"Declan and his brothers will keep you safe while you're there in Ireland."
I hummed in a non-committal way before dry swallowing two pills.
"Look, I have to go." I pushed the pill packet back in the bathroom cabinet. "Dinner's ready. Catch you later, sis." Thea tried to protest, but I ended the call. I loved my sister, but sheneeded to stop micro-managing my life. It wasn't healthy for either of us.
"Ver! Are you awake?" Saoirse flung my door open when I didn't respond immediately. She stormed into my room, beaming from ear to ear, red curls bouncing. "Oh good. You're up. I was worried you'd died or something."
"Nope. Still here." Kind of.
"Glad to hear it, bestie. I ordered pizza, and it's due any minute now. I got your favorite ham and pineapple." She shuddered. "Why anyone wouldwillinglyput fruit on a pizza is beyond my comprehension."
"Um, because it's delicious?" I pulled on some leggings and a loose sweater. My hair looked like a crow's nest, and my legs would give a werewolf a run for their money, but I figured I may as devolve into a slob. It wasn't like anyone would care what I looked like.
The voice in my head tried to argue that looking disgusting wasnotthe way to the twins' heart, but I silenced it. The twins saw me as a kid sister, not a love interest. And besides, I was in no fit state to form an attachment to another man. Not when the last one had beaten the shit out of me less than 24 hours ago.
Saoirse muttered something about uncultured heathens as she led me downstairs. My stomach growled like a bear as we followed the scent of cheese, tomato, and basil into the large farmhouse kitchen.
When we walked through the double doors, Declan stood talking to a glamorous brunette with perfect teeth and a flawless face that belonged on the pages of a magazine.
They both turned to look at us. His smile slipped when he saw my bruised face, and I flushed with hot embarrassment.
"Hey." I stared at the stack of pizza boxes. Exactly how much did Saoirse expect us to eat? There was enough food here to feed at least 20 adults.
When I finally found the courage to look up, Declan still watched me with an inscrutable expression on his handsome face.
It had been three years since I last saw Declan Kelly, the youngest ever head of the Irish mafia. The man had charisma in spades, with his sharp suits, designer stubble, and sexy-as-fuck grin.
He'd always behaved like an over-protective big brother. If only my feelings were more sisterly and less sex-starved slut.
"Sit down, Verity. You need to eat."
I bristled at the commanding tone of his gravelly voice. "I'm fine." OK, so I wasn't fine, but I did not like him telling me I had to eat.
"We're gonna take the pizza to the movie room and watch something," Saoirse announced breezily, ignoring the thick tension in the air. The brunette glued to Declan's side like a limpet scanned me from head to foot and pursed her lips.
"I thought we were going out for dinner, darling?" She squeezed Declan's arm possessively. "Let's leave your sisters in peace. I have so much to tell you about New York."
Declan didn't correct her assumption I was also his sister.
"I'm not in the mood for eating out, Bridget. Let's join the girls and watch a movie. There's a vegetarian pizza in the stack for you."
Dammit.Now it would be impossible to relax.
"You know I don't eat gluten, darling," she huffed through gritted teeth. "Or dairy."
Saoirse snorted. "Guess that rules out dick, too." I fought to contain my giggle and ended up choking on saliva.
Declan immediately grabbed a glass of water and thrust it at me. "Here, drink this."
I took the glass and swallowed a few mouthfuls of cold water while trying not to think about Bridget sucking Declan's dick.
"I'll head back to my apartment for the evening." Bridget sighed, making it clear she really didn't want to go.
"That might be for the best," Declan agreed. "I expect you're jet lagged. A good night's sleep will do you good."
"The bags under your eyesarepretty massive," Saoirse piped up. "My friend Ellen's sister runs an aesthetics clinic in Dublin if you need any tweakments? She has a good deal on Botox right now. It might knock a few years off your face."
The look Bridget threw Saoirse’s way was enough to immolate her on the spot, but my friend just smirked.
