CHAPTER 9

Tilly

Daydreaming about Adam and our first night together seemed to be my go-to at the moment. I’d never realised how good sex could be until he’d shown me. I’d moved into his room the next day, and we’d not spent a day or night apart since then.

The girls were thrilled and had Ally moved out of their shared room pretty quickly. Adam had told them he’d take them shopping for whatever they wanted for their bedrooms.

I’d admonished him about spoiling them, and his reply had been that his girls deserved spoiling. That he called them his girls and treated them as such warmed my heart. It had been my dream that one day I’d find a man to love us like we deserved, and Adam certainly did that.

“I’m starved,” Maya grumbled.

Her words broke through my daydream, and looking up from my screen that I’d been pretending to look at, I smiled at her; she was lying back on the couch in my office. It was meant for clients, but as Adam never liked them coming to the office, it was only ever used by family or employees.

Johnny had brought Maya over this morning and settled her with pillows, magazines, and snacks. They had an appointment just after lunch, so she was keeping me company while she waited for the time to pass as Johnny had a few meetings today.

Looking at the clock, I saw it was just after eleven; her appointment wasn’t until one, so she still had awhile to wait.

“Do you want me to pop over to the sandwich shop and get us some lunch?”

A beaming smile lit up her face, making me chuckle. “Would you?” Maya pleaded. “I don’t remember being this hungry with my other two, but I swear I’m eating constantly with this one.”

Laughing, I stood up and walked back to the office where Adam was working. Sitting in there with him was Colin, who was my security for the day.

Knocking on the doorframe to get their attention, “Maya’s hungry,” I announced with a small laugh. Colin chuckled and Adam grinned at my words. They both knew what she was like. “I’m going to go over to the sandwich shop to get us some lunch.”

“Okay,” Colin replied standing up to escort me. “Let me just go to the bathroom and we can leave.”

Moving away from the door, I walked into the office as he walked out. Adam pushed his chair away from the desk when I reached him, making room for me as I sat on his lap tilting my head for a kiss.

“Mmh, mo chroí, ” Adam murmured, his lips on mine as his hand slipped under my skirt to grip my thigh. “Have I told you today how much I love you?”

“No,” I whispered back.

“Love you so much, mo chroí. ”

Every time he told me how much he loved me, it made me both tearful and happy at the same time.

“Love you too, my love, so much,” I proclaimed, kissing him, knowing that I wouldn’t have much time until Colin or Maya came looking. I made sure it was one that was going to leave us both wanting more. Nothing like hours of anticipation to end up in an explosive night.

“Ready when you are, Tilly,” Colin called out from the passageway.

Breaking our kiss, I rested my forehead against Adam’s. “To be continued,” I purred huskily. Adam groaned and adjusted himself as I stood up, smacking me lightly on the arse as I walked away, making me jump and laugh happily.

It wasn’t a long walk to the sandwich shop, but it left me enough time to go back to my daydream as I thought back over the last couple of months since that first night with Adam. Our lives only had got better and better. I’d known that my life with Troy wasn’t a good one. Now that I was living the best one, I couldn’t believe how stupid I’d been for staying as long as I had. These O’Shea men amazed me with how they treated Maya and me, like we were their queens.

And my girls… well, my girls were flourishing and growing more confident by the day. They’d taken like ducks to water to all the self-defence classes that Adam had them booked into. When he’d mentioned teaching them to shoot, I’d at first, balked until he’d shown me the gun range and assured me that he’d teach them all about gun safety.

It also seemed that the O’Sheas had an open-door policy when it came to the Crow MC. They, along with their wives and children, were often here practicing. They’d not come often in the first month, wanting me and the girls to settle in, but once we had and after I’d been out with Adam to The Lounge, they’d gone back to their regular schedule of coming out once or twice a week.

While I wasn’t keen on guns, I’d loved learning how to throw knives from Molly. Plus, she was hilarious, and I loved spending time with her. Nothing held her back, not even the fact that she was about to pop with her first baby.

I’d had the history between the two families explained to me by Adam, and my heart hurt for Rhett and Noni. I hadn’t got to meet her as she’d already left to go travelling by the time the girls and I’d arrived in Fitheach, but I knew she was greatly missed by all of them, especially by Colm. I’d hugged him especially hard the day I’d found out about their history; he’d looked so confused but had hugged me back, no questions asked.

I’d relaxed my constant vigilance of looking for Troy around every corner. Adam hadn’t, though, nor had Johnny. Both Maya and I still had escorts whenever we left the property. Not that either of us moaned about it; we both knew that if he got his hands on us, we weren’t likely to make it out alive. With Maya being nearly seven months pregnant, we were all protective over her.

Skinny from the Crow MC had found out why he wanted Jackson so badly, and it had nothing to do with wanting to be a father. Nope, he only wanted him because his own crazy-arsed father and uncles belonged to a group that dealt in all sorts of bad things that Adam assured me I really didn’t need, nor did he want me to know about.

He'd gone on to say that he was glad that I’d got the girls away from them in time. My blood had run cold at his words because there was only one thing he could have meant by that. And it was the reason I was thinking. It had taken time, but I’d finally persuaded Adam to tell me what he’d meant, and I was horrified to find out that they took any girls born from their mothers at thirteen, and the things that happened to them didn’t bear thinking about.

The reason he wanted Jackson was because it was the only way to join their cult because that’s exactly what it was. It was a cult.

The only way to join the ranks was to have a son of your own that would be brought up within the folds of their fucked-up group. Adam had assured me that I didn’t need to worry. All the evidence they’d gathered had gone to people who dealt with exactly these sorts of groups, and any children they could save they would and give them the help they needed.

Even though Troy had produced a boy, he wasn’t yet in the fold because he'd not brought Jackson in. Maya and I wondered on that, but according to what Skinny could find, Troy had been given an extension because he’d been the one that had been behind their drug and arms trade, with contacts he made while posted abroad with the Army. And then he’d gone missing and been declared dead, and Maya had left.

Along with the rule that you had to have a son to join their group, only the father of the son could bring him into the fold, and with Troy presumed dead, there was no-one to bring Jackson in, as not even his grandfather could. Like I said, totally fucked up.

“Order for Tilly,” a voice called out.

Shaking off my musings, I walked to the counter and took our lunch sandwiches from the smiling girl. Thanking her, I turned to Colin so that we could leave. As I turned, my heart froze in my chest — surely not. It couldn’t be him. But there he was, standing on the corner of the road opposite, looking around. Thankfully, he hadn’t seen me yet.

“Tilly, are you okay?” Colin asked with concern.

“He’s here,” I whispered shakily.

“Where?” Colin asked, busily scanning the people in the small shop.

“He’s outside on the other side of the road,” shakily, I pointed a finger.

“Okay, I see him, Tilly, don’t panic, we’ve got you,” Colin reassured me, taking his phone from his pocket and finding the number he needed before putting the phone to his ear.

“Hey boss, the shit stain is here. Okay, yes, she’s fine, a little shaky, but she’s doing good. Right, okay. See you shortly.”

Not taking his eyes off Troy, Colin tells me what’s going to happen, bending his head to whisper close to my ear. “Right, babe, we’re going to walk out of here and back to the office. I’m going to stick by you all the time, but I need you to pretend that everything is okay. You need to look like you’re having the time of your life and that you haven’t got a worry in the world. We want to make him angry enough to make mistakes. We also need to get him to follow you somewhere where we can deal with him without eyes on us.”

“You want me to lead him home,” I guessed.

“We do, yes, for reasons I can’t tell you.”

“I don’t need to know,” I assured him, “I just want him gone from our lives.”

“We’re working on that, babe. Now, are you ready to look like you’re having the time of your life?”

“No, but I’ll do what I have to. Don’t leave my side, though.”

“I won’t, Tilly. Come on, let’s get you back to your man before he comes storming over here and ruins all our plans.”

Standing straight, shoulders back, I take a deep breath, “Okay,” I nodded, “I’m ready. Let’s do this.”

“That’s right, you show him what he threw away. Fucking dipstick,” Colin groused as we walked out the door. The laugh I let out wasn’t fake at all because he was right; Troy was all of that and more. While Colin didn’t rush us, he certainly didn’t waste any time getting me back to the office, where I found a worried, tearful Maya being held in Johnny’s arms and an agitated Adam pacing up and down. He snatched me into his arms as soon as I was in the door, hugging me tightly to him.

“I’m okay, honey,” I reassured him, “although I think Colin needs a raise. He was fantastic, kept me calm.”

Adam pressed a kiss to my temple, still holding me tight to him like he was never going to let me go.

“Thanks, man,” he said to Colin, “I appreciate you keeping her safe.”

“It was nothing, boss; Tilly’s yours, so that makes her ours. Now, I know you and Johnny are going to hate this, but we need to let the two of them drive away from here by themselves if we want to catch this fucker. We go with the plan; he clocked Tilly as soon as we walked out.”

“I know,” Adam growled. “We watched him follow you into the parking lot. He’s hiding behind the large recycling bin.”

“That’s good,” Colin murmured from my desk, where he’d gone as soon as Adam mentioned the cameras. He was watching them on the security monitor that was stationed on the corner of my desk.

“Maya, I’m sorry, but you are going to have to cancel your appointment. Johnny, you or Adam need to fill in the Crows and ask them to keep your girls and Jackson for tonight.”

Johnny shook his head, “No, Liam’s already gone to pick up all four of them. We need them home where I know they are safe. But we have let the Crows know that he’s made an appearance just in case he approaches them.”

“Okay,” Colin shrugged, “so it’s just the ladies then. You need to fill them in on the plan so that they don’t worry.”

At his words, I step back a little so that I can see Adam’s face, “What’s the plan, my love?”

Adam lets me go so that he can pace up and down. I leave him to it and sit on the couch next to Maya, taking hold of her hand.

“It’s always been the plan to get him to our land somehow; we need him somewhere that there aren’t a lot of eyes. We just weren’t sure how we were going to do it. But Colin is right; he’ll follow you and Maya. Now we’ve just got to figure out how to keep you safe while he does.”

“Call Tommy, have him wait at the main gates armed so that he can let them in,” Johnny responded. “We’ll have our guys follow Tilly and Maya, same as usual. If he’s been here a little while he’ll know that we always have someone on them. We don’t want to change their routines. I think once he knows where they are, he’ll try and get on the property, and that is exactly what we want. If he doesn’t, then we’ll think up another plan.”

“Okay,” Adam agrees, “but we have eyes on them all the time.”

“Absolutely, boss,” Colin assures him. “I’ve already got a few of the crew along the road. Jimmy and Lou have broken down and are waiting for a ‘rescue’ just down the road from your entrance,” Colin winks at me, making me laugh. I laugh harder when Maya joins in as Adam flicks Colin’s ear.

“Stop winking at my woman,” he grumbles.

“Sorry, boss,” Colin smirks playfully back. “Anyway, the point is we’ll have them covered as much as we can. We could have some of the crew come around from the Feannag side just to be safe.”

“Do that,” Adam agrees. “The more eyes on Tilly and Maya, the better I’ll feel. In fact, have them hook up with Liam and follow him back so that there are more eyes on the children too.”

“How did he find us though?” I wonder.

“I don’t know, mo chroí , but I’ll find out,” Adam grimly assures me.

Half an hour later, our lunch forgotten, we were ready to go. I’d be driving and Maya would be passenger. Gathering up all of Maya’s belongings, we made a big production of leaving; we were loud, laughing and joking as we loaded the car, making sure to get Troy’s attention.

Pulling out of the car park and onto the road, I took a nervous breath. “It’s going to be okay, isn’t it?” Maya asked softly, rubbing her belly soothingly with one hand.

“Yes, my lovely friend, it’s going to be just fine,” I promise her. “Can you call Adam for me? He’s just taken the bait and is following us. I can’t see our guys yet.”

Maya presses call on my phone, and I instantly relax when I hear Adam’s voice, “I’m here, s tór mo chroí, speak to me.”

“He’s taken the bait and is a car behind us. I can’t see our guys, though.”

“They’re there, don’t worry; they are two cars behind him. Just drive nice and steady, my love, and we’ll all be home soon. Johnny and I can’t leave yet as it’s not our usual time, but Colin, Tommy, and the boys will look after you. Da also knows, and he’ll be waiting at the house for you.”

“Love you,” I whisper shakily.

“Love you, s tór mo chroí. ”

“What does that mean?” I ask, flipping on my indicator, showing I was turning. Nearly opposite the entrance to the O’Shea property was what looked to be a broken-down car; bonnet up and two guys leaning against it as if they didn’t have a care in the world.

“It means love of my heart,” Adam answered. “Because that’s what you are to me. Love you down to my soul.”

“Oh, Adam,” I whisper tearfully as I turn onto our road, the gate open with Tommy standing next to it, waiting for us. He waves us through and closes the gate behind us. Looking in my rearview mirror, I watch as Troy drives past, just as Adam’s crew pulls up to the gate to have a chat with Tommy.

“We’re home. Tommy’s just closed the gate, and your guys are chatting to him. Troy drove past.”

“You did good, a ghrá , I’ll see you tonight.”

“Okay, my love,” I reply and nod at Maya to end the call. She’s sniffling and wiping at her eyes with a tissue.

“Are you okay?” I ask in alarm. She waves a hand at me, “Oh, I’m fine. It’s just that was so beautiful. I never knew Adam could be so romantic.”

Laughing softly, “Oh, trust me, Adam is plenty romantic; he’s just quiet about it. He’s perfect for me.”

“He really is,” she agrees as I pull into the covered garage, relaxing for the first time since I left the office to pick up our lunch.

Maya continues, “I know we didn’t have the best start, but I’m so happy that you ended up here. I couldn’t ask for a better sister, and I love your girls, and I’m so glad that our kids will grow up and get to know each other.”

“Oh, man, now you’ve got me blubbering,” I laugh shakily, wiping at my eyes.

“Are you ladies getting out or are you going to sit there all day? I’ve got a pot of tea with your name on it,” Colm calls out gruffly from the entrance.

Maya and I giggle as we get out of the car and walk towards the main house, stopping to hug Colm on our way past.

“Hi, Colm,” I say, wrapping my arms around my father-in-law-to-be. I love this big, gruff man.

“Hi, lass, are you doing okay?” he asks in concern, tilting my chin to study my face.

“I’m okay,” I reassure him. “Between your boys and the crew, I’ve got nothing to worry about.”

“Exactly right,” Colm agrees. “Now let’s go get that tea, and you can fill me in.”

Colm’s answer to all problems is tea or whisky, but I guess with Maya being pregnant, we’ll be having tea.

I had a feeling I’d be needing the whisky before the day was through, though.