by Anna Castor
“It might not be Thanksgiving Day, but I figured we could make an exception and drink an Irish hot cocoa today.” Kayla smiled as she picked up her mug and sat on the awful pink flamingo pouf next to the couch. Her lips trembled as she continued. “Girls, I’m so glad you’re here. I’ve missed you so much.”
Errin winced. “Ugh, Kayla, no. If you’re going to cry again, I’ll be obliged to drain this mug in one go, and you know how well I respond to alcohol. All I’m saying is that I’ll be giving these flamingos quite a show.”
They all burst into laughter. Errin looked like the most angelic girl in the world, but the things that came out of her mouth....
“Why do you feel the need for an Irish hot cocoa?” Kate was always so perceptive. She was the quietest one of the three sisters. She was the type of girl who could be out at a party and sit and observe others the entire time and then would state at the end of the night that she had a great time. And she’d totally mean it.
Kate wasn’t the person who needed to be heard; she was the person you turned to if you needed someone. If you needed advice, Kate would really listen to you and would never judge you. Kayla knew they’d clicked so well because of their different characters.
Kayla would always take Kate along with her and introduce her to her friends. Kate was only two years younger than Kayla, but she would always worry for Kate because she could be so shy around strangers. Kayla tried to take Kate under her wing and pull her out of her head.
“I have to tell you about what happened to me right before I left New Jersey. I... I don’t know how to tell you this.” Kayla looked up at Calum.
Calum didn’t need a word from her to know what she needed. He set his mug down on the coffee table and started. “Kayla had a real bad experience right before she left, and she didn’t want to scare us. She didn’t want me to get involved, and she felt like she even needed to leave the state.”
“Oh my God. Kayla, what happened?” Kate reached out and put her hand on Kayla’s knee.
“Is there someone the guys need to handle?” Errin was serious when she asked the one thing that normally would be a joke amongst them. The Walsh brothers did their fair share of handling boys when they were growing up.
“We’re handling it, but, girls, I have to tell you something that also affects you.” Both Errin and Kate turned their focus to Calum. “Kayla was attacked in front of her apartment on the Thursday before she left. She was beaten up badly, and she didn’t want us to see the state she was put in by that fucker.”
“Oh no. Oh God. Kayla?” Kate’s tear-filled eyes turned to Kayla as she fell to the ground on her knees in front of her, wrapping her arms around Kayla. As they hugged and cried, Kayla felt a second pair of arms surround her, coming from her back as Errin softly sobbed.
“What happened? Please tell me you’re all right?” Errin voice trembled as she held on even tighter.
Kayla tilted her head and looked at Calum again. He’d always been her rock, the eldest of all her brothers and sisters, and he never missed a beat, always knowing what the rest of them needed.
“Come, girls, give Kay-Kay some breathing room.”
Errin and Kate sat back on the couch and looked at Kayla with sad eyes. Kayla hated seeing the pity there as well. She despised pity, and seeing it coming from her younger sisters made her angry—not at her sisters, but at Tom. He might have physically hurt her that one night, but he was still hurting her as her whole world was still upside down.
Here she was, the sister who they’d looked up to all of their lives, and she was being pitied by them. If Tom hadn’t attacked her, everything would still be okay. Things would be as they had been. Suddenly, Kayla realized she wouldn’t have met Duncan, and the thought hurt her from the inside. Just the thought of losing Duncan was making her sick.
Perhaps that was what she needed to focus on. At least one positive thing had come from this whole ordeal.
Just then, as if he somehow sensed that she needed him in that moment, her phone vibrated on the coffee table with an incoming text from “Dunc.” He was there for her even when he wasn’t there physically. She felt loved, and she couldn’t wait to introduce him to her sisters.
“Why are you smiling? I don’t know what you’re smiling about. This is all so weird.” Errin looked over at Calum.
Calum grinned as he shook his head. “Kay-Kay is in love, girls.”
Kayla took in Calum’s pleased expression and knew he approved of her choice. He smiled lovingly at Kayla as he always did and then joked, “She’s got it bad. And he might even grow on me too.”
Kayla knew he was downplaying it, as he had a twinkle in his eye. Kayla arched an eyebrow at him in response.
“Okay. I like the fucker,” he admitted.
Errin choked on a gulp of Irish hot cocoa, spraying it out of her mouth over the coffee table. Their brothers never, ever approved of a boyfriend they’d brought home. Cole, whom Kayla dated for two years, was called “shithead” by her brothers. Even during Thanksgiving dinner, Calum asked “shithead" to pass him the gravy. Cole did as he was told and didn’t even bother to say anything back to Calum.
Oh, how different the first meeting was between Duncan and Calum in the elevator. Kayla could still see Duncan standing there, asking her if she was okay, demanding that Calum back away from her. Even after finding out that Calum was her brother, he made sure that Calum knew his name was Duncan and not “fucker.” As if Calum could see what she was thinking, he nodded at her.
“Where is the whiskey? I’m in need of a refill.” They all chuckled at Errin as she stood up from the couch and walked toward the kitchen with her mug.
“I’m sorry you’ve been through so much, and all the while being here on your own. I’m so sorry that I didn’t push you when I knew in my heart that something wasn’t right.” A tear rolled down Kate’s cheek.
“Who hurt you, Kayla?” Errin was back in the living room, and she’d brought napkins for the spill, as well as the bottle of whiskey and her refilled mug with cocoa.
“It was a colleague named Tom,” Kayla said.
Kate went rigid on the couch, as if she was suddenly hit by a realization. Errin had been about to sit on the sofa after she’d wiped the coffee table, but Kate was in the way. Even after she’d nudged Kate’s knee with her leg, Kate didn’t move. “Kate?”
“Hmm? Oh, sorry, Errin.” Kate scooted over next to Calum, making room for Errin.
Calum laid his big hand on Kate’s as he asked, “Did he hurt you too?” using his cop voice and speaking calmly.
“No, he hasn’t hurt me. I only talked to him once when Kayla and I had been jogging and ran into him, but I’ve been bumping into him for a few weeks now, and he’s always smiling at me. Not with a nice smile, but with a weird smile, like he knows something I don’t. I don’t know if it makes any sense. Sorry, I’m blabbering.” Kate looked up at Calum.
“That’s the reason why we wanted you girls to come here,” he confessed. “I’m afraid we have some information about Tom. It seems that he has taken an interest in you, Kate. Duncan’s brother Donovan is Kayla’s boss at Mills Security, and we’ve asked him to look into it for us. He tracked Tom down, and I don’t know how he did it, but he watched some security footage of your school, Kate, and it seemed that Tom was lurking around there.”
“That asshole. We need to stop him, Calum.” Errin jumped up and paced behind the couch.
“Did he stalk Errin too?” Kate asked. Kayla shook her head; Kate was thinking about others while she’d just discovered that she was being stalked by the man who attacked her older sister.
“It seems like he’s targeting you because he couldn’t find Kayla after she left so abruptly.” Calum took Kate’s hand in his and gently stroked his thumb over the back.
“I’m so sorry for all of this. If I hadn’t left, then—” Kayla started.
“Don’t be dumb,” Errin said.
Calum said, “Stop it, sis. You couldn’t know.”
“C
alum is right, Kayla. Don’t beat yourself up about it. We’re here, and we’re safe. Don’t say that, please,” Kate said softly.
“What do we do now?” Errin asked as she plopped down onto the couch again.
“I was thinking it would be for the best if you girls stay with Kayla for a little longer. We can protect you better here, as New Jersey is his home turf. Here in Austin, he’s at a disadvantage, and we have Duncan and his four brothers who have our backs. Duncan’s brother Declan works at the local police force, Donovan has a PI branch at Mills Security, and Duncan and Ronan throw a mean punch being MMA fighters.”
“Your boyfriend has four brothers? MMA fighters? Where do I sign up for one of those?”
Kate giggled softly at Errin’s joke, but Calum’s scowling face and grunt brought them back to the problem at hand.
Errin cleared her throat. “I’m only joking, Cal. My God. But I’ve been canned from my last job, so I’m open for moving to Austin.”
Calum and Kayla shared a look that said “not again” as they both rolled their eyes.
“What? I didn’t know I was supposed to water the plants only once a month instead of once a day. Mrs. Foster was totally looking for an excuse to see me go after she figured her grandson took a liking to me.”
Errin was a dancer and had the oddest part-time jobs to keep her afloat, as dancing didn’t provide enough income. Her last job had been helping Mrs. Foster, an eighty-year-old widow who lived alone and needed help around the house. Errin loved to dive into things wholeheartedly at first sight, but then she couldn’t be bothered the next day.
“I want to meet Duncan while we’re here. I’m so happy for you, Kayla. I really am,” Kate said, squeezing Kayla’s hand for emphasis, “but I don’t know if I can move to Austin. I have my work in New Jersey, the kids in my class....” She shook her head. “But I also want to be close to you and Errin,” Kate said with a sigh. “Perhaps if Errin goes, I will follow too.”
Kayla smiled at her sisters as she sang in a high-pitched voice, “Alvin, Simon, Theodooore.” They all giggled at the memory of naming themselves after Alvin and the Chipmunks when they were kids.
Calum stood up from the couch and said, “Fuck, if that ain’t cute, sissies.”
Running late was something Duncan always hated, especially for something important. Meeting Kayla’s sisters fell into the important category. He was standing in his dark blue jeans, buttoning his black dress shirt, when the doorbell rang. Fuck.
With a couple buttons still undone, he opened the front door and stood face-to-face with three beautiful women. But his heart squeezed tight at the sight of Kayla, standing there with the biggest smile he’d ever seen on his wildflower. She looked so happy, the Kayla she was meant to be.
He sighed. Fuck, if this visit from her sisters made her leave, what would he do then? Would she let him follow her? Could he leave his brothers, his family, and his dojo? He shook his head briefly and said, “Come in, ladies. Welcome.”
Duncan stepped aside as he opened the door even wider for the Walsh sisters. “I’m afraid I’m running a bit late.” He smiled at Kayla’s sisters while they walked by him, and he put his arm around Kayla’s waist and gave her a kiss on the cheek.
“Hi, beautiful. I’ve missed you.”
She looked up at him and held her hand on his jaw. “I’ve missed you too.” Their lips touched softly as he held on to her.
“Oh my God. Kate, quick, look away. I feel like the biggest Peeping Tom ever.”
Kayla giggled against Duncan’s lips before pulling back from him. “Duncan, meet my youngest sister, Errin.”
Duncan let go of Kayla and took a few steps so he could shake Errin’s hand.
“Nice to meet you, Duncan.” Errin smiled.
“Yeah, nice to meet you too.”
“And this is my sister Kate,” Kayla said.
Duncan turned so he could give Kate a hand and noticed she was standing behind the couch and looking a little unsettled. She shifted on her feet and glanced at the floor. He didn’t let it discourage him. Instead, he walked toward Kate with a big smile on his face.
“Hi, Kate, I’m Duncan. I’m glad to finally meet Kayla’s sisters.”
Kate smiled shyly at him from under her big eyelashes and nodded. “Hi, Duncan. Nice to meet you too.”
Duncan had to strain his ears and was surprised that for such a beautiful woman, Kate would come across as a shy little mouse.
He remembered he had some open buttons still, and he swiftly buttoned the rest of his shirt. Kayla looked at him with undisguised heat in her eyes. She looked good enough to eat, standing there licking her bottom lip. She was wearing a dark blue halter dress that flared at her tiny waist. Her breasts strained the stretchy cloth, and her light blonde hair had been curled, the curls dancing around her nipples and down to her belly button, the fuckers.
Kate wore a fitted black dress that came above the knees. Duncan thought she looked elegant as her dark brown hair fell over her open back. She made her blue eyes pop out with some kind of makeup. Fuck, Duncan knew Donovan would have a shit night after seeing Kate, all shy and unaware of how beautiful she was. Poor Donovan would go nuts just at the sight of her.
Errin looked like an angelic spitfire, if that was even possible. Her big blue eyes and long braided honey-colored hair made her look sweet. She wore a purple sundress with a big flower motif and some modest black pumps. But those eyes sparkled with mischief, and her lips stood in a constant smirk, so it seemed.
“Would you girls like something to drink before we go?”
“No thanks. Let’s get this show on the road.” Errin was ready to get going, and Duncan chuckled at her enthusiasm.
“Okay, let’s go. I’m driving tonight, and if any of you girls want to leave, just let me know, yeah?”
Kayla smiled at Duncan as if she loved that he was laying his brotherly charm on thick with her sisters.
“Yeah, well, we’re meeting Calum at the pub, so if you want to leave with Kayla and do something more than standing there eye-fucking and drooling over each other, we’re cool.”
Duncan burst out laughing and walked toward the front door. “You’re something else, Errin.”
“I know.” Errin winked as she walked past him. He could see Errin fitting right in with his family. She wouldn’t be backing down from his brothers and could talk trash like the rest of them.
Kate was a whole different story, he could already tell. She needed to get to know you before she would let you in. She smiled quietly while passing Duncan, and he turned his head as he watched Kayla walk out his front door. She gave him a kiss on the lips, only a small sample of what was hopefully yet to come.
After finding a parking space in the street near Lucky, he entered the pub with the girls behind him. Duncan noticed that the pub was already in its normal Sunday swing. He spotted the faculty softball team for St. Helena’s Kindergarten in their gear, and they seemed to finally have won a match.
They cheered and clinked beer bottles, and Duncan spotted Bree amongst them. She was talking and smiling at some tall dude in the same outfit as hers, who sat close to her at the bar. When he searched for Declan in Lucky, he already knew his brother wouldn’t be happy.
Yep, not happy at all. He was sitting at Pops’s table with Caitlin, Calum, and Maureen. Pops was busy talking, and Duncan could see that Calum had more eyes for Caitlin than their grandfather. But Caitlin was doing her best to give all her attention to Pops. She nodded at him and smiled at his rants. Pops was waving his big arms around and seemed to be in the midst of one of his pub stories. He always had stories from his early days at the bar, when the neighborhood was a bit rough and so was his clientele.
Declan wasn’t listening to Pops at all. He was peeling the label from his beer bottle and shooting daggers at Bree’s back as she was sitting on the barstool, facing the bar. Duncan moved toward said bar, where Brennan and his dad stood.
“Dad, Brennan, meet Kayla’s sisters.”<
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Kate smiled and blushed while she gave an awkward wave, but Errin stepped up and passed Kate to lean over the bar. “Hi, I’m Errin, and this is my sister Kate.”
Brennan shook her outstretched hand and grunted, “Brennan.”
After their handshake, his dad shook hands with both sisters and welcomed them to the pub with a drink on the house. Errin cheered at the free drinks, and Kate thanked Sean politely.
“I’ll be right back, wildflower,” Duncan whispered in Kayla’s ear. Blushing, she simply nodded. “Cat got your tongue?” He chuckled against her neck.
“No, I... was remembering our night in the back alley.”
He groaned out loud and needed to adjust himself. He hoped the people around him didn’t notice. “Fuck. Stop talking about that. I’m gonna go talk to my brothers before I do something stupid and drag you through the back door again.”
She grinned and winked. God, she was perfect.
“Boyo, did I see that lovely Kayla comin’ in with ye?”
Duncan clapped Pops on his broad back, nodded at Calum, Declan, and Caitlin in greeting, and gave Maureen a kiss on her cheek. “Good to see you, Maureen. Yes, Pops, as a matter of fact, she brought her two sisters with her as well.”
Pops squinted and searched the pub. His hairy brows lifted up, and he sat up straighter in his chair. “Well, bring them over here, boyo. Don’t let my son entertain them for too long, or they’ll be runnin’ scared out the front door, ye hear?”
Duncan chuckled. “Yeah, they’ll come over soon.”
“Did you guys play some pool yet?” Duncan looked over at Calum, who was staring at Caitlin while sitting next to her. She gave Calum an elbow in the ribs to get him to stop staring.
“Ouch.”
They all laughed at Calum’s expense, and from the look of it, Calum wasn’t used to it.
“Come on, Duncan, let’s play,” Calum said gruffly and stood from his chair as he walked toward the pool tables at the back.
“Yeah, you line ’em up. I’m coming,” Duncan replied.
“Cait, keep doin’ what yer doin’, and the boy will poke himself in the eye with one of them damn poles from the pool tables. Don’t play too hard to get, ye hear? I’m feelin’ sorry for Kayla’s brother. He’s a nice Irish boy, yah?”
