Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“Mr Slater?” her shocked voice asked. “Dante?”
She wore that same oversized T-shirt she had on the first night I met her.
“He’s me brother-in-law.” I dusted myself off after Kane pulled me to my feet. “We were just messin’ about.”
Ina looked at Kane for confirmation, and when he nodded, she appeared to relax.
“I … I didn’t mean to interrupt. I thought I heard a bang, but I wasn’t entirely sure.”
She was babbling, and she knew it because her face was turning red as she looked back and forth between us.
“So yeah, I’m sorry. Have a nice evenin’. Bye, bye.”
She ducked inside her apartment and closed the door before either Kane or myself could say a word in response.
“She’s cute.”
“She’s gorgeous. Did ye see her thighs? Wait, don’t answer that. You’re married to me sister.”
He patted my shoulder. “When you’re married and in love like I am, women who I would normally think are sexy are just cute. Don’t worry, bro. Even in my mind, the only woman’s thighs I think of are Aideen’s.”
“I know ye think that would make me feel better, but I just want to punch ye in the face. Wife or not, she’ll always be—”
“Your little sister,” Kane finished, amused. “Yeah, I got that.”
I grinned but only for a moment. “I really didn’t mean for Jax to pick up on those words. He is a little shite, though. I told him not to say them, and he just said them louder and clearer. He knew bloody well what he was doin’.”
Kane rubbed his neck. “I know. We have to watch everything we say around him. It’s why we spell cuss words or words we don’t want him to say. He’s so clever. He’s picking up words so fast. Soon, he’ll be able to string full sentences together.”
I jumped when the door to the stairwell opened. Aideen held her two sons, and I could have sworn Jax fucking winked at me.
“Did ye bash him, love?”
“Gave him a solid to the stomach.” Kane bobbed his head like a good boy. “His eyes welled up with tears. I saw them.”
“Ha!” Aideen scowled at me, then walked to the lift and pressed a button. “I’m not through with ye yet, big brother.”
She disappeared when the doors closed while I looked at Kane with wide eyes.
“What did she mean by that? Am I in danger?”
“I don’t know.” He looked at me, his expression worried. “But I think you’re gonna find out sooner rather than later.”
Bollocks. Fuck’s sake. Shite.
CHAPTER NINE
Ina
* * *
I jumped when a knock sounded on my front door. I shushed myself even though I was making no sound. Ever since I opened the door on Dante and Mr Slater, I had been hovering next to it and eavesdropping like a naughty kid. I didn’t hear much through the thick wood, so it was a waste of time on that front, but I did watch them through my peephole while standing on my tiptoes. I straightened my spine before I opened my door. I wasn’t surprised to see Dante leaning against my door panel. He was still in his work clothes.
“Hi, Dante.”
He lifted his arm above his head and rested it against the top panel of my door, then crossed his feet. His bicep flexed with the movement and caused me to swallow. He was so buff that I had an overwhelming urge to sink my teeth into that flexed muscle.
“Hello, love.”
God above, he was so handsome. Those sky-blue eyes of his were as beautiful as they were dangerous. A woman could get lost in them and find herself in big trouble if she wasn’t careful.
“I’m sorry I interrupted … whatever that was with you and Mr Slater.”
Dante waved his free hand. “We were only messin’ around. No harm, no foul.”
I nodded.
“I wanted to find out how your first day was. Ye already left for the day by the time I finished up in the storage room, so I didn’t get a chance to ask ye.”
“Oh.” I beamed. “It was brilliant. I have a lot of work ahead of me, but I couldn’t have asked for a nicer place to work. Everyone has been so lovely to me.”
“They’d better be,” Dante said. “Me da would give them a hidin’ otherwise. He’s been ravin’ about you since your interview.”
I felt heat climb its way up my neck.
“He’s overestimatin’ me abilities as a receptionist, I think.”
“Maybe you’re underestimatin’ your abilities as a receptionist.”
I was so embarrassed with the praise that I didn’t respond.
“Your nose is red.” Dante’s blue eyes rolled over my face. “Your cheeks too.”
I could have gone my whole life without him making those comments.
“It’s ’cause you’re bein’ all nice to me,” I pressed the back of my hands to my warm cheeks. “I’m not used to it.”
“Well, ye better get used to it.”