Ryan Renewed: New York Ruthless: Book 5

I’ve spent the entire afternoon looking into Hayden and he’s a pretty quick study. I didn’t get a chance to look into him yesterday after he dropped his bombshell and it was probably a good thing because I was so rattled by his revelation I’m not sure I’d have been at my most clearheaded.

I turn the computer off, pick up my notebook and head to the den to meet the guys. We have a group date night once a week, but every four weeks, we stay in the apartment and have a movie or game night – all five of us, with no work and no interruptions. Cell phones are switched off. Laptops, tablets and computers are left untouched and we pretend like there is nobody else in the world but the five of us. It used to almost kill Shane because he’s such a workaholic but I think he looks forward to them more than any of us now.

I walk into the den and drop my notebook onto the coffee table.

“Where have you been, Red?” Mikey says as he reaches out and pulls me onto his lap as he sits on the sofa. “We’re waiting to start the movie.”

“Sorry. I was just finishing up,” I whisper.

We’re all distracted by Liam and Conor as they walk into the room carrying bowls of fresh popcorn. Placing them on the table next to my notebook before they sit on the sofa with Mikey and me. I stretch my legs out over Conor’s lap and he lifts my foot to his lips and presses a soft kiss on my ankle.

Shane sits on his usual spot in the armchair. He holds the TV remote in his hand. “And are you finished?” he asks me.

I roll my lips together. I was hoping he’d ask me that. I know we’re not supposed to talk work tonight, but this isn’t exactly work, is it? “Yes.”

“Finished what?” Conor asks before he tosses some popcorn into his mouth.

“Looking into Hayden,” I reply and I see Liam’s shoulders stiffen.

“And?” Shane asks.

“No work. It’s movie night,” Mikey protests.

Conor frowns at him. “This isn’t work.”

“No. It’s not,” Shane agrees. “We can wait a few minutes to start the movie.”

Mikey groans and rolls his eyes. “Fine. Make it quick, Red,” he says with a wink as his arms tighten around me.

“There wasn’t a lot to find. His story checks out though. His mom moved to the US from Russia when he was three months old. She married some guy from New Jersey called Jon Chambers and he raised Hayden as his own until he died nine years ago of lung cancer. Hayden is smart. He got a scholarship to UCLA, but he dropped out in his second year when his mom got really sick. She died of lung cancer last year too. Just like he said. He lives alone in a tiny apartment in New Jersey. He makes fifteen bucks an hour waiting tables at a bar in Queens. Has a couple of friends from his job. Stays at a girl named Heather’s place in Queens a couple of nights a week, but checking their social media they’re not in a serious relationship. I mean I got plenty of other stuff. I know his favorite food and how often he visits the laundromat too, but I’m pretty sure the movie would be more entertaining than that.”

Shane narrows his eyes at me. “Any red flags at all?”

I suck in a breath. “One,” I admit.

“And that is?”

“He owes over a hundred thousand dollars in unpaid medical bills from when his mom was sick.”

“So he’s after money,” Liam says with a scowl.

“Maybe?” I shrug.

“Maybe? Of course he is, Jessie. He finds himself in massive debt and all of a sudden he finds his rich long-lost sister?” Liam snaps.

“I’m not rich,” I remind him, earning me a scowl from the rest of his brothers too. “And you know, so what if that was his motive for finding me? There are far worse reasons he could be looking for help. If he even is looking for any. It’s not like he’s in debt because he partied his inheritance away or owes money to some nasty people. He couldn’t pay his dying mom’s medical bills. I mean it’s freaking awful that people even have to pay to die,” I shout, fidgeting on Mikey’s lap in frustration, but he keeps his arms firmly wrapped around me.

“I don’t trust him,” Liam adds, his arms folded across his chest like a moody teenager.

“Well, I want to speak to him. If he is my half-brother then I want to know.”

“Why?” Liam snaps. “Why do you need a half-brother?”

I shake my head in annoyance. “I don’t need one, Liam, but I might have one and that means something. How can’t you see that?”

“Red…” Mikey starts to say but Liam interrupts him.

“And what if he is your brother, what then? You expect us to let a complete stranger into our home? Have him over for dinner once a week? Sleepovers?”

“Yes!” I reply.

“Don’t be ridiculous, bro,” Mikey says at the same time.

I turn to him and frown. “Why is that ridiculous?”

“What?” he blinks at me. I know he was probably only trying to help me out, but why is the prospect of my family being here so unthinkable?

I untangle myself form his arms and stand up. “So, I’m supposed to call this place home but it’s not really my home is it?” I shout as the four Ryan brothers stare at me. “There would be no question of your family coming for dinner or sleepovers, but when it’s mine then it’s ridiculous?”

My hands are balled into fists at my sides as I wait for them to tell me that I’m wrong.

“That’s not what he meant, Angel. Calm down, and—” Conor says.

“Don’t tell me to calm down,” I interrupt him. I mean in the history of the world, has actually saying that to someone ever had the desired affect?

Conor frowns at me. “We have no idea who this guy is yet and you’re getting pissed about something that might never be an issue.”

“And that’s the problem. This will never be an issue for any of you because this is your home and if you invited somebody here nobody would give a shiny rat’s ass. But I have to ask permission like a child? Like I’m just renting a room here with you guys until…” I swallow because I’ve gone too far and I don’t even know how to finish that sentence.

“Jessie Ryan!” Shane snarls in that quiet, animalistic growl he has that makes the hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. “Sit your ass back down.”

I swallow hard, not daring to turn and look at him. Instead I look at the three faces of his brothers who stare at me, willing me to do as I’m told before their oldest brother’s temper explodes and ruins movie night for good.

“Now!” Shane barks.

Mikey holds out his arms and I sit back on his lap.

“Look at me,” Shane commands and I turn my head and stare into his fiery green eyes.

“Until he proves otherwise, Hayden will not be trusted by any of us. Not in our homes. Not with you. Not with anything.”

I open my mouth to reply but he shoots me a warning glare that makes me close it again. “But this is your home. In case you haven’t noticed, we rarely have any visitors here. We do not like strangers here.”

“I know,” I whisper.

“But,” he licks his lips and glares at his brothers and me, “if Hayden is your half-brother, and if he proves himself trustworthy, of course he can come here whenever you want him to.”

“And how would he prove himself?” I ask.

“Only with time, sweetheart,” he says softly. “Until then, you’re just going to have to run his coming here by us.”

“Okay,” I nod.

“We all okay now?” Mikey asks with a half-hearted laugh, trying to lighten the mood.

“Yeah,” I say as I lean against his chest.

“I’m sorry if I made you feel like this wasn’t your home, baby,” Liam reaches over Conor and squeezes my hand. “It’s only home now because you’re here.”

“I’m sorry too,” I whisper.

“Great. Now can we please put this fucking movie on? I’ve been waiting to watch it all week,” Mikey asks.

“It better not be a pile of shit like the last one you picked,” Shane replies as he presses play on the remote.

“Yeah, sorry about that one,” Mikey chuckles. “This one will be better. Promise.”

The opening credits come on and we all settle back to watch the movie. Liam holds onto one of my feet, rubbing the pad of his thumb over my toes and sending tiny waves of pleasure rippling through my calves and up my thighs. I love to have my feet massaged. Conor holds onto my hand, his fingers laced through mine while I lean against Mikey’s hard chest. I look over at Shane and he’s watching us instead of the movie. He winks at me and I smile back as warmth floods my core. This is exactly where I belong. My name might not be on the deeds of this property, but this is my home in every way that matters.