Deadly Reunion (Hardy Brothers Security Book 20)

C
opyright
© 2016 by Lily Harper Hart

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No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

“
H
ow do I look
?”

Emma Pritchard, her long auburn hair swept up in a loose bun that left a few curling tendrils framing her face, perched nervously in the archway between the living room and kitchen. She gripped her hands together as she regarded her fiancé, Finn Hardy, with a desperate look.

“You look … .” Finn didn’t get a chance to finish his sentence.

“Maybe we should stop back at the apartment so I can change,” Emma suggested, focusing on her reflection in the wall mirror. Apparently she didn’t like what she saw, which flabbergasted Finn because he’d never seen anything more beautiful in his entire life. “My hair looks stupid like this.”

She reached up to yank at the bun, but Finn made it to her side just in time to stop her from ruining the masterpiece.

“Sweetie, you look beautiful,” Finn said, gripping her hands and pressing the palms flat against his chest as he moved in front of her. He loved the woman beyond reason, but she was such a bundle of fluttery nerves today he didn’t know what to do with her. “You need to calm down.”

“Yeah, Emma, calm down,” James Hardy, Finn’s older brother, deadpanned from the couch where he sat with his wife and nephew. For his part, Avery Hardy didn’t seem to pick up on his mother’s distress. Instead he was busy gurgling and laughing as James and his wife, Mandy, entertained the small lad. “This is only the one thing you’ve been waiting years for. You should totally treat it like a normal day and stop being so darned excitable.”

“No one asked you,” Finn snapped, shaking his head as his brother snorted out a laugh. “Besides, this isn’t the one thing she’s been waiting years for. You’re holding another thing and I would like to think I fall somewhere on that list.”

“You do,” Emma said, her dark eyes flashing as James chortled and tickled her son until he hysterically giggled. “You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”

Finn’s expression softened as he met her earnest eyes and brushed one of the tendrils away from her beautiful face. She was a former model, but her beauty was low on the list of things he loved most about her. She’d just finished up her degree and could officially go to work as a teacher. Whether she did that this fall, though, was still up in the air.

Emma was used to taking care of herself, so when Finn came along and offered her the world, she was thrilled and understandably dubious. She wanted to work and contribute to their family funds, but Finn was trying to get her to wait a year so she could stay home with Avery and enjoy the limited time they had with him when he was so very small. He knew that’s what Emma wanted, too, but she was guilt ridden about him paying for everything. He hoped that would subside once they were married. Of course, he had to get her to set a date for the wedding before that could happen.

Emma wanted to get married more than anything. Finn knew that and he wasn’t worried that she was dragging her feet because she might change her mind. At first she put off the wedding because she was pregnant and didn’t want to be “fat” for the ceremony. That was her word, not his, and Finn learned quickly not to question her about it. Once Avery arrived – and under incredibly difficult circumstances – Emma needed time to recuperate.

Now that things had finally settled down and she was mostly happy with the way her body looked – she still thought she was heavy in some places, which Finn found ridiculous – Finn was ready to pick a date. He was ready to make their family official in name, even though it was already set in stone in his heart. Then they got a call that changed everything, which was the reason Emma couldn’t quite seem to settle down and Finn hadn’t slept in the past week because she kept waking him up with items to add to their to-do list.

“You’re the best thing that ever happened to me,” Finn said, leaning forward so he could give his beloved a soft kiss. “You’re still driving me crazy.”

Emma’s smile at the loving words tipped down when he added the second sentence. “This is a big deal.”

“I didn’t say it wasn’t a big deal,” Finn protested. “I just need you to take a chill pill.”

“Oh, those are fighting words,” James said, smiling as he held Avery’s fists and pretended to punch air. “Tell your daddy that he’s going to make it so mommy won’t ever give him a brother or sister for you if he’s not careful.”

“Do you have to do that?” Finn asked, glancing over his shoulder and scowling when he saw Mandy and James grinning. “You’re bugging me.”

“Oh, you should also tell your daddy that he shouldn’t insult the people giving him free childcare,” James said, chuckling when Avery barked out a laugh that could only be described as adorable. “That’s right. We’re going to start charging him to change your diapers.”

“I’ll just call Ally,” Finn said, referring to his younger sister. She was infatuated with her nephew and volunteered for babysitting duty every chance she got. “She loves changing diapers.”

“Yes, but if our sister was available you wouldn’t have called us,” James said, brushing a quick kiss against Mandy’s forehead as she snuggled closer to him and rested her cheek on his shoulder. “We’re second down on your list after Ally and Jake. You only call Grady and Sophie when you’re really desperate. I don’t know how they got so lucky.”

Emma faltered. She knew James was joking and yet the assertion ruffled her already frazzled feelings all the same. “We can take him with us,” she said, smoothing the front of her shirt down. “Finn can stay in the car with him while I go inside to pick up Jeff. If you don’t want to watch him … .”

James instantly recognized his mistake. “Emma, I was just messing with Finn because that’s what a brother is supposed to do,” he said, contrite. “We’re happy to have him.”

“We are,” Mandy agreed, bobbing her blond head. “We like it when he’s here for an hour or two. It gives us a chance to pretend we’re parents for a small amount of time and then still get a full night’s sleep while you’re home rocking him when he wakes up screaming in the middle of the night.”

James snickered. “You’re such a maternal presence, baby,” he said, leaning his temple against Mandy’s. “I think it’s probably a good thing we only babysit once every few weeks because anything else is above our paygrade.”

“I think we’ve all come to that conclusion,” Finn said dryly, rolling his eyes. “You two are too sexually charged for a baby.”

“I’m fine with that,” James said. “This is a one baby house – and I’m happy with my baby.”

“That’s right,” Mandy said, giggling as she nuzzled her nose against James’ face. They were especially cuddly these days – not that Finn begrudged them their happiness after all the trouble they’d had of late – and they couldn’t seem to get enough of each other.

“I love you both, but you make me sick sometimes,” Finn said, shaking his head as he turned back to Emma. “You look beautiful, sweetie. Don’t listen to my brother. He’s happy to watch the baby while we get Jeff.”

Jeff Pritchard, Emma’s older brother, was being released from prison after serving five years for armed robbery. His problems stemmed from an inability to support Emma after their father, a notorious child molester, went to prison and their mother abandoned them. While Finn wasn’t a fan of stealing, he understood Jeff’s dilemma and was ready to help reintroduce him into society. He was the only family Emma had and she was desperate for things to go well for him. That meant Finn would move Heaven and earth to make it happen.

“We are thrilled to watch Avery,” James said, his tone shifting from teasing to serious. “I was just messing around with Finn. We’re happy to watch Avery while you guys get Jeff settled.”

“He can stay all day,” Mandy added. “We’ve got his playpen and plenty of bottles.”

“As long as you pick him up before we go to sleep we’re good,” James said.

Finn frowned. “Really? You can’t keep him overnight? Emma’s brother is getting out of prison, a place where he’s spent five long years. Are you honestly saying you can’t keep your nephew for an additional eight hours? That’s so … selfish.”

James furrowed his brow, confused. “I … .”

“He’s just messing with you,” Emma said, shaking her head as she flicked Finn’s arm. “We want him home with us. I’m not ready to spend a night away from him. Besides, we’re coming back here for the barbecue. You have nothing to worry about.”

“Oh.” James looked properly chastised, but also relieved. “He could’ve stayed … I guess.”

“Wow, what a warm welcome, huh?” Finn widened his eyes to comical proportions and drew Avery’s attention to him. “I think Uncle James is saying he would’ve locked you in a closet or something. He’s not so funny now, is he?”

Avery giggled and slapped his knees.

“I wouldn’t have put him in a closet,” James clarified. “I would’ve put him in the guesthouse. I need my beauty rest.”

“You’re a terrible babysitter,” Finn grumbled. “I can’t believe I’m trusting my firstborn with you.”

“Hey, I’m the one who delivered him,” Mandy said, reminding Finn how the best day of his life could’ve easily turned into the worst day of his brother’s life. Lance Pritchard, Emma’s father, escaped from prison intent on killing Emma and stealing the baby. Mandy delivered Avery under fraught circumstances and then fought Lance off, risking her own life in the process and ultimately killing him. She was still recovering from the ordeal. “I wouldn’t let James put him in the guesthouse after all the work we went through to make sure he got here in one piece.”

“Whatever,” James muttered. “You don’t want to be woken up either. Don’t even pretend you’re okay with that. You sleep like the dead. I would be the one getting up with the kid.”

“I don’t sleep like the dead,” Mandy protested.

“You snore like a trucker, baby,” James said. “You also drool more than the kid does. There are mornings I wake up and wonder if we’re taking on water.”

Mandy scowled as she pulled her head away from James’ shoulder. “Fine. I’ll sleep in the guesthouse with Avery and you can have this entire big house to yourself.”

“Oh, don’t be like that,” James chided, kissing her cheek. “I don’t want you in the guesthouse. The kid is another story. I like the snoring and drool.”

“You’re a complicated man,” Finn said.

“I am,” James agreed.

Mandy wasn’t quite ready to forgive James for his verbal faux pas and make nice. Instead she hopped up from the couch and moved in Emma’s direction. “I like your outfit, but you should pair it with a different top. That one fits you funny.”

“It’s because my boobs are so big,” Emma admitted, ruefully glancing down at her ample chest. “They were big before, but because I’m nursing now they’re even bigger.”

“I have a top that should fit you and go great with this skirt,” Mandy said, tugging on Emma’s arm. “It was designed to be roomy in the chest area. I don’t have nearly as much as you do, but let’s see if it fits.”

“Okay.” Emma looked excited at the prospect as she moved to follow Mandy out of the room.

“Wait a second,” Finn protested. “We have to be out at the prison in an hour. I’m sure there’s going to be paperwork and stuff.”

“The prison is a half hour away,” Mandy argued. “Emma has time to change her shirt. This is a big deal for her. She wants to look nice for her brother.”

“You two hens just want to cluck in private so we can’t hear you,” James said, bouncing Avery on his knee. “Just for the record, wife, we’re not playing that game where the last one who holds the baby changes him. We’re alternating, and I changed him last when he was here this weekend, which means you’re on deck. Leaving the room doesn’t change that.”

“Well, perhaps you can swim through my drool to find me when it’s time to change him,” Mandy suggested primly before heading toward the stairs. “Be careful, though. I would hate to think you’re in danger of running into sharks with all the excess water in this house.”

“I’ll take it under advisement,” James said, making a face as he watched his wife and future sister-in-law disappear from the room. “I’m going to pay for that drooling remark later.”

“I’m sure you’ll figure out a way to make it up to her,” Finn said, sighing as he sat on the couch next to his brother. “Knowing you, whatever apology you cook up will involve the hot tub and wandering hands.”

“And probably a wandering tongue,” James agreed, shifting Avery so the baby was close enough to rest his head on James’ expansive chest. “He looks as if he’s getting tired.”

“That’s the way it is with babies,” Finn said, affectionately rubbing his son’s head. “One minute they’re going full throttle and the next they’re sleeping for five hours straight.”

“They’re kind of like cats, huh?”

“They’re not like cats,” Finn muttered, rolling his eyes. “You’re a piece of work. You know that, right? Cats. Give me a break.”

“I tell myself that every day,” James said, grinning as he rubbed Avery’s back and rested his neck on the couch. “Emma seems excited about Jeff getting out of prison.”

“She’s unbelievably excited.”

“What about you?”

“I’m more … cautious,” Finn hedged. “I’m excited for her, don’t get me wrong, but I don’t think the transition is going to be as easy as she thinks it’s going to be. Living inside for a long period of time is a different lifestyle. He’s not going to be the same brother Emma remembers.”

“That’s probably good,” James said. “Emma isn’t the same sister Jeff remembers. She’s not the scared little girl who was traumatized by her father. Now she’s more worldly and strong, and she’s a mother. I’m sure it will take them a few days to slip into a routine, but once it happens everything will be okay.”

“I hope you’re right,” Finn said, rubbing the back of his neck as he glanced toward the stairs to make sure they were still alone. “Thanks for giving him a job.”

“Don’t mention it,” James said. “He didn’t rob people for the thrill of it. He was trying to keep Emma and himself alive. I understand that.”

“Still, the babysitting aside, you’re going above and beyond to help Emma and I really appreciate it.” The Hardy brothers were rarely schmaltzy, so James knew how difficult it was for Finn to express himself.

“Emma is family,” James said. “You do what you have to do for family. That’s the way the world works. That’s the way this family works.”