Fionn (7 page)

“I think my dad may be outside in a car waiting somewhere,” she finally said, knowing it would mean confronting him in some form or another. “I’m not leaving with him, but I do need to talk to him.”

Fionn pressed his gun into her palm. “Fine. But you’ll do it armed and with me at your side.”

“Fionn, this is my dad. I don’t need a gun to talk to him.”

“Then you don’t know the man like you think you do. Do this for me. Just this once and I’ll never ask you to touch a gun again.”

She grinned up at him, the moonlight illuminating their faces. “I think you just dig chicks with guns.” Instantly, his cock pulsed under her bottom where she sat across his lap. “That’s what I thought,” she said, her grin widening even more.

“Let’s just get this over with. I want you in my bed. Not under it.” He pulled out his phone, hitting a couple of buttons to call someone. “Micky, I need cleanup if Shannon can spare you. Two in the kitchen. Two in the master bedroom. Check with me before you leave.” Without further comment, he hung up.

LeeAnn studied his face a moment before standing and offering a hand to help him up. “You’re anticipating having to kill my dad, aren’t you? That’s why you want your man to check with you.”

Fionn took her hand, stood, then cupped her cheek with one hand. “I won’t if I can help it. But your father is in deep with my old man. He probably doesn’t have your best interest at heart.”

“Very well then,” she said. “Let’s go.” LeeAnn wasn’t sure what she was hoping for, but she had the feeling her life was about to change forever.

There was no way Fionn was allowing LeeAnn anywhere near Bart Holden. There was a trap there. He could smell it. Keeping her away from her stepfather was going to be a problem since Fionn knew she’d never just blindly follow him where her father was concerned. But he had to try.

For a long while, Fionn scoped out the front drive where Holden’s car sat. As if the man owned the place. Apparently, he’d anticipated his men would have killed Fionn. So why wait? Smarter than Fionn gave him credit for?

No. Sure enough, the man got tired of waiting and exited the car, dropping a cigarette and stomping it into the pavement. Making his way to the front door, Holten had the temerity to simply walk into Fionn O’Shea’s home as if he owned the place.

“Vick!” he thundered as if he fully expected his muscle had killed Fionn and was simply taking his time coming out. “Where the fuck are you? And where’s my daughter?”

“I’m here, sir,” LeeAnn answered, moving away from Fionn quickly. She left him in the shadows, never acknowledging he was there. Was she that glad to see her father? Would she betray him? The latter thought made his gut clench. Fionn had grown up with betrayal. Expected it. But from LeeAnn, it would be nearly as bad as if one of his brothers had done it.

Holten didn’t smile, didn’t welcome her with open arms like any other father would. Instead he said simply, “Come on. You need to get back to work.”

LeeAnn tilted her head as if she hadn’t heard him right. “Actually, I’m going to continue my work here. Fionn is building me a lab. I’m going to arrange to finish my thesis here and do my research in a virtual environment.” OK, that was interesting, Where was she going with this? Sure, Fionn had offered, but though she’d same as said she’d be agreeable if he could pull it off, she hadn’t actually taken him up on it yet. And she’d never said what she would need. Of all the things that were going through his mind, the least important should have been “I might actually be able to pull that off.”

“Nonsense. You’re coming back with me.
I’ll
set you up a lab so you can work at home. You signed nondisclosure agreements. Fionn O’Shea only wants to make sure he has control over your work.”

There were several moments of silence before LeeAnn said, “And you don’t?” She said it quietly, an accusation.

“Surely you didn’t think I sent you to the best schools for nothing.”

“So, I’m supposed to pay you with…what? Classified aerospace projects? What will you do with them? You certainly can’t sell them off as your own. You don’t have the background for anyone to believe your credibility.”

“I expect
you
to sell them. You owe all your education to me. The way I see it, any money you earn from it is forfeit to me anyway, so I’ll be taking it as soon as you complete your current project and find a buyer.”

She gave a humorless laugh. “You have no idea what you’re doing, do you?”

“I know exactly what I’m doing! You will give me the money from your projects, then you’ll start new ones. This time, I’ll be the sponsor. You work for me. Just like I’d planned all along.”

“Dad, I don’t own my research. The school does. I’m a student there. On scholarship for my masters and Ph.D. I might head the project, but any money will go to the school. It’s the reason they gave me the scholarship in the first place.”

Her dad cocked his head to the side. Hesitated. Then, “You’re a lying bitch just like your mother.” Bart lunged for LeeAnn, grabbing her by the throat. “You will give me my due! I didn’t keep you here so you could freeload off me.” He grinned evilly at her then. “Maybe we can work something else out. If O’Shea here has offered to build you a fucking lab, you must have proven to be more…adventurous…than your mother.”

LeeAnn was gripping his big wrist in both of her hands. Fionn had his gun out, ready to shoot but couldn’t get a clear angle. The last thing he wanted to do was hit LeeAnn by mistake. Funny. He’d never cared before. He always hit his target. But the thought of pulling the trigger now with LeeAnn so close to where he aimed made him break out in a cold sweat.

“Bastard!” LeeAnn bit out, though it seemed to be difficult.

“You think your new boyfriend will help you? He hasn’t shot me yet, even though he has his gun trained on me. Perhaps he’s not as infatuated with you as you thought. Perhaps he’s afraid to shoot me because he knows I’m under the protection of his old man.”

As he spoke, a shot rang out. Pain exploded in Fionn’s right shoulder. Had he not shifted a few inches to the left, the bullet might have hit him in the neck. As it was, his gun hand went numb, his nine mil thudding to the ground.

“Fortunately, I don’t have any problem with shooting him. In fact, it’s exactly what I’ve been paid to do.”

LeeAnn seemed to be trying to turn around, but Bart held her in a death grip. Was she looking for him? Fionn wanted to say something to ease her mind, but he was in the shadows. Bart’s man had made a kill shot. If they all thought he was dead he had a better chance of recovering so he could fucking kill them all. Besides, he had no idea how many men Bart still had left.

“Let me go! You disgust me!”

“I haven’t even begun to disgust you, sweetheart. Before I’m done with you, you won’t even remember Fionn O’Shea.”

In a move that surprised even Fionn, LeeAnn dropped down, using her full body weight to loosen the hold Holden had on her neck as she dropped to her back. With a battle yell, she kicked up with both feet, landing a solid hit to Holden’s groin. Two yells came from the shadows just beyond the lighting in the drive. Heavy footfalls followed, headed toward Holden and LeeAnn.

“Kill the bitch!” Holden screamed. “Should have done it years ago!”

Fear, something Fionn hadn’t experienced in more years than he could remember, gripped him like a vise. Moving quickly, he snagged his gun, pulling the trigger on the two henchmen before taking aim at Holden. Before he could do anything, however, another shot rang out. It took him a couple of seconds to process what he was seeing.

LeeAnn lay on her back, pistol in hand, her aim still on her stepfather as he crumpled to the ground. Just before he fell, Fionn saw the small blossom of blood in his forehead where she’d shot him.

“LeeAnn!” There was no way to keep the fear from his voice. It was over, but he still had this overwhelming fear for her. If he lost her, there was no way he’d recover. In just a couple of days, this woman had become as essential to him as breathing. “Talk to me, LeeAnn!” Fionn scrambled up, his shoulder screaming as he lurched to her on his hands and knees before stumbling to his feet.

“I’m fine,” she said, her voice shaky. Her father lay in a heap in front of her, LeeAnn still on the ground. “I think I killed him.”

“Turn away, baby,” he said as he reached her. Pulling her to her feet, he wrapped his good arm around her. The other one was basically useless at the moment. “Are you hurt?”

“No. Just a little…” She took a deep breath. “What would he have done to me if I hadn’t shot him?”

“Don’t think about that, LeeAnn. You’re safe. Let’s get inside. I’ll make sure Micky knows I need him out here and we’ll get you cleaned up.”

“I’m fine,” she insisted. “What about you? You were shot, for crying out loud!”

“I’ll be OK. While you’re resting, I’ll get this taken care of. No fuss, no muss.”

Then she burst into tears.

LeeAnn stretched, careful not to disturb Fionn in the big bed they now shared. She’d stayed with him while his personal physician made a house call to tend the bullet wound. He’d called it a “through and through,” indicating it should heal nicely if Fionn followed his instructions. LeeAnn assured the man Fionn would, indeed, follow his instructions to the letter, no matter how much he protested. So, for the next month, she’d proceeded to make good on her promise. While Fionn growled and grumbled, he did what she told him to, and so was healing nicely. Every now and then, after he’d protested particularly hard, doing his therapy only if she promised to perform some scandalous sex act for him later, she caught him grinning after she agreed in a huff. It wasn’t as if she wouldn’t have done anything he’d demanded of her anyway. She suspected it was as fun for him to pretend he was getting her to do something she might not otherwise have done as it was for her to pretend she wasn’t dying to try every single thing he suggested. As long as they were both happy—and he was healing—she really didn’t care. Life was good.

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.