“First off, never call me that again. Especially when I still have the taste of your pussy on my tongue.” I waggle my eyebrows at her and flash her that smile she apparently loves. She playfully pushes me before I grab her hand again and continue as we keep walking. “Secondly, I heard your brother freak out about the possibility of you drinking tonight. Why?”
Her steps falter slightly. “I’m on medication that you can’t drink on.”
That catches my attention quickly.
“What medication? What’s wrong? Are you okay?” My voice rises with every word I speak. I can feel the panic wrapping around my heart and squeezing like a snake wrapped around its next victim.
She stops walking, forcing me to stop too or drag her. Her hands grab my face tenderly and drag my face down until I’m looking into her eyes. “I’m vetoing this question. Not forever, but for now. I’m okay. But that’s a lot of loaded questions. Let’s start with the lighter things before we move into the heavy.”
I don’t like that answer. Not even a little bit. That tells me there is something going on. Is that why her family is so involved with her? Is that why the mystery lady comes in and out of her apartment three times a week? I feel like I’m going to throw up. At the same time, I know I have to take this at her pace. Leaning my cheek into her palm, I give her a nod. Straightening back up, we begin to walk again. My brain is mush, but I’ll just have to dig where I can later.
“Is the reason you feel a certain way about people who drink a part of that veto?”
She nods, “Yeah, my reasoning is tied with my veto. I just feel like if you’re lucky enough to have a good, healthy body, why would you throw it away by filling it with junk?”
Before I can respond, she changes the subject.
“Okay, now it’s my turn to ask a question.”
“I’m an open book, sweetheart. Ask away.”
She turns my hand over in hers as we walk, “Who’s your favorite brother?”
My head whips to hers as I laugh in disbelief, “What?”
She laughs at my expression, “Come on, who’s your favorite?”
I really think about my response before I give it, “Declan.”
“Declan? I didn’t expect that one. I expected Rowan or Kieran.”
“I’ll always respect and owe everything to Rowan. He doesn’t see it like that, but I do. He took in kids he could have easily thrown to the system because he was twenty-five and a single guy just trying to live his life. Kieran’s been my best friend since birth. He’s one of the best men I’ve ever known. However, Declan? Declan is everything I want to be as a person. He’s brave, intelligent, strong, and caring. He hashis shit together, and he loves so deeply. Just to be in his orbit is overwhelming in the best way. If I turn out to be a quarter of the man he is, then I’ll be just fine.”
I feel vulnerable as I wait for her to respond. The love I have for my brothers and the way I just spoke about Declan isn’t something the majority of people see. In fact, unless your last name is Byrne, this side of me is off limits. My heart almost fell out of my ass when she refused to answer my questions. I’ll let her think that we’ve moved on, but I’ll be fucked if I don’t figure out what’s going on with her. She’s been quiet so long that the sound of her voice catches me off guard. Another thing that never happens.
“That’s beautiful, Quill.” She smiles up at me. The nickname seems to have taken her by surprise, like it just slipped out. I love it, but even if I didn’t, anything’s better than fucking Mac-Attack.
“I like when you call me Quill. It’s what my Ma used to call me.” I smile fondly. My Ma was the best person to ever grace this world. She instilled just enough of her goodness into my brothers and me so that we aren’t the no morals menaces so many made men are.
“Oh, I’m sorry. It’s just your name at work, so I figured… I won’t call you that anymore.”
She’s so goddamn cute. “Didn’t you hear me, Beautiful? Ilikeit, I likeyou. Don’t stop.”
“Okay.” She starts walking backward so she can stay facing me but stumbles a few steps in. My hand reaches out with lightning speed to catch her.
“Careful, Lelonie.” I mock glare at her.
“People fall sometimes, Quill. What are you going to do about it? Follow me?”
“I’ll follow you anywhere.” I tell her in a matter-of-fact tone.
Her devastatingly gorgeous smile stops me in my tracks. “I don’t need you to follow me. I just need your truths.”
Her words knock the wind out of me, but it’s still not enough to wipe the smile off my face. I’m too happy just being with her for that. I’d do anything to just be in her presence for five more minutes. I’m not that lucky, though. I spin her around and walk with my arms wrapped around her from behind as we make our way to the front of her apartment complex, where we find Jakob standing at the door. His arms are crossed, and the look of pure hatred on his face I’m sure would make a lesser man piss himself. Too bad for him, I’m not a lesser man.
“Byrne, get your fucking hands off my sister.” Jakob storms over to us. On instinct I move Lee behind my back so smoothly she doesn’t even put up a fight. I doubt she even realized the move until it was already done.
“You’ve got to be fucking joking. That’s my sister, and you’re trying to protect her from me? Check a mirror, Byrne. You’re a danger for her, and you’re a selfish fuck for insisting on being around her knowing that.”
