The Boss's Love (27 page)

"Yes, I would be honored to deliver your baby, Courtney," Sean said. 

"I would be honored to look after your child, Courtney," Ryan said. "I'm humbled that you asked." 

She threw her arms around them again and kissed them on their cheeks.
No matter what she needed, those two men stood by her side and supported her.  

"Now let's plan on how you're telling Darren,
" Ryan said conspired.

***

Darren

S
ounds of soft music echoed throughout the living room, hall, and dining room. Lights dimmed, candlelight flickered in the dining room, and the smell of something oven baked hit Darren when he stepped into the house. He grinned. What was his Courtney up to?

He went to the kitchen to find his wife bent over, pulling dessert of the oven.  

"Sweetheart," Darren said. 

She squeaked in surprise, jumped, and dropped a pan of warm brownies all over the kitchen floor. Dessert splattered in flaky clumps all over hard wood cabinets and stainless steel. 

He chuckled. 

She whipped around, shooting daggers his direction. "Don't you ever scare the shit out of me like that again, Darren Murphy. My
health can't take it."

"I'm sorry," he said regretfully. He stepped up to her in a panic. "I didn't think you wouldn't hear me." 

She sighed. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have said that. Being frightened won't mess with my health."

He growled. How dare she use her health against him. "No you shouldn't. You have no idea what it was like for me, thinking I was going to lose my wife, seeing you in the hospital in terrible condition." 

"Sorry," she said meekly. 

"Forgiven." He took a step closer to her. "Let me help you clean this." 

They crouched down on their hands and knees picking up warm pieces of brownie. Courtney had her hands on a large chunk and without warning, shoved it into his face.  

"What the—" He sat back shocked. 

She collapsed onto the floor, laughing hysterically at what must have been a surprised look his face. 

"Priceless," she said breathless. 

A smirk twitched at Darren's sexy mouth. A chocolate glob dropped to the floor. Courtney's hysteria stopped, recognizing the look in her husband’s eyes. She flipped onto her stomach and tried to scramble to her feet, but Darren grabbed her around the waist and shoved a hand filled with brownie into her face. He laughed like a villain in an old black and white movie. Courtney squealed, grabbed more of the destroyed dessert, reached behind her, and shoved it into his hair. Darren growled, picked up the largest portion of the brownie and smashed it all over Courtney's face, hair, neck, arms, and chest. She desperately tried to break free of his hold but laughed too hard she could hardly breathe. Darren laughed, his grip firm on his wife to prevent an escape. He leaned down and licked a piece of brownie off her cheek.   

"Mmmm," he purred. "Tastes better off you." 

She leaned her head back against his chest, winded. He suckled another chuck off her exposed collarbone.  

"I love you," he said.

She looked up at him through her long lashes. "I love you…Daddy." 

His response got stuck in his throat. His mouth popped open. "What?" he whispered. 

"I'm pregnant," she answered.

He closed his eyes, absorbing the news. When he opened them, they blazed with a mixture of lust, love, and devotion. 

"Courtney," he breathed in reverence. 

"I'll do everything in my power to make sure we have this baby," she promised.

He took her mouth hard, devouring his wife. He needed to be inside her body, show her she was loved. Desperately loved. Darren stood and held out his hand.  

"Let's shower," he commanded.

Those gorgeous blue eyes sparkled up at him. He pulled his wife into his arms and kissed her soundly, caressing her brownie stained features.  

"My girl," he whispered.

"Always." 

Sunday dinner at Darren's parents' home was a celebratory occasion. His mother was on cloud nine that her son and his wife were once again pregnant. Derrick had held her right hand throughout dinner. She had assured her brother-in-law she would watch her health this time around. 

"Good, because if I have to step in Courtney, I will," Derrick warned. 

Unable to help herself, she smiled. She relished in their protective nature. Ever since Derrick’s profession of love for her, Courtney couldn't help but to be more grateful for his presence in her life. He loved her unconditionally. 

***

Over the next few months, Darren and Derrick spent a great deal of time trying to get Agent Marshall out of their lives. Their job was difficult with the agent well protected by the government. With all the resources Darren and Derrick had access to, they couldn't seem to find out where Mr. Marshall hid. They had found out he was not living at the house Courtney had sold him. Apparently never did. They continued to come up empty, as if he disappeared into thin air. 

Early on a Tuesday morning, Darren had to leave the house
by eight. Sean and Ryan were taking Courtney to her five-month pregnancy checkup. They were to arrive in ten minutes. Darren was forced to take Jack and Carl with him to a lucrative “meeting.” He was far from pleased about leaving Courtney but had no choice. Business called. 

Courtney

In the kitchen cleaning up the lovely mess her husband left after cooking breakfast, the ring of the front doorbell interrupted Courtney. Abandoning her task, she went to the door and swung it open, smiling from ear to ear. That smile vanished.

John Marshall.

Not quite quick enough, she went to slam the door shut but he pushed back and forced his way into her home. She turned to run towards the back porch to escape but was caught from behind. The sound of the door slamming behind her echoed off the walls. 

"Hello, Courtney.
I see you have been busy," John growled into her ear with a firm grip. He splayed an uninvited hand over her now growing belly. 

"Let go of me," Courtney ground out, struggling to free herself.  

Surprisingly he let go. "I just want to talk."

"No. Now get the hell out of here. You're not welcome in my home
," she screamed.

He looked her up and down and zeroed in on
her baby bump. "Pregnant again," he sneered. "Congratulations."

She refused to respond. 

"Why, Courtney? Why? What is about him that you love? His money? His power?" he asked through clenched teeth.

"How dare you
," she spat. 

"Do you know who he is Courtney? Do you know he's a killer? Do you know he'll kill anyone who crosses him, including me? Hell, including you. He's been searching for me to have me murdered as payback for what happened. Are you okay with that?" His voice grew louder and he took
a step towards her. She retreated a step. "Do you know he's the mob boss in the Northeast? Do you know where he gets his money? Drugs, gambling, laundering, weapons, whatever and wherever he can get it."

"Enough
," she screamed, starting to lose her grip.

How dare the
man show up, force his way into her home, and start spewing things about her husband. If Courtney wanted to know, she would've asked Darren. She wouldn't allow a jealous man to ruin her life. 

"Jealous?" she said snidely.

"Yes! Yes, I am. I want you. I want to be the one that gives you that baby. I want to be the one to take care of you, to fall asleep in your bed nightly, to hold you and love you. I deserve it, not him." John angrily pointed as if Darren was in the room with them. 

"Well, that will never happen!"

"Never say never, Courtney." He shrugged.

"What the hell does that mean?" she snapped
. Was he threatening her husband? The man had undeniably lost his mind. Why the hell was he focused on her? 

"Exactly what I said. I can get you free of him, Courtney. I can make sure that you
're never found and you can live a happy, normal life. You can testify against him, and he'll be put away for decades. You'll be safe. I'll make sure of it," John desperately pleaded. 

"You fucking asshole
." She lost it.

She rushed John, throwing out a punch that landed
squarely on the nose. He stumbled back but she kept after him. Relentlessly she continued to punch, slap, kick as she screamed, "Get out of my house!" 

The front door flew open and Sean and Ryan burst into the house. Ryan pulled Courtney off John. Sean shoved the man out the door, but not before landing a solid, stunning punch across the jaw. John literally saw stars and a flash of white light. 

"You ever come around her again and I'll make sure you end up leaving in a body bag," Sean growled, pegging him.

Rubbing his jaw that would
positively turn black and blue and swollen within twenty minutes, he snickered. "SEALs, always going for the kill first."

"Don't you ever forget it,
asshat." Sean slammed the door shut then turned back to Courtney, who sobbed into Ryan's chest. "Let's get her to the hospital to calm her down." 

***

Sean

Jittery, pacing the ER's waiting area, Sean and Ryan had no news on their cousin. They'd managed to get themselves kicked out of her
observation room because of their lack of control barking out orders. They had only contributed by irritating the situation. 

"I'll kill him myself if something happens to this baby," Ryan growled, circling the chairs for the tenth time. 

"I'll certainly help," Sean murmured.

The automatic doors opened, and Darren and Derrick rushed in.

"How is she? Where is she?" Darren went right for the desk, where a young female clerk had been eyeing Sean and Ryan for the past half an hour. "My wife, Courtney Murphy." 

"Th
ey'll be with you in a moment, sir," the young girl said kindly.

"I need to be in there with her now
," Darren snapped.

Derrick stepped up behind his brother, placed a hand on his shoulder, and led him away from the woman
. "Don't get yourself thrown out of the hospital."

Darren turned to Sean and Ryan. "What happened?" 

All Darren knew was what he had been told over the phone by Sean. They were taking Courtney to the hospital because she had been worked up and they couldn't calm her down. 

Sean and Ryan explained what they found when they went to pick up their cousin.

"What?" Darren said horrified.

"We couldn't get her to calm down. She kept sobbing and saying she didn't want to know, she didn't want to know," Sean said. "We have no idea what she
was talking about." 

Darren and Derrick looked at each other warily. 

"Sean and Ryan?" a young doctor interrupted. 

All four men wheeled around. 

"Bill," Sean greeted him. He motioned to Darren. "Courtney's husband, Darren Murphy."

"How's my wife?" Darren asked, stepping in front of Sean and Ryan.

"She's calmed down. She was quite insistent on avoiding medication, therefore we brought in a therapist to teach her breathing exercises to help relax," the doctor explained. 

"And the baby?" Derrick interrupted.

"The baby is fine. We've been monitoring Mrs. Murphy and the baby and all looks good. We'll keep her for a few more hours but I see no reason to admit her overnight. Her blood pressure is fine and the baby is in no stress," the doctor answered.

"Can I see her?" Darren asked. 

"Of course, but one person at a time in the room. I don't want her overwhelmed right now," the doctor said firmly, looking pointedly at Sean and Ryan.

Darren
 

Darren followed the doctor. His girl lit up brightly when he stepped through the curtain.  

"Darren," she breathed. 

He rushed to her side, took her left hand into his and kissed the ostentatious wedding rings that donned her finger, and kissed her.   

"Sweetheart," Darren said, brushing her hair off her beautiful face. 

"I'm sorry..."

"It's all right. I don't want you to worry. I'll take care of everything, baby. You never have to worry about that man again. I'll make sure you're never alone to be cornered, even for a few minutes. I promise," he vowed. "This was my fault."

***

"Have you found out anything?" Darren snapped at Derrick, Jack, and Carl. They stood in the kitchen, going over business. It had been a week since John had accosted his wife in his home. He'd been scratching at the walls to have the man's head on a platter served up to him as a trophy.