Night.
A silver Volkswagen Jetta pulled up in front of the Gallagher house.
Shane sat inside looking fresh and relaxed, like he'd just won the lottery.
"Hey," he said, grinning at Karen's wrecked expression. "It's only a few blocks. You could've just let me walk. I'm scared you won't even have the strength to hit the gas pedal later."
Karen shot him a look full of annoyance and pure lust. "This is all your fault, you fucking animal. I don't know what the hell your body is made of."
She weakly raised a hand and punched his arm.
Shane laughed and leaned over, kissing her on the mouth. "All right. I'm gonna run inside, grab a couple things, then I'll head over to your place. I'm staying the night."
"Mmm," Karen hummed, already half-asleep against the seat.
Shane climbed out, watched the Jetta drive off, then turned toward the house. A BMW was parked right there, and he could hear a strange male voice coming from the living room.
"Well, shit," he muttered. "Big brother-in-law's already made himself at home."
He jogged up the steps and pushed the door open.
Veronica was on the couch with cotton swabs and peroxide, cleaning a cut on the head of the guy sitting in her lap—Jimmy, looking a little roughed up but laser-focused on Fiona across from him. Fiona was staring right back, eyes sparkling like she'd just hit the jackpot.
Footsteps thundered down the stairs as Lip, Ian, and the two younger kids came to investigate the noise.
Lip took one look at Fiona's dreamy face and immediately knew what was up. This was the guy she'd dragged home from the club.
Jimmy winced when Veronica dabbed the cut. "Ow—hey, Veronica, were you a nurse or something? You're really good at this."
Lip dropped onto the other couch and threw Fiona some backup. "Nurse? She cleans bedpans and changes sheets at Cook County Hospital."
"Hey!" Veronica glared at him but shrugged. "Technically true. I got kicked out of nursing school for selling medical supplies on eBay."
Fiona smirked at Jimmy. "Yeah, and he still tries to flirt like he's got game."
"Will you two shut up?" Veronica rolled her eyes and pressed harder on the wound, making Jimmy jump.
Jimmy laughed awkwardly and waved. "Hi, everyone. I'm Steve."
He shook Carl's hand. Carl just stared at the beer bottle in front of him.
Fiona pointed around the room. "This is Debbie."
"Hi!" Debbie chirped.
"That's Lip, and that's Ian."
Right then the front door clicked open and Shane walked in wearing a black leather jacket, looking tall, broad, and straight-up intimidating.
"Hey, Shane," Fiona said.
Jimmy turned and froze at the sight of the ripped Asian guy radiating pure testosterone. "Uh… hey. Who's—?"
Lip jumped in before anyone else could speak, grinning like a devil. "Oh, that's Fiona's boyfriend. He was out of town on business. Just got back tonight."
Jimmy's face went white. "Oh. Wow. Okay. You have a boyfriend. And he's… built like that."
Debbie ducked her head, smothering laughter. Carl straight-up grinned.
Shane caught the lie but didn't call it out. He kept his face hard, walked straight up to Jimmy, and looked down at him. "Who the fuck are you, and what are you doing in my house this late?"
Jimmy scrambled to his feet, hands up. "No, no, I was just dropping her off! Some asshole stole her wallet. I was only gonna clean the cut and leave. Sorry, man."
Fiona finally cracked, laughing so hard she had to grab Shane's arm. "Okay, stop scaring him. Lip's full of shit. This is my brother—Shane."
Jimmy exhaled like he'd just dodged a bullet. "Oh thank God. Hi, Shane. You're… very handsome and funny."
Shane shook his hand, already calculating. Medical student—even if he dropped out—might come in handy if Muscle Jack's crew tried to pull some drug-test bullshit later.
"Shane. Nice to meet you, Steve."
Veronica finished packing up. Shane glanced at her. "Hey, Veronica. Kevin's outside shaking like a leaf. Said he can't find his keys and wants you home."
"Goddamn that big idiot," Veronica muttered, grabbing her bag and heading for the door. "See you tomorrow, Fiona."
Jimmy stood up too, looking a little lost. "Well… I guess that's my cue. Fiona, tomorrow?"
"Tomorrow," she said, cheeks pink.
Shane gave Fiona a knowing smirk as he grabbed an orange from the counter and headed out, leaving the two of them alone.
He peeled the orange as he walked toward Karen's, texting a West Side mom who'd sent yoga-pants pics asking for form checks.
Halfway there, headlights swept the street. A police cruiser. Heading straight for the Gallagher house.
Shane stepped to the curb and flagged it down. "Hey, Tony!"
The car slowed. Tony leaned out the window. "Shane? What are you doing out here?"
"Just walking. Frank drunk again?"
Tony sighed. "Found him passed out on a bench by the station. Was gonna drop him off."
Shane spotted Frank snoring in the back seat and grinned. "Nah, I got him. No need to bother Fiona tonight."
Tony looked disappointed—he'd clearly been hoping for an excuse to see her—but his partner was already done with the smell. "Let the kid take him. We got other sectors."
Tony gave one last longing glance toward the house before driving off.
Shane yanked Frank out of the cruiser like a sack of potatoes and dragged him across the lawn. From inside he could already hear the rhythmic "yes—fuck—yes" coming through the walls.
He dropped Frank right there on the grass.
"Sleep it off, old man."
No blanket. No mercy. Frank was too tough to freeze to death anyway.
Shane turned and headed for Karen's, already planning how to keep Jimmy useful without letting him get too comfortable.