CHAPTER 5
Liam was on edge. He had been watching Felicity for days and was no closer to answers than he had been during their back-alley fray. Though they were all watching her, there wasn’t a single lead. Maybe she had help, or perhaps they were looking in all the wrong places, falling for the crumbs she wanted them to follow rather than those that lead to answers. She was smart – almost too smart. That’s why she worked for them, after all.
He leaned back in his chair, arms stretched behind his head, as he recalled their encounter when he arrived home after drinks with his brothers a few nights before. Felicity had been waiting for him. Apparently, she was finally ready to discuss what happened that night in the alley. Instead, she chewed his ass.
He went over the events of that night, her words telling him to back off – it was none of his business. Even her claim that there was nothing unusual going on – he was just finally noticing her. Oh no, he thought. He noticed her a long time ago. That was the problem.
He was a widower. Noticing her was inappropriate professionally. It was also disrespectful to his wife’s memory. That’s what he told himself anyway. His watching her was nothing more than for security. Not only did he have a family to protect, but he had a business full of hot target clients to keep under the radar. Felicity wouldn’t betray his trust or that of his brothers, not willingly. But she might be swayed if she thought she was protecting them or even one of their clients.
Her defensiveness was more out of character than the late-night escapades. Even after she stormed out of his apartment the night he followed her, she didn’t go home. She took the elevator to the lair. He watched her from his home office – until she blacked out the cameras and proceeded to put up firewalls around whatever she was doing online. More firewalls than one would expect. The kind that are booby trapped with cyber weapons like viruses that even he had trouble skating around.
He knew Felicity was good. Hell, that’s why she worked for them. But she was too good in the one place she didn’t have to worry about safety, personal or cyber in nature. Watermark was one of the safest buildings there was – they made the Pentagon look like amateurs – until Liam established a contract with the government, anyway.
Her questions were full of deflection and evasiveness. When he asked why she was sneaking around in dangerous neighborhoods, she asked why he was following her. When he questioned her late-night rendezvous, she asked why he cared. Then he asked her why she was answering questions with questions. She asked why he had so many questions. Then she called him a stalker. Red flags all over the fucking place.
There was only one reason she would go to such lengths. Despite what she said, she was hiding something, or someone. That had already been established though. The who and why of it all had not. When he finally got past all of the obstacles she left him to hack through the night he confronted her, she was gone. There was nothing there to see or trace of where she’d been online. She’d even abandoned the lair and gone back to her apartment on his floor without him noticing.
If he couldn’t detect or see her, who else was sliding by, he wondered? Or, had that just been her way of flipping him the bird, hacker style. Showing him just what she was capable of that he only gets to see what she lets him see.
“Do you still want Dick, Liam?”
Liam was quickly pulled from his thoughts by Declan’s jolting question. It was then that he realized his eyes had been fixed on Felicity for who knew how long. She sat at the other end of the long row of pushed together tables at the O’Reilly’s Pub. The Pub closed early on Sunday. It was tradition. If you were referred to as anyone who closely resembled family, your presence was expected. Nobody dared to cross the family matriarch. It was safer to dance with the devil himself than miss one of Colleen O’Reilly’s Sunday dinners.
This was one time he wished he had actually been listening to his brother’s bullshit because he didn’t know how to answer his brother. Yet again, Felicity was flooding his mind and taking up his time for all the wrong reasons. Now Liam hoped like hell there was more to the question than whether or not he wanted Dick, and that the Dick, Declan was referring to, was indeed his dog.
“Wh-what?” he stammered as he sat straighter, finally pulling his view to Declan.
Declan traced where Liam’s gaze had fallen and grinned when his landed-on Felicity.
Mischief dancing in his eyes, Declan turned to Liam with raised brows but was quickly diffused by the don’t you fucking dare look Liam tossed back his way.
“I was saying… I’m heading out with Ronan and Ryker tomorrow to help Landry with his case. Lydia won’t be back from Florida with Eva for another week, maybe two. You still able to take Dick for me?”
Ronan and Ryker were O’Reillys, cousins from Deception Pass, Washington. While the brothers worked in high end security, the cousins were elite bounty hunters. They didn’t chase bond jumpers who missed a court date over something like possessions charges or even theft. They went after the world’s most dangerous and menacing criminals for anyone who could afford the fee. They, along with their sister Sheridan, often helped out with Brother’s Keeper Security business and vice versa since their clientele tended to overlap.
This bounty was an under the radar government contract for Carter Landry, U.S. Attorney. He prosecuted special cases that required a little more grit and discretion. He often called on the O’Reilly clan. They were not only amongst the most skilled, but he trusted them. In their lines of work, trust was gold. They had all served together at some point in their careers – they were like family.
“Oh, yeah. Reagan is excited to have him, actually,” Liam said with a nod. “Me, not so much. I hope he’s had some training since last time.”
Dick was Declan’s dog. He was big and ugly as sin, but the kids and all the ladies loved him. Though he was a mutt, he had to have Great Dane or something of that size in him because his size alone nearly classified him as a horse. Dick wasn’t all that bright, but he was protective to a fault and had incredible instincts, when it suited him. When he misbehaved in public, his name caught attention. Yelling Dick in a park earned a person a lot of side eye. An unfortunate name for an unfortunate looking beast that everyone loved.
“He’s had training…it just doesn’t stick. His listening is selective, only listens to kids and most women.” Declan tossed his hands in the air with a shrug. “You’ll probably need City.”
“Felicity,” Liam fired back, arms crossed.
Declan’s brow furrowed in confusion. “Excuse me?”
“Felicity. Her name is Felicity,” Liam said matter-of-factly, his gaze burning into Felicity.
“Talking about me down there, Liam?”
“Not really. Just telling Dec your name is Felicity, not City.” Liam shrugged.
Rolling her eyes, Felicity sighed as the rest of the brothers snickered. “Are we really back to that?”
“Back to what?” Liam asked, pointedly.
“Dude, you’re the only one who doesn’t call her City. It was your kid who started the nickname forever ago,” Wylie defended, confused by his brother’s behavior.
“It’s okay, Wylie. He’s just being…Liam. Boring and…” Felicity wanted to say bitter but thought better of it. It was true, but it would be inappropriate to take a low jab of that nature at the family dinner table.
Dace elbowed Wylie and said in a not so silent whisper, “Back away – lover’s quarrel.”
With a sharp turn of his head, Liam’s attention landed on his mouthy brother. “Screw you, Dace.”
“Hey now. Not at my table, boyo,” Colleen sharply scolded when she returned to the table with dessert. “You know better than to bring that mouth to dinner, Liam. You’ll be apologizin’ to your brother now.”
“Sorry, Ma.” Liam was quick to flip his brother the bird as soon as his mom’s back was turned.
“There’ll be none of that either. Shame on you for showin’ the young ones such ugliness,” Colleen replied, her back still facing Liam.
The brothers chuckled. It never failed; she saw everything.
“Now. Seems we’ve all shared our highs and lows of the week but our Reagan,” She added, changing the subject but not without sending a scolding to Liam and Felicity with a simple look between the two.
Sitting at the head of the table, it was all smiles as she focused attention on Reagan. “Tell us, darlin’, is there anything…special you’d like to share with us all?”
Felicity sat back in her chair and watched Liam do what he tended to do, disappear into his own world despite the company around him. He had his phone out, likely reviewing all of the security measures he had in place just about everywhere, analyzing algorithms, and likely adding a security feature that would trace her cyber steps the next time she was online in the lair.
After Reagan gave her grandmother an odd look, she went on to share her week of highs and lows with the family. Felicity heard the girl over her own thoughts and used everything she said to justify her decision to keep quiet. The less anyone knew, the better. The safer they were. Reagan rambled on about her successful science fair project. There was no denying she was her father’s daughter when she talked science and technology. It was her kind of Disneyland.
All of the O’Reilly brothers puffed out their chests with gratification when Reagan shared her contemptuous brush with authority while Liam further retreated within himself as he often did, burying himself in things he could control. It pissed Felicity off. His intention wasn’t to ignore but self-preserve, not that it made his emotional absence okay. He had a lot of nerve, digging into her life, demanding details, and hovering over her like a criminal, Felicity thought. He was such a contradiction because his desire to insert himself in her business implied he did care. He just cared about the wrong things.
His daughter was describing how a boy, who often pulled her hair, had flipped up her skirt in the hallway between classes to which she quickly replied with a fist to his right eye. Proud uncles cheered at her reaction, each taking credit for teaching her a mean right hook while her father continued to build a wall around himself. So why couldn’t he respect the wall she was building, especially when it was to protect him and everyone else at that damn table.
Lost in thought, Felicity still heard the ramblings around her and questioned why Liam couldn’t do the same thing. Sure, he had a hefty responsibility – ignoring his duties could cost lives – but not being emotionally present would backfire too. The fear he garnered and hid from would cost him dearly because there was only so much grace to go around.
“You did good, Rage,” Luke praised. “You know he only did that because he likes you.”
“Yeah, you better keep that right hook fresh, kid,” Wylie added.
Pulled from her gnashing thoughts, Felicity was quick to correct the advice Luke and Wylie gave their niece. “That is not why he flipped her skirt, trips her, and pulls her hair! He does it because he’s a little…ass.”
Eyes widened, and jaws dropped at Felicity’s choice of words. It wasn’t like her to swear. It also wasn’t like her to raise her voice or call children names. Colleen smiled and nodded Felicity’s way, encouraging her to continue.
“Don’t you dare teach her that when someone teases her, humiliates her, or hurts her that it’s a sign of affection,” She warned. “If it were a man, and she were a woman, what would you say then?”
“If a man did that? Well, he’d be an asshole,” Wylie replied. “But this is just a kid, and…”
“And what?” she laid in. “He isn’t going to be a man someday? She was right to defend herself, but she shouldn’t have to. If he likes her, he should be kind, or he isn’t even worth a fist to the eye.”
“I, uh…I never thought of it that way. Point taken,” Wylie said, shrinking under Felicity’s hot glare. “Rage, she’s right. The kid’s a prick.”
“I already know, Uncle Wylie. He got suspended, and I didn’t.” Reagan chuckled. “I told the principle that guy violated my rights and it was harassment. We just learned it in class, and it worked really good.”
“Are you serious?” Liam asked of Felicity. “I don’t want little shits messing with my daughter, but don’t you think you’re exaggerating just a little? Sometimes kids will just be kids. It’s a guy thing. We aren’t all emotional and dreamy like girls. Sometimes teasing and picking on girls is how we get a girl’s attention.”
A smirk crossed Felicity’s face at his admission. “Oh really? Is that so, Liam?”
Her question was a loaded one, and the minute Liam finished his thought, he knew he just handed her the cross to hang him from. It was obvious what she was thinking, and the whole table read her like a book, based on the snickers. Defending his statement, at this point, would only make him look more guilty of picking on Felicity to get her attention. So, he sat coolly and matched her challenging gaze.
“So, Reagan. Anything…else new with you, dear?” Colleen asked, grabbing at a new topic of discussion.
“Uh, no. That’s about it, Nana.”
“Nothing…exciting?” Colleen blushed in giddiness.
Reagan accepted a second helping of dessert while she pondered the odd questions her grandmother was tossing her way.
A long warm sigh escaped Colleen. “Grandad and I are so proud of you love. You’re becoming such a young lady.”
Reagan’s fork dropped to her glass plate in a loud clank, commanding the room’s attention. She scooted her chair back and turned to Liam.
“Seriously, dad? You told? How embarrassing! I can’t believe you.” She got up from the table.
“Told them what?” Pulling his head from his phone where he had it buried again, Liam defended, “Oh! That! No, I promise I didn’t…”
“Uncle Luke?”
“Don’t look at me, Rage. I didn’t tell Nana.” Luke had his hands up in surrender, deflecting any involvement despite his answer giving it all away.
“So, you do know!” Reagan fisted her hands, and her face turned crimson while her eyes filled from embarrassment that refused to spill over. “This is – it’s just – stupid! Why can’t you keep a secret and just care about the important stuff?”
“Rea…” Liam sighed. “I do care about important stuff. That was…important. Right? It’s a big deal for a girl. And I only told your uncles.”
“You think my period is important?” She paused and looked to the ceiling for a moment to collect her thoughts and regain her cool. She wasn’t about to have a tantrum in front of everyone now that she was a young lady. “I only thought your phone was important.”
Reagan looked around the table, mortified by the looks of awe and sympathy before she stormed off. “I’m going home.”
“Reagan…” Liam stood and began to follow her, but Felicity stepped in front of him and cut him off before he could.
“Let me go.” She tilted her head, her shoulders drooped, her disposition softening. “Please. She’s embarrassed. Just let me help.”
Locked in her gaze, torn between chasing after Reagan and wanting to explore the sincerity dancing in Felicity’s eyes and pout of her lips, he finally nodded his head and took a step back. He stood there for a moment longer than necessary and watched her gather her things and move toward the door after Reagan. Something briefly felt different. He wasn’t sure what, but it brought him a sense of calm and clarity. He trusted her after all. He didn’t trust the desire that her doe eyes and pouty mouth provoked though.
When the earsplitting silence became distracting, Liam finally broke it. After a long spell, sitting there and reflecting on how quickly the past few minutes completely shifted against him, he turned his attention to his family and filed away his thoughts about Felicity and Reagan until he could reconcile them when he wasn’t surrounded by peering eyes. Sitting up in confidence, he addressed the prying vultures.
“I didn’t know it was a secret.” A bereft tone laced through his words as he took in the sympathetic looks around the table “I wasn’t given a manual on this stuff. None of you have had to deal with this stuff either. So please – no comments.”
“We’re all going through it with you, son,” Colleen replied, but the sympathy ended there, and she delivered real talk. “It’s been too many years now, Liam. Reagan is lucky to have City to turn to. You are too, but you’re too stubborn to notice.”
“You mean Felicity,” he replied with an eye roll, “and…”
A buzzing sound bounced around the room as each of the brothers reached for their phones. Liam dug into the alerts sounding on his and pulled the laptop from the leather shoulder bag draped over the back of his chair. Fingers moving briskly over the keys, he worked quickly to validate what he didn’t think was possible.
“Tell me this isn’t happening, bro. False alarm?” Declan questioned, looking up from his phone.
Liam sat back, wide eyed, and stared at the information rolling up his screen. His gaze slowly rose as awareness settled in, and he snapped his laptop shut before tossing it back in his bag.
He took to his feet and said, “It’s not a systems test. We need to get to Watermark…now.”