CHAPTER 21
Dearest Liam…
Her first…kiss. There are no words for this one other than our little girl is growing up. I’ve said that a lot lately in my letters. This time, it hit me just how much I’m missing and you are taking on…alone. Then I remembered…your brothers. Something tells me they’re reading this along with you because when it comes to Reagan, you’re all a bunch of protective dads.
First, don’t hurt the boy. It may be your first instinct, but if hers was to kiss him, or let him kiss her – you can’t hurt him. Second, please don’t embarrass her. This is an awkward stage where everything is weird and awkward for you. It’s more so for her. Next, let her choose. I have no doubt that she’s going to have strong boundaries and high expectations. She’s an O’Reilly. Don’t forget that. I worry more for the boy she chooses than any of you. Last, if he breaks her heart, you boys better put the fear of the O’Reilly clan in him…but don’t tell her.
My best advice with the first kiss is just to love her, which I know you do, Liam. I think the hardest part will be for your brothers to keep you grounded…and vice versa. Oh, how you love so hard. All of you. Reagan is so lucky to have you all, and if I know anything, it’s that she will measure every boy to the five incredible men in her life. You have nothing to worry about.
Continue to be her hero – all of you. Love her until she can’t take it anymore, and love each other. Together, you’re a force that knows no match. Just don’t use it to scare off all of the boys that are likely to walk in and out of the picture until Reagan finds her one true love. And boys…remember this if you have daughters someday. And if you should have boys…Lord help the girls.
I love you bigger than the sky – even the boys.
Always and Forever…
Cass
The brothers stood in the lobby as parents’ cars started to line up to pick up their kids from Reagan’s party. Felicity had texted Liam to say they were wrapping up, and the kids would hit the elevator soon. The brothers were there to make sure the kids each got to the right parent and that there was no interference from the villain in their midst.
“That letter, man,” Declan said, breaking the silence. “It’s so, Cass.”
“It’s like she was here, right? I could just feel her,” Wylie added.
Luke cleared his throat. Emotion was something he didn’t do. He just didn’t feel, ever, but that letter got to him. “She is here. I think we’ll always feel her, letters or no letters.”
“Did she call it, or what? She knows us so well it’s creepy.” Dace laughed. “She wrote that years ago. Rage was so small, and she still knew what we’d do. We didn’t even know what we’d do.”
“Yeah,” Liam said. “She really did think of everything. I think it’s because she loved so much. It was easy for her to anticipate…everything.”
“You good with all of this?” Luke asked.
Liam stood there for a moment, arms crossed as he leaned against the back of a couch. Was he good with it all, he wondered?
“I am. I really think I am,” he finally answered, feeling more convinced himself with every word. “I miss her, ya know? God, I miss her. But, for the first time since she left us, I’m okay. Better than okay.”
“Because of City?” Declan asked.
“In part,” he admitted. “I guess it took the perfect storm to break me, and it took the perfect storm to finally get it all together again. I’m finally dancing in the rain.”
He laughed at the reference he used as it was straight from his late wife, though the brothers gave him an odd look, not entirely sure what rain he was talking about. It was a beautiful spring evening, clear skies as each confirmed when they looked through the floor to ceiling glass entry. That was okay though. It wasn’t meant for them to understand. It was his to cling to and share if ever his brothers experience a storm of their own.
“Here they come,” Dace said when the elevators started moving simultaneously.
“Ready for chaos in ten, nine, eight, seven…” Wylie stopped counting when the elevators each came to a sudden stop, each with a screeching metallic whine.
“Son of a bitch.” Liam hit the elevator button several times, to which neither responded.
He ran around the lobby desk and started pecking away at the keyboard. Each of the brothers took different points around the lobby in a tactical-like motion, weapons at the ready. Their night had almost cleared without a hitch, but now they had a few dozen kids stuck in their elevators and the reason, or person rather, behind it seemed obvious.
“Is it him? Did he get in again?” Luke asked over Liam’s shoulder before returning his stare to the grounds around Watermark.
“If it is, I don’t know how. I made it pretty near impossible – even jammed frequencies surrounding the building,” Liam hollered, his eyes never leaving the screen. “I don’t see him. I don’t see…anything.”
Ronan and Ryker entered the lobby, having received an alert from inside. “Are we locking it down?” Ronan asked.
“No, not yet. We can’t see what we’re fighting just yet,” Liam said over the screen.
“Got a line of parents out there. What do you want me to do?” Ryker chimed in. “They’re perfect targets, just sitting there like that.”
Liam was angry. He was blind to his enemy, and that meant his enemy had the upper hand. “I got it. They’re safe as long as they stay in their cars. He can’t mess with anything within a two-block radius.”
Suddenly the elevators engaged and began to move, to which Liam started laughing as he fell into the chair behind him.
“What the hell, man?” Luke chided, finding nothing about the situation funny.
Liam continued to laugh. They were far too high strung. “False alarm! They were just load heavy! Too many kids in the elevators; they must have been jumping around or something – triggered the alarms.”
The elevator doors opened, and kids yelling best party ever poured into the lobby, among them, a smiling Felicity from one elevator and horrified Carter Landry from the other.
“Don’t forget your swag bags from the table on your way out,” Felicity shouted over the crowd, earning her a cheer.
“What was that all about?” Ryker asked Carter.
“Those kids, they’re…crazy,” he said in a monotone timbre. “They all started jumping and dancing, trying to get their elevator down the shaft faster. They were racing the other group. Racing. How do they not know it doesn’t work that way? We stopped, and they cheered. I didn’t cheer.”
“Let’s get the junior mafia out of here, and then we can head upstairs for a beer.” Declan laughed, patting Carter’s shoulder.
“Do you think she had a good time?” Liam trailed Felicity around the rooftop, holding open a garbage bag while they cleaned up the space.
“I think she did,” Felicity replied. “But I think getting to go to the dance with you in a fancy new dress is what made her whole day.”
“Yeah.” He smiled, recalling the long list of things to do before the dance rolled around. “She was pretty excited.”
“This is good for her – for both of you.”
“Agreed. It feels good. I know I’m still clinging to insecurities or whatever we want to call them, but it feels good to be me again,” he admitted. “I sound like a girl.”
“No.” She laughed. “You don’t sound like a girl.” Felicity turned to face him, taking the bag from him and setting it aside. “And you definitely don’t look like one.”
He pulled her close and kissed her. “You do.”
“I do, what?” Her arms were wrapped around his waist as she leaned back, his comment leaving her with a confused look.
“You look like a girl – a hot-blooded woman,” he said before he smacked her ass. “My hot…” He leaned down, dropping a kiss on her full lips. “Sexy…” And he kissed her again. “Smart as hell…” And another kiss. “Woman who saved me from myself. God, I can’t get enough of you.”
Liam fell backward on the round oversized lounger behind him, pulling her on top of him. “I really can’t get enough of you.”
“Good,” she teased, straddling him, “because you’re sort of stuck with me.”
When she leaned down to kiss him, he reached for the hem of her sundress, but she stopped him. “No, Liam. Not up here.”
“Why not up here?”
“It’s…it’s outside, and someone might see us.”
“We’re the tallest building on the waterfront, first of all,” He pointed out. “And we’re too far for anyone on the hill to see us.”
“Okay, what if you mom or one of the guys comes up. Or, God forbid, Reagan? That would scar her for life.”
“That’s a little dramatic. Besides, Rage has them all busy building her new desk and bedroom stuff, and Ma’s probably helping her pick out paint and bedding. For her tween room. Whatever a tween is.”
“That won’t take them long, and what if they want your opinion on something?”
He laughed. “On bedding? I’m the last guy they’ll ask.”
“The food is up here. There’s still a lot of it, and your brothers always eat.”
“Fine.” Liam smiled and tapped on his smartwatch. The lights went low, music was playing, and she heard the bolt on the door sound. “They are locked in. Anything else?”
“If you tap that watch and there are fireworks over the river, I’ll know you planned this.”
“Good idea…” he pulled her dress over her head and tossed it to the side. “Next time. We’ll have to settle for the stars tonight.”
Liam freed her breasts and turned her to her back so he could slide her panties down her legs, leaving a trail of kisses as he did. With her laying bare beneath him, he slowed to fathom the beauty that she was before he took her slowly, sweetly, lovingly.