“What the hell?” I muttered as I ran inside in time to see Stillman, who’d covered Maeve’s body with his own, gingerly move away from her, then help her up.

  “How the hell are you?” said Edge, rushing forward to hug the guy who was the head of an organization he detested.

  “Who in the fuck is that?” I said into the comm.

  “Vex! The asshole,” answered Decker.

  “Vex?” The one undercover with the ABT? He couldn’t have let any of us know she was safe?

  I heard the sound of sirens getting closer to our location, presumably because of the gunshots fired.

  “Did you know about this?” I barked at Decker.

  “You’ll want to take back that question, Hammer. We have known each other a damn long time, and if you think I’d keep this from you—”

  “Sorry,” I muttered, watching Maeve and her brother embrace. God, how I wished I could do the same.

  “Where’s the real Stillman Robinson?” I asked.

  “In custody, awaiting trial,” responded Money, backing away from his sister.

  Before I could lose my temper on him, the doors of the church flew open. I turned around and raised my hands in the air. The last person I expected to see in front of the pack of law enforcement was Mac.

  “I called in a special favor from Austin PD to be able to be here for this. Wish I could’ve gotten them to let me bring Rebel along. She deserves to see this miserable life-form carted off.” He motioned to where Rip stood beside Gallagher.

  I was seconds away from going ballistic on everyone in this church, demanding to know who knew what and when, when I felt a hand on my back.

  “Hammer?”

  I turned to face her, and Maeve fell into my embrace. She put her arms around my neck and held on to me as tightly as I was her. “Thank God you’re safe,” I whispered.

  “It appears I was safer than I realized.”

  I leaned back and looked into her eyes. “I was as in the dark as you were, Dublin.”

  Two men with a stretcher walked past us, presumably for Gallagher, who looked ready to pass out, if he hadn’t already.

  “This is gonna be one hell of a hotwash,” said Decker, chuckling. “Signing off and heading home. You know how to reach me tomorrow.”

  I took the earpiece out and stuck it in my pocket.

  “Wait!” Maeve shouted as the stretcher carrying Gallagher was about to pass us by. “He’s got—”

  “This?” I asked, pulling the brooch from my other pocket, where I’d had it wrapped in a handkerchief.

  “What in the bloody hell? How? You know what? I don’t give a feck.” She put her arms around my neck, pulled until I leaned down, and we kissed.

  “I was unaware Vex was undercover as Robinson,” said Money, approaching Maeve and me. “Until Decker identified him, I had no idea who had you.”

  “He’s one of you, then? That explains a lot.”

  “Such as?” I asked.

  “Let’s get out of here,” Edge said before Maeve could answer. “I can’t wait to tell Rebel that the man who killed Possum is finally in custody. Ink and Rage will deal with Mac and Austin PD to get this wrapped up.”

  “How did Mac know this was going down?” I asked.

  “He said it was an anonymous tip.”

  From whom, I wondered. Decker?

  “You’re a good actor,” Maeve said when Vex approached.

  “Had to be. Both our lives depended on it.”

  “I’m Sterling Anderson,” I reached out to shake the man’s hand.

  “Nice to finally meet you, Hammer. Bronson Dunning, or Vex as most call me.”

  “Ready?” asked Edge, motioning with his head.

  Maeve clung to my arm on our way past the two dead men who lay in the aisle.

  “Best not to look. Keep your eyes on me.”

  She nodded.

  “Would you like us to drop you and Money at your place?” I asked once we were in the SUV and pulling away from the church.

  “Oh. Um. I suppose. If I’m no longer in your custody.”

  “You were never in my custody, but if you’d rather stay at the ranch—”

  “Yes.” She leaned into me. “I don’t think my brother would be keen on me climbing into bed beside him when nightmares plague me.”

  I smiled. “Probably not.”

  “You, on the other hand.”

  “Yes, I, on the other hand, wouldn’t allow you to sleep anywhere other than next to me.”

  I could see Money’s profile from where I sat in the backseat with his sister and wondered what he must be thinking. Not that I’d attempt to hide the fact that we were more than client and attorney now. The conversation would need to take place, though.

  “I should give Fury a call and let her know we’re on our way.”

  Maeve pulled away, folded her arms, and looked out the opposite window. I put the phone down.

  “Is there a problem?”

  “We’ll discuss it later,” she snapped.

  “She’s your new attorney. You need to tell me right now if that’s going to be an issue.” While I’d lowered my voice, I was sure Money and Edge could hear us.

  “I can’t believe the only attorney you could find to take your place was one you’ve slept with.” Whispering did nothing to hide the fact that she was pissed.

  “Slept with? What are you talking about?”

  “Shush! Lower your voice. I was there when she reminded you she’d already spent at least one night in your bed.”

  “Oh!” I shook my head and tried not to laugh. “What you heard was her reminding me of the night I walked in on her and Rip in my bed.”

  “What?”

  “I arrived ahead of schedule, and while I’d messaged Fury to let her know I’d be there within the hour, as soon as I walked in, I realized she must not have seen it.”

  She studied me.

  “I told you once or twice you’d know if I lied to you.”

  “Her and Rip?”

  I nodded.

  “Interesting. I have to tell you, for a minute, I thought he was a bad guy.”

  “Rip? Why?”

  “I saw a look pass between Vex and him.” Maeve opened her palm, and I saw she had the brooch clasped in it. “Thank you for returning this to me.”

  “Actually, you should thank your brother.”

  Maeve unfastened her seat belt, practically crawled over the seat, and kissed Money’s cheek. “Thank you, Kellen.”

  He smiled. “You’re welcome, Mary Maeve Donoghue McTiernan.”

  She plopped down beside me and refastened her seat belt. “You told him.”

  “He already knew. He also knew what that was.” I pointed to the brooch.

  “They trusted me to keep it safe. I almost didn’t.”

  “The Marys?”

  She beamed. “Yes, the Marys.”

  I leaned into her so my mouth was next to her ear. “Your father trusted your brother to keep you safe.”

  “And I almost didn’t,” said Money.

  “Well, we both did in the end, so that’s that.” Maeve made a motion like she was brushing off her hands.

  Edge dropped Maeve, Money, and me at the ranch. “I’ll see you tomorrow for the hotwash.”

  “It doesn’t look like anyone is here,” I said, opening the front door and motioning Maeve and her brother inside.

  My brow furrowed in confusion when she made a beeline for the kitchen.

  “I don’t know about the two of you, but I could use a shot or two of this.” She held up an unopened bottle of bourbon I didn’t know I had. “Compliments of Mr. Ashford,” she said, holding up a note.

  “I’ll get the glasses.”

  Maeve motioned Money to follow and led him into the kitchen and over to the table.

  “Your sister helped me move some things around,” I said, setting the glasses in front of her. “I’m not very good at the whole decorating thing.”

  I winked and she smiled. Money, on the other hand, didn’t.

  “I guess now’s as good a time as any for us to have this conversation.”

  He looked from me to Maeve.

  “Yes, Kellen, Hammer and I had sex, and we plan to have more. Before you pop a filling, he’s no longer my attorney. Someone named Fury is.”

  “I’m glad to hear she passed the bar.”

  “You know her, then?”

  “Ellison used to work for me.”

  Maeve raised a brow.

  “If I remember correctly, you’re the one who gave her the code name.”

  “She had quite the temper.” Money nodded and raised a brow at his sister. “Much like someone else I know.”

  She smacked him, then nudged me. “Hammer calls me Dublin, and I call him Drip.”

  The man I’d rarely seen laugh, did. “Drip. Hmm.”

  “No.”

  He laughed again. “Not willing to make a permanent change, eh?”

  “Not even a temporary one.”

  After two more shots each, we called it a night, parting ways when we got to the top of the stairs.

  “That went better than I expected,” I confessed once we’d closed the bedroom door behind us.

  “You’re a far better cry than most of the blokes I’ve been with.”

  “Gee, thanks.”

  Maeve put her arms around my waist. “You know I’ve always gone for the bad guys, right? It makes sense now why I wasn’t attracted to Vex.”

  “Because he wasn’t really a bad guy?”

  “Yes, but I kept comparing him to you.”

  “He’s a lot younger. Closer to your age.”

  “Age doesn’t matter to me. It shouldn’t matter to you either.” As she said the words, she unfastened my belt. “I need you naked, Hammer. Imagining you that way is the only thing that got me through. And before you say it, yes, I know I’m weird.”

  “Just naked? No red hero cape as I flew in to rescue you?”

  Maeve put her hands on my chest and looked into my eyes. “I knew you would.”

  “It wasn’t just me.”

  “I don’t care about the others. Except Kellen, of course. I was surprised you allowed him to enter the state.”

  “I couldn’t have kept him away if I wanted to, and I didn’t. He really cares about you, Maeve.”

  “Aye, I know he does. But…”

  “What?”

  “Can we please stop talking about Kellen now?”

  It might make me sound like the old man I was, but Maeve and I didn’t have sex; we made love until we both fell into a sound sleep.

  Sometime in the middle of the night, I woke from what I thought was the best dream I’d ever had, only to open my eyes and see Maeve stroking my cock.

  “Good, you’re awake,” she said, pushing me to my back, then straddling me and guiding me into her hot, wet pussy. I let her set her own rhythm, reached between us, and swirled my finger around her clit.

  When her body shuddered in release, I rolled us so she was beneath me.

  “Look at me,” I said. “Keep your eyes on me.”

  This time, I set our pace, alternating between hard and fast, then deep and slow. Maeve’s eyes stayed focused on mine. When she put her hand on my tattoo and sunk her nails into my skin, I let myself go, knowing she’d come along with me. I drew her up into my arms and kissed her; even then she didn’t close her eyes, and neither did I.

  28

  MAEVE

  I waited for Hammer to realize, like I had, that we’d both been so swept up in the moment that we’d forgotten to use a condom. Really, it was more me who’d done the sweeping.

  I was on birth control, but we hadn’t discussed going without protection.

  “I’m sorry,” I whispered.

  Hammer turned to face me. “Why?”

  “I forgot the condom.”

  “What are you worried about?”

  “That you’ll be unhappy with me.”

  He cupped my cheek with his palm and brushed my lips with his fingertips. “I’m not unhappy with you, and it isn’t your responsibility alone.”

  “I know, but I was the…instigator.”

  “Are you worried about getting pregnant?”

  I shook my head. “Birth control.”

  “It’s been a long time since I’ve been with another woman, Maeve.”

  “Longer for me, I’d guess. With a man, I mean.”

  He smiled and yawned.

  I snuggled into him. I knew, eventually, we’d have to talk about everything that had happened in the last twenty-four hours, but not tonight.

  When I woke the next morning, Hammer was awake, standing by the window. He looked troubled.

  “What’s wrong?”

  He turned to me and smiled. “Good morning, and not a thing.”

  I sat up. “You’re lying.”

  Hammer walked over to the bed and sat facing me. “I really like you, Maeve.”

  “And I like you.” Was he about to give me the brush-off? It certainly sounded like it.

  “Last night, you asked if you were still ‘in my custody.’ You’re not, and you haven’t been. Initially, Mac made you staying with me a stipulation of the writ bond.”

  “The judge said the stipulations remain.”

  “I think I can get him to release them if you want to go back to your place in Austin.”

  I fell back against the pillow. “Does this mean buying the Long Branch is off too?”

  “Too? I’m not saying anything is off. What I’m trying to tell you is that you don’t have to stay here.”

  “Do you want me to leave?”

  When he took a deep breath and let it out slowly, I braced myself. I was a big girl, or at least a grown-up. Sort of. Either way, I could handle this. I blinked away my tears, praying they wouldn’t fall. God wasn’t listening.

  Hammer reached out and brushed one away. “Hey, now. What’s this?”

  “If you’re dumping me, get on with it.”

  Instead, he pulled me into his arms, prolonging my agony.

  “I’m not dumping you. If anything, I’m making it easier for you to walk away if that’s what you want to do.”

  “Why would I want that?”

  “Because I’m fourteen years older than you are. Because I live out on a ranch, and you live in the city. Because you’re a free spirit who has to dance at least once a night even when you’re at work.”

  “What have you got against dancing?”

  “I love dancing, with you anyway.”

  “Hammer?”

  “Yes?”

  “If you don’t want to be with me, come right out and say it. Otherwise, don’t feel as though you need to think for me. I’m perfectly capable of doing that on my own. And if I decide I don’t want to be with you, I’ll say so.”

  “I don’t want to hold you back—”

  “Are you rethinking becoming my temporary partner at the Long Branch?”

  “Yes.”

  I pulled back and looked into his eyes. While I was disappointed, I understood. That kind of life wasn’t for everyone.

  “I don’t want it to be temporary.”

  “What are you saying?”

  “I want us to buy the Branch together. I know you weren’t looking for a partner, and I know you don’t need the money, but I still want to.”

  “Let me think it over.”

  “Of course.” Hammer shifted as if he was getting up.

  I grabbed his arm. “Okay. I’ve decided.”

  “And?”

  “Yes. I’d like you to be my permanent partner. Now, come over here, and let’s have a cwtch.”

  “I think I like these as much as dancing.”

  “There’s just one thing. I need to return to Ireland for a bit. Not long.”

  “Maeve, I’m sorry to say I don’t think the judge will allow it.”

  “Oh! Not right away. I mean I have every intention of completing whatever is required of me. It’s just that we’ll need to plan for it. And, Hammer, I want you to go with me. There’s something very important I need to show you.”

  I’d lived enough of my short life keeping the Marys’ secrets, not wanting anyone to know my business or even who I was, if I could prevent it. I was tired of that. Done with it, in fact.

  The first step I took was when I told Hammer what had happened with Bobby. The second was revealing my background to his friends. Who already felt like my friends too. Next, I’d share the true value of the Tara Brooch—and it wasn’t what anyone believed it to be.

  29

  HAMMER

  Our meeting—hotwash—was scheduled for one this afternoon, here at the unnamed ranch, as Mac reminded me every time he visited.

  Once we finally got out of bed, Maeve and I went downstairs to find her brother sitting in the kitchen, working on his computer.

  Money looked up, saw his sister, and smiled. When she walked over, put her arms around his neck, and kissed his cheek, he beamed.

  I wondered if Maeve had any inkling of the rarity of either of those things.

  “Anything I need to know?” I asked when Money scowled at his laptop.

  “I would prefer if the ABT died a quick death. I don’t even care if it’s painless at this point.”

  Back when all the shit went down with Rebel, the Feds conducted a sting where we believed the ABT had—as Money just said—died, except news of their demise was premature. Fast forward a couple of months, and they’d returned, vowing once again to take their pound of flesh out of Rebel for Possum’s death.

  Now, the murderer was headed to prison for the rest of his life, whether that would be a year, ten years, or longer. I doubt many believed he’d survive incarceration for longer than a few months.

  “What should I do?” Maeve asked when people began arriving.

  “There will be questions about your kidnapping. After we’ve finished that part of the meeting, you’ll be free to leave if you want.” I leveled my gaze at her. “The meeting, that is.”

  “Can I stay?”

  It really wasn’t my call, but I agreed to talk it over with Money and Decker before we got started.

  “Who are we waiting on?” I asked when it appeared almost everyone who had been part of the op had arrived.

 

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