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Double fuck,” Alec whispered.

“I didn’t know what do,” she said, her lower lip wobbling. “I was scared he would see me, so I just ran back to me car and drove back to me apartment. I rang me ma to see what she was doin’ and she said she was preparin’ dinner for me da, his favourite because he had been workin’ such long hours lately. She doesn’t know, Bronagh ... How could he do this to ‘er? To our family? I hate ‘im.”

My heart broke for her and for her unknowing mother.

“We’ll figure this out,” Bronagh said, consoling her friend.

I knew Bronagh was saying what she thought was necessary, but I could see from her face that she had no clue how to help Alannah through this, but I knew she’d do everything possible to help her. We all would.

“About your car,” Aideen added, shifting the attention onto her. “I’ll ring me da and have ‘im book your car into his garage. Me brothers love you. Dante thinks you’re, and I quote ‘im, a goddess, so I’m sure he will work on it free of charge.”

Alannah pulled back from Bronagh’s hold and looked at Aideen.

“I’ll pay. I don’t want them to help me with no charge, but if it could be in instalments, that’d be perfect.”

Aideen said, “We’ll work it out. Just don’t worry about it.”

Alannah nodded, but she wore her heart on her sleeve, and I could see worrying was all she would be doing. When I looked at her, the urge to protect her was something fierce.

“Lana.” Branna moved away from me and towards her. “Come with me. I want to talk to ye’.”

They both left the room, leaving us to wait in silence. No one knew what to say, not even Alec tried to filled the void with a joke. Minutes went by, and when Branna returned to the room, she frowned.

“She’s in denial,” she told us. “She thinks she can make ‘er da stop cheatin’ on her ma. She is puttin’ pressure on ‘erself to keep ’er family together.”

Bronagh rubbed her face with her hands. “What are we goin’ to do?”

“All we can do,” Branna replied. “Just be there for ‘er. Tellin’ ‘er what to do will only result in a fight because right now, what she has decided is the only thing that makes sense to ‘er.”

Silence fell upon the room until Damien said, “I have to fix shit with her. I heard what she said to Dominic, and I need to fix it. I hate what I’ve done to her.”

“I understand you better than anyone,” I said, “and my advice is baby steps. You’ve said you’re sorry multiple times, and you give her space whenever she is around, but what you need to do now is let her know you’re here, you’re staying, and that you will earn her trust back.”

“How the fuck am I going to do that?” Damien asked on a groan. “She barely looks at me.”

“I can’t answer that. It’s something you’ll have to figure out for yourself, kid, but it’s obvious you do care for her, so just stick to your guns.”

Damien nodded, then retreated into the company of his own mind so he could think. We spent the next few hours together, and after Keela made us a big feast, we scattered around the house to digest our food. I went upstairs with Kane and Alec to check out some new weights he bought, then went back downstairs to Branna. I had hoped I could entice her to come over to my house for a nap, but when I reached the doorway of the living room and saw her sitting on the couch with my nephew lying on her chest, my heart tightened. I loved how she looked holding a baby, and I imagined her hold a baby of our very own one day.

Branna locked eyes with me for a long moment, then said, “Ado, take ‘im, will ye’?”

Aideen got her and carefully lifted her son, resting him on the growing baby bump of my second nephew, then looked between Branna and myself, and said, “I’ve a feelin’ the drought is about to come to an end, am I right?”

“Yeah, babe,” Branna said as I stood, still staring at me. “There’s about to be a fuckin’ storm.”

“Go get ‘im, Mama.”

I straighten as she approached me, though I tried to appear like my heart wasn’t beating a mile a second. When she reached me, I grabbed her hand, and together we turned and rushed out of the house.

“Don’t break him, Branna!” I heard a voice shout from behind us then someone said, “I still want to be Ryder when I grow up!”

Branna and I laughed until we got into my—no, our house. As soon as the door closed, Branna turned to face me.

“I’m movin’ back in. Tonight.”

“Okay.”

“We aren’t usin’ a condom either because I want us to have a baby.”

“Okay.”

“From this moment on, bein’ a gentleman is over. When we’re alone, you’re to touch every part of me. Every. Single. Fuckin’. Part.”

“Okay.”

“And I want to get married. Soon. We can figure out a date.”

“Okay.”

Every time she spoke, she took a step backwards, and every time I replied, I took a step towards her.

“Just okay?” Branna asked. “Ye’ agree with everythin’ I’ve said?”

“Every. Single. Fucking. Word.”

Branna swallowed. “D’ye have anythin’ else to say?”

“Yeah.” I shot forward. “I’m going to make you scream.”

Branna yelped when I picked her up, put her over my shoulder, and beelined up the stairs, taking the steps two at a time. Like the snap of my fingers, we were in our bedroom, and I had her pressed against the bedroom door, pulling her clothes from her body as I dominated her mouth with mine. Branna matched my hunger and kissed me back, hard. Her hands frantically pulled at my shirt, and I heard some of the material rip. I growled against her mouth, grabbed my shirt, and continued what Branna started. I ripped the fabric from my body and blindly tossed it behind me. Branna placed her hands on my bare chest and groaned when she slid them around to my back.

Christ.

“Now,” she begged against his lips. “No foreplay, just you inside me. Please, Ryder.”

She didn’t have to ask me twice.

“I love you, sweetness.”

Branna hummed. “I know, and I love ye’ too.”

“I just wanted to tell you.”

She licked her lips. “Why?”

“Because I’m going to fuck you like I don’t.”

Branna sucked in a sharp breath when I picked her up and moved her over to our bed. When I laid her down, I rid her of her shoes, socks, jeans, and panties. Her T-shirt was thrown somewhere in the room and so was her bra. I stripped out of my clothes so fast that it made Branna giggle.

“You’re so eager.”

I looked at her. “You have no fucking idea.”

I was starved of being imitate with her for a long time too, and I was beyond ready to bring that to an end and reintroduce myself to every part of her soft, curvy, perfect body. To show her eagerness, she parted her thighs for me as I crawled up her body and hovered over her. Branna groaned when I balanced my weight on my left forearm and used my right hand to grip the base of my throbbing cock and rubbed the head back and forth over her pulsing clit.

“Ryder,” she moaned and slid her hands around my waist and to my back.

“I’m here, sweetness,” I said, my body shaking. “And I’m not going anywhere. Ever.”

“I’m holdin’ ye’ to that.”

I slowly rubbed the head of my cock down her pussy until it kissed her entrance.

“Fuck,” I trembled. “I’m scared, and I don’t know why.”

Branna moved her hands to my face.

“You’re nervous, but don’t be. It’s just us.”

“Just us.”

Branna nodded. “Watch me as ye’ enter me, ye’ll feel better. I promise.”