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)
I sang along with Alec, annoying him when I chimed in during his parts of the song too, and I’d never admit it out loud, but I was having fun. I was getting really into it when I spun around and paused mid-turn. That was when I saw them. Nico, Bronagh, Georgie, Beau, Keela, Enzo, Kane, Aideen, Locke, Ryder, Branna, Jules, Nixon, Damien, Alannah, Harley, JJ, my aul fella, and Ina were crowded around the back door to the kitchen watching us. Each of them looked seconds away from falling into laughter.
Nico, a pig if I had ever known one, had his bastard phone pointed in our direction, filming us, no doubt. I stared at them, and they stared at me while Alec was still singing and twirling with Jax clapping and screaming happily. I cleared my throat, trying to keep what little dignity I had left.
“Alexa,” I said. “Pause.”
Alec and Jax shouted in dismay when the room went silent. I ignored them both.
“Ye heard Jax. He was cryin’ like a banshee.” I jabbed my thumb over me shoulder. “Alec suggested we sing … I didn’t enjoy it or anythin’. I did it for the child because I’m a great uncle.”
“Of course.” Aideen bobbed her head. “All for the child.”
“Yes, because I love him dearly.”
I could do nothing but grumble when they all fell into cackling laughter.
“I’m sendin’ this to Gav,” Nico announced. “This will make his recovery a bit better.”
I scowled but was inwardly pleased because I knew my little brother was having a hard time as of late. Things were bad between him and Kalin. They weren’t great with Brandy Daley either, but I knew, in the end, everything would work out. At least I hoped it would.
“Date.” Alec came up beside me. “How long have those haters been standing there?”
“Long enough, mate.” I exhaled. “Long enough.”
“Ah.” Alec shrugged uncaringly. “They’ve walked in on me doing weirder s-h-i-t before. This is just another thing to add to the list.”
I turned my head. “Ye have a list?”
“A long one.”
“Well, I don’t,” I grumbled. “Me brothers won’t let me live this down.”
“I doubt you’ll give a s-h-i-t about what your brothers say when you notice how Miss Ina O’Shea is all but gazing at you.”
I darted my gaze to hers, and Alec was right. She was staring at me from across the room like I was the only man she saw in the world. I lifted my hand and crooked my finger, and she walked over to me without hesitation. My eyes slid down her body as her hips swayed. I itched to reach out and grab her. I adored her work attire, but there was nothing more attractive to me than my Ina dressed down in a simple dress with her hair flowing free.
“Are ye gonna laugh at me as well, country?”
“No,” she answered with a shy smile. “I thought it was really sweet, Dante.”
“Yeah?” I murmured, lowering my head. “I do stuff like that all the time for me nephews.”
A scoff of laughter sounded somewhere behind me, from Alec no doubt, but I ignored it.
“Stop it.” Ina giggled. “D’ye really? It’s so cute.”
She wasn’t looking at me like she thought I was cute. She was slowly eye-fucking me. My cock hardened and strained against the fabric of my trousers because of it.
“Of course. I’d do anythin’ for the kids.”
The Slater brothers and my own brothers all laughed at me and slagged me, but my focus was on my Ina.
“It suits you, ye know?”
“What?” My lips twitched. “Singin’ like a fool?”
“No,” she said. “Holdin’ a baby.”
I felt my eyebrows rise, and I watched as her cheeks flushed with colour. She looked away from me, uncertain whether she had said the wrong thing. I pressed my fingers to her cheek and nudged it until she looked back at me. I wasn’t letting this conversation go without saying what I had to say, what I needed to say.
“Ye know,” I murmured. “I’d bet I’d look a whole lot better holdin’ a baby we made together.”
Her mouth dropped, and her eyes widened. “Dante.”
“It’s gonna happen, Ina,” I said, taking her face in my hands. “Ye know this is real between us, don’t ye?”
Her hands touched my waist, clutching me tightly. “Yes,” she whispered. “Honey … I think … I know that I am absolutely in lov—”
“I love you!” I almost shouted the words because I wanted to be the first one to say it. “I love you, Ina. I think about you constantly. I crave your smiles, your touch, and even your little scowls when you’re cross with me. I love it all. I love you, country.”
Her eyes filled with tears. “Ye do?”
“Absolutely, I do.” I rubbed my thumbs over her cheeks. “Ye’ve been the only woman I see since that first night when all that bangin’ woke me up. You’re constantly on me mind, specs. When I’m not with ye, I’m countin’ down the seconds until I am. I love you. You’re me girl, country.”