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  “Sean, this money is mine.” She held up the envelopes and turned to him. “I have one for Brady, too.”

  “Where do you get your money from, Courtney? You don’t work.” Sean pegged Derrick. “It comes straight from him. And where does he get his income?”

  “Sean,” she said softly, finally her voice wavering, but not with heartbreak. It held more of a hint of fear. “This money I’ve kept hidden for a long time. I kept this account as a cushion for myself, just in case.”

  Ryan slid a glance to Derrick, whose features had gone viciously dark. Oh shit. No wonder Courtney’s voice wavered. She knew what this admission would do. Especially made in front of his staff. Fuck, she was in a world of trouble and she knew it, but still tossed herself on that sword for the sake of making amends with Sean.

  “This is money I earned when I worked at the real estate office. I never paid bills or anything when Darren was alive because he refused to allow me. Even when we didn’t live together, he paid for everything. I kept stashing the money away. Caitlin and Daniel are taken care of for the rest of their lives with Darren’s life insurance policy. I’m taken care of with his life insurance policy as well. I knew what you’d demand, and I wanted to give you and Beth something. Something you wouldn’t have to worry about.” Tears formed in Courtney’s eyes that begged for understanding from Sean. “College is so expensive now, and I know how hard you work. You may be a doctor, but you’re running your own business. It’s not cheap. I’m just trying to help. If the roles were reversed, you’d do the same for Caitlin and Daniel.”

  She had Sean there. His brother absolutely would if they were in opposite positions. Courtney took a step towards Sean and handed him the envelopes. “You refused the furniture. You refused the shower gifts. Please, don’t refuse this. It’s legit, Sean. I promise you.”

  Sean spared a look at Derrick, then back to Courtney, then down at the envelopes. Ryan watched his brother process it all. Sean looked up and stared Courtney down. It pained Ryan to watch the tears stream down her cheeks. He wanted to wrap her up and comfort her.

  Hesitantly, Sean took the envelopes. “Thank you,” he said quietly. “I’m sorry.”

  She tilted her head. “For what?”

  “For the amount of trouble you’re in.”

  Ryan snorted. He knew better. Sean wasn’t sorry.

  Courtney narrowed her eyes. “No you’re not.”

  Ryan barked out a laugh and both glared his direction. He shrugged.

  “No, but I am sorry your stipend will now be taken from you.”

  Which was true. Derrick would confiscate any left over money so Courtney wouldn’t be able to leave him like she had a year ago, when she’d taken off and disappeared for two months.

  Sighing, she nodded. “He’d have found out eventually.”

  She reached into her purse, pulled out a blue envelope and held it out to Ryan. “Brady’s.”

  Ryan took the offer and kissed her forehead. “Thank you.”

  “You both have a beautiful family. I’m happy for both of you,” Courtney said.

  Ryan watched her shoulders sink. His heart went out to her. He knew how desperately she wanted to be a part of Sean and Beth’s life. Now with the twins, it was probably killing her not to be included in their overwhelming joy. But Sean felt it was necessary to protect his family from Courtney’s crime boss husband and connections. Ryan could understand that as well. What a fucked up situation.

  Courtney slid past them and went to her husband, who stood, grasped her elbow, leaned down and whispered something into her ear. They watched her go still then lean into his body as he wrapped a possessive arm around her shoulder. The couple was surrounded by security as they left the waiting area.

  “You know this was a really nice thing she did,” Ryan said, challenging his brother. “Her home life is going to be hell for the next week over this.”

  “She made her bed,” Sean said factually, but his eyes never left the door his cousin disappeared through.

  “You really don’t believe that.”

  Sean finally looked his way. “What do you want from me? I took the offer.”

  “I want you to stop this freeze-out with her,” Ryan demanded. “For fuck’s sake, Sean, she’d do anything for your girls, including Beth. You know she’d protect them with her own life if she had to. When are you going to forgive her?”

  “I don’t know that I can, Ry,” his brother admitted. He ran a hand over the back of his neck. “I’m not as angry as I was, but I can’t say that I’m over it. I’ll have enough drama living with three women let alone adding our spoiled cousin to the mix.”

  “I get that, but she doesn’t live with you. She’s someone you can toss out if she pisses you off, but I really don’t think that’ll happen again.”

  “It’s too dangerous to have her around with her husband.” Clearly Sean was applying every tactic he could pull out of his arsenal.

  “Try again. Keep trying and keep telling yourself that, because if I know one thing, when it comes to the children of this family, Derrick Murphy would murder someone with his own bare hands before he allowed any harm to come to any of them. That includes your daughters.” Ryan turned and went back to the room to visit his nieces and sister-in-law. He was sick of having this same, mind-numbing argument with his bullheaded brother.

  19

  “A dinosaur?”

  Ryan smiled as he placed Brady into the car seat. He had no idea how much fun it would be to dress up his son. Today, it was dino day. The day before, he’d been a professional baseball player. The day before that, Batman.

  “All little boys love dinosaurs,” Ryan said.

  Lynn shook her head and climbed into the front passenger’s seat of his car. “Do you know the looks I get when I have to take him to the store with me?”

  “People love it.”

  She didn’t or couldn't argue. That’s because the general public did get a kick out of Brady’s attire when they ventured out. Goodwill had amazing getups.

  Once his baby boy was secure, Ryan climbed into the driver’s seat and they headed out for breakfast. It was an early start to the day which included taking Brady to the doctors, visiting the twins and Beth who were discharged two days ago and were staying at her parents' home, and grabbing some of Lynn’s clothes to stay overnight. Again.

  She may have turned down his offer to move in but you’d never know it. She started to confiscate closet space as well as remained in his bed nightly. Ryan was positive it helped that Sean and Beth weren’t home. Maybe with the few weeks they had alone before his brother’s new family returned, he’d convince her to move in.

  For the first time in his life, Ryan was head over heels for a woman and wanted to come home to her everyday. Lynn did something for him no one had done before. She made him want. Want a better life than the one he’d been living. Want a relationship with a fine woman. Want his own family.

  Ryan grabbed her hand and kissed the back of it as they sat at a red light.

  Lynn was absolutely perfect for him. She had sass, charisma, was extremely intelligent, tough as nails, stunning to look at, and man, was she fantastic in bed. Yep, the total package. Ryan didn’t see himself with anyone else. Ever. She was the one he wanted to be with and settle into a family routine. Lynn, the mother of his son and his perfect partner. Maybe he should tell her all this. He decided to confess over dinner tonight. Hopefully that could convince her to move in with him and Brady. How this woman managed to change him, he didn’t comprehend, but he liked the new Ryan. He needed to keep Lynn.

  ***

  Well, breakfast turned into a bust. Brady decided he wasn’t happy about something. They decided it was best to take the screaming baby out of the restaurant and spare the patrons. Lynn rushed ahead and carried Brady out of the diner to the car while Ryan paid the bill.

  He quickly went to the car and stopped in his tracks, his heart leaping into his throat. Lynn stood on the passenger’s side of the
car, Brady held tightly against her body, looking straight at the woman who held a pistol on her.

  Katey Tummands, Brady’s birth mother, looked disheveled with a distinct craze in her black eyes. Her clothes were dirty and her hand shook, the gun pointed at his son and his woman.

  He was gonna kill her.

  Every protective instinct Ryan possessed went on high alert. He wanted to charge the stupid woman but his son and girl would become victims if Katey didn’t turn the weapon on him. Glancing around the parking lot, he surveyed their surroundings. He’d done this countless times as a SEAL. Saving the victim from the threat, taking out the enemy. Except this time, everything in his world was at stake.

  Ryan flitted behind a car and snaked his way around the obstacle course of vehicles to inch closer to his son and girlfriend. He heard Katey’s raspy voice.

  “He wouldn’t have anything to do with me while I was pregnant but he lets you take my place,” she screeched.

  “I’m Brady’s nanny. That’s all,” Lynn said calmly.

  God, he loved her. So calm and cool and smart even with a gun held to her. She didn’t give away the fact they were a couple. Why send Katey over the edge? He knew Lynn well enough that she wasn’t concerned for herself, it was about protecting Brady. And he knew she'd die completing that task. He refused to allow that to happen.

  “I’ve seen you,” Katey hissed. “You’re not just my son’s nanny. You’re Ryan’s lover.”

  “You’ve been watching us?” Lynn asked, sounding horrified.

  Fuck, fuck, fuck. Brady’s incubator, because she certainly wasn’t his mother, was a wack-job.

  “I’ve watched Ryan since he took my son.”

  Something in that statement set Lynn off. “He’s not your son. You abandoned him when you gave birth. You have no right to call him your son.”

  Shit. Sometimes Lynn could get mouthy. Now would be a really great time for her to show that she had some restraint. Ryan sped up his pace to get closer, having to balance speed without making a sound on the gravel. He was within distance to tackle Katey and strip her of the gun, but there was the possibility of the weapon discharging with Lynn and Brady in firing range. When he glanced around the corner of the car, he saw the look. That finalized determination that spoke volumes. Ryan didn’t have time to get to her. Lynn and Brady were closer. He broke from the cars and tackled Brady and Lynn to the ground as an ear-piercing crack echoed off every metal surface around them. A searing pain ripped through his back.

  Fuck. He’d been shot. The bitch shot him.

  “Ryan!” Lynn screamed from beneath him. Brady wailed. He refused to budge, shielding the two most important people in his life with his body.

  Footsteps crunching in the gravel approached. Ryan turned his head and tucked Lynn further into his chest to shield her. He saw the pistol come into view at close range, pointing directly at his head.

  “Ryan,” Lynn whimpered. “Please.”

  “Katey,” he rasped and choked on a metallic taste in his mouth. “Leave us alone.”

  “Fuck you‒”

  Another blast ricocheted off every hard surface. Blood splattered down on Ryan’s body and face. Katey’s body went lifeless and fell in a heap to the ground.

  What the hell happened?

  Suddenly, Derk Forester knelt down next to him. “How we doing there buddy? You know you’ve got a hole in your back, right?”

  “I’m calling an ambulance,” another male voice said. Ryan’s eyes swung around to find Smith, Derk’s partner in crime and Murphy employee, standing next to the dead body with a phone to his ear.

  “Yeah, no choice on this one,” Derk agreed with Smith. “Seems you got mixed up with some crazy there, Ry. Let me move you to get your girl and son.”

  Ryan couldn’t speak. He felt himself slipping into shock. He didn’t know where the gunshot was located but it couldn’t be anywhere good if he was already about to lose his bearings. But you’d never know the situation was dire according to Derk’s docile tone.

  Derk rolled him over, and he groaned out as pain shot through his entire body. Fuck, getting shot hurt. He’d forgotten how much.

  “Sorry, buddy,” Derk said.

  “Ryan,” Lynn cried. “Oh God, Ryan.”

  “Brady?” he croaked.

  “We’re okay.” She scooted up. Brady continued to scream, probably sensing the danger around him. “Please Ryan, please don’t leave me,” she wept. He felt her soft fingers touch his facial stubble. That was the last thing he remembered. His girl and son were safe. He relaxed and everything went dark.

  20

  Lynn couldn't breathe. She kept replaying the nightmare over and over again. Could she have done something different? Should she have run? Should she have tried to walk away from the woman?

  She glanced down at her pink tee shirt and jeans, covered in Ryan's blood and started to shake. Brady had been covered in his father's blood as well. For a brief moment, she'd panicked thinking the baby had been hurt. But his father had brilliantly protected him.

  A loud sob escaped.

  Russ wrapped an arm around her and pulled her into his body. “Shhh, he'll be all right. I promise you. He's a fighter, Lynn.”

  She looked into his hazel eyes that matched hers. Tears streamed down her cheeks. She couldn't speak. What the hell happened? One moment she'd been taking a screaming Brady to the car, and the next she came face to face with a gun pointed directly at her and her baby.

  Scanning the OR waiting area of the hospital, she took notice of all the people gathered, worried about Ryan. His mother held Brady while his father took guard beside them. Typical military alpha. Though the deep lines and frown on his face gave away his strain over his son. Sean paced in front of the door, constantly running a hand through his hair. He'd tried to get into the OR but had been refused by the staff, who knew Sean well. He'd explained Sean was too close to the case to be effective. Sean tossed a fist the doctor's direction but thankfully didn't connect when Derrick's men grabbed him from behind and hauled him back. He shrugged out of their hold and threatened to kill everyone within arm’s reach if they touched him again. To say he was barely hanging on to his sanity was an understatement.

  What would Sean do if he lost his brother? With all she'd witnessed between the two siblings, it would destroy a major part of him.

  Courtney sat off to the side, her husband's arm wrapped securely around her, while she buried her head into his chest. It had been Derk, Mr. Murphy’s employee, who'd saved Ryan from taking another bullet. Him and that other guy whose name she couldn't remember. Lynn would never again call him a derogatory name.

  Derk was hauled off in handcuffs by the police but not before Smith messed around with Katey's hands, her pistol and Derk's weapon. Lynn had no idea what he'd done but she kept it quiet to the police. She owed them to remain silent. She'd heard Mr. Murphy mention he wasn't worried, something about Derk would be out in a few hours, men on payroll, or something along those lines. She couldn't concentrate on any of that at the moment.

  It had been hours since Ryan had been brought to the hospital, and they've heard nothing. She started to tremble again. What would she do if she lost him? Regret pierced her. She should have agreed to move in with him and start a life together. Whatever he wanted, she should have conceded. Hindsight was a torturous state. She loved Ryan to her core. She loved his son and wanted to be the mother he could count on. She loved the small family unit they made, even though there was no ring in their future. Fuck a ring. Who needed it? She knew how she felt, and she should have voiced it all to him.

  However long she'd been seated in those out-dated hospital waiting room chairs, finally the doctor made an appearance. Sean was all over the guy.

  “How is he?”

  “He's doing well, Sean,” the doctor said. “He's lucky. The bullet missed his heart and arteries and didn't do major damage. It did puncture his right lung but we were able to close up the hole. Right now he's on a ventilator
and has chest tubes in place.”

  Whatever that meant Sean didn't like because he sucked in a harsh breath.

  “His vitals were good when he arrived, Sean.” The doctor laid a hand on his shoulder. “It's a waiting game to see how the lung reacts to the chest tubes and ventilator. Right now, considering all that's happened, he's in good shape.”

  “Can we see him?” Courtney asked, suddenly at Sean's side.

  “One at a time as soon as we move him to the ICU,” the doctor said then left the waiting area.

  “What does all that mean?” Sean's mother asked.

  “It means he made it through surgery, but all we can do is wait to see how his lung reacts to the surgery,” Sean repeated.

  Unable to keep her emotions inside any longer, Lynn burst out into a full blown hysterical breakdown. Suddenly she was in the arms of Sean, who held her tight against him despite her blood stained clothing.

  “He has to be all right,” Sean said for only her ears. “For you and Brady. He'll be okay. He will.”

  Lynn was certain he was trying to convince himself more than comfort her.

  ***

  Over the next seven days, the entire Millen family took turns staying vigil by Ryan's bedside. Sean barely left, even with two newborn twins at home. Beth ventured out one day to sit by Sean's side for a few hours. Mr. and Mrs. Millen took shifts coming to the hospital so one of them could be home with Brady during the day. Lynn took him home each night to sleep in his crib where he was more comfortable. Courtney laid low in the background, but her presence didn't go unnoticed. Her husband often sat by her side to reassure her.

  Derk showed up on day two and took a seat next to Lynn in the waiting area but remained silent.

  “Thank you,” Lynn whispered to him.

  Derk took her hand, squeezed, then let go but didn't respond. He stood and went over to the Murphys and plopped down without a word spoken.