Page 103 of Iron

“Sounds like my day is going to get a whole lot better in a couple of hours then,” I told her as I patted my belly.

“And I made pineapple caramel cakes for dessert,” she added and my stomach let it be known just how ready for food it was.

Blade let out a moan that sounded more like a long grunt. She smiled over at him with a twinkle in her eyes.

“My favorite,” he said under his breath. “Damn, woman, I’m going to have to work twice as hard at the gym tomorrow.”

I lifted the cup up to my lips and took a big gulp while I watched the two of them.

“I could just hide them and not tell you where they are, you know, if it’s too much of a temptation.”

“Go ahead, I dare you,” he said in a tone that said he was only half joking around. Which was normal for him. It was always hard to tell how he really felt about something. “See what happens when you do.” His brow went up as if challenging her.

I expected her to turn from him and hide her reaction. Or even go on as if he hadn’t said anything. Abigail was on the shy side, though she had gotten more comfortable with everyone over the last year. She wasn’t one to make waves and if she was mad, she usually hid it. With the exception of her brother, that was. She would always give him shit and put him in his place when he got short with her.

“Oh, yeah?” she snapped with a raised brow of her own. I almost spit out the second sip I’d taken. “And what are you going to do to me?”

Her hand went to her hip and by the fire in her eyes, she wasn’t backing down.

B-ry chuckled behind me.

It seemed Abigail found someone to replace a part of her brother.

I tried not to let the sadness wash over me. Maybe this was a good thing.

Blade’s lips went flat and tight.

“Isn’t there somewhere we need to be?” he said with a tiny flare of frustration in his voice as he turned his attention to me. Then he walked out without even giving me a chance to respond.

Abigail took my cup before I had a chance to walk it over to the sink.

I gave her a thanks before turning and walking out to my bike.

“Head to the Irish bar,” I said as I started my bike.

At the bar, B-ry and I took the booth in the back corner, our backs to the wall. Blade went to the bar and ordered a drink. I knew his eyes were constantly scanning the reflection in the mirror on the wall behind the rows of liquor bottles.

Connor came in a few minutes later, Elliot hot on his heels. He paused long enough to push Elliot in the direction of the bar. The kid got the hint and plopped his ass on a stool. I held back a laugh watching him sit there pouting like a kid.

Connor looked a little aggravated as he took a seat on the opposite side of us.

“You alright?” I asked.

“I got some business to take care of after this and feckin’ Fergal thought it was a great idea to take Elliot along.”

“Yeah, we got one of those,” I said with a chuckle. My eyes slid over to B-ry and I knew he was thinking about the same brother I was.

“He’s got to learn,” Connor said with a shake of his head.

A waitress came over and set down three glasses of whiskey.

Connor wasted no time tossing his back.

“Mullins asked me today if I knew about yer boy.”

That had my muscles going rigid and I pinned him with my eyes. All humor left the table and out of the corner of my eye, I saw Blade stiffen as he read the atmosphere surrounding the table.

“I told him that I’d heard somethin’ about it. Then I told him that I didn’t know who the feck it was so I didn’t give a shite.”