The Heir's Unexpected Baby

by Jules Bennett

  “Time flies once you become a parent.” Braden held his own baby, Michael, who was six months old now. “I can’t believe all the things this little guy is doing on his own already. He’s army crawling across the house. Zara went nuts and baby gates are everywhere.”

  “They’re not everywhere,” Zara chimed in, sliding a party hat over Braden’s head.

  “I don’t want a hat,” he grumbled. “It has a ballerina on it.”

  “It’s not your party,” Zara stated, as she patted the side of his face.

  “Who wants cake?” Viv announced. “We have plenty and we’ll all be eating it for the next week.”

  She sent Jack a look and a wink. He’d never thought he’d find love again, but everything was different with Viv. She was perfect for him and had come into his life at exactly the right time.

  After he’d discovered he was actually an O’Shea, Jack and Braden had worked around the clock to clear their name. It ended up that some wannabe gang members had botched the robbery and tried to cover their tracks. Once Jack had gotten the proper intel, it took only one stakeout to bring down the criminals.

  And after all this time, the O’Sheas were completely legit. Braden hadn’t been lying; the family had cut ties with all illegal dealings. Their worldwide auction house was more lucrative than ever.

  It had taken some time, but Jack and his new siblings were all meshing perfectly together. Jack had wasted no time in marrying Viv and they’d adopted Katie together. They were in the process of adopting another child. He and Viv both wanted a large family and he was more than ready to fill up his large home. Tilly was overjoyed, of course.

  As Viv passed out pieces of cake, Katie played with her own layer of purple icing and pink cake.

  “More, Mommy.” Katie held up her sippy cup with one hand and shoved icing in her mouth with the other.

  “I’ll get it,” Jack said, taking the sticky cup. “You’re a messy monster.”

  Katie smiled at him, her purple teeth flashing. “Wuv you, Daddy.”

  Those words never failed to make his heart clench. As a man who had thought he’d lost everything, he was beyond blessed with Katie, Viv and the O’Sheas. He literally had every single thing he’d ever wanted at his fingertips.

  As he filled Katie’s cup with juice, Mac let out a whistle. “While we’re all here, I have an announcement.”

  Jenna stepped close to his side and smiled. Mac wrapped an arm around her, pulling her in tight.

  “We’re having a baby,” he yelled.

  Laney squealed, rushing for Jenna and enveloping her in a hug. Ryker stepped up and smacked Mac on the back with one hand, while he held his baby girl on his other arm.

  All these kids... Jack smiled as he twisted the lid back on the cup. “Looks like there will be a whole new generation of O’Sheas,” he proclaimed, crossing back to the dining area. “Just when I thought my house was big enough to host this family...”

  “We’re going to need a compound if we keep wanting to have family events,” Zara said with a laugh. “I’m okay with that, since we plan on having more.”

  More O’Sheas. At one time that thought would’ve angered Jack, but now...well, he couldn’t be happier.

  He threw a glance at Viv, who mouthed, “I love you.” He sent her a wink and knew he was the luckiest man alive...and that included being an O’Shea.

  * * * * *

  If you liked this story of a billionaire tamed by the love of the right woman—and her baby—pick up these other novels from Jules Bennett.

  CAUGHT IN THE SPOTLIGHT

  WHATEVER THE PRICE

  SNOWBOUND WITH THE BILLIONAIRE

  WHAT THE PRINCE WANTS

  Available now from Harlequin Desire!

  ***

  And don’t miss the next BILLIONAIRES AND BABIES story.

  BILLIONAIRE’S BABY PROMISE

  by Sarah M. Anderson.

  Available March 2017!

  ***

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  If you like sexy and steamy stories with strong heroines and irresistible heroes, you’ll love FORGED IN DESIRE by New York Times bestselling author Brenda Jackson—featuring Margo Connelly and Lamar “Striker” Jennings, the reformed bad boy who’ll do anything to protect her, even if it means lowering the defenses around his own heart...

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  Forged in Desire

  by Brenda Jackson

  PROLOGUE

  “FINALLY, WE GET to go home.”

  Margo Connelly was certain the man’s words echoed the sentiment they all felt. The last thing she’d expected when reporting for jury duty was to be sequestered during the entire trial...especially with twelve strangers, more than a few of whom had taken the art of bitching to a whole new level.

  She was convinced this had been the longest, if not the most miserable, six weeks of her life, as well as a lousy way to start off the new year. They hadn’t been allowed to have any inbound or outbound calls, read the newspapers, check any emails, watch television or listen to the radio. The only good thing was, with the vote just taken, a unanimous decision had been reached and justice would be served. The federal case against Murphy Erickson would finally be over and they would be allowed to go home.

  “It’s time to let the bailiff know we’ve reached a decision,” Nancy Snyder spoke up, interrupting Margo’s thoughts. “I have a man waiting at home, who I haven’t seen in six weeks, and I can’t wait to get to him.”

  Lucky you, Margo thought, leaning back in her chair. She and Scott Dylan had split over a year ago, and the parting hadn’t been pretty.

  Fortunately, as a wedding-dress designer, she could work from anywhere and had decided to move back home to Charlottesville. She could be near her uncle Frazier, her father’s brother and the man who’d become her guardian when her parents had died in a house fire when she was ten. He was her only living relative and, although they often butted heads, she had missed him while living in New York.

  A knock on the door got everyone’s attention. The bailiff had arrived. Hopefully, in a few hours it would all be over and the judge would release them. She couldn’t wait to get back to running her business. S
ix weeks had been a long time away. Lucky for her she had finished her last order in time for the bride’s Christmas wedding. But she couldn’t help wondering how many new orders she might have missed while on jury duty.

  The bailiff entered and said, “The judge has called the court back in session for the reading of the verdict. We’re ready to escort you there.”

  Like everyone else in the room, Margo stood. She was ready for the verdict to be read. It was only after this that she could get her life back.

  * * *

  “FOREMAN, HAS THE JURY reached a verdict?” the judge asked.

  “Yes, we have, Your Honor.”

  The courtroom was quiet as the verdict was read. “We, the jury, find Murphy Erickson guilty of murder.”

  Suddenly Erickson bowled over and laughed. It made the hairs on the necks of everyone in attendance stand up. The outburst prompted the judge to hit his gavel several times. “Order in the courtroom. Counselor, quiet the defendant or he will be found in contempt of court.”

  “I don’t give a damn about any contempt,” Erickson snarled loudly. “You!” he said, pointing a finger at the judge. “Along with everyone else in this courtroom, you have just signed your own death warrant. As long as I remain locked up, someone in here will die every seventy-two hours.” His gaze didn’t miss a single individual.

  Pandemonium broke out. The judge pounded his gavel, trying to restore order. Police officers rushed forward to subdue Erickson and haul him away. But the sound of his threats echoed loudly in Margo’s ears.

  CHAPTER ONE

  LAMAR “STRIKER” JENNINGS walked into the hospital room, stopped and then frowned. “What the hell is he doing working from bed?”

  “I asked myself the same thing when I got his call for us to come here,” Striker’s friend Quasar Patterson said, sitting lazily in a chair with his long legs stretched out in front of him.

  “And you might as well take a seat like he told us to do,” another friend, Stonewall Courson, suggested, while pointing to an empty chair. “Evidently it will take more than a bullet to slow down Roland.”

  Roland Summers, CEO of Summers Security Firm, lay in the hospital bed, staring at them. Had it been just last week that the man had been fighting for his life after foiling an attempted carjacking?

  “You still look like shit, Roland. Shouldn’t you be trying to get some rest instead of calling a meeting?” Striker asked, sliding his tall frame into the chair. He didn’t like seeing Roland this way. They’d been friends a long time, and he couldn’t ever recall the man being sick. Not even with a cold. Well, at least he was alive. That damn bullet could have taken him out and Striker didn’t want to think about that.

  “You guys have been keeping up with the news?” Roland asked in a strained voice, interrupting Striker’s thoughts.

  “We’re aware of what’s going on, if that’s what you want to know,” Stonewall answered. “Nobody took Murphy Erickson’s threat seriously.”

  Roland made an attempt to nod his head. “And now?”

  “And now people are panicking. Phones at the office have been ringing off the hook. I’m sure every protective security service in town is booked solid. Everyone in the courtroom that day is either in hiding or seeking protection, and with good reason,” Quasar piped in to say. “The judge, clerk reporter and bailiff are all dead. All three were gunned down within seventy-two hours of each other.”

  “The FBI is working closely with local law enforcement, and they figure it’s the work of the same assassin,” Striker added. “I heard they anticipate he’ll go after someone on the jury next.”

  “Which is why I called the three of you here. There was a woman on the jury who I want protected. It’s personal.”

  “Personal?” Striker asked, lifting a brow. He knew Roland dated off and on, but he’d never been serious with anyone. He was always quick to say that his wife, Becca, had been his one and only love.

  “Yes, personal. She’s a family member.”

  The room got quiet. That statement was even more baffling since, as far as the three of them knew, Roland didn’t have any family...at least not anymore. They were all aware of his history. He’d been a cop, who’d discovered some of his fellow officers on the take. Before he could blow the whistle he’d been framed and sent to prison for fifteen years. Becca had refused to accept his fate and worked hard to get him a new trial. He served three years before finally leaving prison but not before the dirty cops murdered Roland’s wife. All the cops involved had eventually been brought to justice and charged with the death of Becca Summers, in addition to other crimes.

  “You said she’s family?” Striker asked, looking confused.

  “Yes, although I say that loosely since we’ve never officially met. I know who she is, but she doesn’t know I even exist.” Roland then closed his eyes, and Striker knew he had to be in pain.

  “Man, you need to rest,” Quasar spoke up. “You can cover this with us another time.”

  Roland’s eyes flashed back open. “No, we need to talk now. I need one of you protecting her right away.”

  Nobody said anything for a minute and then Striker asked, “What relation is she to you, man?”

  “My niece. To make a long story short, years ago my mom got involved with a married man. He broke things off when his wife found out about the affair but not before I was conceived. I always knew the identity of my father. I also knew about his other two, older sons, although they didn’t know about me. I guess you can say I was the old man’s secret.

  “One day after I’d left for college, I got a call from my mother letting me know the old man was dead but he’d left me something in his will.”

  Striker didn’t say anything, thinking that at least Roland’s old man had done right by him in the end. To this day, his own poor excuse of a father hadn’t even acknowledged his existence. “That’s when your two brothers found out about you?” he asked.

  “Yes. Their mother found out about me, as well. She turned out to be a real bitch. Even tried blocking what Connelly had left for me in the will. But she couldn’t. The old man evidently had anticipated her making such a move and made sure the will was ironclad. He gave me enough to finish college without taking out student loans with a little left over.”

  “Good for him,” Quasar said. “What about your brothers? How did they react to finding out about you?”

  “The eldest acted like a dickhead,” Roland said without pause. “The other one’s reaction was just the opposite. His name was Murdock and he reached out to me afterward. I would hear from him from time to time. He would call to see how I was doing.”

  Roland didn’t say anything for a minute, his face showing he was struggling with strong emotions. “Murdock is the one who gave Becca the money to hire a private investigator to reopen my case. I never got the chance to thank him.”

  “Why?” Quasar asked.

  Roland drew in a deep breath and then said, “Murdock and his wife were killed weeks before my new trial began.”

  “How did they die?”

  “House fire. Fire department claimed faulty wiring. I never believed it but couldn’t prove otherwise. Luckily their ten-year-old daughter wasn’t home at the time. She’d been attending a sleepover at one of her friends’ houses.”

  “You think those dirty cops took them out, too?” Stonewall asked.

  “Yes. While I could link Becca’s death to those corrupt cops, there wasn’t enough evidence to connect Murdock’s and his wife’s deaths.”

  Stonewall nodded. “What happened to the little girl after that?”

  “She was raised by the other brother. Since the old lady had died by then, he became her guardian.” Roland paused a minute and then added, “He came to see me this morning.”

  “Who? Your brother? The dickhead?” Quasar a
sked with a snort.

  “Yes,” Roland said, and it was obvious he was trying not to grin. “When he walked in here it shocked the hell out of me. Unlike Murdock, he never reached out to me, and I think he even resented Murdock for doing so.”

  “So what the fuck was his reason for showing up here today?” Stonewall asked. “He’d heard you’d gotten shot and wanted to show some brotherly concern?” It was apparent by Stonewall’s tone he didn’t believe that was the case.

  “Umm, let me guess,” Quasar then said languidly. “He had a change of heart, especially now that his niece’s life is in danger. Now he wants your help. I assume this is the same niece you want protected.”

  “Yes, to both. He’d heard I’d gotten shot and claimed he was concerned. Although he’s not as much of a dickhead as before, I sensed a little resentment is still there. But not because I’m his father’s bastard—a part of me believes he’s gotten over that.”

  “What, then?” Striker asked.

  “I think he blames me for Murdock’s death. He didn’t come out and say that, but he did let me know he was aware of the money Murdock gave Becca to get me a new trial and that he has similar suspicions regarding the cause of their deaths. That’s why, when he became his niece’s guardian, he sent her out of the country to attend an all-girls school with tight security in London for a few years. He didn’t bring her back to the States until after those bad cops were sent to jail.”

  “So the reason he showed up today was because he thought sending you on a guilt trip would be the only way to get you to protect your niece?” Striker asked angrily. Although Roland had tried hiding it, Striker could clearly see the pain etched in his face whenever he spoke.

  “Evidently. I guess it didn’t occur to him that making sure she is protected is something I’d want to do. I owe Murdock, although I don’t owe Frazier Connelly a damn thing.”

  “Frazier Connelly?” Quasar said, sitting up straight in his chair. “The Frazier Connelly of Connelly Enterprises?”