Chapter Twenty-Two

 

Kelly was with Shane when it happened.

She’d been with Shane for the past few days. There wasn’t much else that she could do for now. She couldn’t move against Bates until Ivan got back and they were able to move on the Murphys all at once. If she killed him too early, the Murphys might figure that something was up and attack before Ivan’s forces were in place—and they’d be slaughtered.

Kelly didn’t really want to think about what would happen once the war was over. If she just focused on Shane, on the next few days, on the war… she wouldn’t have to think about the fact that she was falling in love with a man who probably could only think of her as a friend-slash-bed-partner.

It was stupid of her to develop feelings for Ivan. She was well aware of that. She had every expectation that their partnership would be more of a business arrangement than anything else. She wasn’t—dear god—expecting anything from him. He’d never treated her with anything less than honesty, even when that honestly had annoyed her, and she figured that if he’d been feeling anything for her he would’ve said so.

No, she was the one being an idiot here. She’d fallen like a ridiculous girl in a film, just because the hot guy slept with her once. Honestly. She should’ve known better.

Maybe this was why she’d been fighting it so hard at first—fighting Ivan so hard at first. Perhaps a part of her had known that she would fall for him if she was only given the chance and had turned her prickly, angry, like a snarling cat, knowing that if she relaxed it would spell doom for her.

She was far from the provocative, pliant women that Ivan was used to picking up at clubs. The type that he obviously preferred. She was never going to be that way. She was going to push and snarl and challenge him at every turn. She wouldn’t be satisfied with anything less than being treated as a full partner.

That would rankle at him, it had to. How could he fall in love with a woman like that? The alpha men like Ivan, they just wanted someone they could control. She was never going to be controlled—except maybe in the bedroom.

A shiver ran through her at the thought. She could easily see them getting along in that area if nowhere else. There were plenty of ideas of what he could do to her… of what she could do to him…

Her phone went off and she hastily smothered her inappropriate thoughts. She was sitting with her comatose brother, for crying out loud, what kind of pervert was she?

The text was from her father, and had just two words;

It’s begun.

Shit.

Kelly jumped up, hurrying to the door and peering out.

The street looked empty.

Fuck. The Murphys had moved sooner than expected. Ivan wasn’t expected back until later this afternoon, and he’d probably be jet-lagged, and…

She texted him, just in case:

Murphys have moved. It’s war.

She’d just finished sending the text when she got a call from her father. “Kelly. Where are you?”

“I’m with Shane, where else would I be?”

“Good, good, stay there. I’m going to send a car to pick you two up.”

“Are you insane?” Kelly looked down at her brother’s sleeping face. “Father, we can’t move him, have you lost your mind?”

“Bates will have a good guess as to where he is, he’ll have people checking all the usual places. Shane can’t be there and neither should you.”

“Let them come,” Kelly snapped. “I’ll be waiting.”

“Kelly, please. Just wait and the car will come and move you guys.”

“You promised, Father, you promised I could move on Bates.”

“Ivan isn’t back yet and things have changed, the Murphys are moving on us. You think I like reneging on a promise to you?”

“I’m going after him,” Kelly promised. “I’m going after him, alone or not, and you can’t stop me.”

“You’re right in that I can’t stop you, but I’ll be damned if you’re leaving your brother alone. At least get him into the car.”

Damn it, he was right. She couldn’t leave Shane, not in this condition. Kelly nodded, even though he couldn’t see her. “All right. I’ll get him into the car. I’ll wait for that.”

“Thank you. And whatever you decide to do…” Her father sighed. “Just be careful.”

“I will.”

She hung up, checking her phone. No texts from Ivan—not that she should have expected anyway.

Shit.

“K…”

Someone was speaking—trying to speak.

She turned around.

Shane’s eyes were opened just a crack, his lips parted as he tried to talk.

Of all times for him to come around, shit, shit, shit.

“No, no, just rest,” she told him, hurrying over and sitting on the edge of the bed, taking his hand. “Just sit, just relax, okay? You’re been through a lot of shit, Shane, just lie there and breathe.”

“Connor,” Shane croaked.

Kelly stood up, crossing to the little sink and counter to get him a cup of water. “Drink this.”

Shane drank three cups of water obediently, but at the fourth he pushed it away. “Connor,” he repeated. “I saw him—right in the chest, where is he? Is he okay?”

Kelly bit the inside of her cheek, hard, the pain focusing her and keeping her from crying. She took Shane’s hand again. “I’m going to need you to stay calm, okay? Your body’s still recovering.”

Shane, predictably, didn’t listen to her and tried to sit up. “What happened—Kelly, what’s been going on?”

She put her hand on the center of his chest, forcing him to lie back down. “Connor didn’t make it, Shane. He died at the scene.”

Shane made a choked noise and Kelly quickly hugged him, soothing him. “It’s okay,” she told him. “We know who did it, we’re going to get that son of a bitch, okay? I’m going to get him, he’s going to pay for what he did.” She pulled back. “But we’re in kind of a situation right now, all right? We’re in a war with the Murphys.”

“A war?” Shane’s eyes were rimmed red. “Jesus, Kelly, how long have I been out?”

“Only about a week,” she assured him. “I’m sorry. Things have been moving quickly.”

“I’ll say. Next thing I know you’ll tell me you’re married or something.”

Kelly’s expression must have given something away, because Shane groaned. “Oh, no, tell me it’s not to some Italian poof.”

“You’re gay, I’m pretty sure that means you’re not allowed to use that slur.”

“Shut up,” Shane replied, a smile flitting across his face. “But seriously. What the fuck’s been happening. How are you getting married?”

“It’s a long story—”

“Is he a good guy?”

Kelly paused. Was Ivan a good person?

He was annoying as all get-out when he wanted to be and he tended to meet her tit for tat on the snark… but yes. Yes, he was a good person. He’d be loyal to the O’Gills, and he was trying—she couldn’t ask for more than that. Loyalty and a good effort.

“Yes. He’s a good person. He’ll treat me right.”

“Good.” Shane nodded. “Now get me out of this damn bed.”

“No, no, you are staying on bed rest,” Kelly instructed, taking Shane’s arms and pinning them to the bed when he tried to pull out his IV line. “You just got out of a damn coma, Shane, I’m your big sister, act like it for once and listen to me.”

Shane huffed but fell back, no longer resisting.

Kelly breathed a sigh of relief. She really hadn’t wanted to knock out her own brother. “Okay, listen. Father’s sent a van, it’ll be here in a minute. They’re going to transfer you to a safer location.”

“Just me?” Shane asked. “Why not you? You’re in better shape than I am.”

“You’re the heir,” Kelly pointed out. “And I’ve got business to take care of. Just, don’t put up a fuss, okay?”

“Why would I—”

There was the sound of the front door opening, but not hurriedly. Quietly. Sneakily. Kelly’s breath caught.

She opened the door just a crack, peering into the dispensary beyond.

It was Bates.