Tough Love (The Shakedown Series Book 3)

by Elizabeth SaFleur

  “Probation? Fuck that, and fuck you.”

  “You showed loyalty to my father. Now you’re going to swear it to me.”

  “And why would I do that?”

  “We’re family.”

  Luna slipped her hand into his. “Family matters.”

  Sean sneered anew. “What would you know about it?”

  “She knows more than you do. Clearly. You want to go work for Patrick there, have at it.”

  Sean gave a tight shake of his head.

  “Good. You swore allegiance to my father. Now you’re going to swear it to me.”

  “You always had it.”

  “Except for that little part of about pulling the trigger?”

  “Appeasing an old man.”

  “I’ll tell you how you’re going to appease me. You’re going to rebuild Shakedown.”

  “What? Work for Declan Phillips?”

  “Yes, actually. And pay for it. I don’t care how long it takes to pay back.”

  The man’s face fell, and after a long minute, he nodded once. It was enough—for now. The man would be watched—closely—for a while. Hell, maybe forever. But Carragh wasn’t his father. He didn’t put bullets in people who opposed him.

  He also had too much to do to worry about petty revenge schemes because no one would get him out of the driver’s seat now. Not ever.

  37

  Six Months Later - November

  Carragh absent-mindedly stared at the small picture of a pheasant over the bureau. He growled and yanked the tie free from his neck for the third time.

  Luna went to him and grasped his arm. “Here. Let me.”

  He twisted, and she went to work on knotting his tie. “You didn’t need to get this dressed up. It’s just my sisters.”

  “Exactly.” He peered down at her. “And Declan. And Nathan. And Cherry.”

  The zing of silk through the tie knot made her belly tingle. She did love her man in a suit. “There.” She patted his pecs. “Cherry didn’t want to be left out. You’ll learn that about her. She’s part of our family, too.” Not to mention she was the reason this night was happening at all.

  “Oh, I get that.” He reached over to the chair and grabbed his jacket. “I can’t believe they all said yes.”

  “It’s because they know past animosities are over.” Or so she hoped. They would wait and see how tonight unfolded. “You’ve more than proven yourself, Carragh. You don’t need to any longer.”

  He murmured his disbelief.

  “Seriously. They’ll love you as I do in time.”

  “Let’s hope not.” He captured her around her waist and drew her flush against his torso, which was so unfair because he knew what being this close did to her. Her imagination needed no dinner or family time. It only desired him, preferably out of the suit and her dress abandoned on the floor.

  “I have some special love reserved just for you.” He tilted his pelvis so his impressive cock pressed into her stomach.

  The man’s testosterone levels had risen in recent months—and it hadn’t been low before. Now, not a day went by the man didn’t reach for her where it ended up with her clothes falling off.

  The doorbell chime sounded downstairs, and her lips burst wide open. “They’re here.”

  Carragh’s return smile was slow coming, but it finally appeared. “Our first Sunday dinner. I had no idea you could cook for so many.”

  “Oh, just you wait.”

  They both went to the front door to greet their guests. Phee, Declan, and Cherry faced them, all wearing different moods. If Luna knew anything, it was how to read her family.

  Phee was containing some disdain, and Declan’s face was unreadable. Cherry seemed quite happy to be standing on the front porch of Luna and Carragh’s new Roland Hills home, having just moved in a month ago.

  “I love that,” Cherry pointed at the double-wide porch swing Carragh had put up for Luna as a welcome present—one of many. “Oh, and such beautiful landscaping.” Cherry did love her aesthetics.

  “Welcome, and come in.” Carragh stepped back and gestured them inside.

  Once inside, Phee thrust a dish covered in tinfoil at her. “Here. Declan made biscuits.” She reached over and gave Luna a half-hug. Her eyes then began to roam around the room.

  Carragh collected coats. Fall had officially set in with chillier evenings. They’d spent a glorious summer living at Carragh’s house. “Our house,” he kept correcting her. She loved even thinking that phrase.

  She hadn’t been successful getting her sisters to visit, however, at least not until Cherry finally intervened. Cherry really should have gone into politics.

  Carragh had had quite a busy summer unravelling decades of his father’s work, but they’d still managed to have some getaways to the Eastern Shore house. Fixing it up a little was the next project on her to-do list—even if most of her weekends would soon be taken up again once Shakedown re-opened.

  “I can’t wait until summer comes around again when we can sit out on the porch and swing our troubles away,” Luna said.

  “Oh, and what troubles would that be?” Phee handed her forest green velvet jacket to Carragh. Despite her sarcastic tone, she wasn’t too sorry to be here. Phee had worn her favorite jacket.

  “We don’t have those anymore.” Luna smiled at her sister. “Remember?”

  “We’ll see.”

  Footsteps on the porch signaled Starr and Nathan had arrived, and they strode in through the open front door. “Fashionably late, but I have the best excuse. Little Phoebe here decided three a.m. was a perfect time to choreograph a new dance.”

  Starr was due in a month, and it showed given the size of her belly. It was huge, beautiful, and made Luna pine for the day she might get to feel a little being flutter and kick inside her.

  “Forgive me for not bringing anything to dinner?” She glanced up at Carragh. “I figured you’d have enough.” She waved her hand around the room. Nathan huffed a little as if amused.

  Okay, rocky start, but they’d warm up. Surely, they wouldn’t be this rude. It really wasn’t like them.

  “Come on in. We’ll have drinks first.”

  “Wow, you sound like the matron of a grand estate already.” Starr hooked her arm in Luna’s.

  “Nothing grand. Just us.”

  While Carragh poured drinks, he and Declan chatted amicably enough. Nathan remained silent, sitting next to Starr. He was uncomfortable by the way he kept his elbows on his knees, trying not to look at anything. That she’d expected.

  Phee and Starr talked about babies and pretty much ignored everyone.

  Cherry, however, acted as if she’d landed in heaven by the way she wandered the room, drinking in every art deco statue Carragh had on display.

  “Why, Carragh, you have quite the eye.” She bent over to more closely inspect the woman holding the peacock feather, nearly the size of her whole body.

  “I knew you’d love that one.” Luna joined her. “See all the detail?”

  “Since when did you care about art?” Phee asked.

  “I care about a lot of things.”

  “Things,” she drew out.

  Luna gave her a hard look. “Phee.” She did not hide her warning tone. Her sister needed to remove that large stick from her butt right now.

  Her sister sighed and sipped her sparkling cider.

  At dinner, things seemed to lighten up. Everyone chatted about current news, dance classes, and the new Shakedown club Declan and Carragh were building together—thanks to Carragh’s over-the-top gesture of donating his warehouse space down the street. Apparently, he was making Sean foot much of the renovation bill, too. He’d been the one to suggest Nicole start the fire to begin with.

  Luna suppressed a shudder that Nicole was still out there somewhere, an obsessive arsonist who wouldn’t likely give up easily. Carragh said not to worry, that she had more things to worry about—like her father, who took her independence badly.

  Carragh’s hand f
ell to hers. “Everything alright?”

  “I’m fine. Just happy everyone is here. In fact…” She rose her voice over the dining and light laughter around her and Carragh’s table. Their table. What a thought. “Thank you, everyone, for being here. We haven’t had a family dinner in too long.”

  Nathan choked a little and swallowed his filet. Starr slapped him on the back and handed him his water. “I’d say. Next time let’s do it at our place. Less stress all around.”

  Luna couldn’t see Starr’s eyes as she was focused on Nathan, but she got her intent. Luna appreciated the protective sense Starr had. She had as well, just for a different man.

  “We’re in, Starr. We’d love that.” Phee glanced at Declan and they shared a certain “look.” Luna read it very well. It said, “We did our duty. We won’t be doing it again.”

  Enough.

  Luna clinked her glass and rose from her seat.

  “Oh, yes, a toast.” Cherry nearly bounced in her seat. She raised her wine glass.

  “No toast. There hasn’t been enough to celebrate… yet.” She let her eyes drift around the room, taking in each member of her family. Her lips couldn’t have formed a smile if she’d wanted them to.

  She circled to behind Carragh and placed her hands on his shoulders. He stared up at her, brows furrowed in question.

  “This is how it’s going to go from this second forward,” she said rather loudly. “Carragh is my husband. Forever. We are going to have a life together. I want that life to include all of you.” She peered down at him, and he crossed his arm over his chest to lay his hand on hers.

  She stared hard at Starr. “If you’d just stop judging, you’d discover how wonderful he is. Put everything on the line for us. And he’s kind…” she looked over at Phoenix “…when other people aren’t being kind.”

  Phee lifted her water goblet to her lips and sliced her eyes to the side, and Starr dropped her gaze down to her lap.

  “And if you can’t be, you know where the front door is.”

  Both of her sister’s gaze lifted, their eyes widened. Luna had never laid down a line like this, one that would put them on the “outs.” She meant it when she’d said ‘Sisters forever, friends always,’ but being a sister meant embracing the others’ choices.

  When Luna thought about it—really thought about it—her mistakes in the past weren’t in just finding their father or not getting between her sisters and their father when he had his belt out, buckle on the striking end, and raised his arm to strike them. It was not speaking up.

  Cherry delicately lifted a shrimp to her lips, but Luna caught her hidden smile.

  “Does anyone have anything to say?” she asked.

  Silence stretched for a long minute. She could wait.

  “These shrimp are fantastic,” Cherry whispered when the silence grew too great for her to bear. Lightening things up wasn’t what they needed right now, but she appreciated the effort.

  “Okay, more needs to be said.” Luna took in a long breath. “I’m sorry I don’t have as many scars as you on my body. I’m sorry I forced a reunion with dad. But I’m not sorry about loving the most wonderful, strongest man I’ve ever known.” Carragh twisted his neck so he could lay a kiss on her fingers.

  “We were going to be better than Dad. Now you can prove it.”

  Phee swallowed, probably trying to stem the tears brimming in her eyes. Starr blinked and took a long breath.

  It was time to end this animosity for good. She lifted her glass. “So, here’s my toast. Family forever. Friends always.”

  Phee smiled, a single tear falling to her cheek. She slapped at it.

  Starr took a long look at her but then lifted her glass. “I like that.” She tried to push her chair back as if she wanted to rise. She struggled so much Nathan jumped up and pulled her chair out. As he did, his eyes met Luna’s for one brief second, and he dipped his chin in a single nod.

  He wasn’t much of a talker, but she got his message. Luna’s own eyes began to fill. If Nathan could call up any forgiveness for the last year, everyone else could.

  Slowly, one by one, everyone else rose from their chairs, glasses in hand. Carragh was the last one to stand. He pushed his chair back to make room for her so she could stand next to him.

  He lifted his glass high. “Family forever.”

  Nathan reached around Starr and grabbed a water glass. He lifted it toward Carragh.

  Oh, yes, this was going to work.

  Glasses raised high, Luna finished the toast. “Friends always.”

  “Amen,” Starr and Phee said in unison.

  Like a deflated hot air balloon, all the tension in the room fell to the ground. All around the table, hands had clenched glasses and faces had been strung tight, but any strings the past held on them somehow loosened. Foreheads relaxed and smiles were let loose.

  “Hear, hear,” Cherry tapped her palm in a half clap. “Well, finally.” She plopped herself down and everyone else took their seats again and snapped napkins back in place.

  Cherry reached for the bowl of mashed potatoes. “Momma Cherry can finally get a good night’s sleep because the O’Malley sisters are. In. Their. Love. Nests.”

  “And their husbands, too.” Carragh winked at her.

  Cherry dipped her chin down and to the side. “Oooo, Carragh MacKenna, methinks we might be kindred spirits after all.” She half-rose and leaned over the table. She plopped a huge portion of potatoes on his plate. “Now. Eat. Then we all shift our discussion to the new show coming out of Shakedown. In time for a new Christmas-Hannukah-Kwanza holiday extravaganza. I hereby predict it.”

  “I should have never made her creative director,” Declan chided.

  “You’re right. I should be…” she looked thoughtful “…Creative Vice President.” She blocked the words in the air.

  “It does have a ring to it.” He clinked his glass against hers.

  “Doesn’t it, though? Just like Nathan and Starr Baldwin. Declan and Phoenix Phillips. And…” she pointed her glass at Luna “…Carragh and Luna MacKenna.”

  Glasses then rose into the air again, and the laughter came back. That’s what Luna wanted around this table—often. Laughter from her sisters, from their men, Cherry, her husband, and soon, Starr’s baby.

  Then someday? She reached for Carragh’s hand again, and his blue eyes, now more fire than ice, cast all his love down on her. Someday, their baby’s giggles would join the celebration.

  38

  February

  His father’s wheelchair bumped over the cracks in the walkway. When they got to the thirteenth marker, he pushed it down onto the grass. “Careful,” his father grumbled. The man couldn’t stop giving him orders.

  Luna’s hand slipped around his arm, and her reassuring fingers curled around his bicep. She gave him a sly smile as if she, too, had caught his father’s tone. They were sharing more of those moments—little messages that only they could understand. Such a silly thing for him to notice, but it comforted him in a way.

  He’d wanted to bring Luna to his mother’s grave so many times over the last many months, but the timing had to be right. He wasn’t yet sure about last year’s bombshell actions—outing his father’s past, divesting the family of his father’s holdings. Turned out no one really cared in the end. Times had changed.

  Perhaps it was because the MacKennas were now one less player among the less-scrupulous masses. It was an easy thing to swallow in a fiercely competitive crime circuit.

  Or perhaps it was because he so spectacularly sold off every building—save those on the waterfront near Shakedown—and shut down every supply chain he could identify. Instead, selling everything for pennies on the dollar to rivals, handing over every phone number and contacts he could drum up to them. He didn’t need the money or the lines of business.

  In fact, all he really cared about was standing next to him.

  He turned the wheelchair to face the granite angel, his mother’s grave marker. He got clo
se. Let the man look upon at least one of the deaths he’d likely caused.

  Luna stepped forward and set the bouquet of daffodils and white lilies she’d brought at the marker’s base. “It’s beautiful.” She lifted her eyes to him.

  “It’s… adequate.” Of all the times he’d stood here, his throat had never closed like this before. Maybe because he was entirely incapable of hiding anything in his wife’s presence. My wife. Would he ever get used to that term, even in his own thoughts?

  Her small hand slipped into his. “Introduce me to your mother?”

  He scratched the side of his face, then pulled her closer. “Hello Mother. This is Luna Belle, my wife.”

  Her hand slipped free. “Hello Mrs. MacKenna. I’m Valentina.”

  “You don’t usually use that name.” He had known her real name for a while, just had never heard her utter it since their wedding ten months ago. It was as beautiful as her stage name.

  She peered up at the angel. “I’m not ashamed of my real name. I just got used to my sisters calling me Luna. It helped with Phee, who definitely didn’t want her real name out there.” She smiled over at him. “Your mother would have understood that, I think.”

  She was right, of course. His mother would have loved Luna. Valentina.

  “Mrs. MacKenna, I’m in love with your son. I’ll take good care of him.”

  A murmur came from his father.

  “What’s that? Want to say something?” Carragh didn’t hide his disdain.

  Luna threw him a stern look. She’d softened to the guy. He hadn’t. He made sure his father had nursing care around the clock, but his past wouldn’t be forgiven easily. And certainly not while standing here.

  “She’ll do.” Tomas jutted his chin up once. “She has respect.”

  Carragh muttered and swallowed the retort souring on his tongue. The man knew so little about respect.

  “You mother…” His father fumbled his words. The man’s speech had returned but he didn’t talk much anymore. “I don’t come because it reminds me. She took the bullet. Got in front of me. Took it for me.” He pointed to his chest and then pointed at the angel.