’d ever been kissed by anyone. Including him.
“What the hell?” Emily pulled back and pressed her fingers to her lips.
“Just so you know, you’re the one and the only woman who has been inside my house or my bed. I haven’t been a monk, but I keep my sex life out of Hopedale. At least until you.” Keith still had her face between his hands.
“Okay.” Emily managed to squeak out.
“I’ve heard the rumors about my younger brothers, and though most of them are probably true, that’s them. Not me. I don’t jump from bed to bed or woman to woman. I haven’t been in a long term relationship in a while, but when I am, I’m entirely devoted to that woman.” Keith brushed his thumb across her lip. “Understand?”
Emily nodded and smiled. She’d never been the jealous type. The fact she felt physically sick from seeing Keith with his arms around another woman concerned her. Even if it was his cousin.
“Now come inside, and we’ll have a quick chat with Pam before we head to the hospital. Okay?” Keith searched her eyes, and she smiled.
“Okay, and I’m sorry.” Emily rested her hands on his hips. “I’m really not the jealous type.”
“It’s okay, but you should know, I am.” Keith squinted his eyes and then smiled.
“Ugh, great.” Emily exaggerated a sigh and rolled her eyes.
Pam was funny and reminded Emily of Keith’s other cousin Kristy. Of course, when Emily took a better look at the woman, the family resemblance was there. The blue eyes and dimples seemed to be an O’Connor trademark.
Keith had asked Pam if she was back in Hopedale for good, but his cousin didn’t really answer the question. She just said she’d see how it goes. Keith had given her a raised eyebrow, but Pam didn’t seem to notice.
An hour later they were pulling into the parking lot of the hospital. Keith cursed everyone who’d ever parked in the lot, especially when a man almost rammed into the side of the jeep. Keith shoved the vehicle into park and was about to jump out, but Emily grabbed his jacket and pointed to an empty spot.
She’d received a text from her sister to let her know that her mother was awake and asking for her. Emily hurried through the hallway to get to the room. She couldn’t wait to see her mom actually awake and talking.
Just before she pushed open the door to enter she heard the raised voices of her parents. It sounded as if they were arguing, but it was odd because her father never raised his voice to her mother.
“I said no, Lynn. She doesn’t need to know anything about it.” Her father snapped.
“Nel, he said he wanted her. He knows the very thing we’ve kept hidden all this time. Sweetheart, she needs to be told, and we’ll deal with the fallout later.” Her mother pleaded.
“Lynn, please don’t. She’ll hate me.” Her dad sounded scared. “We’ve kept it from everyone this long. This ass isn’t going to ruin it all with threats.”
“What if he gets to her?” her mom’s voice was muffled.
“What are you doing?” Keith whispered next to her.
“Shhh,” Emily put her finger to her lips and continued to eavesdrop. Something in the pit of her stomach told her, the ‘she’, they were referring to, was her.
“What if he takes her? Nel, it’s time. She needs to be prepared.” Emily could hear the crack in her mother’s voice.
“He’s not going to get anywhere near her. I’ve taken care of that. That O’Connor boy will keep her safe.” They were talking about her.
Emily stepped back and stared at the door as if when it opened her world would be blown to pieces.
“What are they talking about, Em?” Keith must have heard them as well.
“I don’t know.” Emily barely heard her own voice.
With everything she had, and knowing Keith was there next to her, Emily took a deep breath and pushed open the door. Both her parent’s heads snapped towards her.
“Emily,” Her mother covered her mouth with her hands and tears poured down her cheeks.
“Mom,” Emily couldn’t stop the emotions. She ran to her mother and got swallowed up in her mom’s embrace. “I’ve missed you so much.”
“Me too, baby.” Her mother always referred to Emily and her siblings as babies. It didn’t matter how old they got.
“How are you feeling?” Emily pulled back and looked into her mother’s face. She was still very pale, and her cheeks were sunk in.
“I’ll survive.” She smiled weakly.
Her father hadn’t said a word. He stared out through the window, and Emily knew it was wrong, but she had to know what the hell they were keeping from her.
“I heard you talking just before I came in the room.” Emily blurted out and glanced back at Keith. He was next to the door with his hands shoved into his pocket.
Her father still didn’t move, but her mother’s eyes widened for a moment. When her mom glanced towards her dad, Emily walked around the bed and obstructed her mother’s view.
“Mom, what is it I need to know?” Emily met her mother’s eyes.
“It doesn’t concern you, Emily.” Her father’s voice interrupted. “I don’t know why you would think we were talking about you.”
“Do you have another O’Connor boy looking after someone, Dad. Stop the bullshit.” Emily grasped her father’s arm and forced him to turn and look at her.
“Watch your mouth young lady.” He said sternly, but she could see the tremble in his jaw. “It’s nothing you need to concern yourself with.”
“Really, Dad. Really? Then tell me why I would hate you if I knew.” Emily wanted him to know exactly how much she’d heard.
“Nel, maybe we should….” Her mother obviously wanted her to know, but he cut her off.
“I said, no. I’ll take care of it, and Emily doesn’t need to be concerned about it. Now, that is the end of this discussion.” He turned on his heel and stomped out of the room.
Emily stared at the door for a moment. This had to be bad. Her father had never walked away from a disagreement in his life. Especially, when he thought he was right.
Her gaze moved to Keith. He looked as confused as she felt, but he nodded his head towards her mother. Whatever was going on, her mother had the answers.
“So, who’s
this handsome young man?” Her mother motioned towards Keith.
“This is Keith O’Connor.” Emily didn’t really know how to introduce him after what happened between them. “He’s ….”
“Your husband hired me as security for Emily, but we’ve become good friends,” Keith said.
“O’Connor?” Emily’s mom stared at him for a moment. “You’re not related to Kurt O’Connor and Cora Nightengale, are you?”
“My uncle and aunt.” Keith smiled.
“Then you’re one of Sean and Kathleen’s boys.” Her mother seemed very excited about meeting Keith.
“Yes, mam.” Keith nodded.
“Well come over here and let me get a good look at you.” Her mother held out her hand towards Keith. He slowly walked to the side of the bed and glanced at Emily.
“There are those eyes. Your whole family has those beautiful blue eyes. You know your aunt is the reason I’m married to Nelson.” Her mother took Keith’s hand and squeezed it.
“Really?” Keith chuckled.
“I’m sure you know about her little gift.”
“Yes, I’m very aware of it.” Keith laughed.
“Emily, his aunt can meet a person and tell them who they are meant to be with. She’s simply amazing.” Her mother didn’t take her eyes off Keith.
“I’ve heard the stories.” Emily watched Keith shift from one foot to the other.
“I’m feeling a little tired.” Her mother closed her eyes, but Emily didn’t miss the tear that ran down her cheek.
“You sleep, mom.” Emily leaned over and kissed her mother’s cheek. “I’ll see you later.”
Emily couldn’t upset her mother by hounding her about what they were keeping from her. She closed the door quietly so she wouldn’t wake her mom and turned to Keith.
“I need to find my father.” Emily snapped.
“I don’t know if it’s a good idea for you to be talking to him in that mood.” Keith took her hand, and she pulled it from him.
“We’re not in your house.” Emily knew that it was kind of bitchy to be taking her frustration out on Keith, but at the moment her father wasn’t in view.
“You’re father has gone home to change.” Keith stepped back and showed her his phone. Of course, he texted Keith.
“Fuck.” Emily stamped her foot and realized how it must have looked to anyone nearby.
“Really? That was a very princess move.” Keith chuckled but quickly stopped when she narrowed her eyes.
“He’s going to talk to me and tell me what the hell is going on.” Emily stomped by the large man standing next to the door. It was strange she hadn’t seen him when they arrived, but Keith seemed to know him.
“Good luck with that.” Emily heard the man say to Keith. She spun around and glared him.
“Thanks, Shadow. Nothing I can’t handle.” Keith fist bumped the man.
So he thought he could handle her. That pissed her off more than her father running off to avoid telling her the truth.
“We’ll go home, and you can get in touch with your dad later.” Keith pushed the button on the elevator.
“Oh, he’s going to talk to me later even if I’ve got to tie him down.” Emily walked onto the elevator.
Keith didn’t say another word. Probably because she was being a complete bitch, but this big secret being revealed by someone who wasn’t supposed to know scared her to death. What was so bad that it had her parents fighting, and how did it all involve her? The fluttering in her stomach told her that whatever it was, her world was about to be turned upside down.
Chapter 14
Emily hadn’t spoken the whole way home, and Keith hadn’t pushed her. He understood why she was so upset. He wondered since his uncle and aunt knew her parents if they had any idea about this big secret, but from what he could get from the whole conversation, nobody knew. That’s what worried him.
The rest of the day was relatively quiet, Keith brought Emily to the salon because she wanted to work. He couldn’t blame her. He knew from experience that secrets always had a way of coming out, and most of the time it caused more harm than good.
Emily seemed to relax a little more when she walked into her salon, but when Keith saw who was waiting, he suddenly wasn’t so relaxed.
“There’s me handsome grandson.” His grandmother motioned for him to kiss her on the cheek.
“Good to see you, Nan.” Keith smiled as she took his hand and stood up.
“Emily, I’m so glad dat yer mudder’s back and gonna be alright." Nanny Betty quickly shuffled to Emily and hugged her. “I’ve been prayin’ fer her.”
“Thank you, Mrs. O’Connor.” Emily didn’t seem to mind his grandmother’s affection.
“Ya call me Nan. Mrs. O’Connor was me mudder-in-law and let me tell ya she wasn’t a very nice woman.” Keith shook his head. He’d heard that statement from his grandmother anytime someone called her Mrs. O’Connor. He really didn’t know why Nanny Betty disliked her mother in law, and nobody wanted to ask.
“I’d love to call you Nan.” Emily smiled as Nanny Betty released her.
“Kim tells me Keithy’s been spendin’ a lotta time here lately.”
Keith glanced at Kim, and she shrugged. There was no way anyone knew what happened between him and Emily, and he’d warned Pam not to say a word.
“Keith’s just here as my security until they figure out what happened with mom.” Emily’s eyes flicked to him and then back to his grandmother.
“I see, but I’m sure dere’s more.” Nanny Betty patted Emily’s cheek. “My Cora’s never wrong.”
Keith heard the honk of a horn and was relieved to see Tom parked outside the salon. He hopped out of the car and walked around.
“Nan, Tom’s outside,” Keith informed his grandmother before she started to go on about Cora the Cupid.
“He can wait. Emily, my lass, Keithy’s a wonderful man, and you’ll find dat out next week at Sean’s birthday party. We’re gonna have baby Alexander’s christening dat same day.”
Keith pulled out his phone and opened his calendar. Shit. How the hell did he completely forget about his father’s birthday party? He also didn’t realize they’d planned the baby’s christening so soon. Sandy wasn’t even out of the hospital yet.
“I think that’s just for family, Nan.” Emily smiled.
“My dear lass, ya are family.” She kissed Emily on the cheek. “We’ll see ya soon.”
With that, the whirlwind that was his grandmother waved and scurried out the door to where Tom was holding open the car door for her.
“Those two are so stinking cute.” Penny chuckled.
“Yes, they are.” Keith had to agree. It was a little weird in the beginning when Nanny Betty started to see Tom, but he quickly became part of the family.
“You forgot about the party, didn’t you?” Ada snickered while she combed out an older woman’s hair.
“I hate to admit it but yes.” Keith flopped down on one of the chairs.
“Do you have anything for him?” Emily asked.
“Yes, I bought it a while ago online. It’s all wrapped in the closet.” Keith’s eyes locked with hers.
“Then you’ve got nothing to worry about.” Ada laughed.
Keith had lots to worry about. The party was nowhere on the list. His biggest concern was the woman who’d just disappeared into the back of the salon. Emily appeared to be chipper and happy, but Keith didn’t miss the tears welling in her eyes.
She shouldn’t be on the verge of tears. Her mother was safe and going to make a full recovery, but her parents were hiding something from her and from what Keith could see, it was killing Emily. Mainly since it concerned her.
“Is Emily okay?” Keith smiled at the young girl behind the receptionist desk. He’d known the kid all her life. Then again she wasn’t really a kid anymore. Aurora had turned into a sweet young lady with the same sassy attitude that Emily had. No wonder the salon was called Snippy Gals.
“She’s ju
st overwhelmed right now.” Keith headed towards Emily's office. He'd learned it was where she went to get herself together.
“I bet.” Aurora smiled.
Keith stepped into the office and glanced around. Emily stood in front of the small window with her arms wrapped around herself. He closed the door to the room and moved behind her. Screw keeping things professional outside his house. He wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her against his body.
“Isn’t this breaking the rules?” Emily teased, but her voice was soft and tense.
“I made the rules so I can bend them when I see you need a hug.” Keith kissed the top of her head, and she turned into his chest.
“What are they hiding from me?” Emily hiccuped and sighed.
“I wish I knew, Princess.” Keith wrapped her tighter in his arms.
“It can’t be so bad that I’d ever hate him. I mean yes my dad pisses me off sometimes. A lot actually but I could never hate him.” She sobbed softly.
“We just have to try and make them understand it’s best that you know.” Keith pressed his lips against her forehead.
“We?” Emily lifted her head away from his chest and gazed into his eyes.
“Sweetheart, I’ll do my best to convince your parents to tell you. I don’t know if it will make a difference, but I’d do anything to take those tears away.” He swiped his thumb against her cheek to wipe away a tear.
“That has to be the sweetest thing anyone has ever said to me.” Emily smiled.
“There it is.” Keith brushed his lips against hers. “That smile should never leave that beautiful face. Let’s get you back to the compound and figure out what our next step is.”
“I need to get a couple of things done here before I go. I hate leaving all the paperwork for Kim. She doesn’t mind, but I like to do my share.” Emily stepped back from his embrace. “It shouldn’t take too long, but can we just go back and not think about anything else tonight but me and you?”
“If that’s what you want, it’s done like dinner.” Keith kissed her cheek.
Dangerous Beauty (O'Connor Brothers Book 4) Page 12