“Ach, he still does,” Cass says.
“Cassidy, I don’t fib to ya, so don’t ya start fibbing to me,” Laoise huffs.
“Mum, are ya behaving?” Ronan croons as he comes to take a seat at my table.
“Ach, and if I’m not, who’s gonna do something about it?”
I grin as a laugh bubbles up in my throat. Ronan chuckles at his mother and shakes his head. Cass waves her mother off and gets up to leave the table.
While everyone falls into their own conversations, I pull my phone to check the reports coming in from back home. I have my men back there keeping an eye out for any changes.
I’m also getting updates from the wedding planner we hired for Brooklyn and Deja. A crew is set to hit Ireland at the end of next week to start on some of the special things we have in the works.
Before I can get into my email, Misha and Ronan’s back-and-forth grabs my attention. Misha tends to avoid Ronan as Ro has two fucks to give and loves to rile him up.
“Does yer mouth taste like shit? It has to. You always have that sour look on yer face, like ya’ve never known pleasure. Why not live a little?” Ronan says.
“Da, but everything joke to you. Why is that? Do you fear what we will really see without shield?”
“Aye, you would think that. I think it’s just the opposite with you. You’re afraid we’ll see you as a person if you let your guard down. Aye, that’s it, isn’t it?”
“Go away, McGowan. I haven’t had enough to drink for this.”
“For what, lad? We’re just having a little chat. My wife is friends with yours. Why can’t we be friends?”
Misha gets this look on his face and I know he’s about to say something that’s going to set Ronan off. I clench my fists and tighten my jaw. Thankfully, the lights on the stage come on and the speakers come to life with a crackle and whine.
I look up toward the stage as “Buttons” by The Pussycat Dolls begins to play. A groan leaves my throat immediately. I shake my head as I do the only wise thing I can.
I sit back and watch the show. The four queens are the first to appear on stage, strutting like supermodels. I hadn’t even noticed the other two leave after Val and Tasha. I look to Misha and Logan and chuckle. Misha has one of his blades still out as he cleans his nails with it as if he’s not paying attention—when we all know better.
Logan has that blank expression he gives his wife when she’s about to try him. So much has changed for him in the last eight years. However, that temper hasn’t gone anywhere.
I glance back at the stage as laughter rings out. The queens all have on black satin robes and red heels, revealing their sexy, shapely legs. Even the Bellas who don’t get their hands dirty still stay fit.
Our women aren’t our weakest links. Touch one of them and they will take your head off themselves. I know and have seen the power in those limbs.
I begin to chuckle as I focus in on the performance happening on stage. Dean has made her way around the queens with Cass at her side. Dean starts rocking and swaying her hips from side to side as she pats her thigh in time to the beat with each rock back to the other opposite side.
It looks like she’s trying to keep Cass on count beside her as she mocks the motion. Cass is actually staying on beat as she follows her sister-in-law. I can no longer hold my laughter in as Cass’s face goes from deep concentration to lighting up as it hits her that she’s doing it right.
She gets so excited she begins that crazy, offbeat wiggling. Dean throws her head back and waves Cass off to keep doing her own thing. That’s when the queens move forward, two on either side of Dean.
A loud growl fills the air as they go to release the buttons on the robes they have on. I look to Ronan, and his face is a bright red.
All traces of the funny, jovial man from earlier have vanished. He pulls what looks like a gun. However, as he front-loads the cartridge, I realize it’s a Taser.
He places the Taser down on the table and gives Dean a daring look. She continues with her buttons, as do the others. I grin at Tasha as her robe floats to the floor, revealing a black silk pajama set.
The same set the others are wearing with their red heels. Ronan begins a slow clap. I throw my head back with laughter.
That’s when Laoise seems to stumble her way on stage, looking lost as the song begins again. I know what’s supposed to happen next, but seeing it in action has me in shock as laughter continues to pour from my lips.
Nate comes from behind the curtain with his shirt half open, moving like a model on a runway. He stops behind Laoise, wraps an arm around her and dips her, placing his forehead to hers.
She cups the side of his face, smiling up at him. When he lifts her to stand upright, she rips his shirt open the rest of the way. Nate shrugs the ruined shirt off and starts gyrating his hips.
“That’s my man. Get it, Laoise,” Pam sings good-naturedly.
