First and Only (Callaghan Brothers #2)

“Ian.” Jack Callaghan’s voice sounded on his other side as Ian tried to keep his face neutral. Thankfully, his father didn’t say anything about him being late; the uncharacteristically worried look on his face was concerning something else. “I want you to stick close to Kayla and her mother today. Try to keep her from doing something... stupid.”


Ian raised an eyebrow, but nodded. Kayla O’Connell was Brian’s stepdaughter. Tall and model-like, stunningly beautiful, she drew a lot of male attention. Until fairly recently, she had been a bartender at the Pub and a willing participant in some of the darker forays of sexual adventures with Jake and himself.

At least until Jake found his croie – his soul mate – in Taryn. Now Kayla looked to Ian, but he balked at a one-on-one. Jake was the one she was always after, and though Ian had been willing enough to be an occasional third, he wasn’t interested in batting clean-up, for two reasons. First, she did nothing for him other than provide a physical release, which, really, was easy enough to come by. And second, even if he had found her desirable, he had too much pride to be anyone’s second choice.

Thankfully, Kayla didn’t come by the Pub too much anymore, except when she knew Taryn wasn’t around. Taryn was fiercely protective of Jake – and Ian, oddly enough - and, unsurprisingly, had not taken to Kayla in the least. Taryn believed Kayla was a heartless, manipulating bitch (her words).

In all honesty, Ian had to agree. Jake wisely avoided her whenever possible, and the rest of the clan seemed content to do the same. The atmosphere around the Pub post-Kayla was warmer and more welcoming all around.

Jack clasped his son on the back. “Good man.” He was gone before Ian could ask any questions. He turned to ask Kane what the hell he’d meant by that, but the big, sneaky bastard was gone too.

Ian threaded his way across the reception area toward the front where the family sat before the casket receiving visitors. From across the room, Sean shot him a satisfied, cruel grin. This, it said clearly, will teach you to be late.

Kayla and her mother sat regally in hand-carved, richly-cushioned mahogany chairs, dressed the part in full black regalia. Ian offered his condolences to the widow as Kayla grasped his hand and pulled him down close to her. People milled about everywhere, taking up all available space. Brian O’Connell had been a staple in the small, predominantly Irish community.

“I simply cannot believe she had the nerve to show up here,” Kayla hissed into his ear with surprising venom.

Ian looked up, having no idea whom she was talking about. He followed her glare to the other side of the room where he spotted his youngest brother, Kieran. Kieran was talking to someone, but Ian couldn’t see who it was past his huge frame. The kid was built like a freaking Mack truck on steroids. But, judging by the protective stance Kieran had assumed, Ian could guess who it was.

“Lexi’s here?”

“The little bitch,” Kayla hissed. “Playing the poor long-lost daughter routine. Look at them over there. Grown men falling all over themselves like she’s some kind of princess or something. It’s pathetic. Where’s she been for the past ten years, huh?” she paused, digging her claw-like nails into his forearm. “At least you have some sense.”

Ian frowned. Lexi O’Connell was Brian’s daughter from his first marriage, before he had married his second wife, Patricia, and adopted then-teenager Kayla. Lexi was Kieran’s age, several years younger than him, so that would put her at around twenty-four or so now. For a while, she and Kieran had been inseparable. Lexi had been a scrawny little thing, afraid of her own shadow, and Kieran’s innate white-knight tendencies had him adopting her as the little sister he’d always wanted.

Ian had been in his senior year then, with plans to enlist immediately after graduation, but he could still remember how devastated his brother had been when she left town unexpectedly. There had been a lot of speculation and nasty rumors, but he’d never heard the real story.

But from what he remembered, Lexi was nothing like what Kayla was describing. She’d been a tiny little thing, shy, quiet, always hiding behind Kieran when he’d drag her home with him after school. Being the center of attention was probably the last thing that she wanted. Judging by the way Kieran was shielding her with his body and the way his brothers had arranged themselves protectively around her, he was willing to bet that not much had changed.

Another group of people stopped in front of them to pay their respects. With Kayla’s attention diverted, Ian used the opportunity to glance back toward the corner again. He couldn’t help feeling that this was somehow wrong. Brian’s daughter should be sitting here before the casket, too. Surely she was grieving, even if she had been away for a while. After all, you never stopped loving your parents, did you? Didn’t she deserve some of the support and empathy from the people who had come to pay their last respects?