“Can we keep her?” he teased. “I like hearing someone put you in your place. The fact that she is a woman is even better. You don’t affect her, bro. You’re losing your touch.”
“We just met,” I mused. “Don’t shoot me down so quickly, Kane.”
“This has been ... interestin’,” Aideen said, breaking the sudden tension. “However, Keela is right. We really have to get goin’.”
Keela audibly thanked God and blessed herself.
Kane tilted his head to the side as he gazed at Aideen. “I guess I’ll see you around, Ado.”
“Ye’ have to be family or a friend to use ‘er nickname.”
Kane flicked his eyes to Keela, and after a few seconds of sizing me up, he said, “I like you.”
I looked at him, surprised. My brother didn’t like anyone. Accepting Bronagh and Branna had been a big deal for him, so for him to say he liked Keela told me that her standing up to us when she was obviously wary of us impressed him. That, in turn, impressed me too.
“Well, I’m afraid I don’t like you or your pervy friend—”
“Brother.” I cut her off. “I’m his pervy brother.”
“I don’t like you or your pervy brother.” She continued speaking to Kane as if I hadn’t interrupted her. “You’re nothin’ but trouble. The people ye’ pal around with attack women for no reason. You’re both very rude, and I don’t like bein’ in your company. Good night to ye’ both.”
She turned, grabbed hold of Aideen’s hand, and took off walking away from us in the direction of her car.
“What? No goodbye kiss?” I shouted, watching her legs as she walked away. ”Now who is being rude!”
“I said good night!”
“I’ll make the end of your night very good, kitten, if you give me the chance.”
Aideen laughed as she and Keela got into her car. I stared after the car as it pulled out of the lot and drove off, feeling my heart pound against my chest. That encounter hadn’t been long enough for me to have my fill of Keela’s body. I knew it’d be a wonderland, and I had a need for her that I hadn’t had for anyone in ... ever.
“I want her so fucking bad.”
Kane chuckled as he clapped his hand on my shoulder. “You say that about anyone who makes your cock stiff.”
“Nah.” I shook my head. “She’s different. I can tell.”
“She doesn’t seem to like you very much, Alec.”
I smiled as I looked at my younger brother.
“Exactly. It’ll make the chase all the more interesting if she’s repulsed by me.”
Kane laughed as he walked towards our car, shaking his head at me. I followed him with a spring to my step and a big ass smile on my face, and it was all because of one fiery Irish redhead. I knew I’d run into her again, and I had never looked forward to seeing someone who loathed me so much in my life. A game had started between us, whether she knew it or not, and little did she know that when I played a game, I always played for keeps.
CHAPTER FIVE
Twenty-eight years old ...
“What’s the face for?”
I looked up from eating my breakfast, and when I realised Dominic was speaking to me, I raised my eyebrows.
“What face?”
“That face.” He chuckled. “You look like you’ve eaten something sour.”
I shrugged my shoulders but didn’t answer.
“He still feels bad over Branna’s friend getting jumped last night.”
I turned my head and scowled at Kane, who shrugged, unbothered.
“You don’t need to feel bad,” Ryder said from the refrigerator as he searched for something to eat. “You can’t control what other people do.”
“I guess.” I sighed. “I just hope she’s okay. She has to be sore today.”
“Branna called her this morning, and she’s okay. Banged up, but okay.”
That didn’t make me feel better.
“How are you this morning?” Kane asked, his lips twitched. “You got beat up last night, too.”
The twins and Ryder’s attention snapped my way.
“Who beat you up?” Dominic demanded. “Tell me.”
Before I could say a word, Kane said, “A little redhead named Keela.”
My brothers shared a looked, relaxed, then laughed.
“She didn’t beat me up.” I rolled my eyes. “She shoved me because she was angry her friend got jumped. She blamed me because she thought it was my girlfriend who was at fault.”
“Doesn’t sound like she beat him up,” Dominic looked at Kane, grinning. “What else happened?”
I shook my head and continued to eat my cereal.
“She knocked his ass to the ground when she shoved him.” Kane chuckled. “And she surpassed Bronagh when she chewed him out as well.”
“No way,” Dominic said, his lips parted with surprise.
“Yup.” Kane bobbed his head. “She insulted him and turned him down multiple times when he hit on her.”
“Well, fuck.” Ryder laughed. “I want to meet this woman.”
Ha, ha, ha.
“You’re all fucking hilarious today.”
They all laughed and continued to rag on me when the doorbell rang. Ryder went to answer it, leaving me with the three youngest who were talking utter shit. I nodded to them, accepting whatever shit they threw my way, but I stopped when Ryder suddenly shouted, “Alec, a woman is here to see you!”