Read Online Burning For Claire (The O'Connell Family Book 2) by C.M. Steele - Free Book Online
Authors: C.M. Steele
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clenched.
“No,” I said.
He stopped briefly at the stop sign and turned to me with a stern, powerful stare and said, “Then I’d say we are a couple.”
“Still, I can’t take any more stress today. Please.” I knew he was annoyed, but I’d been through so much I was feeling stressed and nutty. I wanted to cry and laugh all at once.
“That, baby, I can understand. I’ll be cool, but I can’t guarantee that he will be.”
“That’s all I ask,” I said as he drove on.
The moment we got through the gates my father and mother were on the steps. Travis told me to wait until he opened the door for me. So I took a deep breath after he got out of the truck to prepare myself for the onslaught of questions. Once he helped me out, my mom took me into her arms and squeezed like she’d never been so happy to see me.
“Sweetheart, we’re so glad you’re okay.” Her voice shook in worry.
“If it wasn’t for Travis, I wouldn’t have been okay. He saved my life tonight.” I offered, trying to show them he wasn’t the bad guy they imagined.
“I’m curious. What the hell you were doing in my daughter’s apartment at three in the morning?” my dad snarled as he wrapped one arm around me for a hug.
“Daddy, I’m a grown woman. I can have any man I want in my place at any hour of the day,” I replied.
“The hell you can,” Travis growled.
“Williams,” my dad fumed.
“O’Connell,” Travis replied.
“You and me. We need to talk,” dad demanded.
“Yes, we do,” Travis answered calmly but without backing down.
Oh Lord. It wasn’t looking like it would be easy to get them to accept him. I was hoping they didn’t try to kill each other.
“Baby, you go with your mother, while I have a talk with your dad. Once I’m done, I’ll come say goodbye before I go.”
“You’re going to leave me?” I said in upset. I didn’t want him to leave me. I wasn’t ready for him to go. I felt like I needed him to keep me safe. I wanted him to hold me, and I didn’t want to sleep without him. My need for him had me confused. Was it because he saved me or was it because I wanted him before all this happened? Well, only time would tell.
“I’ve got to get a start on this case, Claire,” he said as he slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me to him. “I’m going to miss you, though.” His mouth came down on mine in soft, quick kiss. “Now, go be a good girl and calm your mama’s nerves while I go aggravate your father’s,” he said with a laugh and a pat on my ass.
“Now, come on O’Connell. I believe you wanted a word with me,” I said as I marched toward his house like I owned it.
Chapter 8—Travis
The moment we got into his study, he started his shit with me. “You’re going to stop seeing my daughter.” He stood tall, and gave me a menacing look, but I wouldn’t be deterred.
I made my mind up about her this morning. I didn’t change my mind easily. He should know I was stubborn as hell. “No. I am not.”
He rubbed his brow before looking up at me and almost pleading, said, “Look, this is between us. She doesn’t have to be involved.”
“She’s involved as it gets, but this has nothing to do with the past. Seven years ago, I was an overzealous rookie at twenty-two, who latched onto your brother’s tail and mistakenly threw you and your son into the mix, but it’s in the past.”
“So you’re not upset about me having you suspended, or is this about Rick and Samantha?” He thought he was on something, but he was way off as he tried to get in my face. “Were you interested in her and Rick got in your way? Now you’ve set your sights on Claire for revenge,” he hissed.
“Listen, O’Connell, I’m trying to keep my promise to Claire and not fight with you over her, but you’re making it hard not to jump down your throat. I don’t want Sam, and I never have. Rick is an honest man, so I don’t have a problem with them. As
“No,” I said.
He stopped briefly at the stop sign and turned to me with a stern, powerful stare and said, “Then I’d say we are a couple.”
“Still, I can’t take any more stress today. Please.” I knew he was annoyed, but I’d been through so much I was feeling stressed and nutty. I wanted to cry and laugh all at once.
“That, baby, I can understand. I’ll be cool, but I can’t guarantee that he will be.”
“That’s all I ask,” I said as he drove on.
The moment we got through the gates my father and mother were on the steps. Travis told me to wait until he opened the door for me. So I took a deep breath after he got out of the truck to prepare myself for the onslaught of questions. Once he helped me out, my mom took me into her arms and squeezed like she’d never been so happy to see me.
“Sweetheart, we’re so glad you’re okay.” Her voice shook in worry.
“If it wasn’t for Travis, I wouldn’t have been okay. He saved my life tonight.” I offered, trying to show them he wasn’t the bad guy they imagined.
“I’m curious. What the hell you were doing in my daughter’s apartment at three in the morning?” my dad snarled as he wrapped one arm around me for a hug.
“Daddy, I’m a grown woman. I can have any man I want in my place at any hour of the day,” I replied.
“The hell you can,” Travis growled.
“Williams,” my dad fumed.
“O’Connell,” Travis replied.
“You and me. We need to talk,” dad demanded.
“Yes, we do,” Travis answered calmly but without backing down.
Oh Lord. It wasn’t looking like it would be easy to get them to accept him. I was hoping they didn’t try to kill each other.
“Baby, you go with your mother, while I have a talk with your dad. Once I’m done, I’ll come say goodbye before I go.”
“You’re going to leave me?” I said in upset. I didn’t want him to leave me. I wasn’t ready for him to go. I felt like I needed him to keep me safe. I wanted him to hold me, and I didn’t want to sleep without him. My need for him had me confused. Was it because he saved me or was it because I wanted him before all this happened? Well, only time would tell.
“I’ve got to get a start on this case, Claire,” he said as he slipped his arm around my waist, pulling me to him. “I’m going to miss you, though.” His mouth came down on mine in soft, quick kiss. “Now, go be a good girl and calm your mama’s nerves while I go aggravate your father’s,” he said with a laugh and a pat on my ass.
“Now, come on O’Connell. I believe you wanted a word with me,” I said as I marched toward his house like I owned it.
Chapter 8—Travis
The moment we got into his study, he started his shit with me. “You’re going to stop seeing my daughter.” He stood tall, and gave me a menacing look, but I wouldn’t be deterred.
I made my mind up about her this morning. I didn’t change my mind easily. He should know I was stubborn as hell. “No. I am not.”
He rubbed his brow before looking up at me and almost pleading, said, “Look, this is between us. She doesn’t have to be involved.”
“She’s involved as it gets, but this has nothing to do with the past. Seven years ago, I was an overzealous rookie at twenty-two, who latched onto your brother’s tail and mistakenly threw you and your son into the mix, but it’s in the past.”
“So you’re not upset about me having you suspended, or is this about Rick and Samantha?” He thought he was on something, but he was way off as he tried to get in my face. “Were you interested in her and Rick got in your way? Now you’ve set your sights on Claire for revenge,” he hissed.
“Listen, O’Connell, I’m trying to keep my promise to Claire and not fight with you over her, but you’re making it hard not to jump down your throat. I don’t want Sam, and I never have. Rick is an honest man, so I don’t have a problem with them. As
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