Alannah tilted her head to the side and frowned down at him. “You took th-them off me before and now you’re puttin’ them back on … ha-have we come full circle?”
Damien stilled then pressed his forehead against her bare thighs before gripping the hem of her leggings and shimmying them up until they fit snug around her hips. He picked up her bra and t-shirt and blocked her from our view with his body.
I saw Alannah drop her arms from covering her chest and Damien looked up to the ceiling before returning his gaze to her. He put her bra on, then got her shirt on her and buttoned it up.
When he was done, he was going to step away from her—I saw him prepare to take the step backward, but Alannah suddenly stepped forward and fell against his chest. Damien caught her and looked down to her face, before sighing.
“How the hell can she go from asking people for sex, to falling asleep on me standing up?”
Keela pocketed my phone and said, “They drank some weird shit. Fruity cocktails. There wasn’t much alcohol in them when I asked the staff because I was wonderin’ what had them so giddy. There was hardly any alcohol at all, I was assured... they’re just lightweights.”
Bronagh suddenly laughed. “I’m not a lightweight, as-ask Dominic. I can dr-drink loads.”
Nico was walking out of the elevator and when Bronagh spoke he looked at us and shook his head before smiling at Bronagh. “Of course you can, babe.”
I snorted.
He was so whipped.
We followed the lads back into my apartment then Kane pulled out the sofa bed. We laughed when both girls instantly starting snoring after the twins set them down on it.
“Leave them here tonight,” I said to the twins. “I’ll look after them.”
Nico hesitated, but nodded his head.
Damien scratched his neck. “Should we call someone about Alannah though?”
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.”