Flawless (New York Confidential #1)(68)

“Danny has to work today,” Kieran said.

“But I can be back for tonight,” Danny said.

“I just got here, and I had plenty of sleep last night. I can help out here or at the pub, wherever you need me,” Julie said.

“There, you see? Everything is covered,” Declan said. “I’ll just see you home and—”

“Declan, I know how to hail a cab. I’ve lived in New York my whole life,” Kieran reminded him.

Declan hesitated, and Kieran realized that her brother didn’t want her leaving alone.

Craig quickly stepped in. “Mike and I can take Kieran home, see that she’s bolted into her apartment.”

“Thank you,” Declan said. “Now get going, sis. You need a break.”

“Declan, I’m all right,” Kieran said.

“No, you’re not. You look like hell, like you slept twisted in a knot.”

“Someone needs to stay with Bobby tonight,” she said stubbornly.

“I can sleep here,” Julie said. “I’m mostly working from home now anyway.”

“We’ll see,” Kieran said. “I may be back. But right now I’m going to tell Bobby goodbye, if you’ll excuse me.”

She still felt a little embarrassed around Craig and Mike, but they’d offered their help and she knew she had no choice but to accept it.

She moved quickly past them and into Bobby’s room. Leaning down, she gave him a kiss on the cheek, and then met his eyes and whispered, “Bobby, if you know something—anything—about something going on at Finnegan’s, you have to tell the cops.”

“If I actually knew anything, I would,” he told her. “You leaving?”

“Not if you don’t want me to.”

He smiled at that. “Lass, get out of here and quit fussing over me. Let me have some rest.”

She smiled. “I’ll see you soon.”

“That you will, lass, that you will.”

Declan entered the room just then and greeted Bobby cheerfully.

“You’re in responsible hands now,” Kieran told Bobby. “I’ll see you all soon.”

Declan caught her before she could leave. For a moment he held her in a tight embrace. “Be careful,” he warned her. “Make sure your door is locked and bolted.”

“Yes, sir,” she assured him, heading out.

“See you all later,” Kieran said to the group gathered in the hall.

Danny looked over at her. “Call me if you get cabin fever. And don’t leave your place without at least one of us in tow, okay?”

“Don’t forget, I’m here, too,” Julie said.

“Thanks,” Kieran called, leaving.

Craig and Mike stepped up and flanked her, as if instinct allowed them to fall into protective formation instantly.

As they waited for the elevator, she tried to appear nonchalant. Tired and nonchalant.

She couldn’t help but wonder just how much the two men had heard of what Julie had been saying.

Had Mike already known that his partner was sleeping with her?

Had Craig talked about her? Said something like “Hell, yeah, nothing like an auburn-haired bartender,” with Mike replying along the lines of “Nice piece of ass, my friend, nice piece of ass.”

No. They wouldn’t talk like that. She didn’t know why she was so certain of it, but she just was. They had class.

Like her brothers. She’d heard them talk among themselves often enough. They could tease, they could even make the occasional off-color remark. But they weren’t...crass.

Gary Benton, though. He was crass.

She mentally shuddered, just thinking about the man.

The elevator came, interrupting her thoughts, and a few minutes later the three of them headed out to the street.

It was a perfect spring day, and their car was parked just down the street, its official decal protecting it from tickets and tow trucks.

Craig opened the front passenger door for her, but she hesitated. “Mike, you can ride up here. I’ll just be hopping out when we get to my place.”

“I like the backseat,” Mike said, rolling his eyes. “You’ve driven with him, right?”

“You should drive so well, old man,” Craig teased him back.

She didn’t want to make a scene. She just wanted to get home and retire to the comfort and tranquillity of her own bed.

No, forget tranquillity. Her bed would only make her think about the last time she’d slept there.

Maybe she could just nap on the couch.

Craig drove quickly and competently. “Any new insights?” he asked her.

Kieran immediately felt fearful at his words because now she knew Finnegan’s was involved.

But not any member of the Finnegan family!

“I wish,” she murmured. “What about you? Oh, yeah, you can’t tell me or you’d have to kill me.”

“Ongoing investigation,” he said.

“All I know right now is that I’m really tired and that I’m really, really grateful Bobby’s going to be okay.”

Mike leaned forward, his head between Craig’s and Kieran’s. “Bobby say anything to you?”

“Other than that the guy who attacked him seemed to be wearing a vampire cape?” Kieran asked.