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  “Ryan,” a voice said sternly from behind him. He turned to find his shift supervisor, arms crossed over her chest, glaring his direction. “You shouldn't be here.”

  “Why?” he asked confused.

  “You're fucking up tonight. And a NICU nurse fucking up is dangerous to these babies. Go home,” she ordered.

  He shook his head. “No, no. I'm fine.”

  “No. You're not,” she argued. “Go. Home. You need to consider taking a family leave while you get yourself situated,” she said, her normally curt tone took on a tiny hint of sympathy. A rarity.

  “I can't,” he stressed. He couldn't imagine not coming into work. He needed this job to keep him grounded. He might go insane if he had to stay home for an extended period of time.

  “That isn't a request, Ryan.” Her glare dared him to argue. “Take the night off, go home, and figure out your stuff. I'm taking you off the schedule until you do. Fill out the paperwork for a proper family leave so you can continue to get paid.” And with that she turned and stalked off. Probably pissed she had to make the call for him because he was too much of a moron to come up with that type of plan himself.

  “I'll take that, Ryan,” one of the younger nurses said gently. He handed over the tubing without even hitting on her.

  Stalking out of the NICU, he went to the locker room and grabbed his wallet, keys, and phone. He was about to lose his mind. His world was rapidly spinning out of control.

  Pulling up his contacts on his phone, he dialed his reliable ménage girls. “Hello?” the sexy Jess answered.

  “Jess, it's Ryan. What are you up to tonight?” He knew his tone was harsh but that was right up the young woman's alley.

  “What's up, Ry?” she purred.

  “Me, as soon as I get my hands on you, sweetheart,” he countered. “Your friend around?”

  “She will be when I tell her you're asking.”

  “I'll be over your place in twenty.” He hung up and made a dash to the store to pick up a box of heavy-duty condoms.

  ***

  Seven in the morning and Ryan lumbered through the front door of the house. He was beat-up and exhausted. In that been-fucked-all-too-good kind of way. He tossed his keys on the entryway table and went straight to the kitchen. A fresh pot of coffee was half empty, which meant his brother was up, ready for his workday. Ryan decided to skip the morning brew so he could get some rest. He started up the stairs when Beth appeared at the top, hands on her hips, and a deep frown on her features.

  “Where have you been?”

  He stopped, stunned. Talk about out of character. His sister-in-law was anything but confrontational. “Ummm....out.”

  “Yeah, we know,” she said, her tone as harsh as a ticked off kitten. “You should have been home last night. Sean called the hospital to talk to you, but they said you were sent home.” She started to wobble down the steps. Her tiny body looked disproportionately pregnant with twins. The poor girl had gotten to the point in the pregnancy where it started to become painful. “Where have you been?”

  “You're not my mother, Beth,” he said, trying unsuccessfully to hold back his bite. “I don't need another one of those. Got one. Don't answer to her and not about to start answering to you.”

  She gasped, her eyes grew wide and flashed with hurt.

  “You do answer to me,” his brother growled from behind him. “And if my wife asks you a fucking question, you better fucking answer it, Ryan. Where the fuck were you last night?”

  Ryan whipped around. “I went out to relax.”

  Sean cocked a brow. “All night?”

  He snorted. “I was busy.”

  His brother braced his hands on either side of the stairwell walls, as if trying to keep himself from coming after him. “And what about your son?”

  Shit. He'd forgotten about the baby. Really he did. He'd been so wrapped up in trying to lose himself in a couple women for a few hours, it had slipped his mind why he was pouring himself into those two. Showed how good the two girls were.

  “Courtney called,” Beth said softly. “She wasn't sure what time you were coming for Brady.”

  Ryan glanced over his shoulder. The look on Beth's face tugged at him. Shame. She looked ashamed of him. He turned back to his brother but wasn't quick enough to duck. Sean nailed him in the nose. Again.

  “Fuck!” he screamed, stumbled back and fell to the steps. He grabbed his face, blooding flowing from his nostrils. “You fuckin' broke it, Sean!”

  “You're goddamn right I did. Get your head out of your ass, motherfucker, and go pick up your son. Beth, let's go,” Sean barked.

  Beth stepped around Ryan's body laid out on the steps, writhing in pain. “Sean,” she scolded, “you shouldn't have broken his nose.”

  “He's lucky I don't rip off his balls, Beth,” he snapped.

  “Sean,” she said softly, “I can tell you’re yelling at me.”

  He heard his brother breathe out a heavy sigh. “I'm sorry, baby. I'm frustrated as hell.”

  They both continued their conversation as if Ryan wasn't bleeding, lying on the stairs, unmoving. The home phone rang.

  “That's for you, fucker. Probably Courtney. I'm still not talking to her and did not appreciate having to take that call earlier. Answer the damn phone,” Sean bellowed. The front door slammed and the house went quiet except for that God-awful ring. Ryan ignored it. Instead he went to the freezer, pulled out an icepack and went up to bed, where he collapsed. To hell with it all.

  ***

  He could have sworn he heard a baby crying. But since he was still sleeping, that couldn't be right. Ryan rolled over and burrowed deeper into his pillows. His dream was so real, the sound of a newborn's cries.

  “Ryan,” Courtney screamed.

  He jolted upright. “What?”

  Standing in the doorway to his bedroom, the hallway light shining behind her silhouette, Courtney held his son who was crying uncontrollably. “Ryan, what the hell are you doing?”

  “Sleeping,” he said factually, then threw himself back into the bed.

  Vaguely he was aware Derrick stormed into the bedroom with a container in his hand. He stalked over to the bed and dumped a bucket of ice water all over him. Ryan jumped out of bed. “What the fuck, Derrick?”

  His cousin's husband pegged him. “Get your ass together.” He waved a finger between himself and his wife. “We have plans that she wants to cancel to watch your son. Not. Going. To. Happen. That's your baby you need to take care of. You think I don't fucking know where you were last night? How was your marathon session with the Barbie girls?” Derrick turned to his wife. “Courtney, bring that baby over here and hand him to his father,” he demanded.

  “He's wet,” she responded.

  “Courtney,” Derrick growled.

  She trudged over to him and handed off the baby. “He's hungry, Ryan,” she said softly.

  “Ryan, we'll help you out as much as possible, but our lives will not be interrupted because you're unable to come to grips with the fact you're now a father,” Derrick said snidely. “Grow up.” He grabbed Courtney by the elbow and pulled her out the room. It was only then he noticed they were dressed in formal wear.

  Ryan stood in his soaked boxers, staring down at the screaming newborn in his arms, dumbfounded. What the hell just happened?

  7

  Lynn spent the next two days rearranging her brother's bedroom to turn it into a place she could comfortably reside. Honestly, there wasn't much for her to move. Her former military brother and cousin lived minimally. The problem was finding room in the second bedroom to combine his items along with Jarrett's and maintain their individual space. She had to give herself a pat on the back for that accomplishment.

  Between moving boxes and arranging closet and drawer space, she also had to work her shifts at the department store. Unfortunately with every shift she grew more disheartened with herself. This certainly wasn't what she had in mind for her future when she'd enrolled in nursing school
. She'd imagined a job working at a city hospital, pulling long shifts, gaining experience and finding satisfaction in finally having a career. Not a job. A career. How many years of her life had she wasted until she “found herself?” Too many. And when she decided to go to school to have a career, that achievement didn't even work out. If she didn't have bad luck, she'd have none at all.

  Her cell phone rang, thankfully interrupting her self-wallowing. “Hello?”

  “Hey, girlie, how's the unpacking coming along?” her cousin Jarrett asked.

  She chuckled. “Good. I moved Russ's things into your room. I think I did a good job at arranging it.”

  He laughed. “I'm sure you did. What are you up to today?”

  “Just more unpacking.”

  “Why don't you take a break, come over, and go swimming with us?” he suggested. “Mr. and Mrs. Murphy are having a small get together. Family and a few friends. Nothing big. Come have some burgers and beers.”

  “Won't that be imposing?” she asked unsure.

  “No. You're family. Mrs. Murphy loves to meet family. Now, if you were a fling, that would be an entirely different story. She's not too keen on meeting one-nighters,” he said.

  “I can imagine,” she mused. Few women did.

  “Come over. Bring your suit,” he said, but it came out more like an order.

  “Are you sure?”

  “Yes, Russ told me to call you too. I'll make sure to tell Mrs. M that you'll be here, if that'll make you feel better,” he assured her.

  “I guess, as long as she's all right with it.”

  “Good. Be here in a half an hour.” He hung up before she could protest about short notice.

  “Ass,” she mumbled into the phone.

  ***

  Standing on the doorstep of the so-called suburban home, again, Lynn rang the doorbell. Almost instantly the door swung open and once again, the jackass stood on the other side.

  “Well, if it isn't L-Y-N-N,” he mocked. That stupid cigarette dangled from his lips. Wasn't there anyone else who answered the door to this home?

  “I can't believe they allow you to smoke in their house with kids around,” she spat.

  “They don't.” He cocked a brow.

  Suddenly he was pushed out of the way by the beautiful four year old princess of the house.

  “Whoa, half pint,” he chuckled.

  “Hi.” She beamed. “I'm Caitlin. You have to call me Caitlin. Daddy doesn't like Caity. Only Daniel calls me Caity. But I'm not allowed to call him Danny. Daddy doesn't like that.”

  “I call him Danny,” the tattooed jerk teased.

  “Daddy gets mad when you do,” the girl said, her chin up, looking directly at him with absolutely no fear in her amazing blue eyes.

  The man's eyes glittered with humor. “Yep, he does.”

  “Caitlin Murphy,” a man bellowed from behind them. The tone riddled with anger. “Don't tell me you've answered the front door again.”

  “No, Daddy,” she called back, bending adorably to look through tattoo's long, denim clad legs. “Derk did. It's Russ's sister.” She turned back to Lynn. Next thing, a tiny little boy burst through the front door and ran out, knocking straight into her legs. She had to steady her balance to keep from tumbling to the concrete. He wrapped himself tightly around her.

  “Daniel!” the angry voice yelled again.

  The very next person to make their presence known made her retreat a step. What the hell was it with the frightening men who came to the door of this house?

  Oh, he was beyond striking with devastatingly, severe handsome features. But it was his aura of deadliness that made her natural, self preservation instincts kick up. He stood over six feet tall and radiated pure fury. What she assumed were supposed to be chocolate brown eyes were black as night and looked soulless. Holy hell, who did her cousins work for?

  The man gave her a considering once over, then zeroed in on his son wrapped around her leg. “I'm assuming you’re Lynn,” he said, his voice low and menacing. Thank goodness she had an empty bladder.

  “Yes,” she squeaked.

  “Your brother and cousin are out back playing hide-and-seek with my children. Clearly the kids are winning,” he said factually. “Caitlin, Daniel, will you please show Lynn to Russ and Jarrett. And if either of you comes to this front door again, I'm going to ground you to your room for rest of the day, into the night, and you won't get the opportunity to go to the park.”

  Both children protested and whined like the four and three year olds they were, but managed to follow their father's directions. Everyone seemed to be taking advantage of the warm March weather streak.

  “Lynn, please follow my children,” Derrick said, his voice now smooth and buttery.

  “Thank you,” she said meekly. Good lord she was going to have a righteous discussion with her brother about his boss.

  The two overactive children ran down the hallway and burst through the sliding glass door, Caitlin babbling the entire time about Russ and Jarrett. As soon as she hit the back deck, she screeched at the top of her lungs for Russ. Lynn heard a chorus of laughter follow her call.

  She stepped outside and stopped. Lounging around the deck in either chairs, or leaning lazily against the banister were a group of people, men and women, who resembled something out of an HBO mob series. Holy hell. She suddenly lost what semblance of voice remained.

  Thankfully Jarrett bounded up the stairs, swept her up into a firm grasp, and spun her around. He set her down then turned to the group. “Everyone, this is my cousin and Russ's sister, Lynn.”

  “Hi, Lynn,” they all said in unison.

  Jarrett chuckled. She waved nervously. She unsuccessfully tied to clear her throat to respond.

  “Come meet the kids,” he said and dragged her down the porch to the backyard.

  “I already did. And we need to have a discussion over your employer, Jarrett,” she growled.

  He glared down at her. “Don't fucking judge, Lynn. People in glass houses...”

  She narrowed her eyes further and flipped him off. Quick as a rattlesnake, he grabbed her finger and twisted it back. “We're in front of our bosses and their two impressionable children. Mind yourself,” he snarled.

  Crap, he was right. What the hell had come over her?

  Probably fear. This group scared her to death. Though she could understand why her brother and cousin weren't affected by the environment, they'd both served in Afghanistan with heavy artillery action. A group of scary looking Sopranos want-a-be's were nothing to them.

  “Sorry,” she conceded.

  “And stay away from any of the men here. Just. Stay. Away,” he warned.

  “You mean like Tattoo-Jackass?”

  “Exactly.”

  “Hey, sis,” Russ said, rounding the large white fence that surrounded the pool.

  “Hey.”

  Her younger brother approached her, leaned down, and kissed her cheek. It didn’t matter that she had three years on him, he always took on an older brother type role. In his arms, was little Caitlin. That child looked up into Russ's hazel eyes, the ones identical to Lynn's, with pure adoration. Hell, maybe even love. Yep, the little girl was in love with Russ. Lynn chuckled and shook her head. Wow. Even the tiny ones didn't stand a chance with her extremely handsome brother.

  “Lynn, this is Caitlin. Caitlin, this is my sister Lynn,” he introduced them in a mature manner.

  Little Caitlin rolled her eyes, and in a tone too mature for her age, said, “I already met her, Russ.”

  All three adults laughed.

  Little Daniel bolted from the back of the yard straight to Jarrett and wrapped himself around her cousin's long, muscular legs. Apparently this was the boy's nuance.

  Jarrett huffed, exasperated. “I don't know what's up with this, but we're trying to break it. He knocked his mother down the attic steps the other night while she was carrying her fine China down.”

  Lynn winced.

  “Yeah, she ended u
p in the ER with stitches in the back of her head. Daddy was not happy,” Jarrett said as he picked up Daniel.

  That little boy was the spitting image of his father with those matching blue eyes of his sister's and chocolate brown eyelashes of his father's. The genes in the Murphy family were unrivaled.

  Daniel wrapped his arms securely around Jarrett's neck and laid his head down on her cousin's chest. Lynn couldn't help but to grin at the two big lugs. She'd never guessed these two would take to childcare like fish to water. They easily handled these two kids as if they'd graduated from some brilliant, top of the line, nanny course. Who knew?

  “Courtney!” a male voice bellowed out over the yard.

  Russ and Jarrett stiffened and glared up at the porch. Caitlin excitedly squirmed out of her brother's hold and Daniel followed. Lynn whipped around at the sound of a screaming baby.

  “Courtney!”

  Standing on the deck, shirt sticking out of his wrinkled khaki pants, and holding onto a baby carrier, was the most gorgeous man Lynn had ever laid eyes on. Tall, well over six feet, a broad chest that his tee strained against, and arms with biceps that could crush walnuts. His hair was a skewed mess at the overgrown stage and needed a trim, and his bronzed skin glowed in the sunlight.

  And then he opened his mouth and all those good looks disappeared. “Courtney!”

  “For fuck's sake,” Russ growled. “What a goddamn mess he's made himself.”

  The kids were already at the deck going gaga over the baby in the carrier.

  “Oh, shit,” Jarrett murmured.