Darren. Oh, God. He was murdered.
Her husband had just been taken from her. The love of her life. Her everything. She was a first hand witness to his demise. She was alone. He left her alone. A promise he had vowed never to break.
Courtney’s world went black.
Chapter 18
Courtney
Faint beeps of monitors filled the silence. Apparently her heart rate and baby were just fine. Courtney laid on the hospital bed, staring at nothing in particular. The gash on her forehead had been stitched up. Her hearing already started to return, allowing her to take in the whispers of hospital staff. Strategically placed guards secured her room.
Numb. Complete numbness.
She needed Darren. Now. Part of her prayed it had been a terrible mistake and he would rush into the room and assure her everything was all right.
Instead, bursting into her room, Sean and Ryan visibly breathed a sigh of relief. They rushed to either side of her bed.
"Courtney," Ryan said.
Tears pooled in her eyes. "He's dead, isn't he?" she whispered.
They spared each other a quick glance.
"Yes, honey. He didn't make it," he said delicately.
"They took him from me."
Sean
Sean propped himself on the edge of the bed and pulled her into his arms. He allowed her to lose herself into his chest. Which she did. Hard. She lost control and allowed the pain, suffering, and emotions to take over. For a half an hour she cried until exhaustion set it and she fell asleep safely in his arms. He laid her down and brushed the tangled hair off her pasty face.
"Sean," Ryan said. "She'll become a target." His innocent cousin had no idea the danger her life was in.
"I know," Sean answered, understanding his brother's grave concern. If they had to they would hide her themselves to keep her and her baby alive. They had their own connections.
Derrick
Seated behind his office desk, Derrick was shocked when Carl burst through the door. His secretary yelled behind him.
"Darren's dead," Carl threw out there without any preamble.
Derrick blinked. "What?"
"They got Darren."
Derrick's heart clenched.
No. Not Darren. That couldn't be true.
"How?" he whispered.
"Car bomb in the city."
"Car bomb?" Darren repeated unbelievably. Then sudden fear raced through him. "What about Courtney?"
"We don't know where she is," Carl said, stepping into the office. "We're checking the hospitals."
"Was she in the car?" he demanded. He jumped from his chair and grabbed his suit jacket.
"No, they didn't find her body," Carl said.
He winced.
"Find her," he barked. Derrick followed behind Carl and snapped at his secretary as he ran past her. "Hold my calls, Bridget. I'm gone for the day."
Sean
Sean and Ryan both insisted Courtney be given a mild sedative, afraid for the baby. She’d managed to get through her pregnancy with no troubles, but it was too much to ask of her to handle the tragedy. For two hours, she slipped in and out of consciousness.
Sean held a firm grip of her hand while she was out cold. Ryan left to get them coffee. Sean’s ears perked up when a flurry of activity came from the proximity of the ER. He went into guard mode. He released his hold on his cousin then hid himself in the shadowy corner. Waiting.
Derrick
When Derrick appeared in the hospital room doorway, he stood stock still at the sight of Courtney lying fragile in the oversized bed. A stifled choke bubbled from his throat.
"Courtney." He rushed to her side and grabbed her hand into his, kissing the back of it. She felt so cold. "Thank, God."
"Who the fuck are you?" A deep voice demanded from behind him.
Reaching for his Glock inside his jacket, Derrick wheeled around.
"Don't even think about it. You'll be dead before you finish pulling it out," a clearly enraged, overloaded man spat at him. He took three long strides towards Derrick, eating up the distance between them.
"I'm Derrick, Darren's brother," he reminded Sean, finally recognizing the man. They'd briefly met only once.
Visibly, Courtney’s cousin toned down that inner beast. Derrick watched him inhale heavily. "Sean."
Derrick nodded and turned back to Courtney. "How is she?"
"Devastated."
Derrick sat on the edge of the bed, reached up and stroked her soft cheek.
"I can't believe this," he whispered, dismayed.
"I'm concerned about her being here. The hospital has too many people coming in and out. It's too easy to get to her. She needs someplace safe," Sean said. He approached the opposite side of the bed, worry evident across his features.
Derrick leaned in and studied her more thoroughly.
"Is she drugged?" he asked horrified.
Sean shook his head. "Lightly sedated. We needed to keep her calm. Her blood pressure is under control but we can’t risk her or the baby. She needs the rest. Her body was jolted and tossed. We need her to relax so her muscles can relax again."
"What happened, how did she get jolted?" Derrick whispered.
"She said she was thrown back quite a distance from the explosion. She hadn’t made it to the car yet. We have some good Samaritans to thank because she tried to get to Darren. They grabbed her and pulled her away," Sean said, cringing.
"Dear God," Derrick said.
"Who do you think did this?" Sean asked.
"I have no idea, but I will find out," he vowed.
"She needs out of here," Sean pressed further.
Derrick nodded. "We can take her home. The house is under close watch and has been thoroughly searched. She'll have constant security around her."
"I'll go talk to the doctor and see about getting her the hell out of here," Sean said, leaving the room.
Heavy and heartbroken, Derrick sighed. What the hell was going to happen now? Yes, they had a protocol in place. He was to take over Darren's position with her consent. Courtney was thrust to the head of a mafia family she had nothing to do with and didn’t comprehend. Luckily his brother considered the possibility and they drew up a will, leaving Court everything. As well as in charge of naming Derrick the new boss. He’d done that purposely. To keep his empire intact in a circumstance like the one before them. His thought process was they’d come after him and Derrick simultaneously. If that occurred, it left Courtney financially and securely protected. She could name Jack or Carl the new heads and retain the financial security they set up for her. Unfortunately that put her in grave danger until the transfer was complete.
Derrick reached up and caressed her soft cheek. He loved her. Hell, he was in love with her. Had been since the day Darren had introduced her to the family. The memory of that dinner slammed into him.
Darren led Courtney into his parents' home while their mom and dad anxiously stood in the entrance hallway to greet the woman. To say they'd been surprised when Darren called the other day would be a gross understatement. Derrick and Diane stood off to the side and a bit farther down the hall to give their parents the first opportunity to meet this woman. Diane's husband entertained the kids in the game room.
First thing Derrick noticed was Courtney's enormous, sapphire blue eyes with long lashes. Then her flawless, fair skin with the strawberry blonde hair that hung in waves down her back and over her shoulders. Darren's large hand, placed protectively on the small of her back, exaggerated her tiny physique. Idly, Derrick wondered how his brother had sex without breaking her.
"Mom, Dad, I would like to introduce you to Courtney Millen," Darren said proudly.
Their mother engulfed Darren into her arms.
"It is wonderful to meet you, darling," their mother gushed, releasing Darren and cupping Courtney's hand into hers.
Derrick snorted. He could see the thoughts of more grandbabies running through his mom's head. Man, Darren was in for it now.
"It’s nice to meet you, too. Darren speaks so fondly of all of you," Courtney said, gazing up at Darren with a sparkle of love evident in those beautiful eyes.
That jealousy thing rocketed through Derrick again. His mind reeled. Why did he suddenly crave that same look Courtney just gave his brother? Did he want a woman to look at him with such love and devotion? His life didn't need the contentment of a woman's love...did it?
No. No, he didn't.
Their father took Courtney's hand and cupped it in his. "It is lovely to meet you, Courtney. Please, come in."
Darren led her towards him and Diane. He motioned to Diane, who practically bounced off the walls with excitement. It might be possible she could be worse than Mom.
"This is my older sister, Diane," Darren said and smirked.
Derrick chuckled then coughed, but Diane’s eyes snapped to him.
She snarled at him, "Nice." She took a step towards Courtney and flung her arms around her. "It is so nice to meet you." She pulled away, keeping a hold on Court. "And so beautiful, Darren. Obviously Irish." Diane paused. "I approve."
Courtney giggled.
Darren chuckled and said sarcastically, "I'm soooo glad you approve, because Lord knows you would be the factor as to our relationship."
Diane snarled again.
"And this is my older brother, Derrick." Darren motioned. "Derrick, this is my Courtney."
Taking a step towards her, he took Courtney's delicate hand into his, engulfing her tiny grip. He inhaled her intoxicating scent of vanilla and lavender mixed together. "It is a pleasure, Courtney. I‘ve heard much about you. I hate to admit that my brother hasn’t exaggerated."
Courtney's face turned a delightful shade of pink when she looked up at his brother adoringly once again. He leaned down and kissed her softly. The entire family watched the couple, stunned at Darren’s public display of affection. It took them all a moment to collect themselves.
After gathering herself, Mrs. Murphy invited everyone to the spacious living room for pre-dinner drinks.
After a half an hour of getting to know Courtney before dinner, they sat down at the dining room table to enjoy their traditional Sunday meal. Darren sat to the right of his father, who sat at the head of the table, while Courtney sat to his right. Derrick sat to Courtney's right.
"Is that Uncle Darren's wife?" Brianna, Diane's daughter, asked excitedly.
Diane's husband snickered as Courtney dropped her fork. Leaning back and wrapping his arm behind her, Darren smirked. Derrick chuckled and shook his head.
"No, honey, and keep your voice down, because it's rude," Diane scolded. The little girl grew quiet. Diane turned to Courtney. "Sorry."
She smiled bashfully. "It's all right."
Conversation lightened the mood throughout dinner, but when dessert was served, Diane's husband got into an argument with Derrick over politics. Derrick started to become irate to the point the atmosphere charged uncomfortably. About to snidely retort to his idiot brother-in-law, Courtney subtly grasped his hand and squeezed. Derrick went silent in shock. He looked down at her hand, then into the large blue eyes of the beautiful woman next to him. They both stared at each other for a long moment, going unnoticed by Darren and his father, who were in deep conversation about the football game on Sunday.
Courtney leaned towards Derrick and whispered, "It's never worth it to argue about politics. No one ever changes their mind about their views when they're set in their opinions. All you're going to do is yourself upset and grow frustrated."
Rendered speechless over the sensations that ran through him, he was taken aback. A calmness shadowed him, something no woman, even his mother, had ever been able to accomplish. He never kept his temper in check. Courtney's soft, calm voice registered deep within him. Her delicate fingers sent delicious tingles straight up his arm, grabbing his full attention. In that moment, he fell in love with her.
Locking into her eyes, he leaned in close and whispered, "Thank you."
She leaned her forehead towards Derrick and whispered, "You're welcome."
He felt his heart open. For her.
He kissed her forehead, and then released her hand, but the warmth of her grasp remained.
"Hey, you better not be hitting on my girl," Darren warned, pulling her possessively into his body.
"I think she's hitting on me," Derrick teased and winked at her.
She laughed aloud, throwing her head back in delight. Her boisterous laugh was infectious, causing the family to join in. That moment the entire family fell in love with Courtney Millen and welcomed her into their fold. She was theirs. She was his.
Sean interrupted his memory by entering the room with a younger version of himself. "Derrick, this is my brother Ryan."
Ryan held out his hand. "Sorry about your brother."
Derrick nodded. "Thank you, but my immediate concern is Court. Whoever did this managed to miss her. Until I find out what's happening, I'm assuming she's a target."
"They wanted a pregnant woman who has nothing to do with her husband's business?" Ryan snarled.
He wondered how much her two cousins were aware of with regard to Darren's dealings.
Derrick sighed and explained, "No one knows what Courtney has her hands into with the business. At least, from someone on the outside looking in. Yes, it's rare for wives to take part in business but not entirely unheard of. If whoever did this needed to get rid of Darren for whatever reason, they might be afraid Courtney now holds all the cards. They'll need her out of the picture unless she promptly names a new head. At least that's my theory. But until I can find out more I won't know for sure."
Sean grew enraged. "Aren’t you next in line?"
"You know a lot more than I would have hoped." He cocked an eyebrow.
Ryan scoffed. "It's not as if your family is in hiding. Christ, every week there's mention of someone associated with you in the newspapers for some illegal activity."
"Watch yourself." He narrowed his eyes, nodding to Courtney.
Both cousins took simultaneous menacing steps towards him.
"How do we know it's not you trying to off your brother to take over the family business?" Sean growled. "It wouldn't be the first time, would it?"
Derrick stood and faced them. His tone grew hard, not to be trifled with. "Listen, you need to calm down. Yes, I would normally be the first suspect. But my brother meant the world to me. Odds are there's a hit out on me as well. Someone wants to break up the Murphy family and they started at the top. I won't be able to return to my own routine. My life has been altered as well. Trust me when I say that everyone who works for Darren will hunt for his killer and do whatever it takes to avenge him, not for me, but for her."
Sean slid his brother a glance.
"And where do you stand in all this?" Ryan glared.
His response was not going to go over. He looked Sean dead in the eyes. "I'll marry Courtney and take over."
Ryan lunged for Derrick. Sean grabbed his brother from behind and struggled to hold him.
"You fucking bastard!" Ryan yelled.
They were interrupted by a soft moan. Wheeling around, Derrick watched Courtney’s eyes flicker. She skimmed the room. When she caught sight of him, tears instantly spilled over.
"Derrick," she choked.
Abandoning the cousins, his first and singular concern was Courtney. He helped her sit upright and pulled her against his hard chest. While he held her, he assured her everything would be all right. She held onto him with a death grip, sobbing into his chest.
"I'm so relieved you're safe and sound," he admitted.
"But Darren...” she sobbed.
"Darren would be more concerned over you than himself, honey. You must know that, right?"
She nodded.
"Good girl." He took her perfect face in his hands. "I'll take care of you now, sweetheart. I won't leave you alone. You and your baby will be safe."
She nodded and took a deep breath. "But what about y
our safety? If they came after Darren and me, won't they go after you?"
Proudly, he smiled. "Such a smart woman," he whispered. "That's true, they will."
"Then you must come home with me. I can't lose you, too. I can't." She started to hyperventilate.
"Courtney," Sean warned. He stepped up to the side of the bed. "If you don't calm yourself down I'm going to insist that you be sedated again. I know you're not happy with that."
Derrick watched over her protectively as she flopped back, closed her eyes and breathed. Derrick stroked her arm. He loved Courtney, but this wasn't the way he wanted her. This nightmare wasn't supposed to ever happen. What he wanted was to share Courtney with his brother. Lord knew he dropped hints about the three of them starting a relationship, but Darren never read into his suggestions. Since his brother never received his subtle implies, he had hoped one day he would so he didn't have to remain alone.
Court's diamond ring caught the florescent light, grabbing his attention.
Darren.
His younger brother. His best friend. His closest confidant. His partner in crime, literally. Never did it occur to him Darren would fall victim to the world he had created. Not in the real sense anyway. Only in vague discussions.
Derrick stared at Courtney. He needed to get a grip and concentrate on her first, make certain she and her baby was safe. Then he'd mourn his brother. Darren would expect that of him.
Courtney
She opened her eyes and found Derrick watching her. She knew that look. That same expression Darren wore for years. As if someone smacked her upside the head, it occurred to her that Derrick had been watching her in that same fashion for as long as she remembered. She reached up and stroked his chiseled cheek, the feel of stubble from a long, hard day started to appear. He'd admitted to it previously but it never sunk in until that very moment.
"You love me," she whispered.
Derrick took her hand and kissed her palm. "Always have."
Tears spilled down the sides of her eyes.
The Boss's Love Page 19