Aideen

by L. A. Casey

  “Bye,” Gavin’s voice sounded before the phone clicked off.

  Goodbye to you, too, little brother.

  I shook my head, tossed my phone onto my nightstand and stood up. I was bored, and even though I didn’t want to watch the lads play their football game, it beat lying in bed doing nothing.

  The girls, bar Branna who was working, went out for dinner and because it was a restaurant that served sushi, I couldn’t go. Sushi was off limits to me. It made me sick before I was pregnant. Even the smell of it could set me off, but it was a definite no-go now that I was having a baby.

  I exited my room and paused at the front door as a key entered the lock and the handle jiggled. I stepped back with a racing heart until I saw who the person was and calmed down.

  “Keela,” I breathed. “You scared me.”

  She looked just as surprised to see me standing right behind the door, but quickly exhaled and moved closer to me.

  “How was dinner—”

  “I need your help.”

  I widened my eyes. “With what?”

  “The girls,” Keela murmured.

  I gasped. “What about the girls?”

  “Shhh!”

  I winced and looked to the sitting room door as it opened and Nico and Kane practically fell out of it. Kane placed his hand on his chest when he saw me.

  “Fuck. I thought something was wrong.”

  I looked to Keela who was glaring at me.

  “My bad.”

  Nico straightened. “Keela, where are Bronagh and Alannah?”

  She scratched her neck. “In the elevator.”

  I poked her arm.

  “What’s wrong?”

  She groaned. “It’s not me fault, I didn’t know what they were drinkin’—”

  “Keela?” Alec’s voice said sternly from behind his brothers. “What happened?”

  I blinked at Alec, having never heard him sound so serious before.

  “Brongah and Alannah, they’re kind of... drunk.”

  Nico stumbled. “Bronagh is pregnant!”

  “Yeah,” Keela said and scratched her neck again. “We were at dinner and her and Alannah drank these weird drinks. The menu said they were alcohol free … but they weren’t. The waiter got the order mixed up. She didn’t drink loads, just a few glasses.”

  Nico raised an eyebrow. “Where the hell is she? I can deal with her—”

  “Promise you won’t get mad?”

  “Keela,” Nico said, his tone dangerously low. “Where is Bronagh?”

  Keela caved under his gaze. “I told you she is in the elevator … but she is sittin’ in it in just her bra and knickers, ridin’ it up and down with Alannah… who is also drunk, and semi-naked.”

  Damien was suddenly pushing his way through his brothers so fast it made Kane laugh.

  “Semi-naked, drunk Alannah?” he said. “Damien Slater is on the case.”

  All the brothers laughed, but the twins ignored them and ran out of the apartment. I followed them just because I wanted to see the next few minutes unfold. I walked up behind Damien and Nico and folded my arms across my chest when Nico hit the elevator button.

  “It’s on the second floor and rising,” Damien murmured.

  We all watched the dial for the floors, and watched the number climb higher and higher until the elevator pinged and the double doors opened. I covered my hands with my mouth when I saw what I saw.

  “Nope,” Bronagh slurred. “Your ti-tits are definitely bigger than mine.”

  “Really?” Alannah murmured and cupped her boobs in her hands. “I don’t think th-they are.”

  What in the world?

  “Oh, my God.” I laughed.

  Nico cursed when he took her in. “Damn it, Bronagh!”

  Bronagh and Alannah turned their heads and burst into giggles when they saw the three of us staring at them.

  “We’re caught,” Alannah shouted and put her hands in the air. “Elevator lesbian sex is no more!”

  Damien balled his hand into a fist, brought it to his mouth and bit down on it. I didn’t know whether he wanted to laugh at her or if he was stopping himself from taking her right then and there.

  His gaze was solely locked on her.

  “Damien!” Alannah squealed with excitement when her eyes landed on him and she pushed herself to her feet.

  I watched her with wide eyes because she only had a black pair of underwear on.

  That was it.

  “Yes, Alannah?” he asked and made a point of keeping eye contact with her.

  She cupped her bare breasts with both hands. “Do my boobs look bigger than the la-last time you saw them?”

  Nico stepped in the way of the elevator doors when they tried to close. He hit the emergency stop button and stared down at his girlfriend.

  “I can’t believe this shit,” he grunted and put his right hand up like a fan on the side of his face to form a divide so he couldn’t see Alannah’s body.

  “Damien,” Alannah pressed, “do they or don’t th-they?”

  I looked at Damien and the poor bastard was staring at Alannah’s chest like it was his next meal. I elbowed him and he looked at me before clearing his throat and looking to Alannah’s face.

  “Um, why don’t we get you dressed? Does that sound good?”

  Alannah lazily smirked. “Will you be the one to dress me?”

  “You. Me. Crazy elevator sex. Right no-now.”

  I looked to Bronagh when she spoke and laughed when she grabbed hold of Dominic’s shoulders and pulled him down on top of her body.

  “Bronagh!” he shouted with surprise. “I could hurt you. Would you let me get you dressed and we—”

  “You told me you loved me naked th-though.”

  Nico grunted. “I do, but—”

  “Then let me be naked, I like being free,” she said, and shimmied causing her breasts, and other places, to jiggle.

  I cackled and took out my phone, and began recording. There was no way in hell I was not capturing this.

  “Bronagh, for the love of God, stop doing that,” Nico begged as he adjusted the front of his trousers.

  “Shimmy with me!” she giggled, making me laugh harder.

  Nico pressed his face onto the crown of her head as his shoulders shook and he laughed. I switched the phone to Damien and saw he, too, was laughing as Alannah tried to twerk.

  I say tried because she failed, she miserably failed. I criss-crossed my legs and howled with laughter. It got the interest of the occupants inside my apartment.

  “What are they doin’?” Keela’s voice called out from behind me.

  I glanced over my shoulder, and with my free hand I waved because I couldn’t speak. I could barely breathe from laughing.

  “Alannah!” Keela gasped when she came to my side and saw what she was doing.

  Damien lifted her shirt from the floor and held it in front of her when his brothers came up behind us. He narrowed his eyes at them and Ryder laughed.

  “You being protective, little brother?”

  Damien kept his eyes narrowed. “They aren’t decent. You, Alec and Kane go back inside the apartment.”

  “No!” Alannah shouted in protest. “Let’s have an or-orgy. Right here in the elevator. All of us.”

  I shoved my phone at Keela to continue recording for me so I could bend forward and ease the sudden pain in my side. Hands gripped onto my hips.

  “Aideen?” Kane murmured, his voice filled with concern.

  I shook my head. “I just have... a stitch,” I said, laughing. “They’re so funny.”

  “I don’t think I’ve seen so much of Alannah’s skin before,” Alec murmured, “and I’ve definitely never heard her talk about sex before. She must be really drunk to want an orgy with all of us.”

  Kane laughed at his brother, but nodded in agreement.

  I looked to Nico when he got Bronagh to her feet and managed to get her t-shirt back over her head. He was in the middle of putting her arms t
hrough the holes and tugging it down to her hips.

  “Nearly done, pretty girl.”

  Bronagh turned her nose up. “Don’t call me Bronagh or pretty girl anymore.”

  Nico smiled down at her. “What will I call you if not Bronagh or my pretty girl?”

  She looked him dead in the eyes and said, “From th-this moment onwards I shall be known as MC Hammered.”

  I burst into a fit of laughter and stumbled back into Kane’s vibrating chest. He folded his arms around me and rested his hands on top of my bump, and his chin on top of my head.

  “Okay, MC Hammered, you wanna put your hands on my shoulders so I can put your pants back on you?”

  Bronagh stared at Nico for a long moment then said, “I want to get ma-married.”

  Oh, shit.

  All traces of laughter evaporated and heavy silence lingered.

  “You want to get married?” Nico repeated as if he misheard her.

  Bronagh nodded her head. “We’re to-together forever, we live together ag-ages and we’re havin’ a baby. I love you with all of my heart. The wh-whole lot of it. I want to get married, so will you marry me?”

  Nico was still then said, “Yeah, babe, I’ll marry you.”

  I beamed and clapped my hands together with excitement.

  “Yes!” Bronagh said and high-fived herself. “I lo-love you.”

  I giggled. “She won’t remember this tomorrow.”

  Kane kissed the crown of my head. “No, but we will.”

  “I love you too, MC Hammered,” Nico said making us laugh, and Bronagh beam.

  We watched them embrace for a moment until Alannah cleared her throat.

  “Does no one wa-want to have sex with me?” she asked, sounding tired. “I promise I’m good at it.”

  All eyes fell on Damien.

  He glared at us. “Thanks very much, guys!”

  I grinned. “We got you.”

  He hissed at me then looked to Alannah who had sunk down to the floor of the elevator. Damien knelt before her and picked up her discarded leggings and put her feet through the leg holes. He lifted her hands and placed them over her breasts then slowly pulled the leggings up to her knees then gripped her elbows. He pulled her to her feet, as he remained on his knees before her.

  Alannah tilted her head to the side and frowned down at him. “You took th-them off me before and now you’re puttin’ them back on … ha-have we come full circle?”

  Damien stilled then pressed his forehead against her bare thighs before gripping the hem of her leggings and shimmying them up until they fit snug around her hips. He picked up her bra and t-shirt and blocked her from our view with his body.

  I saw Alannah drop her arms from covering her chest and Damien looked up to the ceiling before returning his gaze to her. He put her bra on, then got her shirt on her and buttoned it up.

  When he was done, he was going to step away from her—I saw him prepare to take the step backward, but Alannah suddenly stepped forward and fell against his chest. Damien caught her and looked down to her face, before sighing.

  “How the hell can she go from asking people for sex, to falling asleep on me standing up?”

  Keela pocketed my phone and said, “They drank some weird shit. Fruity cocktails. There wasn’t much alcohol in them when I asked the staff because I was wonderin’ what had them so giddy. There was hardly any alcohol at all, I was assured... they’re just lightweights.”

  Bronagh suddenly laughed. “I’m not a lightweight, as-ask Dominic. I can dr-drink loads.”

  Nico was walking out of the elevator and when Bronagh spoke he looked at us and shook his head before smiling at Bronagh. “Of course you can, babe.”

  I snorted.

  He was so whipped.

  We followed the lads back into my apartment then Kane pulled out the sofa bed. We laughed when both girls instantly starting snoring after the twins set them down on it.

  “Leave them here tonight,” I said to the twins. “I’ll look after them.”

  Nico hesitated, but nodded his head.

  Damien scratched his neck. “Should we call someone about Alannah though?”

  I shook my head. “She lives on her own, you don’t need to call anyone.”

  “No boyfriend?”

  Ryder grinned. “She’s single.”

  Damien didn’t reply, but the look of relief on his face was evident.

  It caused me to smile as he grabbed the large blanket from the back of the sofa and laid it out over the girls. We all stared at them for a minute until Alec and Keela turned, said their goodbyes and filed out of the apartment. Ryder checked his phone and followed suit.

  Nico and Damien hovered for a few more minutes, but when I assured them I’d take good care of the girls, they gave in, hugged me and left.

  “You can go on to bed, babe,” Kane said. “I’m gonna play Fifa some more.”

  I nodded my head and looked to the girls, smiling at their snores. Their skin glowed as the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree and various decorations around the room shone upon their sleeping forms.

  “I’ll sleep out here, too,” he said and nodded to the one sitter he always sat on. “Just to keep my eyes on them while you get some sleep.”

  I smiled. “You’re the best.”

  He devilishly grinned. “We’ll swap in the morning when they wake up.”

  At that thought the smile left my face and worry took over because realisation hit that I would have to deal with hung-over Bronagh and Alannah all on my lonesome.

  Fuck me.

  “Holy Mary Mother of God, I’m dyin’!”

  I smiled as I stirred two sugars into the two Christmas printed cups of tea before me. I put the spoon into the sink when I was finished and glanced at a packet of painkillers Kane left out on the counter before he went to bed this morning when Bronagh and Alannah woke up groaning in pain.

  I gripped the handles of the cups and left my kitchen and entered the sitting room, shaking my head at Bronagh and Alannah who were both still on the sofa bed, but both were buried under the blanket that covered them.

  “I have tea,” I announced, keeping my voice low.

  Both of the girls grunted.

  I placed the cups on the coffee table without uttering another word. I went back into the kitchen and checked on the fry-up I had cooking. The eggs were scrambled, the sausages, rashers, pudding and hash browns were cooked and ready to serve.

  I turned off my cooker, dished up two plates for the girls and put a cover over the remaining food for Kane when he woke up. I brought the plates into the sitting room and stood at the door for a few seconds. I grinned to myself when I heard both of the girls sniffing.

  “Are you able to eat?” I questioned.

  Bronagh popped her head out from under the blanket. “I’ve puked four times since I woke up, I should be able to stomach somethin’ now.”

  I walked over to her and waited for her to sit upright and adjust cushions behind her before I handed her the plate of food that would cure her hangover.

  “Alannah?”

  She groaned but came out from hiding under the blanket and sat up like Bronagh. I walked around to her and handed her the food, smiling when she licked her lips.

  I adjusted a few of the ornaments on my Christmas tree then refocused on Alannah and frowned at her.

  “You okay?”

  She lightly shook her head and winced as if the action hurt.

  “No, me head is bangin’.”

  I went back into the kitchen and grabbed the packet of painkillers from the counter and returned next to Alannah, holding the packet out to her.

  Her shoulders sagged with relief as she offered me a pained smile and accepted the packet.

  I chuckled. “You’ll be fine in a few hours.”

  She popped two tablets from the packet, placed them in her mouth then reached for her tea and took a few test sips before gulping some down.

  “Hmmmm,” she moaned. “You make a mea
n cuppa, Ado. It’s really good.”

  My chest swelled with pride. That was practically the best compliment an Irish person could ever receive.

  “Thanks.” I smiled, feeling a little smug.

  Bronagh copied Alannah’s actions and swallowed down some painkillers with her tea and moaned with delight when the liquid slid down her throat.

  “She’s right, these are even better than Ryder’s and Branna has taught him well.”

  I was pretty proud of myself as I sat in Kane’s one seater and watched the girls eat their food.

  “I’m so embarrassed about last night,” Alannah mumbled before chowing down some of her hash brown.

  I smiled. “You were drunk.”

  “We were legless,” Bronagh corrected. “I can’t even remember some of the shit we did. I don’t care what that waiter said either, they weren’t just fruity cocktails.”

  Alannah mutely nodded in agreement then flicked her eyes to me. “I remember certain parts, but not everythin’... how bad was I?”

  I rubbed my jaw. “The truth?”

  She nodded.

  “You asked us all to strip naked for an orgy, then you got mad when no one did and proceeded to ask someone to have sex with you and said that you were really good at it. It went on for a bit.”

  “Oh, Christ,” Alannah whimpered and covered her face with her hands.

  I gnawed on my inner cheek. “You also were in just your knickers and everyone saw your tits. You asked Dame if they were bigger than the last time he saw them.”

  “Oh, fucking hell,” she shouted but quickly grabbed ahold of her head.

  I looked to Bronagh and found her looking at me.

  “What did I do?” she asked, her expression fearful.

  I snorted. “Tried to rape Nico in the elevator, asked him to shimmy with you … oh, you titled yourself MC Hammered, too, which was pretty funny.”

  Bronagh flushed crimson. “I’ll never live this down.”

  “You won’t?” Alannah grumbled. “I can never look the Slater brothers in the eye ever again.”

  Bronagh was quiet as she ate some food and did some obvious thinking. I saw her eyes well up with tears just as she said, “Do you think I hurt the baby with the alcohol?”

  “Honey,” I sighed. “You only had a few glasses; the baby will be perfectly fine. Don’t worry yourself, do you hear me?”