Chapter 19.

One month later Rachel knocked on John Walshs door and heard, "Come in."

John occupied an office on the top floor of the network headquarters, with a spectacular view of New York. Sun bounced off the tops of the edifices, which almost touched the clouds.

"Hi, John. Thanks for seeing me on such short notice."

"Hey, anything for our new prize winner." Shed been honored with the New York Excellence in Reporting Award. Her pieces on the governor, still ongoing, had garnered the accolade.

She glanced at his array of statues on a shelf, confirming his talent, too. "Yeah, even Rubin called to congratulate me."

John laughed.

"I think hes doing a good job with Syria."

Her boss nodded. "But you can go back anytime you want."

No, she couldnt, but she wouldnt tell him why. "I dont want to go back, for that job, anyway."

He watched her. Clearly, he was surprised and why not? Shed been after the foreign correspondents job for a long time. "What do you mean?"

"Id like to keep my show and do hard-hitting stories like the one with the governor. And also some ancillary work with Syria."

"Ancillary how?"

"Segments on the children over there. Ive got footage of them that we didnt use. And if I have to go back to get more, Ill do that." Later on.

"Sounds good to me. Im just surprised. Youve been gunning for the spot over there for a long time."

"My priorities have changed." Which was an understatement. "Id also like to set up a fund from the news station for Syrian children, like others on cable TV have done. I did some research while recuperating and theyre building orphanages in the country for children whove lost their parents."

"Interesting."

"Whats even better is Bailey ONeil is behind it. She said its a good place for her to focus our attention."

"Wow, you hit the jackpot."

With Bailey, maybe, but not two of her brothers. In the month since the accident, Aidan and Pat had not accepted her. They were overtly nice on the rare occasion that she saw them, and Dylans parents were civil to her, but she had a long way to go to make real peace with the ONeils.

Johns phone buzzed, calling him to another meeting. She had to leave anyway because she was having lunch with Dylan. Her stomach growled with the thought.

The end of May was beautiful in New York City, and the sun warmed her as she walked down the street to a small Italian restaurant. The slight breeze ruffled her hair and she felt pretty d.a.m.n good, given all that had happened.

The place was full of diners but she saw Dylan sitting in a booth by the window. She took a minute to study him. He wore a white dress shirt, open at the throat, and a blue sports coat. His hair, a little too long, was disheveled from the same wind that had tousled hers. G.o.d, he looked good. When he glanced up and saw her coming toward him, his expression was so genuine, so deep and meaningful, that her breath caught.

She was breathtaking, Dylan thought, there was no other word for how she looked today in a peach dress that highlighted her coloring and accented all that beautiful auburn hair. During the month of her convalescence, theyd spent some time walking on the beach and enjoying spring in May, but today, her face seemed to glow with more than just the tan. The smile she wore was almost blinding. He stood and kissed her on the lips. "h.e.l.lo, love."

"Hey, handsome. It seems like forever since Ive seen you." He chuckled because Dylan had moved into her brownstone the week after theyd gotten back from Turkey. Shed suggested it, telling him shed learned a valuable lesson over in the Middle East-not to waste time. Now, if he could just keep her from going back. He pushed aside the notion that haunted his midnights.

"I have news," he said.

"I do, too. You first."

"I met with the agent from Writers House we hired. He called right after you left this morning."

Her eyes lit. "Did he sell it already? We gave him the proposal only a week ago."

"Yeah, to Franklin House, believe it or not."

"They agreed to our terms?"

"Uh-huh. The book will focus on our story. The secondary plot lines, including Bailey and Clay, and the rest of my family, will be played down but have to be in the book because theyre necessary to the plot." The idea had come to them in the time theyd spent together planning their future.

She reached across the table and covered his hand with hers. "Oh, honey, Im so glad. Whats the time frame?"

"They want the ma.n.u.script ASAP. I told him wed need six to eight months to write it, given everything else we have going on."

"About that." Her smile turned mysterious. "There will be a lot going on, Dylan." She grinned at him. "Youre going to be a Daddy again."

The gla.s.s he held hit the table, loud enough to turn heads. He stared at her openmouthed. Theyd never talked about kids. Never discussed having them.

"Dyl? Arent you glad? It was an accident, but I want..."

Sliding out of the seat, he pulled her up, hugged her and twirled her around. People stared, but he didnt care. "Are you kidding? Im thrilled." He eased her back into the booth, but sat on the same side this time. Cradling her hand in his, he kissed her knuckles. "Whats this going to mean for your career?"

"Who cares? Im so happy."

He gave her a knowing look. "You care."

"Okay, I do. I just told John to give the correspondent job in Syria permanently to Rubin."

d.a.m.n it, he felt like blubbering again. "Oh, Rach."

"I was planning to do that, anyway, Dylan, before I found out." Her hand went to her belly. Where his child lay. "I want to keep my show and concentrate on the children over there. Expose their plights and set up a foundation for orphans."

"Seems fitting, doesnt it? A foundation for children, when were having our own?"

He didnt say it aloud, but her pregnancy would go a long way to thawing Patrick and Aidan. Hed already discovered that his sisters-in-law had befriended her and were working on the guys. Theyd even visited Rachel a few times when she was still laid up.

The two of them sat for a moment in silence, enjoying the news of a baby on the way and careers taking off. Then Dylan said, "You know what happened to the couple who got everything they wanted?"

She c.o.c.ked her head, obviously wondering if this was a sarcastic comment or a warning. "What?"

"They lived happily ever after."

She threw her arms around his neck. "Ill do everything I can to make that happen, Dylan. I promise."

"I will, too, love. I will, too."

The End For notification of Kathryns new work and information about her books, be sure to sign up for her newsletter at http://on.fb.me/1bLS0bN.

AUTHORS NOTE

What can I say? The ONeil men have been my favorites since I wrote their sisters story in 2005. Subsequently, I went on to write two more stories, Aidans and Liams. But when Berkley decided not to finish the saga, I thought wed never see Dylans or Patricks story. But readers regularly asked for them, and now, Dylans book is here.

To me, Dylan was always the most complicated ONeil. There was an aura of mystery about him in each book, and I was unable to really get a handle on him. Was he just a ladies man? A braggart with his brothers? Immune to commitment to the opposite s.e.x? Well, it turned out Dylan is much, much more than that. As I pealed back the layers, I found him to be overwhelmingly loyal to his family-maybe even a bit too protective; he is a man of integrity and honesty; hes intelligent and insightful and a very s.e.xy lover, though I wasnt surprised by that.

Rachel posed another problem for me. Shes dogged the ONeils through three books. Shes done harmful things to people the readers and I have come to love. How to redeem her? How to show her inner self and motivations? Very soon, a backstory developed but I had to work hard to understand her. I hope readers are satisfied with my portrayal of her.

It was so much fun revisiting the whole family and continuing their stories. I loved seeing how the others brothers were faring in their relationships and especially digging deeper into Patrick and Brie. So much so, that there will be a fifth and final book, ALWAYS AND FORVER, out very soon. So stay with me to find out the end of the ONeil story.

Kathy Shay Visit or Contact Kathryn at www.kathrynshay.com www.facebook.com/kathrynshay www.twitter.com/KShayAuthor http://pinterest.com/kathrynshay/ If you liked HIGH STAKES, you might want to post a review of it at Barnes & n.o.ble.

Check out the other books in the ONeil Family trilogy: SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN Follow New York Senator Clay Wainwright and anti-gang specialist, the Street Angel, Bailey ONeil as they battle over how to control street gangs and unexpectedly fall in love. Barnes & n.o.ble CLOSE TO YOU Follow brother-in-law of the vice president Aidan ONeil and Secret Service Agent CJ Ludzecky as they travel the fine line between professional ethics and falling in love. Appearances by characters from SOMEONE TO BELIEVE IN. Originally published by Berkley Press "Kathryn Shay writes believable characters you can't help falling in love with." The Romance Reader Connection Barnes & n.o.ble TAKING THE HEAT If ever there was a mismatch, its staid, solid Liam ONeil and risk-taking firefighter Sophie Tyler. When pa.s.sion and eventually love consume them, theres no denying their need to be together. Barnes & n.o.ble ALWAYS AND FOREVER The first of the ONeil siblings, Patrick, has always taken his responsibilities to heart. There for his brothers and sisters to listen, console and sometimes give them a swift kick in the b.u.t.t, hes everybodys ideal oldest brother. But his relationship with his wife Brie has been tumultuous from day one, and it hasnt changed in nearly twenty years. Both bear scars from their past. But when Brie finds herself in the most terrifying situation of her life, its Pat she needs during and after it. Edgy, s.e.xy and emotional, this conclusion to the ONeil series will surprise the reader in its emotional intensity and unique plotline.

To browse Kathryns impressive list of t.i.tles go to http://www.kathrynshay.com/books/.

Copyright 2014 Kathryn Shay Cover art by Patricia Ryan This ebook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This ebook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each person. If youre reading this book and did not purchase it, or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return to the bookseller and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

About the Author.

A USA TODAY bestseller, Kathryn Shay has been a lifelong writer and teacher. She has self-published 14 original romance t.i.tles, 36 print books with the Berkley Publishing Group and Harlequin Enterprises and 1 mainstream womens fiction with Bold Strokes Books. She has won five RT Book Reviews awards, four Golden Quills, four Holt Medallions, the Booksellers Best Award, Foreword Magazines Book of the Year and several "Starred Reviews." Her novels have been serialized in COSMOPOLITAN magazine and featured in USA TODAY, THE WALL STREET JOURNAL and PEOPLE magazine. There are over five million copies of her books in print, along with hundreds of thousands downloaded online. She lives in upstate New York with her husband and children.

Take a look at the fifth and final ONeil book, ALWAYS AND FOREVER

Chapter 1.

"I, Clayton Jon Wainwright, do solemnly swear that I will faithfully execute the office of President of the United States, and will to the best of my ability, preserve, protect and defend the Const.i.tution of the United States."

The four ONeil brothers lined up off to the left of their brother-in-law as he took the oath of office to become the president of the United States. Dressed in their fanciest, with their women at their sides, Pat had to smile, despite the gravity of the situation.

Ma and Pa were closest to Bailey, who looked pretty with her hair curling down her back, wearing a blue summer suit. Ma held Tyler on her lap and Pa corralled Angel. Rory and Jon were by Clays side, holding hands. Now, Jon would need increased Secret Service coverage at college, and Ma and Pa had to cancel their cruise until it could be determined how to keep them safe. Since Mark Langley announced he was stepping down as president and giving his full support to Clay, everything was in flux.

When the swearing-in was finished, Clay hugged Bailey, Jon and Rory. Then he turned to his vice president, Lindsay McMann, her husband and twins. She hugged the president and he shook hands with her spouse.

The August evening was hot, but Clay had wanted to have the ceremony outside in a covered patio on the White House lawn. Since the circ.u.mstances of his a.s.sumption to the presidency were unusual, hed gotten his way, despite Congresss disapproval. A small band began to play, and, he took Bailey to the patio and danced with her to At Last.

Beside Pat, Brie, looking beautiful in an obscenely expensive yellow dress, leaned into Pat. "Can you believe it?"

"Nope. How did this happen to our lives?" he asked only half-joking.

"I have to say, Patrick ONeil, its been quite a ride with your family."

Was she implying the ride was over? No, he wouldnt think that way. Hed promised himself, after their last big fight-which they were just getting over-he would curb his tendency to overreact to every word that came out of her mouth. "That it has, la.s.s."

He caught sight of Dylan and Rachel off to the side. Dylan looked concerned, leaning close to his...whatever the h.e.l.l she was...girlfriend, and pointing to the big white house. An agent stood behind them, too. "Huh? Wonder if theyre having a spat?"

Brie tracked his gaze and gave a mysterious smile. "I doubt it."

"Do you know something, woman?"

"I know a lot of things, Patrick."

As he studied his brother, he saw the sloppy grin on Dylans face turn to a frown. Pat transferred his gaze to Rachel...just as she slipped out of his grasp to the ground.

What the...? His heart beat a clip as he raced over. But several agents had closed in around them, effectively cutting out the family. Aidan rushed up to Pat, followed by Liam.

"Is she hurt?" Aidan asked. "It looked like she got shot."

"Oh, my G.o.d," Liam added. "Dylan?"

Brie said calmly, "Rachel collapsed."

C.J. and Sophie shared a look with her.

"We have to get to Dylan to see whats wrong." Aidans voice rose a notch.