“So.” I cleared my throat. “You’re American.”
I cringed at the shocking conversation starter that slipped from my mouth.
“And you’re Irish,” Kane rumbled. “Now that we’ve gotten the obvious out of the way, how close are you with Bronagh?”
I wasn’t prepared for the question nor the tension in Kane’s tone and the accusation in his glaring grey eyes. I clasped my hands together as apprehension filled me.
“Bro,” Damien began, but one look from his older brother silenced him.
Kane looked back at me, awaiting my reply, but all I could do was stare at him. He was extremely intimidating. Bronagh had warned me about his appearance, and I knew that his scars wouldn’t bother me because his looks didn’t define him, but she failed to mention he was a bit of an arsehole.
“Close as new friends can be, I guess,” I replied with a shrug of one shoulder.
Kane cocked a brow. “Has she talked to you about us?”
“Us?”
“Me. My brothers.”
“Um, no.” I blinked. “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 and swallow me whole because I sounded sassy, and I was rarely sassy.
“I didn’t mean that like it sounded,” I spluttered. “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.”
“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 made me feel. “Because if I haven’t, then I want to know what the hell your problem is and why I’m bein’ interrogated for no bloody reason.”
Kane raised his brows in surprise, Ryder grinned, and Damien choked on air.
“I’m just getting a feel for you,” Kane replied, his eyes still locked on mine. “I don’t know you, you’re a stranger.”
I honestly thought my heart would explode from apprehension, but I stood my ground.
“Well, you can do it in a polite way without the attitude. Introducin’ yourself and simply bein’ 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 nonsense. If you don’t have anythin’ nice to say to me, don’t say anythin’ at all. I’ll be more than happy to ignore you.”
“Well, fuck me.”
Kane and Ryder then shared at look and burst out laughing. Meanwhile, I was busy trying to control my breathing and praying to God that 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 flustered hurry.
“Thanks a lot!” Damien snapped. “Asshole!”
The laughter continued as I heard a chair scrape across the tiles, footsteps beat against the floor, and felt 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 grab your tit,” Damien said, his eyes on mine, and his hand still firmly holding my breast. “I swear.”
My pulse sped up.
“It’s ... okay,” I squeaked. “Don’t worry ’bout it.”
I looked down at my chest, and when Damien realised he was still holding my breast, he dropped his hand as if 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. “He was just playing with you.”
We both knew Kane wasn’t playing with me, he grilled me for a reason, but I had no idea what that reason was. I wasn’t sure if I wanted to know, either.
“Forget him,” Damien continued. “Don’t give him a second thought.”
Kane Slater wasn’t someone you easily forgot.
“Already forgotten,” I lied, 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 in our direction. Damien looked over his shoulder when Alec spoke, and his other brothers laughed.