Chapter 36

Keavy~

T hough I'd heard of this place, I'd never been here before. Honestly, since I worked nights in a bar, I didn't mingle much with the daytime crowd or businesses. My life was lived after the city's neon lights blanketed the night, so I'd never had a reason to walk into Belfast's. Nonetheless, it seemed like a nice place to start your morning, if you were a morning-type of person.

"So, am I to believe that you know nothing about Cooper Donaldson's assassination?"

After Declan and I had gotten out of the tub last night, he'd been kind enough to let me sleep, and though my shoulder had ached like a sonofabitch, I couldn't lie and say that Declan holding me in his arms hadn't helped. While I still wasn't sure what all I was going to do about the man, it was clear that I was already emotionally invested in him enough to make him one of those complications that I didn't like dealing with.

When we'd woken up this morning, it'd been to a call from Noah, saying that the police had finally contacted him, insisting on meeting with us. Declan had named Belfast's as the rendezvous spot, and after a quick shower, a small bite to eat, and an outfit that would let me move without giving my wound away, Declan had driven us to the quaint café, Noah and the detectives already sitting comfortably at a table in the corner.

Refusing to let the police intimidate us, Declan had gone up to the counter, had ordered us each a tea, then had finally headed over to the table. Noah had tossed me a quick wink with his good morning, but the police had been less polite.

Now, a half an hour later, they were still questioning us like they didn't believe us, and they shouldn't. After all, Cooper Donaldson was dead because he had dared cross the line in O'Brien territory.

"Assassination?" Noah quipped. "What is he? The damn President of the United States?"

"He was a very prominent figure in this country, Mr. Murphy," Detective Helensburgh replied primly. "Between his wealth, power, and celebrity, we find it hard to believe that this was a random act of violence."

She sounded pissed, but I got it. Noah Murphy was sex on a stick, and it had to suck for her that he was one of the bad guys. Noah looked like he knew what to do with a naked woman's body, and with no ring on her finger, she was probably finding it hard to concentrate with those turquoise-colored eyes of his focused on her. If his accent came out, I could see the poor woman swooning.

"Well, considering that no one reaches that level of wealth without acquiring a few enemies, it's anyone's guess on what Cooper Donaldson was up to," Declan chimed in. "Still, whatever the man had been about, it has nothing to do with us."

Detective Helensburgh exchanged a look with Detective Willard before Detective Willard said, "It's just kind of hard to believe that you're the type of man that shares, O'Brien." A quick glance my way had my chin lifting defiantly. "A foursome is kind of hard to believe."

"Which is why we didn't end up going through with it after all," Declan said. "Once we got back to the room, one look at my cousin entertaining his friend , and I took Keavy into the bathroom, and that's where we stayed until everyone's good time finally came to an end."

"Why not get a room of your own?" Detective Helensburgh challenged.

"Because that would have required going back downstairs, then wasting time booking another room," Declan replied smoothly. "If you saw the surveillance videos from the lobby, then you saw how my girl was dressed, so you could hardly blame me for not wanting to waste any more time."

"We also saw Cooper Donaldson speaking with Ms. Collins at the bar," Detective Willard added. "You're telling us that you didn't get jealous?"

"Jealous of something that already belongs to me?" Declan scoffed. "Hardly."

Detective Helensburgh looked over my way. "And how does it feel to know that you're up for grabs whenever Mr. O'Brien feels the need to share you?"

Refusing to cower, I said, "It was my idea, Detective." I shrugged like it was no big deal. "We like to roleplay, and the idea sounded fun until it didn't."

"When it didn't sound fun for you, or for Mr. O'Brien?" Detective Willard asked.

Looking over at him, I answered. "For both of us. When we both walked into that room thinking one thing but feeling another. Luckily for us, we were on the same page when we both changed our minds."

"Then why not just leave?" Detective Willard asked.

"Like Declan already said, though we were no longer onboard with swapping, we were still in the mood for each other," I answered.

"Like we've said, Declan and Keavy kept each other company in the bathroom, and Brenda and I made use of the rest of the room," Noah jumped in. "Something that Brenda can attest to, if she hasn't already."

"Someone shot Cooper Donaldson, and we're going to find out who it was," Detective Helensburgh said confidently. "Someone saw something."

"Well, it wasn't us, sweetheart," Noah replied. "At the time that you say Donaldson was getting a hole in his head, my face was buried in between a sweet pair of thighs, and Keavy was screaming out Declan's name from inside the bathroom." Noah leaned back in his seat, a smug look on his face. "If you want to bring out the blue lights, I'm sure you can find signs of Dec and his girl everywhere inside that bathroom."

Detective Helensburgh's back straightened. "But nothing from you?"

"I'm still single, lass," he said as he winked at her. "I'm not in love like those two, so I make sure to keep it wrapped up. However, if you want to dig through the dumpsters, I'm sure you can find evidence of my good time in there if you dig deep enough."

"Okay, I think we're done here," Detective Willard announced. "It's quite obvious that you aren't going to cooperate honestly."

"We are cooperating honestly," I lied. "It's not our fault that you don't believe us."

"Ms. Collins, I'm not sure if you know what you've gotten yourself into, but only a fool would take the word of an O'Brien at face value," Detective Helensburgh sneered, and her crush on Noah must run deeper than I'd originally thought.

"Only a fool would take anyone's word at face value, Detective," I countered. "Allow me to let you in on a little advice; all sinners and saints look the same. It's only when you're no longer either that you can tell the difference."

Detective Helensburgh bristled before getting up from her seat, Detective Willard following her lead. "I suggest that none of you leave town," she low-key threatened. "We may need to question you some more."

"My favorite position is the one where I don't have to remember names, lass," Noah smirked. "If that was one of the questions that you might have for me later."

Detective Helensburgh's face turned a furious red before whirling around to storm out of the café. With Detective Willard close behind her, I wondered how serious they were about us not leaving town. Even though I was pretty confident that they couldn't pin Cooper Donaldson's murder on us with the way that they'd been grasping at straws, Noah had probably only pissed her off more.

"Do you have a death wish?" I asked as soon as I saw both detectives drive off from the curb.

Noah just chuckled. "When you act untouchable, most people believe that you are, lass. You'll learn that soon enough."

I arched a brow. "Meaning?"

"You're going to be an O'Brien soon," he replied. "You'll be amazed at how everyone is going to treat you from now on."

"Like who? Everyone at work?" Noah's eyes slid Declan's way, making me do the same. "What?"

"Keavy, you can't go back to work," Declan answered. "It won't be safe."

"Yeah, that's not happening," I quickly replied. "Even if Miller's wants to fire me, I'll get a job somewhere else. I'm not going to not work, Declan."

"Okay, on da note, Imma thinkin' on leavin' ye two lov' birds alone," Noah drawled out.

The second that Noah was gone, I looked back at Declan. "I'm not quitting my job."

Declan leaned back in his chair, eyeing me carefully, and it was obvious that he was trying to pick his battles, though I wasn't in the mind to let him win many. Declan was the kind of man that would take a mile if you gave him an inch, and though that was sexy as hell in the bedroom, it was suffocating outside of the bedroom.

"I'll make you a deal," he suggested.

"I'm all ears."

"You can work, but it has to be for me," he said. "If I spend time anywhere, it's at Lir, so that's where you'll work."

I wanted to argue, but I was quickly learning how to take my wins where I could get them.