Dazzled and Dazed

by Harley McRide

  Falon nodded, “Cool.”

  “Hate to interrupt the family reunion, but I kinda need to know what he means by they are bringing in a ringer,” I said.

  Emilo nodded, and then walked farther into the room. “I got away long enough when Trey left a coded message telling me he was coming here. The leader of the gang is pissed, like seriously. Miguel is ruling the gang through Rikers. They planned on winning the fight and putting the money toward the next shipment of drugs. They are pissed and going want to make a statement, whatever that means. But the word is, there is something important about this fight. No one knows specifically, but from what I am hearing, the bets have doubled in price if you want to watch.”

  I nodded, and then looked at Harm and Fin. “I’ll be doubling my practice time to five hours. I’m going to need everyone to help me prepare. Mel included. I will be prepared for anything. These bastards have gotten on my last damn nerve.”

  Ranger leaned forward and said, “Maria told me that Nixon Williams called her. It seems the ambulance chasing attorney for Dekcaris Drake asked for a meeting. His trial is coming up, definitely something going on there, too.”

  Tony nodded. “Something is coming to a head. I think we shook them up enough, but we need to decide if we are going to carry on. Right now, we got the leader of the gang and the Feds taking care of the rest.”

  “The kids,” I said softly. “Someone was fucking with kids, and that is not right. If we go with what we have now, we are only getting half the prize. We know the Russian is involved, if we don’t shut him down now, we are going to be fighting this shit for the rest of our lives. They have come after our family. They have come after us. That tells me we are getting close, so they are panicking. That’s not good for us. Panicked for them could mean they are making decisions on the fly. If they know who we are, then anyone who associated with us could become targets.”

  Everyone was silent for a minute, and Trey said, “I can ask for a protective detail. Between the DEA and the FBI. Me and Agent Briggs should be able to get some extra men.”

  “We are already stretched thin. I think we are going to need to take you and him up on that. I was going to ask Thad when he got back to town next week,” Tony said slowly.

  “Yeah, heard he had to go to the FBI office in Chicago to finalize his impending transfer once this shit gets wrapped up. We’ve been staying in touch since our cases are overlapping. Trying to play nice,” Trey Larue smirked.

  “That will be first with the rivalry between your agencies if you two can pull it off. I’ll check around with officers in the unit. I know some of them will work on their time off. Especially if we tell them why. My captain won’t have a problem with them doing it either,” Ranger said.

  I leaned back, and Sean said, “Where are we at on the panic rooms? I know we were installing them. And since I haven’t been staying at home, mine is scheduled to be last. But neither of the safehouses we are in have them.”

  Fin nodded and said, “Come on, I will show you where the one is here. They just finished that one last night. Franco has been staying late and letting the crew in after hours. As for as the homes, we have gotten them in ours, Bry’s, Michael’s, Falon’s, and Ranger’s is almost done. Once they are done there, we still have the parents and the safehouses.”

  Mace stepped forward and said, “I’ll help with them, it’ll move faster. Especially if I can get the wiring done, that’s what’s taking the longest. The company only has two electricians.”

  Cal nodded in agreement. “Me too, I will take myself off the calendar and focus on getting those done ASAP.”

  “If Bry and I pitch in, too. We can knock that shit out in no time,” Reed said.

  Sean looked at me, and I nodded, and he said, “We will start the brownstones, I know the perfect room to change. Get someone to drop off the supplies we need and Jet and I will work at it at night.”

  Emilo looked at Trey and said, “I have some things to give you, and I need to get back.”

  “Call your wife and son first. I’ll take you to one of the offices and you can use the phone,” Mel snapped, and then Trey stood.

  “Come on, let’s get you done and out of here. I don’t want anyone to see you,” Trey said, then added. “I’ll get back with you guys on the extra men.”

  Emilo kissed Mel on the temple, then lifted his chin to us. He and Trey walked out with Mel. I waited until I knew they weren’t in hearing distance, then I said quietly, “I’m not kidding. I’m all in this. But you guys know if something’s up with the fight, we are going to need to figure out a way to see inside that place and hear shit. We need eyes and ears, and more than just the camera they set up for the fight. You know what I mean. I’m worried if we don’t, it will turn into a clusterfuck.”

  “This is gonna get messy, and by that, I mean you are going to be smack dab in the middle of this shit,” Tony said, and Fin nodded.

  “It will be you and Harm, that’s it. If we can’t get to you in time, then you need to have a plan and prepare to do what you have to,” Ranger said. Harm and I nodded.

  I sighed and looked around the room. “You know, when I came to work for Tony, the reason I took the job was that his company was solid. A family, and it was the one thing I missed when I left the Marines. When Tony told us he was moving the company here, I came because I had nothing holding me where we were. I met most of you when Tony and I had stopped in Kink’s tat shop out west. I never expected to be accepted into the fold like I had always been in your lives. You didn’t ask questions. Not one person pried. I’m not going to get into my family shit, other than to say that you all have been more family to me in the short time I’ve known you than my own blood ever were. You accept me for me.”

  Sean leaned back and stared at me intently. “Jet, you are my best friend. My brothers have always been my best friends, so to add you as well is saying something.”

  I nodded. “Yeah, I get that, I feel the same way, man. The thing is, when I started this, I knew what I was getting in to. So, do not think for one minute I’m backing out or telling you to stop. What I need to know is that if something happens to me, Brit is taken care of. Not just by Sean, but by all of you.”

  Once again the room was silent, and then Falon leaned forward with a serious look on his face. “Jet, you do not need to worry about that at all. Brit, Sean, hell...anyone who is a part of the family is taken care of. No one ever has to ask to know that shit will happen. We all consider you a brother, just like the parents consider you and Reed, Mace, Taylor, and Harm as their sons. But I am here to tell you, nothing is going to happen. We are going to beat these fuckers at their own game.”

  I nodded, and then Fin said, “Okay, come on. Time to tour the safe room, and then back to the drawing board. We need to be prepared for whatever they throw at us.”

  We all followed Fin downstairs, and as we passed, I waved at Mel and her brother-in-law as well as Rena and Eva who were still talking to Reilly. The man appeared to be giving them the whole business.

  Fin took us through the connecting hallway where the sauna was, and he paused. “Okay, guys, this is where we got creative. I’m showing all of the women this tomorrow and how to use it.”

  He opened the sauna door and stepped in. We followed him to the back of the room where he pushed a button that looked like another knot in the wood. A screen appeared, and he punched in a code. When a door slid open in the wall, several holy shits were said. We walked through into a huge fucking room filled with phones, computers, food, and several beds. Hell, it looked like a bomb shelter. There was even a medical box on the wall that held meds and supplies.

  Falon turned in a circle and said, “FUCKING A, Mel and I can have a long lunch in here without being interrupted.”

  “No sex in the panic room,” Fin said firmly, and Falon grinned.

  “Oh, come on, this place is awesome. We could pretend the zombies took over the world, and we are the only normal people left.”

  “Do
not tell me your sex play!” Tony snapped.

  “No sex in the panic room,” Fin said even louder.

  “Please, he ruined the whole thing when he said the only normal people left. That isn’t sex play. That is being delusional,” I said, and the others laughed.

  “Geez, you fuckers have no humor at all,” Falon said and walked out, which made us laugh harder.

  Yeah, this was what family was all about.

  Chapter Fourteen

  Brit

  It wasn’t like me to be nervous, but I was. Since I’d made the move to the Bronx I’d been at the house numerous times, still, this time was different. If this had been the only thing bothering me, I could deal. But no, I had to be super-aware of the men who walked beside me. Each day since I’d spent the night with them, they hadn’t pressured me once to do it again. Nope, instead they’d been attentive as hell and every time I turned around one of them was there.

  They brought lunch to my office and made sure I ate. They’d touch me if only a brief run of their fingers down my arm as they passed me in the gym. Each day when I showed up at work, I found a single flower on my desk. And how they found out I liked mini-tootsie rolls was beyond me, but I opened my desk drawer to pull out a file and there sat a large bag. For two men who said they didn’t do wooing, they were doing a damn good job. And if I wanted to jump them and ride them until next week, it was their fault. They were driving me batshit crazy.

  “Why are you fidgeting? It’s not like you haven’t been to my parents’ house for Sunday dinner,” Sean said and glanced over at me as we walked toward the front door to the O’Malley’s home.

  “This time is different,” I said and wiped my hands on the thighs of my jeans. Like I’d shout out the stuff I had just thought about.

  “It’s dinner. There will be food and lots of people talking at the same time. Not as if you don’t know anyone,” Jet said, and I glared at him. That was what I meant about sending me over the edge. One minute—touchy and tender, the next—smartass.

  “It will be the first time as your girlfriend, you buffoons.” I rolled my eyes.

  “Oo-kay,” Sean said, shook his head, and reached for the knob on the door. When he paused, Jet and I looked at him.

  “Plan on opening the door. I don’t think your mom will let us eat on the porch.” I lifted my brows in question, and Jet chuckled.

  “Funny. But we are the first here, and every time I come here, walking in brings back the Christmas incident. Frankly, I never want to relieve that moment.”

  “We aren’t the first. I saw the tail end of two vehicles around back. And isn’t it time that you and the others move on from that. Didn’t that happen years ago?” Jet interjected and earned a glare from Sean.

  “Some things you can’t un-see. Parents getting down to business in the kitchen tops the list.” The despair in Sean’s voice had me pushing him aside.

  I should’ve felt for him, but then he had no idea what I had endured from my parents’ actions. Sean and Jet might know about my parents’ side activities because who knew after headboard banging sex, I’d become a chatterbox. Still, some things were just damned embarrassing, like walking in on my mom getting pounded by her tennis instructor. That wouldn’t affect a teenage girl? Or visiting my dad at work only to open his office door to see his hairy ass doing his assistant over his desk. At least my parents had each been too far into the throws of sex to have realized I had walked in. Dinners at our house had been bad enough.

  “Hello!” I yelled after I opened the door and walked in with Sean and Jet behind me. When we started down the hall and passed by the living room, it reminded me. “Whatever you do, don’t sit on the new lounger,” I said over my shoulder and followed the voices I heard coming from the kitchen.

  “Why not?” Jet and Sean asked at the same time.

  “Trust me, you do not want to know. Just don’t sit on it,” I said just as I walked into the kitchen. Sitting at the table was Reilly O’Malley, Anthony Roark, and Judge Caine Sanders while Sonia and Ms. Maddie helped Olivia with the food.

  “There’s one of my girls!” Reilly bellowed as he stood, and I couldn’t help but grin at the man before he wrapped me up in his arms for a hug. The man had a way to make you feel special.

  “Ours,” Sean said as he patted his dad’s shoulder as he walked by and I felt Reilly flinch. I knew why, but wouldn’t rat him out. Sean went to his mom and kissed her on the cheek, then did the same to Sonia and Ms. Maddie.

  “All you boys keep living in your fantasy world,” Reilly said as he released me from the hug. “Anthony and I know the real deal.”

  “Pups, every one of them,” Mr. Roark said and raised his glass from his spot at the kitchen table.

  “So true, Anthony. Young people today think too much, instead of going after what they want,” Judge Sanders said and held up his glass, too. Seemed the parents and Judge Sanders had gotten an early start on drinking. This wasn’t going to be a short dinner. When they’d get drunk, shit would get wild.

  “Caine, I’ll tell you that if not for us,” Reilly waved his hand between himself and Anthony, “I don’t think any of them would be settled down.” The parents chuckled at Reilly’s words.

  “Seriously, you are going to take credit for everyone’s relationship or marriage,” Sean chuckled. “I didn’t know dementia ran on your side of the family, Dad. You should have that checked.”

  “Nothing wrong with my mind, boy. I know exactly what goes on. And what I see is the two of you,” Reilly pointed between Sean and Jet, “finally pulled your heads out your asses.” I lowered my head and smirked. Yeah, the bottle of Irish Whiskey had been hit hard already.

  Sean shook his head and handed Jet a beer from the fridge. “You want a glass of wine, Brit?” Sean asked as he grabbed one of the empty glasses that sat on the bar and the bottle of wine that sat beside it. “I’d pour you some Irish Whiskey, but by the looks of that bottle, it would only be a sip.”

  “No, thank you. I think I’ll stick with water,” I said, and Sean and Jet both smirked.

  I glared at them as I took the bottled water Sean offered me. Pre-drunken-slept-with-two-men-Brit enjoyed wine, beer, even a few shots of Tequila. But since Atlantic City, I had thought it better to refrain from anything with alcohol in it. It made it easier to stay focused around the two men, instead of sending sensibility out the window and left with the thoughts of how I wanted to climb them like a monkey.

  “Getting through family dinner will be a lot easier with a drink,” Sean said and laughed as he dodged Olivia’s hand when she tried to swat him.

  “Or ten. Is there enough beer? I could run out for more before the others get here,” Jet said and chuckled as he caught the dishtowel thrown at him.

  “Heavens, what has gotten into the two of you?” Olivia said when Jet leaned in and kissed her cheek. “I swear, it is like someone flipped a switch in you boys.”

  “Tolsen, keep your lips off my woman,” Reilly said, then placed his arm around my shoulder. When I looked up at him, he was smiling at Jet and Sean as they teasingly harassed Sonia, Ms. Maddie, and Olivia.

  “You’re good for them, honey,” Reilly said softly when he looked down at me. “Sean’s always been a little on the quiet side. More watchful than my other boys. And too serious most of the time. It’s good to see him like this.”

  “And Jet?” I bit my lip and whispered back. Reilly grinned again as we watched Ms. Maddie smack at Jet as he tried to lift her up when she pointed to the plates and glasses on the top shelf of the cabinet. Jet sat her back on her feet and laughed as he reached for them.

  Reilly gave me a squeeze. “Even Jackson. He is a good man. Intense, focused. In his job, it works well for him. Living life, not so much. You make them better men, honey.”

  “I don’t know about that. They are so...sure I’m right for them. How can they know? We haven’t known each other that long.” Reilly chuckled, and I stopped and looked up at him.

  “Sweetheart
, there isn’t a time limit to go by to fall in love. Besides, I know you’re right for them. Right for this family. I’ll admit they had me worried. Thought they were going to blow it,” Reilly said, and we both looked down the hallway from where we stood when the front door opened. The others walked in and the house was instantly filled with people. Each talking at the same time by the noise level.

  “About time the others got here,” Sean said and winked at me on his way out to greet the others. Jet followed, but stopped and leaned in and kissed me on the forehead before he too walked out. When I looked up at Reilly, he smiled ear-to-ear.

  “You’re really enjoying this, aren’t you?” I asked and lifted my brow.

  Reilly laughed, then dropped his hand to the small of my back. “Let’s go say hello to the others,” he said and started to lead us out of the kitchen. “And to answer your question. It feels damn good when I’m right.”

  I laughed the entire way to greet the others. The man was too much but easy to love.

  Sean

  The living room seemed huge when I was a kid. But with all the adults standing and sitting, the room was busting at the seams. God, the noise. Though I smiled when I glanced over to where my dad stood with an arm around Brook and Zoey while the other women stood around him.

  After everyone acknowledged the arrivals, Anthony and Judge Sanders took Rucker in the kitchen to get a cookie while Mom, Sonia, and Ms. Maddie finalized the meal. Mia was the only one that stayed in the kitchen to help even after our mom had shooed her and the other women out.

  “Old man is in his element, isn’t he?” I turned to look at Fin as he plopped down next to me with a beer in his hand.

  “Yeah, he is. Did you know he has lunch or sometimes breakfast with the women?” Fin chuckled, but Michael was the one to answer me when he walked up.

  “Bro, the man has taken each woman to join the family under his wing. Hell, Zoey is nicer to him than she is to us. Especially since him and Anthony had gone through Lamaze training. I mean, like I will let them in there, but they have convinced themselves in case of an emergency it would come in handy.”