Trading Favors

“Likewise,” I reply patting him on the back.

“Logan said yer in need. So the gang is heading in to set ya right. He’s on his way, just needed to make a stop. What’s up?”

I turn and wave Kaye over. She hesitates for a moment before stepping forward nervously with Dashawn’s carrier clutched in her fingers. I give her a reassuring smile. Jamie is my family. I’d only trust Kaye and Dashawn’s care to family.

I can’t drag her ass back home like I want to. The truth of the matter is, what they’ve done is illegal. She could get into a lot of serious trouble. I need to call Mairettie and get some advice on how to cover her ass on this.

When I know what all we are facing legally, I’ll bury this shit so far you’d have to be Houdini to uncover the truth. I need to make sure the birth certificate will stick and I need to make sure Christa never comes back to cause any problems. She didn’t want anything to do with Dashawn, I’m going to make sure it stays that way.

For now, I need Kaye and the baby safe. That apartment in Queens wasn’t my idea of safe. One call to my cousin Logan and he had a new place for Kaye within the hour.

I’m sort of grateful Danny made the choice to hide her in New York. I can control things here—even when I’m not here. This is as good as my city, as Logan told me over the phone earlier. She’ll be more than safe here.

“Kaye this is my cousin, Jamie. Jamie these two are as important to me as Mom, Dad, and my brothers. You get want I mean?”

“Aye, I got ya. This place is as safe as can be. Would put my own sisters here and wouldn’t lose sleep. We won’t be far away. Anything ya need, ya give us a call,” Jamie directs his last words at Kaye.

I crowd her space when his green eyes scan her. I want to make it clear that she’s not available. Not that Kaye is mine. I just know the men in my family and Jamie is one to charm the pants off of a pretty girl in a heartbeat.

Jamie’s eyes twinkle with mirth and his lips kick up into a smile, but he gives me a nod of understanding. That’s all I need. I trust him like one of my brothers. We don’t get to spend a lot of time together, but we’re still close.

“Thank you,” Kaye says. “It’s nice to meet you.”

“Aye, nice to meet ya too, lass,” he says, before turning and waving us to follow him. “Let’s get the babe inside. Connie is up there getting things ready for ya guys. It’s a three bedroom apartment, but it’s a walk up.”

“You okay?” I lean into Kaye’s ear to ask.

She shivers, turning her head up to look at me. I move closer to share some of my warmth. It is a bit cooler here in Brooklyn. That other apartment will be a distant memory for her now that I’m here. That place was a sweatbox.

“I’m fine,” she nods, turning away before I can get a read on her eyes.

I reach for the carrier, taking it from her hands to carry the baby up the stairs for her. We all walk up to the fourth floor apartment. My eyes are trained on the sway of her ass in her tight blue jeans.

Damn. Does she know how sexy her walk is? I’d bite the shit out of that ass.

I frown at my own thoughts. I’m still sorting through my thoughts and feelings about everything Kaye has told me. The one thing standing out at the forefront is that she was never in a relationship with Alberto.

She’s mine to claim.

Guilt settles in as that thought crosses my mind. I never told Danny how I felt about his sister. It doesn’t feel right that I never told him.

Just as quickly, my guilt turns to anger. Danny should’ve told me what was going on. He should’ve trusted me with the truth. It would have saved us all a lot of pain. Still, I know none of that would’ve kept the two of them out of that car crash.

“Here we are,” Jamie croons. “That’s me sister over there munching on the food I bought for ya. Connie stop stuffing your gub with her food.”

“Shut up, Jamie,” Connie hisses back. “I’m starving. Cole didn’t let me finish me breakfast before he started barking orders. I’ve been running all day.”

“Quit ya belly aching. He sent ya shopping. Yer in heaven and ya know it,” Jamie grumbles.

Connie flips Jamie the bird, giving him the evil eye. She wipes her hands off, before rushing over to give me a hug. I return the embrace with one arm, still holding Dashawn inside his carrier.

“Oh, let me see the wee lad,” Connie coos when she pulls away.

She bends at the waist to pull the blanket back. Dashawn is wide awake, sucking on his pacifier as he looks back at us. He’s an alert baby for his age. His eyes roll over Connie then bounce to me.

“He’s adorable. Ya have to come see what I’ve done with his room,” Connie gushes. “Oh fuck, where are me manners? I’m Connie, by the way.”

She straightens and pulls Kaye into a hug. I roll my lips trying not to laugh at my cousin. The O’Brien family as a whole is a colorful one. My uncle and cousins give my mother a run for her money. I couldn’t tell you who’s crazier. Dad’s side of the family or Mom’s.

I lean in favor of Dad’s when Connie steps back from Kaye and looks her over, assessing her from head to toe. A tiny smile kicks up the corner of her mouth. She turns to me with a lifted brow. I groan internally, knowing something crazy is most likely about to come from her lips.

“Aye, I’d be hiding this one for meself if I were ya. What a ride she is,” Connie purrs.

Jamie groans. “Ya knickers are safe. She’s just being an eejit,” he directs at Kaye.

Kaye stands with her brows knit. It dawns on me how heavy Jamie and Connie’s accents are. Dylan is the most Americanized of my cousins. He hardly ever slips into the Irish brogue the others do. Dylan sounds like a true New Yorker.

With Jamie, it depends on his mood what you’ll get. Cole, or Brooklyn as we all call him, has a heavy New York accent that mixes in with his Irish one. Most times he’ll flip back and forth between the two. Although, when back home in Ireland, forget it, all the New Yorker melts away.

Connie, please, even I have to listen closely at times. She’s the second oldest, after my cousin Logan. They were much older when they arrived here in America. All of my cousins were older and set in their habits when they arrived, except for Dylan. It shows in how each of them have adapted to the States.

“Connie thinks you’re pretty and Jamie is reassuring you that you’re not going to mauled by Connie. She’s straight. She just likes to tease,” I say to Kaye while laughing.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t want to be rude,” Kaye says as her cheeks heat.

“No, we’re being rude. You’re family so we didn’t think about it,” Connie says more clearly. “We’ll get you up to speed and then we can bend your ear. Come on. I’ve gotten the baby’s room ready.”

“Thanks,” Kaye smiles, reaching to take the carrier away. When I don’t release the handle right away, she looks up at me. “I think I should change him.”

I loosen my hold and allow her to take the carrier from me. Jamie grabs my attention, nodding for me to hang back. My eyes remain on Kaye until she disappears from my sight.

“She hasn’t understand a word we said to her, has she,” Jamie says humorously.

“Probably not.”

“Grand, so we can talk freely. Brooklyn found the lass still here in New York. Big front, slope back, she is. She’s burning through her cash like she’s Rockefeller. Dylan says she doesn’t look good,” he fills me in.

“Aye, she just had a baby and she’s run off. I bet she looks like shit,” I hiss, allowing my own mix of my parents’ accents to fall into place. I pause to tamp down my anger. “Ye get the cameras I sent over?”

“Aye, installed and ready to go,” Jamie replies with a nod. “Brooklyn gave the order to bring her in at ya word. What do ya want to do?”

“Have Connie and Kate sit with her and make things clear. She can go crawl under a fucking rock for all I care. I just don’t want to see her come back out. He’s none of her concern anymore and I want it to stay that way. If she breathes a single word about any of this Con and Kat will leave her in tatters on the next visit,” I order.

“She fucked with the wrong one,” Jamie scoffs. “I’ll let Brooklyn know and talk to my sisters.”

“Thanks,” I reply as the front door opens.

Logan, Brooklyn, and Dylan walk in. If they weren’t my own family and I didn’t know I could handle myself, I’d probably piss my pants. Not one of them has a smile on their face until they lock eyes with me. Logan gives the big smile, always known for a good laugh and teasing.

“Where’s yer lass? Don’t have the heart to take the piss out of ya in front of her,” Logan teases.

“She’s with Con and the babe,” Jamie answers.

“Aye, good. C’mere ya rawny fucker,” Logan croons.

“Who you calling skinny?” I huff, puffing out my chest.

“Ya,” Logan and Brooklyn say in unison.

Brooklyn points at me and laughs. “Ye see this. Kid’s got nerve. Comes to our city, asking for favors and then wants to puff out his chest,” he jeers.

“Like we won’t beat the clothes off of that bird chest and send him back home to Uncle Joe,” Logan adds with mirth in his eyes.

We meet in the center of the room and my oldest cousin pulls me into a bear hug, lifting me from my feet to prove a point. I laugh, throwing a punch at his arm when he places me back on my feet.

“Good to see ya,” Logan says patting my cheek.

“I’d say the same if ya weren’t trying to reddener me,” I toss back.

“Oh,” all four of my cousin bellow out.

“There’s it is. That’s our little cousin and everyone thinks he’s the quiet one. Stop trying to embarrass the lad, Logan,” Brooklyn chuckles, pulling me into his embrace.

“Whatever,” I grumble good-naturedly.

“Hey,” Dylan beams at me as I pull him into a hug.

Dylan is the quiet one. Explosive temper but normally as quiet as I seem. I guess being the youngest of six has a lot to do with it in his case.

“Hey. We have to get in a few rounds before I head out,” I say to him causing his smile to grow.

“Sure, sure,” he nods.

“When do ya plan to leave?” Logan quizzes.

Kaye

“I have to leave in a few days. I need to get back to work. I’ve been handling things remotely, but that’s not going to cut it for long,” Felix says.

I swear I hear a note of disappointment in his voice. Then again, it could be wishful thinking. I know he’s doing all of this as a friend. He’d do anything for Danny, which in proxy includes me.

My heart sinks. I don’t know why I thought he would be able to be here longer. I start to feel lonely all over again and he hasn’t left yet.

“We have to get ya to the restaurant for a few drinks and a game of Spades,” the biggest one in the bunch says.

They’re all gorgeous, mostly dark haired versions of the Blacks. The one standing next to the one that just spoke could pass for Wyatt if his hair were a bit lighter. Jamie, the one I met earlier reminds me of a green-eyed version of Braxton, with a dark shoulder length mass of curls. The youngest looking one with the long strawberry blonde hair is the first to notice me.

Dashawn starts to wail drawing everyone else’s attention. All eyes turn on me. Connie’s heels click against the hardwoods behind me.

“Look at ya all looking like a bunch of bears. Stop scaring the lass with yer loud mouths, ya mingers,” Connie sings out.

“Mingers, ya look just like us. So that makes ya ugly too,” Jamie snorts.

“Ya wish,” Connie snuffs back.

The big one that invited Felix out for drinks twists his lips waving Connie off. He turns for me and moves closer. I have to tip my head back to look up at him, while bouncing my nephew in my arms.

“Hello, Kaye. I’m Logan,” he says with a thick accent while pulling a key from the inside of his leather jacket. “This is for ya. Is everything to yer liking? We can get ya anything you need.”

“Yes, thank you,” I reply, wrapping my fingers around the key to take it. “I think we should be fine.”

He’s even more handsome up close. His eyes are green like Jamie’s, but Logan’s eyes tell a darker story. I can tell this isn’t a man to be crossed.

“Who do we have here?” Wyatt’s look alike says as he comes over to pluck a crying Dashawn from my arms. “Hello there, little fella. Tell yer Uncle Brooklyn what’s the matter.”

His eyes are a gorgeous green, but again, I note the brooding danger hidden in their depths. Felix comes to my side, allowing me to relax a little. He may be as tall and intimidating as these guys, but I know him. I know he’ll never hurt me, or my nephew.

“Cole, what do ya know about babies?” Connie says.

“He’s quiet now, ain’t he,” Brooklyn replies.

My brows knit. He just called himself Brooklyn, but Connie calls him Cole. Felix nudges my side and I turn my face up to him to find his eyes twinkling at me.

“This is Cole, but everyone calls him Brooklyn. Connie just refuses to,” Felix chuckles.

“Oh,” I reply and nod, licking my dry lips.

“Don’t look so scared. We’re a big lot, but we’re not as terrifying as we look,” the blonde steps forward and says.

“Bullshit,” Connie coughs behind her hand.

The others try to hide their laughs. Felix places a hand on the small of my back, sending a chill running through me. I try not to let it show, praying they’re all too busy laughing to notice.

“This is Dylan. The baby of the bunch,” Felix says, pointing to the blonde.

“Ya mean the pretty boy,” Jamie teases.

“Go fuck yourself,” Dylan grumbles, a small pout on his lips.

The others roar with laughter at his expense. Dylan frowns, his full pink lips twisting and his blue eyes take on a look of annoyance. I notice he’s the only one with blue eyes and strawberry blonde hair.

“Boys, boys, lets not teach the babe such foul language,” Connie calls out.

All head turn to her, eyes blinking like owls, including Felix. Honestly, Dashawn seems to be mimicking their stare. Connie looks around at them all.

“Aye, yer right. Fuck it,” she says with a shrug and everyone starts to laugh again.

I can’t help shaking my own head and laughing. Connie is a riot. Once I could understand her, she had me laughing in the baby’s room as I changed his diaper.

“Where’s Kate?” Logan asks.

“On her way,” Connie responds.

Logan nods, then turns to coo at my nephew. I lift a brow. It’s kind of sexy to see all of these gorgeous men melt over this tiny baby. I make notes for scenes I want to write whenever I get to pick up a pen again. It’s been so long since I’ve written anything.

It’s not easy to write when totally stressed out. I wish I had the time to get lost in my own worlds. As if reading my mind, Logan leans into Jamie’s ear then turns to me.

“We have a laptop for ya. Felix says yer a writer,” Logan says.

My eyes grow wide as Jamie steps forwards with a brand new Mac still in its box. I look up at Felix and he winks back at me. My heart melts in my chest. I don’t know what to say.

“It’s loaded with everything you need to write and publish that first book,” Felix says. “I told them what to program.”

I throw my arms around him and squeeze, burying my face in his chest. Oh God, that may not have been the greatest idea. I inhale. He smells so good. I have to fight not to snuggle into him.

“Hey, don’t I get a hug too. I was the one that went to pick it up,” Jamie says, causing me to pull away from Felix.

“Don’t,” Felix says simply, but the command cracks like a whip.

His words run through me. I don’t know if he’s talking to me or Jamie. I look between the two of them. Jamie has a grin on his lips, but Felix has his eyes narrowed at Jamie.

“Respect ya life, Jamie,” Brooklyn says in warning as he laughs.

“It’s okay. Ya can thank me later,” Jamie winks.

A growl comes from Felix’s chest. I take a small step back, shocked by the sound. The room fills with the laughter of everyone else except for Felix.

“This is going to be so much fun,” Jamie croons.

“I’d listen to Brooklyn if I were you. You’re fucking with your life,” Felix warns.

I’m speechless. I don’t know how to take the exchange. I know Jamie is teasing Felix, but Felix’s reaction seems a bit aggressive for one of a friend. I quickly chide myself for reading too much into things.

Get a grip, Kaye. He is way out of your reach and it could never happen now. He’s leaving to go back home and you can’t.

Yeah, there is that, isn’t there.