Fionn
Page 7
Did she lament the loss of her family? Sure. She hadn’t had a chance to ask her dad and he hadn’t exactly volunteered, but LeeAnn suspected Bart had killed her mother. That last conversation in the heat of the moment seemed to point an accusing finger at him all while waving a big ole red flag.
To be honest, she was glad she didn’t have confirmation. She was holding it together, but only because she kept telling herself it was either him or Fionn. And Fionn had shown her more decency in the few days she’d known him than her stepfather had her entire life. Looking back, she had to wonder if maybe he hadn’t arranged everything from her father’s death to her mother’s. He’d certainly taken an interest in her from the moment they met when she was a shy, backward, too-smart-for-her-own-good third grader. Her mother had thought it was a blessing Bart had seen LeeAnn into the best schools money could pay for. Now, LeeAnn had to wonder if he hadn’t been grooming her to make money for him.
As she moved, easing her muscles after sleep—and a long night of her passionate lover’s attentions—Fionn tightened his grip around her waist, grunting in her ear.
“Relax, growly bear. I’m not going anywhere.”
“Damn straight. You’re staying here until I’m done with you. Because I am Fionn O’Shea. Everyone does what I say because they’re scared of me.”
She giggled.
“They are, dammit!”
“Of course they are,” she said, smothering another giggle. “And rightly so. You’re a fierce warrior with deadly intent.”
“Damn straight,” he muttered. There was a comfortable silence while he held her tightly, nuzzling her hair with his face. Then he said, “Look, do you need to talk about what happened? I mean, with your father and shit. It was a violent situation and…” he paused, swallowing audibly. “Well, I understand women need to talk about their feelings.”
LeeAnn looked over her shoulder sharply, puzzled. “Who told you that?”
“Just something I picked up.” When she raised an eyebrow at him, indicating she wasn’t buying it, he said in a rush, “I read it in Cosmo, OK? There’s some interesting shit in there.” When she couldn’t stifle the giggles anymore, he nipped her ear. “I’m trying to feel my way through this! I need all the help I can get!”
“I’m not laughing at you, honest!” When he turned her over, tickling her until she squealed, she admitted through gasps for breath, “OK, I’m laughing at you a little. But not much. Honest.”
“I’ll give you something to laugh at, you little wench.” And he proceeded to tickle her until he had maneuvered himself between her legs, lying on top of her with his much larger frame pinning her down. With the ease of a man who had been her lover for years instead of weeks, Fionn sank into her with a deep, masculine groan. Then LeeAnn wanted to do anything but laugh. “I’m going to admit something to you that I’d not even tell my brothers unless it was life or death. Do you want to hear it?”
She wiggled her hips to get him deeper inside her before asking, “You want to chat now?”
He ducked his head to her neck, licking the delicate flesh there. “I can’t say this any other way, baby.”
“Then by all means.” She wrapped her legs around him, digging her heels into his rock-hard ass, letting him know she didn’t want him to stop.
“I can’t live without you, LeeAnn. I won’t if I can help it. I need you in my life. Now. Always. I’m not saying we need to commit to anything just yet.” He pulled back to give her a crooked grin. “Cosmo says I should take things slow.”
If she hadn’t been so on the edge of pleasure she would have laughed again. “What part of that statement isn’t commitment, Fionn? Not that I’m complaining.” Her smile faded a little. “You’re the only constant in my life right now. I kinda need you as much as you need me.”
“Just know that I’ll always look out for your wellbeing. You’re family. My family.”
“I’ve not had a real family since my mom died,” she said softly, clutching his shoulders.
“You do now. And we protect our own.”
With that, Fionn began to move inside her. LeeAnn loved the way he loved her. He always seemed to know when she needed tender, when she needed intense, and when she just needed him to take her. To have started out as his prisoner, things certainly had turned around. Sincerity rang in his words. They weren’t like Bart’s had been. She might have never admitted it to a soul, but she’d never trusted him. Not really. Fionn, on the other hand, she had trusted from the beginning. Sure, they’d had…issues. But she never stopped believing in him. And he’d never truly stopped needing her.
It was a deep-seated need on his part. LeeAnn could see it when he looked into her eyes as they made love. There was a child-like wonder there, as if he’d never truly loved a woman before he met her. Which she kind of liked.
Then the pleasure was too much for her to continue her musings. Fionn wrapped his strong arms around her and rode her hard. His cock pounded into her with a swift intensity, an urgency she knew she’d always love.
LeeAnn’s orgasm overtook her in a sudden wave. Pleasure ripped through her and she knew her body was milking him.
“Fuck!” He bellowed. “Fuck!”
LeeAnn cried out with her own orgasm, gripping him as tightly as she could, not letting him roll off her. She loved to feel his weight on top of her. It was oddly comforting. Like she truly belonged there.
Finally, she let him roll them. She lay sprawled over his chest, his cock still inside her. She’d almost fallen asleep when Fionn admitted quietly, “I have to leave you for a day or two. I don’t want to, but we’ve got to run Paddy O’Shea to ground and kill the bastard. None of us will be safe if we don’t. Besides, he’s fucking with our business.”
“What if I don’t want you go to go? I just got you patched up.”
He smiled against her hair. “I promise I’ll be careful.”
With a sigh she gave in, knowing it was wise to pick her battles and this wasn’t one she had a chance of winning. “Fine. But if you come back with so much as a scratch on you, I won’t be responsible for my actions.”
He chuckled softly. “Noted.” He hesitated before adding, “You know I love you. Right?”
“Not as much as I love you,” she said without hesitation.
Deep down, she knew he would be careful. Didn’t mean she wouldn’t worry about him, but she accepted he had to do this.
Epilogue
Paddy watched as the brothers lined up in one single row—Conall, Fionn, Kieran, and Shannon. It had taken a few months but once they located the old man it was a simple case of hunting him down. In the end the bastard never left South Boston. All the wrongs perpetrated against them came down to that moment.
Paddy gazed up at them, defiance and hate clear in his bright green eyes. Gone were his crew—there was no one left to protect him. The layers he’d built over the years as a shield disintegrated. Dead men were the only testament left to their da’s crumbling empire. A warning that the O’Shea brothers now controlled the area.
It was time for a new era.
The once large man was a mere shell of himself. Slowly, each brother raised his arm. Their guns varied from a thirty-eight to a 9-millimeter to a couple three-eighties. Paddy met the gaze of each man, his sons.
The brothers lined up—Conall, Fionn, Kieran, Shannon. It had taken a few months, but once they located the old man it was a simple case of hunting him down. In the end, the bastard never left South Boston. All the wrongs perpetrated against them came down to that moment.
Paddy gazed up at them, defiance and hate clear in his bright green eyes. Gone was his crew—there was no one left to protect him. The layers he’d built over the years as a shield disintegrated. Dead men were the only testament left to their da’s crumbling empire. A warning that the O’Shea brothers now controlled the area. It was time for a new era.
Their father straightened, squaring his shoulders. His coat hung off a gaunt frame. The once large man was a
mere shell of himself. Slowly, each brother raised his arm. Their guns varied from a thirty-eight to a 9-millimeter to a couple three-eighties. Paddy met the gaze of each man, his sons. A wistful smile lifted the corners of Paddy’s mouth. He raised his arms out from his body. They pulled the triggers, riddling his body with bullets.
As much as Fionn thought this was the peace he’d needed—the closure of knowing Paddy O’Shea was dead—he found it was merely an afterthought. His real closure, the only true peace he’d ever known, was waiting on him at home. LeeAnn. Soon, she’d be his wife, have his kids. She was already his everything. The old man was merely an obstacle they’d removed. What really mattered was his family. His brothers.
His woman.
Fionn O’Shea was no longer defined by his job. Ice no longer filled him. LeeAnn did. Her warmth and kindness overshadowed all the darkness in him. He was still a killer, but he no longer feared for his soul. LeeAnn held that safely in her heart. She was his salvation, his sanity.
His love…