Authors: Casey Clipper
She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him
hard. "Don't you ever forget it."
"I promise." He held up his right hand. "You're meeting Derrick for lunch?" he asked. He led her to a stool then made quick work of toasting a bagel for her.
"Yep," she said.
"Jack and Carl will take you," Darren said firmly. Not a request.
"All right." Some battles she would never win. Pick your battles, her new motto. Okay, maybe not new. Her mother had given her that lecture on her wedding day.
The front doorbell rang.
Darren furrowed his brow. "Are you expecting someone?"
"No, you?" she asked. It occurred to her what a moro
nic question that was. There were always men coming and going from their home.
"No," he answered.
Jack left the kitchen to answer the door. She recognized the two deep, male voices that filled the front room. Courtney squealed, jumped off the stool, and ran down the hall to greet her cousins. Sean was the first to pick her up and squeeze her tight.
"You look so much better, Court," Sean said.
He set her down for Ryan to greet her.
"You do," Ryan agreed.
Darren sauntered up to greet the two men.
"I feel
much better," Courtney said. Darren wrapped a protective arm around her waist.
"There is an enormous difference," Darren agreed. "She's been cooperative about allowing me to pamper her."
She rolled her eyes.
"Good." Sean nodded.
"Did you two come here to check up on me?" she teased.
"Ah, yes." Ryan grinned
.
She laughed, the joyful sound vibrating off the walls.
"Come in," Darren said, motioning inside.
Sean and Ryan followed Darren and Courtney and took seats on the sofa. Courtney set herself between her cousins and Darren sat in a chair next to the couch.
"What are you up to today?" Sean asked her.
"I'm having lunch with Derrick," she answered. "Why, you have something in mind?"
Ryan shook his head. "Nope, just wanted to know what you were up to. Are you driving yourself?"
"Carl and Jack are taking her,” Darren answered, reinforcing his demand from a few minutes ago.
"We can take you if Derrick is able to bring you home. We're going to meet a couple of nurses for lunch. Where are you meeting him?" Ryan asked.
She burst out laughing. "Meeting a couple of nurses?"
"Ryan set it up." Sean pointed to his brother.
Leave it to her two single, very handsome cousins to be so nonchalant about a double date with nurses.
Who knew what kind of debauchery would ensue between the two couples.
"Well?" Ryan pressed.
"I don't know where we're going specifically. All I know is downtown somewhere. Derrick is supposed to text the restaurant."
Darren's cell phone rang. He looked at the caller ID and stood from his chair. "Excuse me, I have to take this."
Once Darren left the room, the three cousins continued with mindless chatter.
After a few minutes, Darren sta
lked back into the room. "I need to leave but I have to take Jack and Carl with me. Can I take you up on the offer? Do you mind making sure Court gets to lunch? I'll let Derrick know he needs to drive her home," he asked.
"Of course, it's no problem. Do what you have to do," Sean said.
"Is everything okay?" Courtney asked. She stood and approached him, slightly worried.
"Yes, sweetheart. It's just business. I'll be home early this afternoon, maybe before you return from lunch." He kissed the tip of the nose.
She sagged with relief. "Okay."
"Why don't you get ready and I'll call Derrick
," he suggested. "I'll be gone by the time you're out of the shower."
She nodded. If she didn't get
ready soon, she'd be late and Derrick didn't do late. "Love you."
"I love you."
She turned to her cousins. "I'll be back down in a bit."
"Take your time. We'll just watch the morning news." Sean waved her upstairs.
Darren
Darren watched his wife bound up the stairs. Obsessed didn't come close to describing his need for her.
"There's coffee in the kitchen, make yourself at home,” Darren said.
"Thanks, Darren," Ryan said. "And thanks for taking good care of her. She looks fantastic. I'm glad things have settled between you two."
"So am I. She got a clean bill of health and we
've started to work on another baby. She begged, I couldn't tell her no." He glanced back up the stairs.
"We could never tell her no either. That woman knows how to wrap her men around her little finger," Ryan admired.
"That she does," he agreed. He dialed his brother while stepping outside.
Courtney
An hour later, after she finished primping, she found her cousins made themselves at home with coffee, the newspaper, and the morning news programs. It amazed her how comfortable they were no matter where they ended up.
Dressed in black slacks, a form fitting sheer ivory button-down blouse, and a pair of black high heels, she looked sophisticated and sexy.
"Court, you look beautiful.
You would never know that you had gone through..." Sean trailed off.
"Thanks," she said
, aware of where his mind had gone.
Sean's cell phone rang and thankfully interrupted the awkward moment. He pulled the phone out of his pocket and looked at the caller ID.
"Shit," he murmured. "Hello?"
Sean listened for a minute. "Okay, we'll be there in about fifteen."
He disconnected the call and stood. "Call the girls. We've been called in. There's some sort of emergency and they need more staff."
"Are you kidding me? We just pulled five twelve's," Ryan whined.
"I know, but something about the power in the hospital is down. They need everyone to help transfer patients," Sean explained. He snatched his jacket.
"Oh
," Ryan exclaimed.
If the power was down, the generators in the hospital would keep the machines for the babies in the NICU running. But the staff would need to move the babies if power wouldn't be restored soon. Her cousin wouldn't be anywhere else except with those babies.
He jumped up, threw on his jacket, dialed a number on his own cell, and rushed out the door.
"So
rry, honey, but we have to go. Are you going to be all right? Will you call Derrick to pick you up?" Sean asked.
"I'll call him."
He narrowed his eyes. "Make sure you do or I'll tell your husband."
"You wouldn't," she gasped surprised.
"In a heartbeat," he warned.
She sighed, disgusted. Outnumbered by her overprotective husband, brother-in-law, and two cousins.
"Okay, okay," she placated.
"Good. I have to go." He kissed her forehead then rushed out of the house.
"Be careful," she called after them.
Both men waved to her when they burned rubber out of the driveway. She closed the door and heard her phone chirp. Courtney went to the kitchen, where she left her cell.
12:00 Murphy's.
A c
hange of plans. She was about to return a confirmation text when she was interrupted by the front doorbell. Maybe Sean or Ryan forgot something. She set her phone back down to answer the door. A quick glance out the peephole, a habit Darren had browbeat into her, she did a double take.
"Shit," she whispered.
What was she going to do? She was alone for the first time in months. How had that happened? Damn it, Darren was going to be livid.
Taking a deep, cleansing breath, she closed her eyes and exhaled to calm herself. She needed to keep her cool. Opening her eyes, she swung the door open and glared at the group of five men standing before her.
"Courtney," John Marshall smiled.
“What?"
she barked.
John took a step back, shocked. The other men didn't flinch.
"Courtney, can we come in and talk to you?"
"No," she snapped. No way in hell she
was allowing them into her home.
"I need to speak with you, Courtney." His tone grew harder. He squared his shoulders and grew
upright. "Now, we can do this the hard way or the easy way, your choice."
She took two steps towards him, hauled off and slapped him across the face.
Hard.
"I have nothing to say to you. Get the hell off my property
," she screamed.
Before her mind processed what happened, she was yanked out the door and thrown up against the brick. Her arms
pinned behind her back, someone read her, her Miranda rights.
When her brain caught up, she felt blood drip from her mouth.
"What the hell are you doing?" she spat.
"Assaulting a government a
gent, Mrs. Murphy, is against the law," David growled into her ear.
"Fuck you." She had enough. They had cost her too much. If they wanted to throw aro
und the mob boss's wife, then they would get a sorely uncooperative‒and just a bit pissed off‒woman.
After she was secure in cuffs, she was pulled from the wall and spun to face them. John gasped a
nd slid David, who blinked, a side-glance.
David shoo
k off his stare and passed her to one of the other agents, who pushed her into an unmarked government car and into the back seat. David pulled the door of the house shut, and took her into custody.
Shit. Darren was really going to be pissed.
***
Derrick
For an hour Derrick waited at Murphy's for Courtney to arrive. He had texted her cell phone, called her cell phone, called the house phone, but no answer. His gut told him something was seri
ously wrong but he tried to remain calm and levelheaded. Courtney would never stand him up. He'd tried Darren's cell numerous times, but his brother hadn't answer either.
About to punch Darren's number into his cell again, he stopped when Jack and Carl
casually strolled into the bar.
Jack headed straight for Derrick and held out his hand. "Hey, Derrick, how are you?"
"Where's Courtney?" he snapped. No time for pleasantries.
Jack took an automatic step back.
"I thought she was having lunch with you," Jack said confused.
"She didn't show up," Derrick bit.
"Her cousins were supposed to bring her," Jack explained.
Darren sauntered into the bar, and Derrick's sharp eyes swung to his brother. Darren stopped at his intense gaze.
He stalked up to his brother.
"Where's your wife?" he demanded.
Darren blinked confused. "She isn't here with you?"
"No, I've been waiting for an hour and she hasn't shown," he growled.
"Sean and Ryan were supposed to bring her. Let me call them," Darren said. "She's probably with them."
Darren dialed Sean's number, switching the call to speaker so Derrick could listen in. He answered on the fourth ring.
"Sean, it's Darren. Where's Courtney?" he asked.
Sean hesitated. "She's having lunch with Derrick."
Darren hesitated. "No, she didn't show up. I'm standing at my bar with Derrick. I thought you were bringing her. Did you drop her off?"
"No, Ryan and I got called into the hospital not long after you left. She was supposed to call Derrick to pick her up. She promised me she would," Sean hissed.
"I'll call you back," Darren said and closed his phone.
"I texted her around ten to tell her noon here." Derrick waved dismissively.
"I need to get home. Something's wrong," Darren said in mid turn. He bolted out of the bar with Derrick, Jack, and Carl on his heels.
"Get into my car. I'll drive," he barked at his brother.
Darren and Derrick jumped into the Lexus IS F and broke every speed limit and traffic law to get to the Murphy home.
***
Darren
Before the car was parked Darren jumped out and rushed up the steps of his home. He burst through the front door.
Something was off.
The door was unlocked.
That was something that was not allowed in his home if Court happened to be alone. All entry doors were to be locked at all times.