Brother's Keeper V: Wylie (the complete series BOX SET): NEW RELEASE + Series Box SET included!

by Stephanie St. Klaire

  Luke embraced his twin brother, maybe even shared a stubborn tear that refused to fall, while Daisy pulled City in for a tight hug.

  “I’m so happy for you,” Daisy said honestly.

  City whispered back in Daisy’s ear, “I was going to tell you tonight after everyone left. We should talk.”

  Daisy shrugged. “No need. I’m good, really. I’m feeling much better.”

  “Daisy—”

  “I’m okay. If we keep hugging and whispering, people might notice.” Daisy pulled away with a weak smile.

  As the evening went on, the family slowly dwindled, until everyone went home for the night, promising a formal celebration and new wedding plans in the coming weeks. Daisy now sat on the balcony of Luke’s apartment trying to decide what to do next. As much as she wanted to deny the possibility that she was pregnant, she couldn’t.

  Leaving the building to get a home pregnancy test herself was out of the question. No matter how she spun it, she was screwed. She needed someone to help. Someone other than Luke. Confirming whether or not she was indeed pregnant needed to become a priority. It would change everything.

  Luke didn’t seem to catch on when the news was delivered, or when her mood turned quiet and distant. Daisy was grateful for that. Things were as complicated between them as they were easy, and something like this, even as a scare, could be damaging to their relationship.

  Luke was working in his home office for a bit with the promise to watch a movie together when there was a knock at the door. Daisy came inside to see who it was, and her stomach sank. Surely she wouldn’t broach the situation in front of Luke.

  “Hey,” she said, eyes floating between Luke and Daisy. “Liam is in the lair working on the program, getting something ready for the big meeting with the special committee overseeing the project. He wanted to run something by you.”

  Luke gave City a side-eye glance that made Daisy’s heart race with panic. “Why didn’t he just call me?”

  Daisy held up a shoebox. “Probably thought he was doing you a favor. Wedding shoes. Forgot to give them out while everyone was at our place, so I thought I’d bring them up.”

  “Are you getting rid of me?” he teased.

  City shrugged, tossing him a nonchalant grin. “You’re welcome to stay if you want to talk shoes and chiffon.”

  “I’ll be in the lair,” he said before kissing Daisy on head.

  The two women took a seat on the couch when City opened the shoebox. Below the shoes and tissue paper were a couple pregnancy tests.

  “I know you said you were fine and weren’t worried, but…” City started, then hesitated.

  “But?”

  “Daisy, I know you must be worried, scared even. If these are negative, you have peace of mind.”

  “And if they’re not?”

  “Well, then we figure it out. You’re not alone anymore. You have a whole bunch of shoulders to lean on, even cry on if you need to.”

  Tears suddenly flooded as hours of pent up emotion gave way, causing Daisy’s voice to crack when she spoke. “I don’t know. Luke…he’s so complicated. I think he’s finally opening up. If I drop this on him…”

  “He’ll still be Luke. He may surprise you, Daisy.”

  “Surprises go both ways, you know…they aren’t always a good thing.” Daisy laughed.

  “Luke is one of the best men I know. He’ll do the right thing. I’m married to his other half – they aren’t as different as they may seem.”

  “Oh my God…twins. They’re twins. I always forget that. What if…”

  “Yeah,” City sighed, “I already thought about that. There are twins everywhere in this family. Ronan and Ryker are twins, Luke and Liam, of course, and their dad, Magnus, is a twin.”

  “Are you kidding me? Magnus?”

  “Ronan and Ryker’s dad is his twin,” City confirmed.

  Daisy fell back against a pile of couch pillows. “I’m feeling nauseous again.”

  “Then let’s get this over with,” City said, holding up several pregnancy sticks.

  “Why do you have so many? Does it really take that many to know?”

  “I wanted to be sure.” City shrugged. “These things have been known to give false positives.”

  “But there’s like five here. How many did you use?”

  “Seven.”

  Daisy’s eyes went wide, and her mouth fell open. “Were they all…positive?”

  “Six were positive, one was ehhh.” City pulled Daisy from the couch and led her to the bathroom.

  “Shouldn’t we do this, like, in the morning? Isn’t that a thing?” Daisy questioned, nerves taking over.

  “It’s better in the morning, but you can do it any time. Right now, the guys think we’re talking shoes and chiffon, remember? This is our chance.”

  “I don’t know. I’ve only been here a few months. I think this is overkill. It was the tacos—”

  “Honey, mother nature doesn’t discriminate or have a clause that says you have to live somewhere for any length of time first. She just does her thang.” City was going to make a great mother the way her hands went right to her hips.

  Daisy was still searching for excuses. “But a few months?”

  “Have you done the deed with Mr. Dark and Mysterious at least once?”

  “More than once.” Daisy felt her face turn crimson as she palmed her cheeks in an even mix of disbelief and embarrassment. “We were up in that vault for so long, there wasn’t much else to do. He isn’t into Scrabble, ya know?”

  “Then pee on the stick – all five.” City flipped her wrist outward, presenting the sticks in question.

  Daisy’s voice went high and pitchy as she frantically waved her hands up and down. “All at once? How?”

  “Just, you know, control it. Don’t go all at once. Set up a little station and rotate the sticks. You’re smart – get creative.” City turned Daisy on her heels toward the bathroom and swatted her ass to shoo her in the right direction.

  Looking over her shoulder, Daisy tossed a bewildered look at City. “A station…is everything you do so methodical?”

  “Yes. It’s part of my charm. Go pee before Luke figures out Liam never asked for him in the first place.”

  It turned out Daisy’s voice had an ear-piercing range, and nerves made her say everything in song. “What? You lied? He’s going to come back! No. I can’t, what if he sees?”

  With an unsympathetic eyeroll, Daisy placed her hands on Daisy’s shoulders and gently pushed her into the bathroom. “You’ll have to tell him anyway – no harm, no foul if he stumbles in.”

  Arms awkwardly crossed due to the pregnancy tests in hand, Daisy continued to protest, “City, this is ridiculous. I’ll wait.”

  “Waiting won’t make it go away. Just do it. It will drive you crazy if you don’t. It will drive me crazy. Then I’ll drive you crazy. It’ll be a disaster. Now, go.” City gave Daisy a gentle push and grabbed the door, shutting her in the bathroom. “Hurry up. Get to peeing.”

  Daisy carefully set up a clean hand towel, making her station as sterile as possible, leaving nothing to chance. With one deep breath and a quick prayer, she placed all the little sticks in a row.

  After a few minutes, City knocked on the door. “Well?”

  Daisy cracked open the door, still hidden in the confines of the bathroom, giving nothing away. “You did seven?”

  “Yes.”

  “Then I think we need two more,” Daisy reasoned.

  “They didn’t work? Oh no, did I screw them up tossing them in the shoebox?”

  Daisy opened the door completely, revealing tear streaked cheeks, holding up all five tests.

  City gasped out loud as her jaw fell open and she read each little screen, one at a time. “Oh Jesus. All five. Okay, I think it’s safe to say—”

  “I’m pregnant.”

  “You’re what?”

  15

  Luke’s voice came loud and sharp, startling both women. Luke and L
iam had come in unheard and unnoticed. They had that stealth like presence down, which was great for their line of work, but shitty for those around them who needed a minute to take a handful of pregnancy tests…in private.

  Luke’s perfect shade of red, tense jaw, and dark, menacing eyes were a pretty conclusive sign he heard exactly what Daisy said…and how he felt about it.

  City looked back and forth between Luke and Daisy before whispering, “Sorry, I didn’t hear them come in.”

  “They tend to do that – quiet and creepy.”

  “So, this is why you sent me on a ghost mission, City? Liam didn’t need me, you needed me out of here so you could do this under the radar.” Luke’s attention shifted from City to Daisy. “A little covert operation, Daisy?”

  Daisy swallowed hard. She hadn’t seen him mad, not like this. “Luke, I—”

  “You what?”

  City chimed in, taking some of the heat off of Daisy, “This was all me, Luke. When I figured out it was a baby and not the tacos, I thought, hey what are the odds Daisy has…a…baby…too. And I’m not helping.”

  Liam cocked his head at City, signaling for her to step away.

  “City was just trying to help, Luke. Please don’t be mad at her,” Daisy pleaded.

  “Mad? Why would I be mad? I’m happy City’s pregnant. I’m happy for my brother,” Luke said, turning to high five his brother. “Why would I be mad? It’s not like City was a co-conspirator here trying to toss a surprise baby into an already crazy, unsafe, situation with a client.”

  With a dagger sharp glare, and even sharper tone, Daisy took a step forward, challenging Luke’s statement. “A client…”

  “You know what I mean, Daisy.”

  “Luke, she doesn’t have anyone here. I was honestly just trying to help. I didn’t think it had even crossed her mind. Given her response to my suggestion…I was right,” City stepped in again, consumed with guilt. This was not going at all how she thought it would. “This is scary enough with a committed partner, a family supporting you, and without a bunch of thugs hunting you like a trophy for their wall…”

  “I get it, City. You’ve helped. Thank you for that.” Luke’s snide remarks were insincere. He wasn’t thankful, he was pissed. “So…did I hear you right? You are pregnant?”

  “I…I...uh…guess, according to these.” Daisy held up the five pregnancy tests.

  “You guess?” Weaving his hands through his hair, Luke paced for a moment, collecting himself. “There’s what, like, a dozen of those in your hand, and you guess?”

  “Five.”

  “What?”

  “There’s five…of these,” she said, raising the tests once more.

  Leaning in, Luke waved his hands in front of him, mimicking the chaos that was their conversation. “Five. Okay, so there’s little to no question as to whether you are or are not indeed pregnant. The real question is whose baby is it?”

  “Luke, come on, man. That’s enough.” Liam’s disappointment in his brother’s statement was clear. Frustration, shock, sure…down right mean, however, was unacceptable.

  “What? It’s an honest, legitimate question. I don’t know where she’s been or who she’s been with.”

  City gasped at his statement. “She’s not a stray dog, Luke. Jesus, quit being such an asshole.” City wasn’t one to curse, so having done so should have struck a chord in Luke. “What has gotten into you? This behavior is so beneath you.”

  With his arms wide and a sarcastic cackle, Luke went on, “Is it? Is it beneath me? I’m not a nice guy – never have been. If you expected hot air balloons, proposals, and skipping off into the sunset, you trapped the wrong guy. I don’t do any of that shit.”

  “Why are you doing this?” Daisy sniffled. He wasn’t just upset, he was pissed and trying to hurt her.

  “Why are you doing this?” Luke fired back, pointing to City’s belly. “What are you going to do about it?”

  “What am I going to do about it?” Disbelief had Daisy’s eyelashes batting and head shaking. “I’ve known about this exactly thirty seconds longer than you have.”

  “And…what’s your plan? Certainly, you knew this could happen. What are you going to do?”

  Rage filled her. Daisy was a lot of things, but she wasn’t a liar and con. “You think I did this on purpose? You think I’m so desperate, I would sink to such a level? Trap you? Last I checked, it takes two to make a baby, but it’s only the woman who gets a nine-month commitment with an eighteen-year bonus. You’re free to do whatever you want, Luke.”

  “Oh, so now I don’t get to be a part of my kid’s life? What, I’m not good enough?”

  “Those are your words, Luke! I never said that! In fact, you are the only one I’ve ever heard say that! You are the only one who thinks you aren’t good enough for anything but the demons you’re constantly trying to bury.” She was done and letting him have it. “You are the only one who thinks you are less than. For some odd reason that I’m having trouble remembering at the moment, everyone adores you. Loves you more than anything. Thinks the world of you. You’re everyone’s frickin’ hero, but your own! So, stop putting words in my mouth and get over yourself.”

  Luke stood there silently, in a stare down with Daisy – it was a battle of silent wills. City stepped away and moved next to Liam, who shrugged. When City raised her eyebrow, questioning what to do, Liam shook his head. “Let them finish.”

  “Daisy…I told you.” His voice was monotone, cold, eyes dark and void of emotion. The wall that had slowly come down went right back up in an instant. “I’m no good. I’m not a good person. I’ve done things that would disgust you - make you fear me. I can’t…I can’t be good enough to you, or for you, much less a baby.”

  Daisy shook her head, tears streaming down her cheeks. “That’s not true.”

  “It is.” The calm in his demeanor was more striking than the anger moments before. “I’ve robbed families of their loved ones. There’s blood on my hands, Daisy. Blood. I’m a bad guy. I don’t deserve any of this. It’s not mine to have.”

  Daisy fell into a sob. She wanted to fight for him, but didn’t see the point if he wouldn’t fight too. He didn’t think he was loveable or deserved love.

  He turned and walked to the door. “I can’t do this right now. I need out of here.”

  “Luke…” Daisy hollered after him and went for the door, but Liam stopped her.

  “I’ll go. I don’t want you to leave this building, okay? I’ll take care of him.” Liam hugged her and let her cry on him for a moment, because she needed it. With his hands on her shoulders, he bent to eye level. “It will be okay. Give it time. My brother is…a fucking idiot sometimes, but it’s only because he has a conscience and it gets the better of him. I’m not trying to make excuses for him, it’s just…who he is.”

  City was in tears when she took Daisy into her arms before giving Liam a weak smile and nod, telling him to go. She could handle Daisy. She’d be her shoulder.

  “It’s okay, honey. He’s right. It will all work out. Luke is very…broken.”

  “That makes two of us.”

  “I can’t be someone’s dad. I’m a killer,” Luke said from his stool at the end of the bar.

  Liam choked on his beer. “Shhh! Jesus, don’t say it so loud.”

  Luke followed direction, dropping to a whisper. “I’ve killed people. I don’t get a girl like Daisy and a freakin’ little…” he cradled his arms, as if holding an infant, “bundles of baby. What the fuck am I going to do with a baby? I don’t know any babies.”

  Liam leaned in, finger pointing in his brother’s face. “You know babies. You know Reagan – she was a baby before. I was remembering that because I’m…her daaad.”

  The bartender put another shot in front of them, but before he could walk away, Liam knocked on the bar and held up two fingers, ordering the next round before the newly delivered was consumed.

  “That’s right,” Luke slurred. “She was a baby for a whi
le. Jesus, then they grow up. I can’t have a girl. I can’t do that. Nope, no girl. Not at all. They turn into…women.”

  Luke tossed back his shot of something smooth, amber, and strong as hell. Letting out a satisfied sigh, he spun the shot glass on the bar, earning him his next round.

  “So, you want a boy then. You’ll get one of those if you don’t get the girl so…boy it is,” Liam reasoned, his thoughts making perfect sense in his rummy mind.

  “Nooo. Boys turn into men. Pricks and assholes, brother. Pricks…and assholes.” Another shot down, he was feeling good, better than good. He was fucking drunk.

  “You gotta have one or the other.”

  “Shit. You’re right. I don’t know. I don’t think I can do this. What am I going to do with a kid, man? I’m no good for a kid. What kind of role model would I be with the shit I’ve done?” He waved a few bills in the air and finally told the bartender to start bringing them two at a time and a pint of something local to chase with.

  Even inebriated, Liam made sense. “Oh, I don’t know. Why don’t you ask Reagan and Jax why they think the world of Uncle Luke?” he questioned, referring to his daughter and Declan’s son, Jax. “They look up to you, man.”

  “Only because I buy them animals and shit. A dog. Now, that’s what I need – can’t disappoint a dog. They just love the shit out of you, then piss on your floor and eat your furniture.”

  “So do the kids, brother. You aren’t a bad guy.” Liam placed a hand on his brother’s shoulder while he went sentimental, to which Luke gave him a sharp look, then stared at the hand still resting on said shoulder. “You have a job many can’t do. You see it as bad, but it takes courage to do what you do, and be who you are. Everyone has skeletons in their closet, man. Yours are just…the hardest to keep locked away.”

  “Is it brave? Is it brave to just end someone?” Switching roles, Luke now had his hand on Liam’s shoulder, causing Liam to offer a turbulent stare in return.

  “Does it make the world a better place, Luke?”