Dangerous Love(23)

Not five minutes later, Derrick Murphy bolted into the waiting area and went straight to his wife. Sean sent her to her husband. Courtney sagged into his arms and looked up at him, her eyes red with tears streaming down her cheeks. "My dad."

Murphy kissed her hard on the lips then pulled her into his body, holding her head tight to his chest. "I know, baby. I know."

Derk watched the scene before him in utter amazement. This wasn't the first time he witnessed Mr. Murphy wrapping himself around Courtney to bear the burden of her broken heart. How did that feel? To love a woman so deeply he'd gladly steal her pain. He understood he'd never experience that raw emotion. But being on the outside looking in, it briefly struck Derk how that was something his own parents had lacked. A loyalty to the other’s emotional health. A partner to lean on through the thick treads of life. They never had that all consuming love that a spouse needed. Could Derk ever love a woman enough to comfort her in her most heartbreaking moment? He’d never considered it, as women were just a pleasant diversion for him.

Probably not. Honestly, he didn't care enough to be that dependable of a man for a woman.



***



Derk and Smith, along with Jack and Carl, escorted Derrick and Courtney into their home after spending hours at the hospital. Apparently, Mr. Millen suffered a massive heart attack in front of his wife. Sean explained the man left this world quickly. That was little comfort to his only daughter.

Once they left the hospital, Courtney continued to sob into Derrick's chest the entire car ride home. It was painstaking to witness. She had been a daddy’s girl to a career military man, who had adored his only daughter and loved his wife. Tomorrow, funeral arrangements would be made. Jack and Carl already pulled Derk and Smith aside explaining the funeral would be larger than normal because Mr. Millen was a retired Marine officer. Then, the fact that his only daughter was the Northeast crime boss's wife, anyone who knew Derrick would come to pay their respects to his wife.

"Can I get you something to drink, honey?" Derrick asked softly when they stepped into the million dollar Murphy home.

She shook her head, her large sapphire blue eyes puffy and fair features blotchy. Though that didn’t take away from her breathtaking beauty. They stood in the hallway, unmoving when she grabbed a hold of her husband's hand.

"I can't let you go on thinking I'm having an affair," she cried.

Derrick blanched.

"I know that's what you've thought. I'm awful. I've allowed you to continue to think that way for weeks. I would never cheat on you, Derrick. I love you." She opened her purse. "I've been working on this for a while with Carlo Bartuzzi‒"

"The watch designer," Derrick interrupted.

"Yes. I had this made for your birthday next week." She sniffled. "I wanted it perfect for you," she said. "You deserve nothing less."

She handed Derrick the black box. Slowly, he opened it and inhaled sharply when his eyes landed on the expensive gift. Courtney stepped up next to him, pulled out the watch, and turned it over so he could read the script.

"This is how I feel about you, Derrick. I...I..." She broke down.

Grabbing her face into his hands, he kissed her soundly then scooped her up into his arms and whisked her away upstairs.

Mr. Murphy thought Courtney was having an affair? Since when? No one mentioned a word to him.

"Did you know he thought she was cheating?" Derk asked.

Smith shrugged. "I heard him mention it to Jack and Carl."

"Why wouldn't he say anything to us?"

Smith looked at him like he was a dumbass. "Because we like Mrs. M too much. Mr. Murphy feels if it's a choice between him and her, we'll pick her."

"What the hell?"

"Wouldn't you?" Smith challenged.

"No."

His partner cocked a brow.

Well, there was a slight possibility he'd have Mrs. Murphy's back. He did like her.

Derk watched the couple disappear up the steps. So much of Courtney's life had been wrapped up in tragedy since meeting the Murphy men. How had she stayed sane?

She possessed everything a man could want. Beauty, kindness, inner strength, loyalty. Kind of like Mackenzie. Few women capture his attention, but these two held it firmly. Courtney, because he admired the hell out of her and would consider taking a bullet for the woman. Mackenzie, because she had quickly caused his mind to be tied up in knots.

Off and on, for the past two weeks, he'd seen Mackenzie nightly, and he couldn’t get the woman out of his thoughts. Especially, when they were apart. It had been weeks since he’d had sex, which caused him to jackoff in the shower every morning and night. Talk about unsatisfactory releases.