“I’m out of here too, bitches. Mama needs a power nap.” Eden gave me a quick hug while whispering in my ear.
“Make them work for it, Ver. They don’t deserve you unless they’re willing to grovel. Like really grovel. If I were you, I’dinsist on diamonds at the very least.” I caught her grinning over my shoulder. “Diamonds, Declan! Big-ass diamonds!” she yelled before hustling back inside, leaving me alone with three pissed off men.
But I wasn’t caving to their bullshit brand of toxic masculinity. My new therapist had taught me the value of self-worth. Ignoring Ronan and Conal for the moment, I turned to face the biggest asshole of them all.
“Got something to say,Declan?” I noted how his gaze slid down my body, lingering on my boobs, which looked pretty damn fine in the dress Eden insisted I needed when we went shopping the other day.
My olive skin had turned tawny gold in the sun, and thanks to a very expensive salon appointment two days ago, my hair was freshly cut and styled. Danny had told me I had way better skin and hair than Kim Kardashian, so I knew I looked hot as fuck.
But was this asshole willing to admit his mistakes and accept he wanted me?
“He’s got plenty he needs to fucking say, but first, I need a kiss from my sweet Pixie girl.” Before I could utter a word of protest, Ronan had crossed the deck and wrapped me in his arms. His mouth found mine, and I melted.
Fucking melted.
God, it had been way too long.
His kiss lit a fire in my core, reminding me of all the many dirty things he liked to do to me, and also how much I loved them. I whimpered as his tongue demanded entrance to my mouth, and groaned as his hand gripped my ass.
Before I could lose my fucking mind, Conal stole me away.
“My turn,” he said before he kissed me.
Conal poured all his longing and sorrow into the kiss, letting me know how much he’d missed me. His fingers cupped my jaw as he stared into my eyes.
“No more long-distance, sweetheart.”
“No,” Ronan agreed. “My dick will fall off if I have to go another night without my Pixie.”
“If the only reason you came here is to get laid, you can fuck right off,” I snarled. My self-worth demanded they treat me like a queen, which meant being wooed, as Eden called it.
“Pixie, I want all of you,” Ronan purred, sliding behind me while I stood plastered to Conal’s chest. “Not just your sweet body.” The rock-hard erection throbbing against my ass made a liar of him, but it felt pretty damn good, so I let that one go. For now.
Still, if he thought I’d fall over like a house of cards, he was in for a rude awakening.
“Verity.” Declan’s rumble cut through the lust fogging my brain. Dammit, I should never have agreed to the third cocktail Eden insisted I order. Even after five weeks of day drinking with my sister and Eden, I still had zero tolerance to alcohol.
“Declan,” I mocked, lacking the strength to shove the twins away. Conal’s hands rested on my hips as his lips traced a teasing path along my jaw. I shivered and bit my tongue as a moan threatened to escape.
“I need to talk to you.”
“You’ve had weeks to talk to me.” A message or two would have sufficed. A small crumb to let me know what we shared was not wholly in my imagination. Or maybe it was. Who knew?
“You asked for time,” he pointed out. Annoyingly.
“I did,” I agreed after a pause. “But I don’t recallushaving that conversation.” Conal’s erection pressed against my soft belly, tempting me. I wore a dress, so it wouldn’t take much for him to lift me and then sink into my hot, wet…
Declan’s jaw clenched. “No, but what you said to my brothers also applied to me. So I gave you time.”
It was really hard to focus on anything, but I forced myself to turn and look at him. Dark hair touched the back of his shirt, curlingjust so. I longed to thread my fingers through it, scrape my nails across his scalp.
Like always, he wore a suit, projecting the persona of polished businessman to the world. But when I looked closer, I spotted dark circles beneath his eyes, and I realized how tired and stressed he was. This man bore the weight of the world on his shoulders.
I desperately wanted to ask him if he was OK, but I held back. He’d made it more than clear we were nothing. That his only role in my life was that of a protector.
“You gave me time,” I repeated, not entirely sure what point he was trying to make. After all, he’d brushed me off at the airport in Catania and walked away without a second glance.
“How’s the lovely Bridget?” I finally remembered to ask. The twins hadn’t mentioned her, but I assumed the bitch still lingered like a vengeful spirit. Women like her didn’t let go all that easily. Not with the prospect of a rich, powerful husband at stake.
