by L. A. Casey
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.
The three of them then walked out of the kitchen, and Alec continued 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 Nico and Branna in tow.
Alec made the motion of sealing his lips, though I doubt he was finished teasing her and Nico about their special night. I wanted to tell him to leave her alone, but I was still shocked and felt out of place over Kane pulling a fast one on me and treating me like I was doing something wrong by being Bronagh’s friend.
Damien stepped away from me without a word when Bronagh came to my side and grabbed my hand. I smiled at her and gave her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“Are you ready?”
I exhaled a deep breath as we walked out of her house and into the night.
As ready as I’ll ever be.
“I should have stayed at home.” Bronagh yawned and stretched. “I’m knackered.”
Two hours ago, I would have jumped at the chance to chill in her room and watch a film, but now that I was tipsy and feeling the music in the club, I wasn’t letting Bronagh get comfortable enough just in case she did fall asleep and had to be taken home.
“Have a drink and loosen up,” I suggested, tipping my vodka and Coke in her direction. “This is fun!”
Bronagh shot me a look that would silence many people, but not me.
“We have school in the mornin’, so I’m passin’ on havin’ a drink,” she said with a raised brow. “You should just stop altogether. Otherwise, you’re goin’ to be dyin’ with a hangover when you wake up.”
I didn’t want to be reminded of school or anything outside of having adult fun. This was my very first time being in a club and drinking alcohol. I wasn’t eighteen yet, so I was convinced I wasn’t going to gain entry to the club, but Branna knew one of the bouncers. I think she called him ‘Skull’, but I hoped I had heard wrong.
Once inside the club, and the drinks started flowing, I began to relax, and I wanted Bronagh to relax too. We would be finished with school in mere months, and I knew both Bronagh and I would do well on our Leaving Certificate exams, so we didn’t have to worry about them. The chances of me frequently letting loose like this in the future were slim to none when I started college to pursue my passion of art, so I wanted to enjoy it.
“Thanks, Ma.” I blew her a kiss. “I’ll keep that in mind.”
“Bitch!” she stated, making me laugh and her grin.
I glanced to my left and saw Branna on Ryder’s lap. They were so completely wrapped up in each other that they didn’t notice anyone around them. Alec, Damien, and Nico were off somewhere in the club, and Kane was sti
ll seated next to Bronagh. We hadn’t spoken since he apologised to me upon entering the club, and I was happy enough to leave it at that for the night. He looked just as done with the club scene as Bronagh was, and he obviously hated being surrounded by so many people, but I refused to let his chilled demeanour rub off on me or Bronagh.
“Let’s dance,” I shouted at my friend. “Right now.”
I laughed because I practically felt her sigh even though I couldn’t hear it.
“Don’t even think about sayin’ no, Bronagh,” I warned. “As new friends, we have to bond, and dancin’ helps with that, so c’mon.”
My friend groaned, and I feared she wasn’t going to budge, so I used the only weapon in my arsenal. My eyes. My da had always told me that my eyes would be the death of him because they were big, brown, and as dangerous as a puppy’s. I gave Bronagh my best pleading look, and before she even verbally agreed to dance with me, I saw her cave, so I held my hand out to her.
“Okay,” she grouched and grabbed my hand. “Let’s dance.”
Game, set, match.
I cheered in victory, and Bronagh playfully rolled her eyes.
“We will be back later,” I said to the table.
Bronagh looked back at Kane, Branna and Ryder when they gave us their attention.
“By later,” she said, “she hopefully means after the next song.”
I burst into laughter, earning a big smile from Bronagh.
“Fat chance of that.” I devilishly smiled. “Now, c’mon; I love this song!”
I couldn’t tell what song was playing, but I knew the beat, and that was enough to get me excited. I danced with Bronagh until my thighs and calves burned from overuse. My feet, that were not used to high heels in any shape or form felt like they were on fire. I was certain I had earned a few blisters too, but I knew if I took my heels off, I’d never put them back on again, so I forced it from my mind. I laughed until my throat hurt, and I tossed back drinks like it was no one’s business. I wanted to tell Bronagh how much fun I was having, but I felt a hand grasping my forearm, and it distracted me. The person who had hold of me led me to the middle of the dancing crowd.
“Hey,” I shouted and tried to tug my arm free. “Let go.”
I looked up at the owner of the hand holding onto me, and when grey eyes and a mop of white hair became clear through my slightly drunken gaze, I beamed.
“Damien!”
I focused on him and found he was smiling down at me, his eyes gleaming with amusement. He was so tall, I had to tilt my head back just to look up at him. He placed his hands on my waist, and without a word, he tugged my body until I was flush against him, and it took my breath away. When I gathered my bearings, I placed my hands on his broad shoulders and bit my lip when I rolled my body against his. I practically felt his moan as his hands on my waist squeezed my flesh.
He said something to me. I saw his lips move, but I couldn’t hear him. I got on my tiptoes and shouted, “I can’t hear you.”
He grabbed my hand and led me off the dance floor. When he turned to face me, I had no idea what possessed me to do it, but I leaned back up onto my tiptoes, placed my hands on either side of his face, and tugged his head down. I moved in, and pressed my lips against his. Damien froze for a couple of seconds, but then he eagerly responded to my kiss. He wrapped his arms around my body and pulled me as close as he could get me.
“Alannah,” I felt him say against my lips.
I pulled back from our kiss feeling breathless, giddy with excitement, and hot to the core.
“That was amazin’,” I exhaled. “I knew it would be.”
Damien squinted down at me before he grabbed my hand once more and led us over to two huge men who stood outside a door. I avoided looking at both men because they were intimidating. Instead, I silently followed Damien when the men parted and opened the door they seemed to be guarding. We stepped into a hallway, and a veil of silence descended the second the door to the club was closed.
“Me ears are ringin’,” I shouted before I remembered I didn’t have to.
Damien looked at me and chuckled, then silently led me down the corridor and through the last door. When we stepped into a huge living area, the first thing I spotted was the huge bed. My first reaction upon seeing it should have been uncertainty, but a boost of confidence struck me at that moment and pushed my legs to move toward the bed. When my knees knocked against it, I bent forward and ran my hand over the linen.
Silk.
“This feels good,” I hummed. “It’s so soft.”
I heard a sharp intake of breath, and a rush of pleasure shot through me. I knew my dress had hiked up a little bit more than what was decent, and I knew in my bones that Damien could see everything on display.
“Heaven help me.”
I stood straight, and without fixing my dress, I turned around.
“Did you say somethin’?”
Damien lifted his arm and ran his hand through his hair, and I realised it was an action I desperately wanted to repeat with my own hands.
“I said,” he rumbled, “Heaven help me.”
“Why do you need help?” I asked dumbly, tilting my heard. “You aren’t in trouble.”
“On the contrary.” Damien licked his lower lip. “I think I’m in a whole heap of trouble.”
I followed his tongue movement with my eyes, and my mouth ran dry.
“What trouble would that be?”
“The five-foot-five, black hair, and brown eyes kind.”
Butterflies exploded in my belly.
“You think I’m trouble?”
“Babe.” Damien chuckled. “I think you’re the definition of it.”
How can that be?
“I think you have me confused with someone else,” I said, falling into a sitting position on the bed when I tried to take a step back. “I’ve never been in trouble in me whole life.”
“No, I’m sure you haven’t,” Damien agreed, his lips twitching. “But I think you could stir up a lot of it.”
“Yeah?” I questioned. “Like what?”
“Like how one kiss has me wanting to touch you in ways you’ve never been touched.”
My heart slammed into my chest.
“H-how do ye’know what ways I’ve been touched?” I stammered. “I could have already been touched in every way possible.”
“Babe,” he said as his cheeks dimpled.
I felt a blush burn its way up my neck as he acknowledged my virginity with one word and a damn smirk.
“Fine.” I licked my lips. “No one else has touched me, but I’ve touched me an awful lot.”
The look of desire that Damien shot my way sent shivers up my spine.
“Why don’t you change the former and touch me?”
His face lost all traces of amusement.
“Be careful, freckles,” he warned. “I think we should just cool it and talk—”
“I don’t want to talk.” I cut him off. “I want to kiss you, to touch you ... I want ... I want to get into trouble with you.”
“My God.” He groaned and put his face in his hands. “You aren’t a sex only girl, Lana. You’re the flowers, chocolate, cuddle nights in, and steady boyfriend kind of girl. And I love that about you, but I can’t give you that.”
I frowned.
“Don’t look at me like that,” Damien said, looking flustered. “I’m trying to do right by you. I’m trying to convince myself that you don’t really want me like this—”
“I do.” I cut him off once more. “I know your situation, and I’m not a fool. I know it’s just sex with you, but I want you so much that I’ll take it.”
I recalled my earlier conversation with Bronagh. I said I didn’t want Damien to want me just for sex, that I didn’t want to be another name on his hit list, but I had a strong desire to experience him in any capacity I could. I’d deal with the consequences later.
“This was a bad idea. I shouldn’t have brought you in here.” He began to
pace. “I just wanted to talk to you, but damn, you look edible, and you smell and taste so good, it’s all I can do to stay on this side of the room.”
“C’mere to me,” I beckoned. “Don’t think about the after, think about now. If I’m angry later, it’s on me. This is probably a stupid idea, but I’ve never needed someone like I need you. If this is a mistake, let me make it and learn from it.”
“You’ve been drinking,” Damien said flatly. “I tasted it on you.”
“I’ve sobered up a hell of a lot since you told me I was trouble.”
“You are trouble.”
“Prove it,” I challenged.
Damien took a step forward, then hesitated before he said, “Let’s just chill and talk for a while. Just ... just to see if this is what you really want.”
The words were hardly out of his mouth before I turned and scrambled up the bed, flopping onto my back.
“What are you doing?”
“What do you mean?” I asked, holding my position. “I’m chillin’.”
Damien folded his thick arms across his broad chest, the corners of his lips quirked.
“You usually chill on a bed with your thighs parted?” he asked, a slight hint of laughter in his tone.
“This is how I lie on me bed. It’s kind of ... freein’.”
Damien dropped his gaze from my eyes to my parted thighs. I saw his Adam’s apple bob as he swallowed. He quickly crossed the room, turned his back to me, and sat on the edge of the bed. Without turning around, he patted the spot next to him and said, “Come here and talk to me. I want to hear your voice.”
I practically floated to his side, and it made Damien laugh.
“What do you want me to say?” I said, a little breathless.
Damien turned his gaze on me, and as he looked into my eyes, he said, “Say anything. I just want to hear your voice. I love your voice.”
I felt as if the air had been sucked from the room.
“You do?”
Damien licked his lips. “Yeah, I hear your voice even when you aren’t around.”
My heart slammed against my chest.
“You do?” I repeatedly nodded for an unknown reason.
“I hear you when it’s quiet,” he said, dropping his gaze to my lips. “Really quiet.”
