The Return of Patrick O'Rourke

by N. J. Walters

Overview

After being shot in the line of duty, New York City cop Patrick O’Rourke has returned to his hometown of Jamesville to recuperate. His partner is dead, and his career depends on how well he recovers from his serious injuries. He doesn’t plan on staying any longer than he has to, and the last thing he wants is to get involved in a relationship with a local woman.

Shannon Brooker’s life certainly didn’t turn out the way she’d planned, and she’s back in Jamesville to help her aunt run the local diner. All she wants is some peace of mind, but when her abusive ex shows up in town, she turns to Patrick, the man she had a crush on what feels like a lifetime ago.

Shannon wants to hire Patrick to protect her, but he soon wants to do more than just protect her body.

Each book in the Jamesville series is a standalone story that can be enjoyed in any order.
Book #1: Discovering Dani
Book #2: The Way Home
Book #3: The Return of Patrick O’Rourke
Book #4: The Seduction of Shamus O'Rourke
Book #5: A Legal Affair
Book #6: By the Book
Book #7: Past Promises

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781640630062
Publisher:	Entangled Publishing, LLC
Publication date:	08/21/2017
Series:	Jamesville Series , #3
Sold by:	Macmillan
Format:	eBook
Pages:	180
File size:	2 MB

About the Author

Once upon a time N.J. had the idea that she wouldlike to quit her job at the bookstore, sell everything she owned, leave herhometown, and write romance novels in a place where no one knew her. And shedid. Two years later, she went back to the book store and her hometown andsettled in for another seven years.

One day she gave notice at her job on a Fridaymorning. On Sunday afternoon, she received a tentative acceptance for her firsterotic romance novel and life would never be the same.

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Todaybestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spendsher days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons,time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smolderinggood looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got tolive it.

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, assassins, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Read an Excerpt

CHAPTER 1

Someone was moaning. Patrick wished they would just shut up. His head felt like it might explode. A soft, comforting hand touched his forehead as a voice crooned softly in his ear.

"It's all right, Patrick. Everything is fine." The familiar female voice spoke soothingly and he found himself relaxing. Better still, he no longer heard the moaning. With a sigh of relief, he drifted back to sleep.

The sound of voices woke him again, but he didn't move or give away the fact that he was awake. He didn't know how much time had passed. He'd been existing in a dark, comforting cocoon, far away from the pain.

His mind was foggy and he tried to concentrate on the voices, hoping to learn something.

At first he didn't understand what they were saying. It took all his energy just to try and identify the speakers. He was surprised to hear his sister's voice. What was she doing here? And where the hell was he? Patrick tried to speak, to ask his questions, but all that came out was a groan.

Again the comforting voice was there, whispering in his ear, and this time he knew it was his older sister, Dani. And if Dani was here, then her husband, Burke Black, was close by. Patrick let the pain take him again, reassured that whatever was wrong, his brother-in-law was more than capable of handling it.

Time drifted by until Patrick once again became aware of his surroundings. The steady beep next to him, the medicinal smell in the air and the scratchy feel of the sheets all added up to one thing. He was in hospital. Was he a good cop or what? Now, if only he could remember why he was here.

It took an effort, but he finally managed to get his eyes open. They felt dry and sticky, so he blinked several times as he tried to focus. The room was dark, except for a dim light shining from the bathroom.

He took stock of himself and it wasn't good. His left arm was bandaged and strapped to his side. His left leg was also wrapped and throbbed in time with his arm. Patrick wrapped his right hand around the bedrail, gritted his teeth and slowly pulled himself up to a semi-sitting position. He broke out into a sweat as he struggled to sit up. He'd never been this weak in his life, but he had to find out what was going on.

Holding on tight to the railing, he leaned into it as he gasped for breath. Just sitting up had wiped him out totally. He could feel the cool air drying the sweat on his back as it drifted over the gaping hole in the back of the hospital gown that he wore.

What the hell had happened?

Suddenly, like the replaying of a movie, images flitted through his brain. It all came flooding back to him. The alley. The shooting. Jack.

Where was Jack?

Using his right hand to try and lever himself up higher, he swallowed the pain and pulled. A cry escaped from his throat. Something rustled in the corner. He wasn't alone. He turned his head, ready to face any threat.

"Patrick, everything is all right," a sleepy voice whispered from the corner.

"Dani?" he croaked out.

There was a moment of silence and then a flurry of movement as his sister rushed to his bedside. There were tears in her eyes that slipped down her cheeks as she reached out her hand. At her touch, he fell back into the bed and closed his eyes as a wave of pain rolled over him.

"I'll get the doctor."

Patrick's right hand shot out to stop her. "No, don't leave me." It was a command that came out as a whispered plea. Dani responded, as he knew she would. Her hand squeezed his.

When the pain passed, he opened his eyes and absorbed her love and concern. She lowered the railing and sat quietly at his side while he used his thumb to wipe the tears that were trickling down her cheeks.

"Jack?" He needed to know what had happened to his partner. Dani bit her bottom lip and shook her head. Patrick's hand stilled on her face as breathing suddenly became difficult.

Dani's eyes were bleak as she shook her head again, confirming what he needed to know. Jack was dead. As if she'd been holding herself together for way too long, his sister suddenly collapsed. Her head fell to the bed next to his and deep, wrenching sobs welled up from inside her. Patrick's eyes filled as he awkwardly wrapped his good arm around her.

The door to his room slammed opened, but the light from the hallway was blocked by the sheer size of the man who stood there. Burke took one look at the situation, yelled for a doctor and hurried to his wife's side. He carefully lifted her from the bed and into his arms. As Dani continued to cry and cling to her husband, Burke turned to Patrick and smiled. "Welcome back."

Right now Patrick wasn't feeling very glad to be back. Pain, both physical and emotional, gripped him and he gladly surrendered to it, drifting back to unconsciousness.

*
Patrick could feel the heat of the sun's rays on his skin. In spite of the pain that still attacked his body, it felt comforting. He lay silently on the bed, taking stock of his injuries. Both his left leg and arm were still immobile, but his right side seemed to still be functioning properly.

"I know you're awake." The deep male voice came from the corner of the room, startling Patrick. He hadn't realized anyone was in the room with him. Sloppy work, O'Rourke.

Knowing that Burke would wait until he opened his eyes, he cracked them slowly, blinking until they became accustomed to the light. But the light seemed unusually bright and he raised his hand to shield his eyes.

"Do you want me to close the blinds?" Burke was already rising from his chair and tugging on the blinds.

"No. Leave them." Patrick slowly lowered his hand from his face as his eyes adjusted. "The sunlight feels good."

"No problem." Burke strolled over to the bed, blocking a good portion of the sun's rays with his body and Patrick was finally able to open his eyes without squinting.

"How long?" Talking, even this small amount, was beginning to tire him and he needed answers.

"You've been in and out for three days now. You lost a lot of blood and have been running a fever." Burke continued giving him a quick, blunt rundown on what had happened. "You took a hit to the center of your chest, but your bulletproof vest stopped it. You've got one hell of a bruise there." He paused for a moment before continuing. "You got shot in the leg and the arm. The doctor removed both bullets, but there was some muscle and ligament damage. You've got some pins in your left leg as well. Right now the doctor's are optimistic that you'll regain almost all the use of both."

It was the "almost" that had him swallowing hard and closing his eyes once again against the pain, which admittedly was more emotional than physical. Almost. Such a simple word. But one that could spell the end of his career as a detective with the New York City Police Department.

Burke was waiting patiently, so Patrick took a deep breath to steady himself before opening his eyes again. He ignored the look of pity and understanding in his brother-in-law's eyes. "Jack?"

Burke sighed. "They're having the funeral this afternoon. Jack's older brother is here from Florida and he's having the body cremated and taking the ashes back to Florida with him to scatter them in the ocean." Burke paused for a brief moment. "He said that was what Jack wanted."

"Mary?" Patrick knew that Jack had wanted his remains scattered with his wife's.

Nodding in understanding, Burke continued. "He's taking Mary's remains as well. They'll be together again."

"That's good." He licked his dry lips.

Swearing under his breath, Burke picked up a foam cup with a straw sticking out of it. He brought it to Patrick's mouth and carefully inserted the straw between his lips. "Drink. I should have known you'd be parched."

Patrick sucked in the cool water, allowing it to pool in his mouth before he swallowed. It felt so damn good as it slipped down his throat, easing the dryness. He drank until the cup was empty. Burke refilled it and brought it back to his mouth. Patrick managed to drink another half cup before stopping. "Thanks."

"You're welcome." He laid the cup back on the bedside table. "You'll be released in a couple of days and then you'll come home with us."

In spite of his pain, Patrick felt the corner of his mouth turn up in a grin. There was no asking him. Burke was telling him. A self-made multimillionaire, Burke was used to being in command.

"We'll see," he managed to gasp as he tried to sit up in bed. He was sick of being flat on his back.

Burke's dark eyes narrowed dangerously. "No, we won't see. You're coming home with us because that's the only way that Dani's mind will be at ease." He held up his hand to halt any arguments. "You have no idea what it was like to get that call in the middle of the night telling us you'd been shot." He raked his hand through his hair, his agitation plain. "Honest to God, Patrick, the expression on Dani's face will haunt me the rest of my life."

Patrick nodded slowly. He knew his family loved him and didn't want to add to their worry. Hell, he'd do the same thing if their positions were reversed. But that didn't mean he had to like it. He didn't want to be a burden. "I don't want to disrupt your lives. I want to be in my own home."

Burke nodded. "I can understand that. I really can." He pressed the remote on the bed, raising the back slowly. Patrick sighed with relief as he was lifted to a seated position. "Stay with us for a while and then we'll see what happens."

Frustration filled Patrick. He felt so helpless lying here. He was used to action. He was a cop, for God's sake. He was the one people turned to in a crisis, the one who was cool-headed and in control of the situation.

A few minutes in an alleyway and several gunshots had changed everything. Patrick wanted to scream and yell and curse the fates. He wanted to rage at Jack for being stupid enough to rush into a dangerous situation unprepared and get himself killed. And he wanted to cry at the loss of his partner and best friend. He felt selfish for even worrying about his own injuries. His fingers knotted the sheets beside him.

"Patrick." Burke spoke softly beside him. "I can't claim to understand everything you're feeling. I never lost a close friend and partner like you just have, but I do know what it's like to be totally immobile in bed. I know what it's like to have your life change in the blink of an eye."

Taking a deep breath, Patrick swallowed the rage churning inside him. Burke did understand. Years ago, before he'd moved to Jamesville and met Dani, Burke had been in a car accident that almost killed him. He still limped slightly and had a long, pale white scar on his left cheek, compliments of a drunk driver who'd run a red light.

What Burke didn't understand was that Patrick felt responsible for Jack Murphy's death. He'd known that his partner was on the edge and he'd tried to get Jack to talk about it, to get help. But he hadn't insisted. Maybe if he had, none of this would have happened. Patrick knew that until the day he died, he'd always question the string of events. Would always play the "what if" game in his mind.

Right now, he had to concentrate on the here and now. The quicker he got better, the faster he'd be able to crawl away by himself and heal his wounds. He forced himself to nod at Burke. "Okay. I'll stay. But only for a few days. Once I'm semi-mobile, I'm out on my own."

"Good enough."

"Where is Dani?" Patrick desperately needed to change the subject.

"I finally talked her into going back to the hotel for a nap. She hasn't left your side in almost three days."

"I think I remember her being here." The soft voice and the comforting hand that had eased his pain. That was Dani. Sister and part mother, she'd raised him and their brother Shamus after their parents had died two years apart. He'd been twelve and his brother, Shamus, had only been nine when Dani had taken over sole responsibility for them and their care. She'd only been eighteen herself, but she'd quit school, gotten a job and kept their small family together. He owed her everything and if going to stay with her for a few days would make her happy, then he would do it. No matter how much it hurt him.

"There are some people waiting to talk to you." The seriousness in Burke's voice captured all of Patrick's attention. "They've all but finished the investigation, but they want to question you."

Patrick nodded. He'd known this was coming and wasn't looking forward to it. Any time an officer discharged his weapon there was an investigation. He wasn't worried about himself. The shooting had been justified. Jack, however, had made a grave error in judgment, but Patrick wasn't about to have his friend's twenty-year record blemished in any way if he could help it. Determination filled him as he pushed himself higher in bed. "Send them in."

Burke nodded, turned away and walked to the door. He paused at the door with his hand on the handle. "It will all work out, Patrick. You're not alone." He pulled open the door and stepped outside.

A small group of men stepped inside the room, their faces serious and austere. He recognized his commanding officer and the union rep. He assumed the other men were from the District Attorney's office and the Internal Affairs Board. Sitting in bed, barely able to move, he faced them.

Despite Burke's reassurances, Patrick felt very much alone.

CHAPTER 2

"Did you take your pain pill?"

Patrick counted to ten and swallowed back his temper, which seemed to be always hovering just beneath the surface these days. "I don't need one."

His sister crossed her arms across her chest and gave him a mutinous glare as she stared at the small pill still sitting next to his water glass. "The doctor said you should take them for a few more days yet."

He took a deep, calming breath before patted the surface of the bed next to him. "Come here. Please," he added when she hesitated.

Heaving a sigh, she walked across the room and sat down, placing her hand on his cheek. "I hardly recognized you in the hospital until you shaved off your beard. I couldn't believe how different you looked." She tried to laugh as she reached out and brushed a long strand of his dark brown hair out of his eyes. "You need a haircut." The words came out in a whisper that ended with a sob.

Using his right arm, Patrick gathered his sister close, stroking her back with his good hand. His anger deflated, leaving him feeling hollow and empty. "I'm really all right," he soothed. He could feel her shaking against his chest and felt helpless in the face of her anguish.

"I know." She sniffed and swiped at her eyes with the back of her hand as she sat back. "I can't stop thinking about how close I came to losing you."

"But you didn't. I'm still here." He gave her a crooked grin. "And from the looks of things, you're going to be stuck with me for a while yet."

Dani gave him a watery laugh, as he'd hoped she would. "I'll try not to be a nag."

"You're not a nag." She rolled her eyes and he chuckled. "All right, so you've been a bit of a nag. Not that I mind," he added quickly. "But I really don't want to take any more pain pills than necessary. They muddle my brain and I don't like feeling so out of control."

She placed the back of her hand on his forehead, testing for signs of a fever. "Okay. I guess I can understand that. But promise me that you'll take one if you need it."

That he could easily do. "I promise." Only he knew that he had no intentions of "needing" one.

Satisfied, she rose from the bed. "I'll leave you to rest. I'm heading into town, but Burke is downstairs in his office if you need anything. Do you want me to pick up anything for you while I'm there?"

He could tell his sister wanted, no needed, to do something for him, so he forced himself to look thoughtful for a moment. "How about something to read? A book or magazine. At this point, I don't care what it is." His sister's mischievous grin made him qualify his request. "On second thought, I want a mystery book or thriller of some kind. No romances."

"You're such a spoilsport," she taunted as she left the room, her light laughter trailing behind her.

The moment she was gone, Patrick sank back into the mattress, closed his eyes and tried to swallow back the groan of pain. It had been two weeks since the shooting. He didn't think he'd still be in so much pain.

(Continues…)

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Excerpted from "The Return of Patrick O'Rourke"
by .
Copyright © 2006 N.J. Walters.
Excerpted by permission of Entangled Publishing, LLC.
All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.
Excerpts are provided by Dial-A-Book Inc. solely for the personal use of visitors to this web site.

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