The Aftermath (The Hurricane, #2)(21)

“Shit, I knew she wouldn’t like it,” Tommy said.

“Well, it ain’t my fault. I told Con we should ’ave got her one of them sexy male strippers like in Magic Mike,” Kieran replied.

“Magic Mike,” breathed Mary wistfully, looking a bit flushed. I bit back a smile as Tommy and Kieran grimaced at Mary, horrified at the thought of one of their ma’s getting horny over Channing Tatum.

Rubbing Em’s back as she buried her face into my chest, I knew these were happy tears. As usual Mary was the first to barrel over with a hug.

“Come on now, lovely girl. No more tears on your birthday,” Mary admonished as she peeled Em off me and stole her for a hug.

“Thank you all so much,” Em told everyone, smiling through the tears. “I can’t believe you all did this!”

“We did the balloons,” Tommy said, indicating himself and Kieran with a big grin.

“That right?” Liam asked him, and Tommy’s dad didn’t look too happy at being left out either.

Rolling his eyes, Tommy mumbled, “We may ’ave had help.”

“You’ve all done a wonderful job. I love it,” she praised them, giving each of them a hug and a big kiss. For the first time, possibly ever, I didn’t get territorial about her showing affection to the lads. Happiness practically radiated from her, and I knew, watching her work her way around the gym, that she wouldn’t be back by my side until she’d said hello and thanked everyone in the room.

A few hours later and I collared Kieran as he was wrestling with Tommy over the last chocolate cupcake. He had Tommy in a headlock as I reminded him we were meeting in Brady’s at ten o’clock. “No problem. I’m sharing a taxi with the guys so we’ll meet you in the downstairs bar,” he told me.

“Earnshaw still coming?” I asked, still feeling guilty about acting like a complete eejit toward him.

“Yeah, but he’s bringing his kid sister so he’ll meet us there.”

“Seriously, arsehole, you’re cutting off the blood supply to my brain,” complained Tommy as he tried to get enough leverage to punch Kieran in the kidney.

“How’ll you know if it does any damage?” Kier taunted back.

“Fuck you! Let go, and you can have the last f*cking cake, lard arse,” Tommy said.

“You snooze, you lose ladies,” Liam muttered as he reached behind them both for the cake and devoured it in two bites.

“Motherf*cker,” Kieran exclaimed, slack-jawed at Liam’s audacity. He let Tom go and they both scowled at Liam before pouncing on him. Liam was a big f*cker, and instead of taking him down as they intended, he just dragged them both across the floor. Rolling my eyes at the losers, I said my good-byes and grabbed my girl.

“Wait!” Kieran yelled as Em was kissing Mary good-bye. Most people had gone, and I frowned trying to work out what he wanted with Em. Liam reached under the table to grab a box. It looked like a toddler had gotten hold of paper and tape and had decided to cover the whole thing as much as they could before it ran out.

“This is from all of us at Driscoll’s,” Liam told her. Em bit her lip and said nothing and I knew she was trying not to cry again. She handled the parcel reverently as she searched for a gap in the tape. Seeing there wasn’t one, she reached into her pocket for her keychain with the fold-out scissors.

“You are seriously the most organized woman I’ve ever met,” Kieran joked.

“Come on, Em. Hurry up,” Tommy grumbled.

“Why are you rushing her? You already know what’s in there,” Kieran retorted.

“I wanna know if she likes it,” Tommy argued.

“Why wouldn’t she like it? It’s a brilliant idea.”

“Oh my God,” Em whispered. I was so focused on the two arsehats arguing that I hadn’t realized that she’d already opened it. Peering over her shoulder, I saw her pull out the emerald green robe that matched my own. The words “Mrs. The Hurricane” were emblazoned on the back in thick black letters.

“It’s silk, mind, so you’ll have to be careful not to get stains on it,” Tommy informed her matter-of-factly, watching her cheeks color.

“Way to f*ck up a really good present,” Liam chimed in, smacking Tommy on the arm.

“Oww! That really hurt,” Tommy moaned.

“Man up,” Liam said with a chuckle.

“Thank you so much guys. I love it,” she told them and, handing me the box, wrapped her tiny arms around all three of them.

“Well, you know,” Kieran said with a shrug, as they all hugged her back, “you’re our girl. Happy birthday, Sunshine.”





Chapter 8



I couldn’t keep my eyes off her. I hadn’t been able to all night. Nikki’s gift to Em had been a fitted black dress and black heels. If Nikki hadn’t gotten ready at our place, making sure Em was halfway tipsy before we got out the door, I don’t think she’d have worn it. I’m so f*cking glad she did. It was definitely the most revealing thing she’d ever worn, and I loved it. My cock, which had been semihard since she walked out our bedroom door, loved it as well.

“I’m having such an amazing night,” she shouted at me. If she was tipsy when she left, she was definitely well on her way to being hammered now.