Lowering my head, I pressed my lips to hers in a soft, exploratory kiss. Her lips parted beneath mine, and when her tongue shyly flicked against mine I pulled her into my body, deepening our kiss the way I’d imagined doing for years.
Her warmth melted into me, and the world seemed to narrow to the gentle brush of lips against lips, and each inhaled breath. I lingered there, savouring the moment. The kiss grew, unhurried and tender, as if we had all the time in the world and nowhere else we needed to be. And I cursed the fact that I had to leave.
With one last soft kiss, I drew away. Moira’s eyes flutter open and she smiles.
“To be continued.”
“To be continued,” I agree. “I wish I didn’t have to go. It’s just for a few days.”
“Are you trying to persuade me or you?” Moira chuckles.
“Both of usaghrá,” I groan, giving her another quick kiss before I call to a still sulking Mikayla. “Are you going to sulk, or are you coming to say goodbye?”
Mouth drooping, she slinks over to me. So much attitude in her three-year-old body. I bite my lip to stop my amusement from showing. When I glance at Moira, she’s doing the same. Her eyes are full of laughter when they meet mine.
Sinking to my knees when Mikayla gets to us, I draw her into the circle of my arms. “Hey sweet girl, I’m only going to be away for two days.” I hold up two fingers to show her. “I need you to help your mammy with Wolfie, can you do that for me?”
She nods her head, wrapping her arms around my neck and squeezing. “Don’t like you going ‘way.”
“Ah, baby girl,” I press my lips to her curls. “I don’t like it either.”
Standing up I take her with me, hugging her one last time before passing her to Moira, kissing each of their heads. “I’ll see you both in two days.”
I know that if I don’t leave now, I won’t want to.
I get on my bike and start it up. My eyes meet theirs before I put my helmet on and close the visor.
Backing my bike down the driveway, I wave once before I ride away, passing a few of my crew as I do. They’ll keep watch on my girls while I’m gone.
CHAPTER 12
MOIRA
Our talk changed everything. And the kiss …wow, the kiss. I’d never felt anything like the feelings that had flooded me when he’d kissed me.
Desire? Absolutely. Need? So much. But what sealed it for me was the overwhelming feeling of care and safety I felt when I was in his arms.
I always felt safe around him. Nothing could touch me as long as he was in my orbit. It’s one of the reasons I hated when he was gone, not that I’d ever tell him that. I never wanted to come across as needy, but I’d be a liar if I didn’t admit to myself at least that I felt better when he was home. Mikayla did too, which is why she was being a little ‘mare about him leaving.
The patience and love he always showed her was why I knew I’d do whatever I had to, to be the woman that he needed me to be. Maybe I needed to speak to Jess. She’d been an O’Shea wife for nearly fifty years, surely she had tips she could give me.
I knew what most saw when they looked at me. They saw a slightly naïve, sunshine, happy woman but they didn’t know the real me. Not the one who’d grown up in a home where fists were used over words. I’d seen things that would make most cringe in horror, and I’d watched my dad beat my mam to near death before a neighbour had pulled him off her.
I’d lived through my own hell, until Butcher saved me. Now I lived the life I’d always wanted, and I’d be as happy as I could for as long as I could because I knew only too well that those moments could be fleeting.
I wanted Mikayla to live the life of an innocent and push her boundaries for as long as she could, because I’d never had that. I wanted her to have a life of sunshine and roses. Andy had given me the chance, but it was up to me to ensure that it wasn’t only Mikayla that benefited, but Andy too. If ever there was a man that needed sunshine and happiness in his life, it was Andy O’Shea. And I was the one who’d provide it.
Right after I spoke to Jess O’Shea so that I could find out how to go about supporting him.
***
It was late afternoon the day after Andy left to do whatever it was he did when he left us. Jess would be in shortly as it was banking day, and I had all the cash ready for her. Usually she’d pick it up and be gone within a few minutes, but today I needed to speak to her.
Making a pot of tea, I set it on the table with a few slices of coffee cake we’d had left over and sit down to wait for her. I don’t wait long; Jess is nothing if not efficient with her time. Maybe that’s something she should be more aware of. She was matriarch of one of the most feared families in the city, but that didn’t mean that someone wouldn’t try and hurt her.
Keys jingle in the lock and Jess steps through the door. She halts, her eyes widening slightly when she sees me sitting there waiting for her. Seems I’ve taken her by surprise.
“Hello, Jess,” I smile and pat the table. “I’ve made us some tea. I thought we could have a chat.”
