father he’d ever known.
And all the more reason Ryker needed to keep his hands to himself where Laney was concerned. Patrick had been extremely protective and cautious when Laney wanted to date certain men. There were guys who wanted to date her simply for her last name or because they thought they could get into the family and wanted to use her as a warped version of a job interview.
Ryker had done neither of those things. He’d just gone straight to taking her against a wall and getting her pregnant like a loser.
One thing was for sure. He may not be father material, but he wasn’t about to ignore his responsibilities. If he had his way, he’d whisk Laney and their baby away and tuck them safely in his home in London...or he’d buy a damn private island. Anything to keep them safe.
He had the funds, that wasn’t the problem. No, the problem came in the form of a beautiful, stubborn, Irish goddess who would rather argue with him than listen to reason.
Ryker pulled into a parking spot right outside the window to his room. Always on the ground floor, always near an exit.
Fear overwhelmed him for the first time in years. Not for himself but for Laney and their unborn child.
When he got back to Boston, they were going to have to talk. He couldn’t outrun her any longer. He may not want a relationship with her, or anyone else for that matter, but he’d make damn sure she was taken care of...regardless of the cost to his own heart.
Most would say he didn’t have a heart. Ryker would have to agree. But Laney made him feel, and he could see the train wreck coming. Someone was going to get hurt.
* * *
When Laney had called her brother because her Christmas decorations were too heavy for her to lift, she hadn’t even realized the time of night. But here he was hauling box after box into her living room.
“Why do you have so much stuff to put up for only one month?” he growled as he sat the last box beside her sofa.
“So you can enjoy it when you come to visit.” Laney smiled and patted his cheek. “Just think, in about four weeks you can come back and take this all back up to my attic.”
“I’ll hire someone. Hell, just leave it up all year long. I won’t judge.”
Laney pulled the lid off one box and stared down at the contents. Christmas decorations were her crack. She loved everything about them. The lights, the glass ornaments that belonged to her mother, the garland she strung over her mantel and down her staircase. Everything was so magical, so perfect, and it made her remember how amazing her childhood had been. A house full of family and laughter, the parties they’d thrown in the O’Shea ballroom.
Tears pricked her eyes. She wanted that for her baby. She wanted her child to know the meaning of family gatherings. There was nothing more valuable to Laney than her family. She needed them now more than ever, but she had no idea how to tell them a little O’Shea was about to join their ranks.
She wasn’t afraid of how they’d react to the baby; her brothers would welcome another O’Shea. But how would they treat Ryker? He was such a staple in their family, and he was so much more to Braden and Mac than just an employee. He was...everything.
Laney sighed and blinked back tears.
“Hey, you okay?” Braden stood beside her, bending to look her in the eye. “Oh, damn. Please don’t cry. I’ll help take them down later, I swear.”
Why was it that the strongest of men couldn’t handle a little water?
“I’m fine,” she assured him, waving a hand. “It’s late and I’m tired. That’s all.”
His dark brows raised in disbelief. “And you opted to start decorating now?”
“I’ve got a lot on my mind.” Wasn’t that an understatement. “I’ll work on this until I think I can fall asleep.”
Crossing his arms over his chest, Braden straightened and pinned her with his eyes. “Is there a problem I need to know about?”
Laney picked up an ornament and began to peel away its bubble wrap. “Just worrying about my brothers. Nothing new.”
That wasn’t a total lie. She always worried about them. Their business kept them busy, traveling, sneaking around. Thankfully they had enough law enforcement in their back pocket to keep them out of the hot seat, but still. Laney always worried something would happen. There were worse fates than being arrested.
“We’re all fine.” Braden took the ornament from her and waited until she turned her attention toward him. “I’m asking about you. Are you still receiving threats? I’d hoped after Shane—”
“Stop worrying about me.”
She didn’t want to talk about her emails or Shane. Ryker had taken it upon himself to...handle the problem of Shane when he’d attempted to abduct Laney from in front of her home in Beacon Hill. Shane had been the bane of her family’s existence for years, but he’d crossed the line when he’d harassed Braden’s wife, Zara. When he’d tried to grab Laney, Ryker had had enough.
And Laney knew the way Ryker had managed the situation had been an issue between him and Braden. Since Braden had taken over the family business after their father passed, he’d been adamant about going legitimate, and that included how they took care of their enemies. Ryker insisted that ending their old practices so suddenly would make them look weak and invite retribution.
Laney was still unsure what happened to her ex, but she was fine about being kept in the dark regarding that.
“Why don’t you get back home to your bride?” Laney suggested. “It’s late. I’m just going to sit here and tear up a little over Mom’s things.”
Braden looked as if he wanted to say more. That intense stare could make even the most seasoned criminal break, but Laney wasn’t caving. She’d grown up around strong-willed alphas her entire life. Not much fazed her.
“If you have any issues, you call me or Ryker immediately.”
Laney nodded, though if she had an issue she’d deal with it herself. She wasn’t a helpless female.
Once she hugged her loving, overprotective brother good-night, she reset her alarm and glanced around at the mess. The tree sat completely naked in the corner near the fireplace where she always put it. She wasn’t even sure at this point if she had any working lights. She tried to buy new ones each year, but, well, this year had been a bit exceptional and her mind had been elsewhere.
Laney found the box with her garland and decided to work on the staircase. That would be simple enough and keep her mind occupied for a few minutes.
She’d barely started when her thoughts drifted to Ryker. There was always a level of fear anytime she knew he was working. But the not knowing was frustrating. She knew the lead he was working on, she’d supplied him with the intel, but she didn’t like how he insisted on going out alone. He always stayed just detached enough to be in the know but keep to himself. Damn frustrating man.
Laney carefully wrapped the banister, fluffing the greenery as she went. This time next year she’d be playing Santa and buying the baby’s first Christmas things—tacky
