“Stop being such a buzzkill with the planning,” Nessa whined, cutting me off.
“Just because your dad lets you go and do whatever you want doesn’t mean that mine does, nor has he ever. You’ll have to get over it, Nessa,” I said, leaving no room for argument. That never stopped her, though.
“You could just say screw it and do whatever you want anyway,” she told me as she flipped her hair over her shoulder. “That’s what I do, and Daddy never stops me.”
“Yeah, well, our relationships with our fathers aren’t exactly the same.”
Orin and I looked at each other through the mirror again, both of us rolling our eyes at the blatant disrespect she showed her father, Liam. My father would never allow me to speak to him the way she speaks to her father. But it wasn't for Liam's sake that I'd clocked Nessa's lack of respect. He certainly wasn't someone I enjoyed being around, to put it mildly. I avoided him as much as possible and would always avoid him.
“Stop here. I don’t want to be seen being dropped off in this,” Nessa said as if she were getting out of a beat-up truck and not the nice blacked-out Yukon. Orin stopped anyway and let us out.
“Keep your phone on, and on loud please,” Orin said, knowing I kept my phone on silent when I was at home and forgot to switch the ringer back on sometimes. I switched it on in front of him.
“There. Thanks for bringing us,” I said. He gave me a nod and a slight grin, then pulled away.
I started my search for the boys, and it didn’t take long to spot Callum's head towering over everyone else around him. He was exceptionally tall. Ronan was standing near, talking to some girls who were a bit too handsy. I walked up to Callum and bumped his hip with mine, and for a brief second, he looked like he was about to rip into me, until he realized it was me and not some drunk kid who wasn’t paying attention.
“Hey you,” he said, drawing out the "you’" like he was taking me in and had forgotten how to form words. He really liked this dress.
“Hello,” I said sweetly, stepping into his outstretched arms. He smelled so good.
“You want a drink?” He asked, pointing to the beer keg sitting in an iced kiddie pool. “I don’t know how much I trust it, but it’s the best the kid could do, I guess.”
“Sure, but I won’t be drinking a lot tonight,” I told him, and his face was soft, even with the defined jaw line and muscles showing through his t-shirt. I tried not to stare too much.
“We aren’t either. We have to train in the morning, so I told Ronan that we can have one or two, but no more than that.”
I smiled and took the cup from him, watching as his posture stiffened.
“Cal!” Nessa shouted over the music shrilly. “I forgot you’d be here!”
Callum just stared at her with a straight face, all traces of gentleness gone.
“I told you in the car,” I said, annoyed with the dumb-girl persona she loved to show anytime we were around Callum and Ronan. I looked over to where Ronan was and saw him adjusting his posture to get a better view from his current position.
“Oh, I must not have been paying attention,” Nessa said, batting her fake lashes toward Callum. “JADE!” Nessa shouted, causing Callum and me to look in the direction she was yelling. She bumped into Callum, causing his beer to foam.
“What the fuck?” he said, but she didn’t turn around to apologize. We joined Ronan and the other girls, listening to their conversation. Callum and I were standing close enough for our arms to be touching. I don’t think either of us heard a word, exchanging glances every few seconds.
My phone rang, and I told Callum I’d be right back.
“Oh, okay,” his response was slow, but at the time, I thought nothing of it.
I stepped outside to take the call. It wasn’t a number in my phone, but it could have been my dad. No one spoke on the other end. Then, I got a call from Orin, asking me if I was still inside the house, and I told him that I had stepped out to make a call. His tone was different, a hint of concern lingering in his words.
When I went back inside, I looked around for Callum and Ronan, but I saw Ronan making out with not one, but both of the girls he had been speaking to. I let him be. I searched the entire floor before Jade told me she saw them walk upstairs a few minutes ago.
I wish I hadn’t searched. I'll never unsee it.
“Nessa, Nessa, Nessa,” I say, tsking. She shifts backward, and her face twists in disgust. She sidesteps me and starts yelling at Callum again.
“What the hell have you been filling her head with?” She shouts, her voice filled with panic and venom, her eyes narrowed in anger. Callum shifts in his seat as if he is about to say something, but I shoot him alook that stops him. He shifts back into his seat, and I swear I see lust sparkling in his eyes.
I turn back to Nessa, the soft smile gone, rage consuming me. I grab her by the throat and sling her to the floor so fast she shrieks at the sudden shift her world just took. And for a moment, I see the boys shift by the oak doors they had since occupied, blocking off her exit in case she attempts to flee.
“Maeve, what the fuck? Who the fuck do you think you are? I swear, Daddy and Uncle Cormac will hear about this, and you will regret it,” she says in a rush of breath. I just laugh in response. I know she’s on the losing side of this. Once the news gets out that she’d drugged Callum, there’d be hell to pay. Especially since she’s family, that kind of betrayal doesn’t sit well.
“Nessa, I don’t think you understand what is about to happen,” I say, stalking toward her. She begins to scurry back, and I can’t stop the giggle.
