Missing (The Brannock Siblings Book 3) (33 page)

"He hated me. Hated me for having the family he never
did, for something I didn't even have a part in. He wanted to hurt me and he
knew how to. Losing Aidy, losing
you
? It about killed me. It would
destroy
me."

"He was sick, baby. The things that must have happened
to him… you can't take it to heart when his mind wasn't his own anymore."

She was right. "I'm still going to work every day to
make it up to you."

"Just love me," she whispered. "That's all I
want."

I leaned forward and kissed her soft, plump lips. It had
been too long. "I love you. I love you more than life, more than words can
describe. I'll quit the force if that's what it will take to have you, to keep
you safe."

"No. Don't do that. You love your job, Gus, and I love
you for it. You risk your life every day, but you do it for a good cause. You
protect people, you bring justice to those who need it. I could never ask you
to give that up. I'll worry. I'll worry every day, but I love you more than the
idea of living a life
without
the worry, without you."

My chest warmed at the sound of those words. "You
remembered all along didn't you?"

She had said the exact words I used the night of her gallery
showing when I told her how my mom dealt with the worry over my dad's safety.
The night she claimed she had been too drunk to remember.

Arousal spiked when the blush covered her neck, but it was
the way she rolled her bottom lip between her teeth that made me groan. I
kissed her again, eagerly.

She ran her fingers over the scruff on my cheek and
leisurely moved her lips against mine. "It looks like you need to rest,
too," she said.

I pulled back just enough to gaze down at her and take it
all in. She was okay. She would
be
okay. She was mine. Forever. I just
needed to make sure
she
knew it.

I pressed the call button and moments later a middle aged
nurse walked into the room.

"Ms. Murphy, it's good to see you, honey. I'm Jenny and
I'll be your nurse for the rest of the night. How are you feeling?"

Aiden didn't let me release her hand as she spoke with the
nurse. I could see that she was in pain, but she tried to hide it behind her
sweetness.

"I'm going to give you another dose of this wonderful
stuff, hon. It will help you rest," Jenny said.

Aiden looked to me with an anxious expression, as if she was
scared I wouldn't be here much longer.

I chuckled. "Red, you need to sleep. I'll be right here
when you open those beautiful browns again. I promise."

Jenny didn't wait for her to respond. The button was pushed
and the medicine was released before Aiden could even blink.

"We'll see you in the morning, honey."

Once she was gone, I sat back down in my chair and resumed
my position, her tiny hand in mine. I didn't want to wait another minute and
now was as good as ever. I needed her to know that
this
… this was
forever. "Now that she's dosed you with the best narcotics money can buy,
I have a question for you."

Her eyelids drooped, but her smile lit up her face. "If
you want a good answer, you'll have to wait."

"No way, I want the true answer. You being drugged up
will guarantee I get it."

"Well hurry then, because this stuff is amazing,"
she groaned.

I took a deep breath and kissed her knuckles before meeting
her weary gaze. "Will you marry me, Aiden?"

She blinked, a slow blink that told me she was fighting to
stay awake. Her lips pulled into a lazy smile and her arm started to go limp,
but her voice was loud and clear as she faded into sleep.

"Yes."

The End

###

Liam

"Izzy, my love. I wish you could see this."

Liam couldn't take his eyes away from his children. All six
of them.

Aislinn was glowing in the white dress she had deemed as
'perfection' and the noticeable bump over her abdomen had been rubbed and poked
about a thousand times already. Lucas looked like he was about to devour her
every time she stepped into his line of vision. It would normally be something
that would cause him to see red, but now, he just rolled his eyes. The two
would be popping out the majority of his grandchildren with the way they were
always pawing at each other.

Conall and Emily were inseparable. His oldest son didn't
have the ability to
not
touch his girlfriend and that was alright with
him. It reminded him of the way it had been with his Izzy the first months of
their lives together. Being without her was always painful. Still was.

Emily beamed at Con every time he looked at her. They fit
well together. He was strong and silent with a wild side that was only meant to
be seen by the people he trusted most; his family and the woman he loved more
than life. Emily had helped him open up, but Liam was positive she never wanted
him to change. His stoic manner was definitely
not
unappreciated.

Liam was anxious to see the look on Emily's face when Con
popped the question tonight. He had cleared it with Ash and Luke, not wanting
to take the attention from them on their special day, and Ash had about burst
with happiness.

Conall looked his way and Liam nodded. His boy was nervous,
but it wouldn't stop him. Emily was his forever.

He moved his steady gaze to the dance floor where Fergus was
swinging around a giggling Aidy. The little girl had become the brightest light
in the Brannock's home over the last week. He had been relieved that Lily
agreed to come and stay with them for a while, just to get away. Her boyfriend,
Chad, had accompanied her and it was satisfying to have a full house once
again. The last week had been a party filled with long nights reminiscing and
plenty of Tullamore Dew to go around.

Gus lifted Aidy into his arms and kissed her loudly on the
cheek. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him back before letting out a
string of giggles when he spun her around. When the song ended and a slower one
began, he let the little one run back to the other children attending the
reception, his eyes stayed on her until he was certain she was surrounded by
people who would watch over her.

The little fire in her eyes hadn't faded and Liam knew how
lucky they were that little Aidy wasn't suffering from what had happened to
her.

Then there was Aiden. The beautiful, fiery red head that had
stolen his youngest son's heart. She was perfect for him,
made
for him.
He only wished that his son hadn't been the asshole he had admitted to being
for the first few months they had known each other.

Everything happens for a reason.

Their relationship was full of passion, but it was the
strength they gave each other that had been the foundation. She never faltered
when he needed her. His job wasn't the easiest and it was difficult not to
bring that home, but he was good at it. After getting Aidy back and discovering
what had happened to Donny Marks so long ago, he was more determined than ever
to make sure he and his department did whatever it took. He was dedicated and
the pride in Aiden's eyes made Liam all the more confident that their life
together would be beautiful.

She had taken all the wedding pictures with the help of her
sister and Ash had refused to let her take any once the reception started. It
had been difficult to hold her camera, but Aiden was determined to give her
future sister-in-law the pictures she wanted. Luke had suggested handing the
camera off to Lily who had been happy to oblige. With some prodding, Aiden had
given in.

Gus moved across the dance floor until he found his stunning
fiancé who was chatting with Luke's mother.

It had been a huge shock to see the woman show up at the
ceremony and Luke hadn't wanted to hope. Ash had gone behind his back and
invited her, saying that his mother
wanted
to be a part of his life, she
just didn't know how. She had lost herself when she lost his father, something
Ash continued to try and explain to her now husband. Seeing Luke warily embrace
the woman who had abandoned him so long ago was a good sign.

When Gus made it to Aiden's side, she excused herself and
let him pull her to a stand. It had only been two weeks since she was released
from the hospital and the movement in her arm was still painful. The jagged
scar over her collar bone was visible with the dress she wore. The stitches had
been removed, but it still looked red and raw and would for a long time.

Gus pulled her onto the dance floor and started swaying to
the slow song blaring over the speakers. She smiled up at him and subtly
adjusted her dress, self conscious about her injury. Gus bent his head and
kissed the raised skin until she relaxed. Once it was forgotten, the couple
held each other close and she laughed at whatever it was Gus had been
whispering to her.

Liam felt peace. His family was whole and healthy. His
children had found the love that Isabelle prayed would come to them.

Isabelle.

God, he missed her.

Every day was harder than the last, but every day he felt
her near and every day he loved her more. Seeing her in every single one of his
children was a relief. She had been the joy of their lives and he had
worshipped her.

They had a rough start, but it had been worth the pain.
Worth the fight.

Fergus had asked him for more details about the man that had
hurt his mother so long ago, but Liam hadn't been ready to tell his son more.
It was a dark time for him and his Izzy, but it was necessary to reach the love
and happiness they had lived for so many years since.

"See your children, my love. They live every day with
you in their hearts. Thank you for teaching them what love means, what family
means," he said under his breath as he watched Gus and Aiden join Ash and
Luke at the side of the stage.

It was time.

Liam stood from his seat and went to join his children as
they witnessed another joyful event this day.

"Oh Daddy, he looks so nervous," Ash whispered.

"I know, my beauty. He
should
be nervous."

She smacked his shoulder with a giggle before Luke pulled
her into his arms and kissed her fiercely. His hand rested protectively over
their unborn child. A girl. Isabelle Mairenn Shade. Lucas cried the day they
found out, but no one else knew about it. Not even Aislinn. He had gone to Liam
the minute he and Ash had returned from the doctor and broke down in front of
him. The man had adored Isabelle and it was just as hard on him to lose her.
She had given him a life he never could have had without her.

When his tears had dried up Luke had said, "We'll raise
her the same way Isabelle would have. We'll make sure she knows who her
grandmother was and how much she loved us all."

Liam had cried with him and
after
he had left.

"Oh, God. He looks like he's going to faint,"
Aiden muttered with an anxious expression.

"Good," Gus chuckled.

Luke laughed right along with him.

Aiden elbowed Gus in the ribs, making him bend over with an
'oof'. "That's not very nice. He's your brother. Don't tell me you weren't
scared when you asked me."

"I wasn't," he replied innocently.

"Then why did you ask me
right after
the nurse
drugged me?"

Gus smiled wickedly and leaned in to kiss her, "Because
I was terrified you'd say no. I would have spent the rest of my life on my
knees trying to convince you to say yes. It was the easiest way, baby."

She scowled, but it didn't hold any power. In the next
second, she kissed him sweetly and patted his cheek. "You're good."

"I learned from the best," Gus replied with a jerk
of his head toward Liam. "Watching him deal with my mother was the
smartest thing we ever did as kids. I learned
all
the tricks."

Aiden looked over at Liam with a loving smile before she
stepped forward and kissed his cheek.

"Ah, my little fire, he doesn't know
all
my
tricks, but those cannot be taught. He will have to learn them on his
own."

She beamed at the now familiar nick name he had given her.
It was quite fitting seeing as how she was never lacking sass and always
causing trouble right along with Gus.

The music stopped and all eyes turned to the stage where
Conall was holding the microphone with one hand and his other was buried in the
pocket of his tux.

"I wanted to congratulate Ash and Luke on this special
day," Conall said confidently. "You two deserve the best and I wish
you a wonderful life together with many years of laughter and happiness.
Ash," he called, searching her out in the crowd until he found her next to
the stage. "I love you, kid."

Aislinn smiled with tears in her eyes and blew her brother a
kiss.

"I, umm…" he cleared his throat nervously and
shifted on his feet. "I wanted to ask a very special woman a very
important question. Emily, will you come up here, please?"

Emily, who had been on the other side of the stage snuggling
with Aidy on her lap, looked up in surprise before standing and making her way
to the stage. Her blonde hair glistened in the lights and the flush on her
cheeks made her glow.

When she reached Conall's side, he took her hand and kissed
her palm. Then he dropped down on one knee and pulled out the tiny box that had
been burning a hole in his pocket for the last two months.

"Emily. I loved you before I ever heard you speak. I
loved you more when you smiled at me for the first time and lost the rest of my
heart when you drunk kissed me in my father's backyard."

The crowd laughed, Gus and Luke gave each other high fives
and Ash loudly said, "You're welcome!"

Emily already had tears in her beautiful green eyes.