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

by Stephanie St. Klaire

Luke snickered and shrugged, understanding where Liam was going with that comment. “Don’t make it sound like I’m some sort of saint.”

  Liam lowered voice to a hushed tone that was nearly inaudible combined with the onset of slurring. “What if you are? You are focused on the lives you’ve ended when you should be focused on how many you’ve saved by doing…whatever you do. Or how many lives you’ve saved in general by doing whatever you do because you just saved…lives.”

  Luke turned to look at his brother, a somber look on his face. “I think you said that a bunch of times, but it was all the same thing.”

  “So I did say all of them out loud, I couldn’t tell.” Liam snorted. “But you know what I mean, right? Good came from all of it. You’re a real hero, like from a movie but real life, ya know?”

  Emotion consumed Luke, partly from the liquor, but mostly from his brother’s words. Maybe he was on to something. Maybe what Luke did wasn’t all bad?

  Liam went on. “You don’t talk about where you’ve been with the military or what you did before you joined us at Brother’s Keeper, but I have a pretty good idea. Luke, you’ve saved villages of people, even nations. Let that count for something. You deserve to be in history books and get a day named after you. Like, Luke day. It can go between Sunday and Tuesday. I never liked Monday.”

  “So, to know that, you had to have hacked the pentagon to see where I was,” Luke chortled.

  “I can neither confirm or deny that statement,” Liam laughed and shrugged before moving back to his beer. “‘Cause that shit is super fucking illegal.”

  “He did – I caught him,” Declan said, walking up from behind with Wylie in tow.

  “Ah, shit. City told you?” Luke tossed up his hands. His secret was out. “She was pissed at me.”

  “No, City told Lydia, who had Eva with her, and they sent me here while they went to comfort Daisy. Seems some asshole made her cry and shit.” Declan punched Luke in the arm, which would normally result in a retaliatory hit, but drunk Luke just laughed at his brother.

  Liam turned to Wylie and snorted, “Eva sent you, Wy-wee? Do you guys remember when this asshole used to call himself Wy-wee? Funny shit.”

  “Hell no. Eva’s just a colleague. One I can’t stand. Dec made me come. And I called myself that when I was three…you drunk bastard.”

  Luke and Liam laughed in unison, then Liam cackled, “Okay, wittle Wy-wee.”

  “That asshole Dace is MIA. He owes me,” Wylie said, digging into the row of shots in front of him. “Dealing with you guys when you go all bitch baby is his department.”

  “He’s probably on one of his trips, looking for Ivy.” Declan shrugged. “His loss. Boys night out. We have to talk daddy dickwad here down from a ledge.”

  “Jesus, I can’t believe the four of you. You disgust me with all your women problems.”

  Luke looked at his brother, who was clearly in denial. “You have them too, Wy. Yoooou have them too.”

  “No. No I don’t,” Wylie fired back, not interested in discussing Eva with drunk Larry, Curly, and Moe. “Back to you, big guy. Picking on pregnant women?”

  “I…I was caught off guard. What would you do if you walked in on that?”

  Wylie put his hands out and shrugged. “I wouldn’t pick on a tiny woman carrying my child.”

  “Screw you, Wylie.”

  “Nah, you belong to Daisy. I’m good.”

  “Liam is right, though, man,” Declan added. “You aren’t all of those things. You’re just a good guy with a hard job. You’re only the villain if you want to be.”

  “Jesus, how long were you listening? Liam said that like six shots ago.”

  “We’ve been at that table behind you for twenty minutes, letting you do your twin sister thing that you do. And it was only three shots. We’ve been matching shots from back there.” Declan winked, and kept on drinking.

  “Fuck off,” Luke and Liam said in unison.

  “See. Twin sister shit. Freaky,” Wylie laughed, evening the score for the Wy-wee thing.

  Luke dropped his head. “Anyway, I get what you’re saying, but—”

  “But you need to let it go. Forgive yourself. Sounds like you’re about to be a dad.” Declan only said what everyone else had been saying, but somehow, he was getting through.

  With his head tossed back, Luke swept his hands through his hair in frustration. “I can’t wrap my head around that. I don’t know the first thing about being some kid’s dad.”

  “Good news…you don’t have to do it alone,” Liam interjected, in all seriousness, with the liquor still very present in his delivery. “There’s a mom involved – they’re good at that shit.”

  “Daisy…” Luke sighed.

  “Yeah, Daisy. You did her wrong back there. You were a fucking asshole,” Liam scolded with anger.

  “I can’t believe she did this.”

  “Did what, Luke? Had sex with you? I can’t believe it either. She’s either a savage or a saint,” Declan laughed.

  “Screw you. I can’t believe she was going to keep it from me. She knows I’m not good enough.”

  “That’s not what I heard her saying,” Liam defended, as if Luke’s harsh words were meant for him. “And she didn’t keep shit from you. Looked to me like she was trying to wrap her head around it too.”

  “Why the big secret? Why send me away then?”

  “Uh, if I followed correctly, and I’m pretty sure I did, because I’m a genius, and wasn’t drunk then, my girl was behind that. Not yours.”

  “Daisy isn’t my girl.”

  Wylie nearly choked on his drink. “She isn’t? Then why you playing house like she is? Why are you sleeping with her?”

  Luke shrugged, and like the cold bastard he was certain he was, said, “Because she’s…there. Why not?”

  “Oh, come on. How much have you had to drink?” Liam shook his head. Since when had he become the wise, sober-ish one? That was usually Declan’s department. He was going to need another drink. “I think you’re cut off if you’re believing your own bullshit. You love her, like love her love her. Like to the moon, more than there are stars, take a bullet for you, and sing sappy love songs love her.”

  “Love her love her? Really? You’ve been around the kid too much, Liam.”

  “Stop changing the subject. You’re different with her. You want to be different for her, Luke.”

  Luke hung his head. “Yeah, maybe. She makes me feel…different. It’s like she sees something in me. Like I’m some hero saving her ass from the world.”

  “Uh, you are saving her ass from the world. And that feeling she gives you is what got you a baby.”

  “Fuck off, Liam.”

  Liam was enjoying his brother’s torment far too much. “You love her.”

  “I don’t know about that, but when we got that picture of Carter, I felt something I’d never felt before. I was scared – for Daisy. I couldn’t get her out of there fast enough. Then when I left the other day, to go out of town, it was hard…really frickin’ hard, bro.”

  “You…love her,” Liam repeated.

  “When I got home, I couldn’t get to her fast enough.”

  “You…love…her.”

  “I stunk. I was filthy. But all I could do was crawl in that bed and hold her. I needed to feel her, see she was okay so I would be okay.”

  “You…love…her,” Liam began to sing.

  “Tonight, when I heard her say she was pregnant, I wanted to smile, pick her up, swing her around, and do all that sappy shit – until I realized I can’t be anyone’s father, much less a husband. I’m her bodyguard – that’s all I’m cut out to be.”

  Liam rolled his eyes. “You love her.”

  “Jesus, I love her.”

  Liam smacked the back of Luke’s head. “Finally. I’m really sorry I got all the brains and left you like this. If I could, I’d share some smarts, because I have plenty and you desperately need them.”

  “Screw you, Liam.”


  Declan chimed in, feeling the effects of the liquor, “So, what are you going to do about it?”

  “I think I blew it. I was a major dick.”

  “Yep, you were. A total dick, but what’s new?” Liquor was Liam’s truth serum. “You didn’t blow it. Nothing some groveling, flowers, and whatever she wants for the rest of her life won’t fix. Oh…and say you’re sorry.”

  “Rest of her life, huh?”

  “I think that’s where you’re going with all this, right?” Liam questioned. “You basically just said you want to take care of her, you need her, she’s your…everything.”

  “You sound like a Hallmark commercial.”

  Liam tossed his hands up in the air. “No regrets. I love…love. It’s fucking fantastic.”

  “You love love? Jesus, you’re drunk.” Wylie wasn’t feeling drunk enough to hang with this crowd. “I think you handed over your man card instead of your debit card.”

  “Seriously. I get it, Luke. When I lost Cass, I didn’t think I would ever be happy again. Thought I didn’t deserve it. You’re no different. You’re just as…bad at this.”

  “Bad at this? Thanks.” Luke sighed. “You’re right, I’m bad at this.”

  “When I finally figured out me and City – it got harder, man. Not easier. I didn’t think we were going to get us because Wells would have made our lives hell forever,” Liam said, referring to the man who kidnapped City.

  “So, I killed him,” Luke deadpanned. “You know I killed him. He didn’t do it himself. He wasn’t armed. Still think I deserve all your Hallmark shit?”

  “I do. And you might want to keep your voice down when you talk about your mercenary stuff.” Liam raised his voice, trying to cover up his brother’s drunken confession. “Yeah, you got top score for that kill. Great game, man. Video games…rock.”

  Luke laughed, not only at his brother’s ridiculous attempt to cover for him, but because video games was all he could come up with.

  “Jesus, Luke, there’s some off-duty officers over in the corner,” Declan said, tossing a nod toward the table full of cops. “Anyway, he was a bad dude, killed a lot of people, it was the only way to stop him.”

  “Maybe.”

  “Luke, sometimes the wrong thing is the right thing.” And there it was. Wylie, finally the voice of reason. He was a wise ass, but his heart was gold.

  “Wrong is right? Like ordering another round because all these shot glasses are empty?”

  “Okay. You don’t want to talk about it, keep drinking, but you know I’m right.” Wylie shook his head. “And I’m apparently not shit faced enough to deal with this shit.”

  “Should I tell Daisy?” Luke pondered. “Should I tell her what I…do?”

  “I think she has a pretty good idea what you do.” Wylie rolled his eyes. “Can I get another round…just for me?”

  “Because of the beard. That’s how she knows.”

  “What does your beard have to do with it?” Wylie went on, because Luke was missing the point. “No, because of the line of work you’re in, the hidden apartment you locked her in, and the arsenal of weapons all over the building.”

  “That doesn’t exactly say killer for hire,” Declan defended.

  “It doesn’t scream accountant either,” Liam snickered. “I think she fell for you, for God knows what reason, not what you do for a living. I think she’ll surprise you.”

  “And if it’s too much and she runs?” Luke’s greatest fear.

  “Well, you happen to know a few guys in the biz who can track her down. Jesus, Luke, she wouldn’t be sleeping in your bed if she didn’t already like…you and want to be with you.” Wylie was the only one without a woman and was already better at relationships than the three brothers he was looking at.

  “This is getting too deep,” Luke admitted. “I need a drink.”

  “Way too deep. I think you’re getting your period, Luke.”

  “Fuck off, Declan.”

  “Geez, let the guy get in touch with his feelings. He’s feeling emotional, sensitive, and probably a little vulnerable. Can’t we just be supportive? And maybe hold hands,” Wylie teased, catching up with the liquor.

  “Screw you too, Wy.”

  “We’ve already been over this – you got Daisy for that, boy.”

  Luke sat back with clenched fists. “I’m going to kick your ass so hard, you’ll be able to suck your own—”

  “That’s more like it!” Wylie toasted with his mug in the air. “Another round, bartender.”

  16

  “They’re in the back, Dace,” Rip said, gesturing for Dace to follow him.

  “Yeah, I can hear them.” With a quick look at his watch, Dace shook his head. It was late as hell. “How long have they been here?”

  “A couple hours or so.”

  “Did they do it?” Dace asked, not sure he wanted an answer.

  Rip snorted. “Sort of. I talked them out of a four-part rainbow across their—”

  Dace shut his eyes and tossed his hands up to stop Rip. “I don’t even want to know.”

  When Dace followed the obnoxious sound of his brothers’ drunk voices to the open room in the back of their favorite tattoo shop, Rose City Ink, he was greeted in unison.

  “DACE!”

  “You’re just in time, bro!” Wylie cackled.

  Dace scanned the room, surprised by what he saw. “Yeah, looks that way.”

  “Drop’em, man, and get in line!” Liam cheered, waving his hand to Dace, inviting him in.

  “Drop my pants and get in line? You are so damn drunk – all of you.”

  “It’s great, isn’t it?”

  “Really great, Liam. How about you stay on the table there, buddy?” Dace quickly reached out, pushing Liam back onto the tattoo artist’s table before he rolled completely off.

  “Drop’em!” Liam fired again.

  With a side-eye glance, Dace questioned Liam while watching the other three snort and snicker. “Why would I drop’em?”

  “You’re getting one of these too, Dace,” Liam said, pointing to the stencil about to get inked.

  “But…you’re all getting them on your shoulders, sooo…”

  “Oh yeah! That almost got weird,” Liam laughed, rolling off the table again. This time, Dace didn’t catch him.

  “It’s already weird. Trust me, bro.”

  “C’mon, man. We saved one for you!” Wylie patted the chair next to him, inviting Dace to sit.

  Sincerely perplexed, Dace had to ask. He wasn’t fluent in drunk brother lingo. “Saved what?”

  Liam laughed, as if the joke was on Dace. “A tattoo!”

  Dace looked around, hoping for some sort of punchline. “What does that even mean? How do you save a tattoo?” Were his brothers really this drunk?

  Luke sat back, legs stretched with one ankle over the other, arms crossed, and his eyes closed. “Yeah, you’re getting one.”

  “Man, this shit hurts. It like really hurts. How the hell did you do this…everywhere…?” Liam was wide-eye focused on Rip’s hand and the tool he used to leave his mark. “C’mon, man. Easy with that pen. You’re carving my arm!”

  Rip stopped and gave Liam a cross look that said what the fuck. “That’s literally what we’re doing, carving. It’s a tattoo, not a color by numbers.”

  Dace snorted. He was the bad boy of the bunch, covered in tattoos and piercings, he didn’t feel the pain anymore. “This has got to be his first tat, man.”

  Rip nodded in understanding. “Makes sense.”

  When Dace leaned in to take a closer look, he pointed at Liam’s shoulder stencil and questioned, "Is that – is that a pot of gold?”

  Luke laughed, still stretched out in his chair in the corner, head back and eyes closed. “Isn’t it great, man?”

  Rip laughed. “This is why I called you. They wanted one big rainbow that spanned across their combined…groins.”

  Swiftly shaking his head, Dace asked, “I don’t get it. Why the rainbow and…g
roins?”

  Biting his lip so he wouldn’t laugh, Rip pulled the tattoo needle away from Liam’s skin. Facing Dace with an amused smirk, he said, “So they could stand hip to hip and make one big rainbow.”

  Shoving his hands in his pocket, Dace immediately side-eyed the guys. “You’re fucking kidding me.”

  “Nope. That’s why I called you. They got pissed when I said hell no.” Rip laughed. “It was almost a brawl in here when I said four men standing with their junk out, hip to hip, saying taste the rainbow would probably land them in jail.”

  Clearly a trigger for the drunken stupor in the room, the four inebriated O’Reillys broke out in laughter. Impressed with their new credo, they shared a round of high fives while shouting, “Taste the rainbow!”

  “Jesus, they’re drunk.” Dace shook his head. “Shut up. Are you five, or what?”

  “Nope. We’re twenty if you add us all up.”

  Amused, Declan finally chimed in, “Well, genius over there can still math, even shit-faced. Twenty…that’s classic.”

  “Classic?” Dace whispered to himself. “You should have let them do it, Rip. It would have been a nice lesson on learning to hold your liquor.”

  “Uh, they wanted you to be the middle…of the rainbow.”

  “Shit, that’s cute. I’m not standing in the middle of that mess with my glory hanging out.”

  “I convinced them to do a pot of gold…heritage and all that. You’re welcome,” Rip said over his shoulder, still working on Liam.

  “You know we’re Irish, not leprechauns, right?” Dace asked.

  “Oh, me lucky charms and pot-o-gold” Luke said in an exaggerated Irish dialect, still leaning back.

  Rip put his hands up before tossing a thumb toward the corner of drunks. “They ran with that whole thing, not me. I just said okay because I can turn it into a clover later when they’re sober and want to fix it, Dace.”

  “How do you turn a pot of gold into a green clover?”

  Rip smiled and leaned Dace’s way, speaking quietly, “By telling them it’s a pot of gold. It’s really a clover.”

  Not said quiet enough, Liam chimed in, “Yeah, the gold’s underneath the clover. You can’t see it. It’s brilliant.”