Total pages in book: 81
Estimated words: 79462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 79462 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 397(@200wpm)___ 318(@250wpm)___ 265(@300wpm)
“She’s mouthy, likes to curse and give me shit. I have zero interest in her beyond signing some marriage license. Can you drop it?”
“Oh, that’s scandalous. Did Jayson meet his match? The fiery red-haired Irish girl already got in your head?”
“Fuck you. Now you’re starting to piss me off.” I put my hands flat on the bar, glaring at him. “Like I said, it just doesn’t matter. Now can we move on?”
“Fine, but I’m coming back to this in exactly one hour.” He checks the time and nods to himself. “I have all sorts of questions. For example, which parts of her are your favorite? Tits or ass?”
“I’m done here.” I get up and toss some cash on the bar. “Have a good night, Conlan.”
“Ah, come on, bro! Don’t be like that.”
I stride off, leaving my brother behind. He got in my head and I don’t like it. I keep thinking about Fallon, her mouth, her eyes and her hair, and that beautiful ass. I don’t know if she’s got nice breasts or much else about her on account of the big coat, but my filthy mind’s been filling in the details, and Conlan would love to know that I haven’t stopped thinking about her since that meeting.
I fucked it up. I know it, but that doesn’t matter. We were never going to be anything more than reluctant spouses.
I need to stop fantasizing about our wedding night.
Chapter 6
Fallon
My head’s full of devious plans the day before I’m supposed to get married when Rian finds me sitting at a slot machine. “I’ve got a surprise for you,” he says, but his face suggests it isn’t a good one.
“I’m kind of done with your surprises.” I glare up at him, arms crossed. “What’s it this time?”
“You need to pick out a dress.”
I blink a few times then laugh, not sure if he’s serious. “That’s not happening.”
“The Costas are paying for it. All you have to do is go to their casino. They’ve got a ton of high-end stores in there.”
“Didn’t you say they might want to kill us?”
“I’m trusting them on this one.” He clears his throat, shifts his weight. “Their wives are going with you.”
I slowly get to my feet. “Who?” I ask, keeping my tone level.
“Their wives,” he repeats. “The Don’s wife plus the other two brothers. I don’t know their names.”
I step forward, getting in my brother’s face, forcing him to move back. He looks sheepish, and for good reason.
“You want me to go dress shopping with three women I don’t know? Three women married to three men I hate?”
“Well, yes, that about sums it up.”
“And you want me to go do this on their turf?”
“Fallie, come on. You’ve been depressed since we landed. I thought maybe—”
I jam a knuckle into his chest. “You thought what, I might start smiling and dancing a jig if it means getting to try on some pretty dresses?”
“Come on, I didn’t—”
I hit him again. “You fucker. You pig-brained fucker.”
“They’re waiting for you. I already said you’d go!”
“Oh, that’s rich, that’s just perfect.” I go to hit him again, but he sidesteps me this time, grinning.
“Just go, Fallie. They’re going to be your sisters-in-law soon. And remember, they had nothing to do with the war. I doubt they even know much about it, based on the way these Americans treat their spouses.”
I grind my jaw, taking deep breaths. He’s got a point about the in-laws thing—even if my marriage to Jayson’s only going to last a year, these women will be in my life, and it’s better to make peace and go along than it is to make them hate me.
Only I’m not a dress shopping kind of girl. Never have been. I’d prefer hunting, playing footy, getting muddy. Papa’s pride, after all.
“Fine,” I say with great, great reluctance. “I’ll go dress shopping with the wives. But I won’t like it.”
“Perfect, you won’t be sorry.” He beams at me. “We’ll head out right now.”
“Right—” I could scream. But instead, I hold it together. “Okay. We’ll go right now. Why the hell not!”
“Thank you so, so much for coming.” The first girl beams at me. Her name’s Heloise and she wants to be called Hellie. Weird name, but I like her immediately. She’s got an artsy thing about her: very head-in-the-clouds, wears comfy layers, barely any makeup, her dark hair in a bun. No pretension at all. “I know this sucks and it’s hard, but it’s really nice to meet you.”
“Alright, yeah, you too.”
Hellie introduces me to the others. There’s Casey, Adler’s wife, with blonde hair, pear-shaped, extremely pretty. She shuffles when she walks, which she doesn’t try to hide. “You’re so cute, Jayson got really lucky with you,” she says.
“Uh, thanks.”
Last is Isabel, Conlan’s spouse, taller than the others with straight brown hair and a wide, comfortable smile. “Welcome to the family. If you ever need anything at all, please come to me. I promise I’ll try to make your transition into our lives as easy as possible.”