“Us?”
“Me. My brothers.”
I blinked. “Um, no. She told me your names, that you’re from New York and said you’re all good lookin’, but that’s about it.”
Ryder smiled and was about to speak, but Kane wasn’t finished.
“Are you gonna ask questions about us?”
I got the feeling he didn’t like me, though I wasn’t sure why because he didn’t know me.
I swallowed. “No, why would I?”
“Because you’re curious.”
“About Damien, not you.”
I realised what I said the second the words left my mouth, and I wanted the ground to open up and swallow me whole because it sounded sassy, and I was rarely sassy.
“I didn’t mean that like it sounded,” I blurted. “I mean—”
“I know what you mean,” Kane cut me off, leaning back in his chair as he eyed me up and down. “You aren’t the first girl to be curious about him, and you won’t be the last.”
What is happening?
“Ryder,” Damien grunted. “Do something.”
Ryder gave him a slight shake of his head and remained quiet.
“I’m sorry, but have I done somethin’ wrong on you?” I asked Kane, hating how uncomfortable he had made me feel. “Because if I haven’t, I want to know what the hell your problem is and why I’m bein’ interrogated for no bloody reason.”
Kane raised his brows, Ryder smiled, and Damien choked on air.
“I’m just getting a feel for you,” Kane replied, his eyes still locked on mine.
I honestly thought my heart was going to explode from apprehension, but I stood my ground.
“Well, you can do it in a polite way without the attitude. Introducin’ yourself and simply being nice is a good way to start. I don’t know what Bronagh has said about me, but I’m a nice person who can only take so much bullshit. If you don’t have anythin’ nice to say to me, don’t say it at all. I’ll be more than happy to ignore you.”
“Well, fuck me,” Kane said then Ryder burst out laughing.
Meanwhile, I was busy trying to control my breathing and praying I didn’t pass out. I didn’t do confrontation, and somehow, that was just what I was involved in… and I think I won.
“I think this conversation is over,” I said and left the room in a hurry.
“Thanks a lot, asshole!” Damien snapped.
The laughter continued as I heard a chair scrape across the floor, footsteps beat against the ground, and a presence come up behind me. I turned around just as Damien reached for me. His hand, that I’m sure was intended for my shoulder, latched onto my right breast and shock froze me to the spot.
“I did not mean to tit grab,” Damien said, his eyes on mine, but his hand remained on my breast.
My pulse sped up.
“It’s… okay,” I squeaked.
I looked down at Damien’s hand, and when he realised he was still holding my breast, he dropped his hand like it was on fire.
“Shit,” he said, flustered. “I wanted to apologise for Kane’s behaviour, not grope you.”
I was so embarrassed that I considered walking out of the house without further words exchanged, but I didn’t. Instead, I swallowed and forced a tight-lipped smile.
“It’s whatever; he was probably just messin’ with me.”
“Yeah,” Damien lied.
We both knew Kane wasn’t playing with me.
“Forget him,” Damien continued.
Kane Slater wasn’t someone you easily forgot.
“Already forgotten,” I said, my forced smile still in place.
Damien stared through my smile. I knew he did because his face softened. He took a step towards me and opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted when Alec jogged down the stairs. I took a step back and nodded at Alec, who moved past us with just a wink shot in our direction. Damien looked over his shoulder when Alec spoke, and his other brothers laughed. The three of them then walked out of the kitchen, and Alec was boasting.
“All I’m saying is little brother has skills that he obviously picked up from me. His girl called out to God more times than I could count. He was in control of that puss—”
“Finish that sentence, you slapper, and I will end you!” Bronagh snarled as she descended the stairs with Dominic and Branna in tow.
Alec made the motion of sealing his lips, though I doubt he was finished with teasing her and Dominic about their special night. I wanted to tell him to leave her alone, but I was still pretty shocked over Kane pulling a fast one on me and treating me like I was doing something wrong.
Damien stepped away from me without a word when Bronagh came to my side and took hold of my hand. I smiled at her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Are you ready?” she rhetorically asked.
I exhaled a deep breath as we walked out of her house and into the night.
As I’ll ever be.
“I should have stayed at home,” Bronagh yawned and stretched.