Dylan (The Murphy Series Book 5) Read online

  Dylan

  The Murphy Boys

  Book 5

  By

  Holly C. Webb

  Dedicated To All The Survivors Of Domestic Abuse.

  I would like to begin as always by thanking my husband. Thank you for always believing in me and encouraging me to follow my dreams. You are my best friend and the love of my life. Thank you for always being you. You are my happy place… I love you xx

  Special thanks once again to Gem Evans. Gem, you are one of life’s true angels. You have pulled out all the stops for this book, especially when I felt like just giving up. You have no idea how truly awesome you truly are. Thank you for all your help. I am honoured to consider you my friend.

  Thank you to Sally Orchard, from Under the Lilac for editing my books so beautifully.

  Big thank you to Denise Carmichael. Your friendship and support everyday means more than you’ll ever know. Thank you for all your help, and for making me laugh every day.

  Big thank you to all the wonderful ladies in Holly’s Luscious Readers and Holly after dark. Thank you all so much for your support and for brightening every single day.

  Finally, a big thank you, to you the readers, for taking a chance on me. I hope you love reading this book as much as I loved writing it. This journey would mean nothing without you all…..

  Love Holly x

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Dylan

  Epilogue

  Dylan, The Murphy Boys, Book 5©

  Holly C. Webb has asserted her right under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 to be identified as the author of this work.

  Cover design by Holly C. Webb

  Book design by Holly C. Webb

  Editing by Under the lilac

  No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems, without permission in writing from the publisher.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  For further information, contact the author at [email protected]

  Prologue

  Three years earlier…

  Dylan stood outside the glass cubicle in the ICU watching his brother Finn, and his heart broke. He had done everything he possibly could to save Emmy, but now, only time would tell if she was strong enough to survive it.

  When Liam called him to say that Finn and Emmy had been in a crash, Dylan knew straight away that it wasn’t good. Liam said Emmy had to be cut out of the car, and she was in a bad way. Dylan knew that Finn would be going out of his mind with worry, so he needed to get to the hospital as fast as he could. He had hoped that somehow seeing a friendly face when he arrived there would, in some small way, help his brother get through this.

  As he stood in the ambulance bay, waiting for them to arrive at the hospital, there was just one thought in his head. What if he couldn’t save her?

  You can’t think like that! He had scolded himself as he stood in the cool night air. Everything is going to be okay! It has to be.

  But now, standing there outside her room, watching his brother holding her hand, willing her to just open her eyes, Dylan wasn’t so sure that everything would be okay.

  “She’s going to be okay, right?” Liam asked as he stood next to him, staring into the cubicle too. “She has to be okay. Finn will never get over this if he loses her.”

  “I don’t know,” Dylan sighed, knowing he couldn’t stand there and watch Finn’s world fall apart any longer. As if on cue, his pager beeped, and Dylan was happy for the distraction.

  “I’m needed down in the ER,” Dylan told Liam as he glanced back at Finn and Emmy once more. “I’ll be back but have the nurse page me if there is any change whatsoever.”

  “Okay,” Liam nodded, as he took a step closer to the cubicle, pulling open the door. Dylan watched as Liam walked in, sitting down next to Finn. He hated that this was happening to his brother. Finn was always so much quieter and gentler than the rest of the boys. He wasn’t as confident or as cocky as the rest of them were. He was a sweet, kind soul who didn’t deserve this. Dylan knew that Finn was completely and utterly in love with Emmy, and if he lost her, his life would crumble around him.

  Rubbing the sudden tiredness from his eyes, Dylan turned and hurried down the corridor. Stepping into the elevator, he released a long deep breath, wishing this nightmare was all just a bad dream.

  When he reached the emergency room, he made his way towards the desk and to the nurse that was sitting behind it, staring at the computer in front of her.

  “Someone paged me for a surgical consult,” Dylan said, trying to push Emmy and Finn from his mind. He knew he needed to focus on his job right now. He needed to do something that didn’t make him feel so helpless.

  “Yeah,” the nurse replied, looking up at Dylan, returning his smile, as she handed him the chart. “Bed four. We have a lady with a tender abdomen, along with some other bruising to her torso. There could be some internal bleeding.”

  “What happened to her?” Dylan asked as he looked at the chart the nurse had given him.

  “She said she fell,” the nurse replied, but then leaned in and continued with a hushed voice. “But it looks more like she fell into someone’s fists.”

  “You think someone beat her?” Dylan asked, glancing over his shoulder towards bed four. Sitting on the bed was the saddest, most terrified looking girl Dylan had ever seen. Even from this distance, he could tell just from the bruising on her face that this was no fall.

  “She is terrified,” the nurse continued. “But she just keeps saying she fell. She also is refusing to let us call any family members or the police. She is insistant that she will be fine and that she doesn’t want to disturb anyone.”

  “Okay,” Dylan nodded, as he turned back to the nurse, giving her a smile. “I will see if I can get her to talk to me. Wish me luck.”

  “Good luck,” the nurse said as Dylan turned and walked over to where the girl was sitting on the bed.

  “Hi,” Dylan said as he reached the bed, quickly checking her chart once more for her name. “Brook is it? I’m Doctor Murphy, and I’m going to be taking care of you this evening.”

  “Hey,” she whispered as she glanced up at him, but didn’t let her eyes meet his. Dylan pulled over a stool and sat down in front of her, giving her a warm smile.

  “So,” Dylan began as he took in every inch of this sad, broken girl sitting in front of him. She had a contusion on her forehead, as well as the beginning of what looked like was going to be an impressive black eye and a split lip. As he continued down her body, he also noticed that there were bruises, some of which looked like finger marks on her arms. The nurse was right; this was no fall. “What’s going on? Can you tell me how you got yo
ur injuries?”

  “I fell,” she whispered, her voice quivered, and once more she didn’t look directly at Dylan.

  “Okay,” Dylan replied, knowing that he couldn’t just push her. “Can you tell me what happened?”

  “I don’t know,” she sighed, finally letting her eyes meet Dylan’s. “I guess I tripped, fell down some steps.”

  “I see,” Dylan sighed, but the look in her eyes said that she knew Dylan knew she was lying. Still, he didn’t push her. Not yet.

  “Well,” he said, giving her a nervous smile. “Is it okay for me to examine you?”

  “I guess,” she nodded, dropping her eyes from his once more.

  Dylan stood up, pulling the curtain around her bed, to give her more privacy.

  “If you could just lay back down on the bed,” Dylan said as he pulled his stethoscope from his pocket. “I just want to listen to your chest before I check your tummy.”

  Brook did as she was told.

  Sticking the stethoscope into his ears, Dylan placed the other end on her chest, as he gave her a kind smile. When she looked up at him, he noticed for the first time just how pretty she was. She had the bluest eyes he had ever seen, with the prettiest smile, but even through her smile, he could see the sheer sadness inside her.

  “Just breathe in for me,” he asked returning his focus to what he was doing. Brook did as he requested. “Now if you could roll on your side, I’d like to check your back.”

  Once more Brook did as he’d asked her. When she was on her side, Dylan opened the hospital gown she was wearing, and instantly he spotted the bruising on her back. Some were new, dark purple bruises, while others were yellow and were starting to fade, indicating they were older ones.

  “Brook,” Dylan said, not sure if he should say something or not. “You’re back is full of bruises, and some of them didn’t happen today. Are you sure you don’t want to tell me what’s going on?”

  “I guess I’m accident prone,” she shrugged, sounding like she had rehearsed her response. “I’m always bumping into things.”

  “I see,” Dylan replied, knowing she was not going to change her story. He re-tied dressing gown before she rolled back onto her back. She glanced up at Dylan, giving him a tight smile, and instinctively he smiled back at her. “I need to check your tummy. The nurse said you were complaining of tenderness.”

  Brook nodded her response, but once more she wouldn’t look at Dylan.

  Covering the bottom half of her with a sheet, Dylan raised her gown and gently began to press his finger on her abdomen. After he pressed down a couple of time, she let out a small cry. There was some bruising, but not where she was tender.

  “I think there might be some damage to your kidneys, possibly even your liver,” Dylan explained as he pulled her gown back down. This was serious, whoever done this to her, could have killed her. Dylan knew he needed to say something, but he needed to have her checked out properly. If he pushed her too far, he could scare her off, and then he wouldn’t get to give her a proper examination.

  “I’m going to send you for some x-rays,” Dylan continued. “I would also like a CT scan and to run some blood tests.”

  “Is all that really necessary?” Brook asked, looking up at him before she tried to sit up. “I feel fine…”

  She stopped mid-sentence as her breath caught in her chest, as she winced in pain.

  “Clearly, you’re not,” Dylan smiled, as he helped her lie back down gently. “But I don’t want you to worry…”

  “I’m not worried,” she replied, cutting him off, but her voice was far from convincing. “I just don’t see the need for all this…”

  “I need to be sure that you’re okay,” Dylan replied, smiling once more. “Okay?”

  “Okay,” she nodded, returning his smile. For the first time since he met this girl, she seemed to relax a little.

  Dylan asked the nurse to book a scan for Brook as a priority. The sooner this was done, the sooner he would get a clearer picture of what was going on with this sad, broken soul.

  He was just updating her chart when he glanced up and saw the smile that was on her face moments before was gone, replaced with a look of sheer terror.

  Dylan opened his mouth to speak, but before he could, a voice came from behind him, stopping him in his tracks.

  “Brook, Sweetheart,” a man’s voice said, as he approached the bed. “Why didn’t you call me and tell me you were here?”

  Before she could answer, he brushed past Dylan, quickly taking Brook in his arms and hugging her tightly, making her cry out in pain.

  “Sweetie, I’m sorry,” he said, quickly releasing her from his embrace, but not letting her go. “Did I hurt you?”

  The look on Brook’s face at that moment told Dylan everything he needed to know. This piece of dirt was the reason for all the bruises.

  “What happened, Sweetheart?” He asked, his face completely unreadable before he glanced at Dylan and smiled. “Is she going to be okay?”

  “Your wife had a fall,” Dylan explained, the words almost choking him. “She has a nasty contusion to her head and a lot of bruising, and there is tenderness in her abdomen, so we need to take her to CT to check for any internal injuries.”

  “Why didn’t you tell me you were coming to the ER?” He asked, turning his attention back to his wife. “I’m sure the doctor here, thinks I’m a terrible husband, letting you come alone.”

  I don’t think it, Dylan thought to himself. I know it!

  “I’m sorry, I should have introduced myself,” he said giving Dylan a look that said he knew Dylan wasn’t buying his fake act. He held out his hand to Dylan. “I’m Detective Warren Pearce.”

  “Doctor Murphy,” Dylan replied flatly without taking his hand, instead he returned his focus to Brook. “I’m going to take you up to CT now, Detective Pearce, there is a waiting room over there. We won’t be too long.”

  Dylan went to get a wheelchair for Brook to take her to CT. As he walked back to her bed, he could see her husband was leaning in talking to her, and from the look on her face, it wasn’t a loving conversation they were having.

  “We’re all set,” Dylan said, trying to seem as calm as possible, but deep inside, he wanted to knock this asshole on his ass. He helped Brook down from the bed, then into the wheelchair.

  “I want to come with her,” Warren insisted, grabbing hold of Dylan’s arm, stopping him from walking away.

  “Family isn’t allowed up in CT,” Dylan replied without missing a beat, then added with a smile. “Hospital rules.”

  Warren stared at him for a moment; then he forced a smile to on his face before he released his grip on Dylan’s arm. Then he leaned down and kissed Brook on the forehead.

  “I’ll be right here,” he told her, but Dylan thought it sounded more like a threat than reassurance.

  Dylan needed to get her away from the charming Warren and give her a chance to collect her thoughts. He excused them and headed down the corridor with Brook. As he did, he could feel her husband’s eyes burn into his back, but Dylan wasn’t that bothered. He’d met plenty of assholes like Warren Pearce. They think they are tough guys, but only ever stood up to women.

  When Dylan and Brook reached the elevator, and the door opened, Dylan stepped inside, but he made a deliberate decision not to turn around. He didn’t want Brook to have to look at Warren one more time before the door closed.

  “Are you okay?” Dylan asked once the doors were closed.

  “I… I’m fine,” Brook replied without looking at him, but she looked anything but fine. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

  “I know you didn’t fall,” he blurted out, knowing he was crossing a line, but he didn’t care. “And I know you’re scared of him, but you don’t have to be.”

  “It’s complicated,” she replied without looking at him. Dylan waited for her to continue, but she didn’t say another word.

  Dylan was about to speak again, but the elevator came to a stop. Releasing a l
ong sigh, he stepped out, taking Brook with him, once the door had opened.

  When they got to CT, Dylan helped Brook from the wheelchair, up onto the bed, but neither of them spoke. Finally, he covered her with a sheet, before he stopped and looked down into her eyes.

  There was so much he wanted to say to her, but when he saw the tears that were dancing in her eyes, he knew he couldn’t push her anymore.

  “This won’t take long,” he said, smiling at her, hating himself for not doing something, anything to help her.

  She didn’t respond. Instead, she just nodded.

  Dylan turned and walked back out to the outer room, to where the technician was sitting, waiting to begin the scan. Dylan watched Brook through the glass panel in front of him, wishing there was more he could do for her. He thought about talking to Liam, but he didn’t know if he would make things better or worse. Brook’s husband was a cop too, and while he knew that Liam wouldn’t let that be a factor, he didn’t want to make things worse for Brook either.

  “Jesus!” The technician said, pulling Dylan’s focus back to the computer screen in front of him. “Is this chick a stunt woman or something? Look at all those healed breaks.”

  “Shit,” Dylan sighed, as once more he looked through the glass panel at Brook. “No, she’s just married to an animal.”

  “Well, she was lucky this time,” the technician said, glancing up at Dylan. “There doesn’t appear to be any organ damage.”

  “I don’t think I would call her lucky,” Dylan sighed once more as he took a closer look at the images on the screen. “Let’s get her out of there.”

  He turned and walked back into the scanning room, as the bed slowly moved back out from beneath the scanning machine.

  “We’re all done,” he said as he walked over to Brook, and gave her a smile. “There doesn’t appear to be any bleeding, just a little swelling, which would indicate bruising. You got lucky this time.”

  He took her hand, slipping his other beneath her back, to help her sit up.