This was not one of her strongest qualities, but still she had given her best effort, especially with the police involved. Blowing her bangs from her eyes, she looked up at her father. He looked so strong, so determined with his brown eyes, the same color and shape as hers. Those eyes flashed dangerously at the arrogant, though handsome police officer and pub owner.
“Detective Kilian Kelly,” he said, not offering her father his hand as he slid his hands into his pockets, widening his stance in challenge.
“Detective Kelly,” her father spat; his voice full of venom. “Well, isn't that just rich? We're in town less than twenty-four hours, and we're already being harassed by your family.” Her father rounded on the older man who looked strikingly similar to the cop and pub owner.
Tuning out the voices, she watched them carefully and appreciated the handsome lines of what could only be brothers.
“Rory, you cold hearted bastard,” her father snarled.
That got her attention. The name, Rory and Kelly. It was familiar, yet she couldn’t have said why.
Ignoring the raging old men once again, she turned her gaze to the sons. There was an unmistakable similarity, it was the eyes, clear blue ones that flickered dangerously when provoked.
Those eyes weren’t on her now, but she could imagine the way they’d darken with challenge, and she found herself wondering how those eyes, so full of character, would change for a woman.
Before she could wonder too long, they flashed to hers. Her stomach leapt; it was foolish she knew. He had said nothing, barely spared her a glance before turning back to her father, yet her body reacted in a way it hadn’t before.
Following his gaze, she could see her father’s face was nearly as red as the fire that roared beneath the photo covered mantle.
“I demand that you let her go at once. She is a victim here. How dare you keep her in here with this neanderthal,” her father snapped and gestured at the drunken redhead, whose downcast eyes had taken on a glazed look that told her that the couple of shots he had thrown back before approaching her were finally going into his head.
“I can't let her go yet,” Kilian said, his voice as icy as the rain that hammered down on the small office window.
“You’ll do as I say boy,” her father spat and stepped forward, closing the distance between the two of them. “You don’t know who you’re dealing with.”
“That’s enough,” Rory snarled.
“Are you threatening an officer?” Kilian asked, towering over her father who seemed unphased by the dramatic eight-inch difference in height.
“I’m protecting my family.”
“You’re harassing an officer,” Kilian countered, looking deliberately down his long nose.
“You're targeting my family,” her father whispered, his voice low and dangerous in a way that he generally reserved for private business.
“Of course not,” Rory sighed, his voice growing tired. “You're being ridiculous, Peter.”
“Ridic-”
“We would never do such a thing,” Rory interrupted as her father’s round face flushed like a petulant child. “If my son put Grace in handcuffs, she had it coming. Kilian never abused the law in such a way.”
The familiar use of her name had her raising her brow in surprise. Her father snorted out a laugh.
“Oh, I'm sure. Because the Kellys have been a shining example of honor.”
“Watch yourself,” Kilian whispered, “I don't know what's going on between you two, but I won’t have you insult my family, nor will I hesitate to escort you from the premises and drive Ms. Walsh to the station and hold her overnight.”
“Is that so?” her father said, rounding on him. His eyes sparkled with a challenge that Kilian met without pause.
“It is. Now, I suggest you apologize to my father before I make you.” The knuckles in Kilian’s right hand popped as his fist clenched tightly beside him.
Grace swallowed hard at the lump that was forming in her throat. What a strange evening this had turned out to be; what kind of police officer threatened a stranger?
“Kilian,” Rory’s low voice whispered from behind her father, “We don’t need trouble tonight.”
Kilian stood silent, fist still clenched, the firelight casting dangerous shadows over his angular face.
“Listen to your father, boy; I won’t take lightly to the harassment of my only daughter.”
