Aideen (Slater Brothers) (10 page)

I shook my head. “She lives on her own, you don’t need to call anyone.”

“No boyfriend?”

Ryder grinned. “She’s single.”

Damien didn’t reply, but the look of relief on his face was evident.

It caused me to smile as he grabbed the large blanket from the back of the sofa and laid it out over the girls. We all stared at them for a minute until Alec and Keela turned, said their goodbyes and filed out of the apartment. Ryder checked his phone and followed suit.

Nico and Damien hovered for a few more minutes, but when I assured them I’d take good care of the girls, they gave in, hugged me and left.

“You can go on to bed, babe,” Kane said. “I’m gonna play Fifa some more.”

I nodded my head and looked to the girls, smiling at their snores. Their skin glowed as the twinkling lights of the Christmas tree and various decorations around the room shone upon their sleeping forms.

“I’ll sleep out here, too,” he said and nodded to the one sitter he always sat on. “Just to keep my eyes on them while you get some sleep.”

I smiled. “You’re the best.”

He devilishly grinned. “We’ll swap in the morning when they wake up.”

At that thought the smile left my face and worry took over because realisation hit that I would have to deal with hung-over Bronagh
and
Alannah all on my lonesome.

Fuck me.

“Holy Mary Mother of God, I’m dyin’!”

I smiled as I stirred two sugars into the two Christmas printed cups of tea before me. I put the spoon into the sink when I was finished and glanced at a packet of painkillers Kane left out on the counter before he went to bed this morning when Bronagh and Alannah woke up groaning in pain.

I gripped the handles of the cups and left my kitchen and entered the sitting room, shaking my head at Bronagh and Alannah who were both still on the sofa bed, but both were buried under the blanket that covered them.

“I have tea,” I announced, keeping my voice low.

Both of the girls grunted.

I placed the cups on the coffee table without uttering another word. I went back into the kitchen and checked on the fry-up I had cooking. The eggs were scrambled, the sausages, rashers, pudding and hash browns were cooked and ready to serve.

I turned off my cooker, dished up two plates for the girls and put a cover over the remaining food for Kane when he woke up. I brought the plates into the sitting room and stood at the door for a few seconds. I grinned to myself when I heard both of the girls sniffing.

“Are you able to eat?” I questioned.

Bronagh popped her head out from under the blanket. “I’ve puked four times since I woke up, I should be able to stomach somethin’ now.”

I walked over to her and waited for her to sit upright and adjust cushions behind her before I handed her the plate of food that would cure her hangover.

“Alannah?”

She groaned but came out from hiding under the blanket and sat up like Bronagh. I walked around to her and handed her the food, smiling when she licked her lips.

I adjusted a few of the ornaments on my Christmas tree then refocused on Alannah and frowned at her.

“You okay?”

She lightly shook her head and winced as if the action hurt.

“No, me head is bangin’.”

I went back into the kitchen and grabbed the packet of painkillers from the counter and returned next to Alannah, holding the packet out to her.

Her shoulders sagged with relief as she offered me a pained smile and accepted the packet.

I chuckled. “You’ll be fine in a few hours.”

She popped two tablets from the packet, placed them in her mouth then reached for her tea and took a few test sips before gulping some down.

“Hmmmm,” she moaned. “You make a mean cuppa, Ado. It’s really good.”

My chest swelled with pride. That was practically the best compliment an Irish person could ever receive.

“Thanks.” I smiled, feeling a little smug.

Bronagh copied Alannah’s actions and swallowed down some painkillers with her tea and moaned with delight when the liquid slid down her throat.

“She’s right, these are even better than Ryder’s and Branna has taught him well.”

I was pretty proud of myself as I sat in Kane’s one seater and watched the girls eat their food.

“I’m so embarrassed about last night,” Alannah mumbled before chowing down some of her hash brown.

I smiled. “You were drunk.”

“We were legless,” Bronagh corrected. “I can’t even remember some of the shit we did. I don’t care what that waiter said either, they weren’t
just
fruity cocktails.”

Alannah mutely nodded in agreement then flicked her eyes to me. “I remember certain parts, but not everythin’... how bad was I?”

I rubbed my jaw. “The truth?”

She nodded.

“You asked us all to strip naked for an orgy, then you got mad when no one did and proceeded to ask someone to have sex with you and said that you were really good at it. It went on for a bit.”

“Oh, Christ,” Alannah whimpered and covered her face with her hands.

I gnawed on my inner cheek. “You also were in just your knickers and everyone saw your tits. You asked Dame if they were bigger than the last time he saw them.”

“Oh, fucking hell,” she shouted but quickly grabbed ahold of her head.

I looked to Bronagh and found her looking at me.

“What did I do?” she asked, her expression fearful.

I snorted. “Tried to rape Nico in the elevator, asked him to shimmy with you … oh, you titled yourself MC Hammered, too, which was pretty funny.”

Bronagh flushed crimson. “I’ll never live this down.”

“
You
won’t?” Alannah grumbled. “I can never look the Slater brothers in the eye ever again.”

Bronagh was quiet as she ate some food and did some obvious thinking. I saw her eyes well up with tears just as she said, “Do you think I hurt the baby with the alcohol?”

“Honey,” I sighed. “You only had a few glasses; the baby will be perfectly fine. Don’t worry yourself, do you hear me?”

Bronagh nodded her head, wiped her eyes and continued to eat her food. I lowered my hand to my belly as the baby began to move around, but I quickly snapped my gaze back to Bronagh when she gasped. I watched her knife and fork fall onto her plate as she flung her hands over her mouth.

“What is it?” Alannah asked, panicked.

“I asked Dominic to marry me!” Bronagh hollered.

I erupted with laughter. “I forgot about that.”

Bronagh growled. “How could you forget somethin’ like
that
?”

I shrugged. “I was thinkin’ of all the funny shit you both said and did.”

Bronagh’s eyes were wild. “I can’t believe I asked him that. I can’t fuckin’ believe it.”

I raised a brow. “Do you
want
to marry him?”

“What do—”

“Do you want to marry him?”

Bronagh blinked. “Yes, I love him.”

“Then it’s a done deal. He said yes anyway.”

Bronagh gasped again. “Did he really?”

I nodded. “Yep, you asked him to marry you and he said yes.”

She scrambled off the chair and practically dove for my house phone. She grabbed the phone, pressed on the buttons and placed it to her ear.

After a few seconds she said, “Did you say yes to marryin’ me last night? ‘Cause Aideen said you did.”

No hello, just straight to the point.

I watched as Bronagh suddenly burst into tears.

“Are you playin’?” she asked Nico.

Nico’s response caused her to squeal.

She spun to me. “He was serious, we’re engaged.”

I got up and gave her a big hug followed by Alannah doing the same thing. Bronagh hung up the phone after Nico promised to come right over for her.

Bronagh turned to me and swallowed. “You don’t feel like I stole your thunder, do you?”

I blinked. “Come again?”

“You and Kane just got engaged, and now me and Dominic. I’m sorry I asked him so close to Kane askin’ you—”

“Don’t say another word, you eejit. I’m delighted for you both.”

Bronagh relaxed and gave me another hug. We sat back down after clearing away the girl’s food and putting the plates into the dishwasher.

“Do you want to see it?” I asked.

“See what?” Bronagh and Alannah replied in unison.

I took my phone out of my housecoat pocket and wiggled it in their faces.

“The video I recorded of you two last night.”

The look of terror that passed over both their faces caused me to laugh, loudly.

“You... you recorded us in that state?” Bronagh asked, both annoyed and shocked.

I nodded my head. “I couldn’t help it, you were both hilarious.”

“I don’t want to see it,” Alannah grunted.

Bronagh folded her arms across her chest. “Me either.”

I playfully rolled my eyes. “I’m not goin’ to show it to anyone... except—”

“Except?” Alannah cut me off, her brows drawn together.

“Except I may have sent it to Gavin last night, but he deleted it after he watched it because he said you were both his friends and he wouldn’t be involved in slaggin’ you both.”

“For God’s sake,” Alannah grumbled and put her face in her hands.

“Delete the video.” This was from Bronagh.

I frowned. “But it’s funny—”

“Aideen.” Both girls cut me off.

I huffed as I tapped on the screen of my phone and brought up the option to delete the video. Before I tapped delete, I looked to both of the girls one more time and said, “You both sure?”

“Yeah.”

I sighed and deleted the video, then pocketed my phone.

“You both suck.”

“The mortification I’ll live with is what sucks,” Alannah mumbled.

I gnawed on my lower lip and said, “It wasn’t that bad …”

She cut me off with a stare so I said, “Okay, it was, but you were
drunk
.”

“Like that matters to the brothers,” she mumbled.

We sat down and watched some television, only chatting here and there in lowered voices as we waited for the painkillers to kick in. Twenty minutes after taking them, the brunt of their pain had eased off which was perfect timing as the hall door to my apartment opened and a voice shouted, “Where is my phat ass
fiancée
at?”

Bronagh squealed—it caused Alannah to plug her ears with her fingers—and scrambled off the bed as she ran towards the sitting room door. Nico appeared in the doorway and laughed as he caught Bronagh who jumped on him when she was close enough to do so.

Bronagh covered Nico’s mouth with her own, and kissed him long and hard. It caused me to clear my throat and say, “I’m happy for you both, but get a fuckin’ room.”

They separated and laughed, but before Nico set Bronagh down on the ground, he gave her arse a squeeze and glanced over his shoulder.

“Are you coming in or what?”

I cringed when Damien walked into the room and leaned against the doorframe.

He ignored Nico, lifted his hand and gestured with his finger for Bronagh to come to him. Bronagh practically floated over to him.

“Congrats,
sis
,” Damien murmured before wrapping her up in his arms, hugging her body to his.

Bronagh hugged him back and laughed when he gave her behind a squeeze purely for Nico’s benefit.

“I swear to God,” Nico mumbled to himself.

Alannah was on her feet and in the middle of pushing the sofa bed back into the chair. It went in smoother when Nico helped her. She avoided looking at him and busied herself with placing the cushions back in their original positions. When she finished that, she folded up the blanket that covered herself and Bronagh throughout the night then she laid it on the back of the sofa.

Damien remained by the doorway and followed her movements with his eyes. He looked over his shoulder when my apartment door opened. He nodded his head in a ‘what’s up’ gesture and moved aside to let the visitor into the sitting room.

When I saw my brother Gavin, I mentally snorted.

Everyone had a damn key to my place.

“What’s the story?” Gavin asked the room, grinning at Alannah and Bronagh.

Alannah flushed and looked away from him while Bronagh narrowed her eyes.

“Please don’t do or say somethin’ that will have everyone sendin’ me back to anger management.”

Gavin laughed and held up his hands. “I’m not openin’ me mouth.”

Bronagh looked to me and grinned. “You’ve taught him well.”

“It’s what I do.”

She snorted and sat down on the sofa next to Nico and Alannah.

Gavin came over to me and sat on the arm of the chair I was sitting on. He leaned down and kissed my head in greeting. I moved closer to him and leaned against his chest.

I was meaning to ask the little shite if he had backed off from Brandon’s circle, but I remembered that Keela assured me her uncle was weeding Gavin out without him knowing it. He respected my decision that I wanted what was best for my brother, and that his gang was
not
it.

“Damien,” Nico sighed. “Why’re you standing over there?”

Damien shrugged, still staring at Alannah who was pretending to pick dirt from under her nails.

Nico glanced to Alannah then back to Damien and said, “Come on, you two. Is this how it’s goin’ to be every time you are both in a room at the same time?”