to do, and every day that flew by brought the increased risk of someone getting killed because she was too much of a coward to turn herself over to the Hallorans.
She dialed her phone before she could think better of it. It barely rang twice before Teague picked up. “Hey, angel. How are things going with my sisters? They haven’t made you reconsider saying yes at the altar, have they?”
“No.” She laughed a little. If she were any less selfish, she’d tell him the truth and accept the consequences, but she couldn’t make herself give Teague up. She could pretend it was because she didn’t want to hurt him, but it wasn’t the truth. If he knew what she’d done, he’d never look at her the same, and she couldn’t stand the thought of never seeing that wonderful combination of heat and caring in his eyes. “I just dropped Sloan and Keira off safely at home.”
“Did you have fun?”
It said something that he didn’t ask where Carrigan was. Maybe she was paranoid to be worried about the woman—none of her actual family seemed that concerned. “Yeah, I actually did.”
“Good.” The noise in the background almost drowned out the approval in his voice.
“Where are you?” The question was out before she could think better of it.
“Down at a pub with my brothers.” He hesitated. “I didn’t realize how much I needed this time with them until I got it.”
She’d known he cared for her—he’d have to be a liar of exceptional proportions to treat her the way he did and not care—but she appreciated each small vulnerability he revealed almost more than the outstanding sex. Because he was allowing her inside, and she’d been around him enough to know he didn’t do that with just anyone. Callie smiled. “I’m glad you’re getting it, then. Go have fun. You need it.”
“Come out with me tomorrow. Let’s get out of town for a few hours. Maybe go down to New York.”
She smiled. “That sounds like heaven.”
“Then it’s a date. I’ll see you tomorrow, angel.”
“See you tomorrow. Be safe.”
He laughed. “Always.”
* * *
Teague hung up the phone and turned to find Cillian mocking him. His brother froze, and then a slow grin spread over his face. “Man, you are so pussy whipped, it’s almost cute.”
“Fuck off.” He dropped back into his seat and eyed the shots that had been delivered while he wasn’t paying attention. “More shots?”
“Shots are what real men take when they’re not calling their girlfriend every five minutes to check in.”
Aiden leaned over and casually slapped the back of Cillian’s head. “Now’s a good time to stop talking.”
They raised their shots, all grinning like fools. He wasn’t sure when they all grew so busy that they had no time for each other, but it had been longer than he could remember since they did anything like this, anything together. Teague took the shot, the whiskey barely burning his throat. “We should do this more often.”
Cillian started to make some smart-ass comment, but Devlin cut in. “We should.”
“If you can leave that college you love so much long enough to come hang out with us.” Cillian laughed, a little too loudly. “College is meant to be enjoyed, little brother. You go for the women, the parties, and the sheer self-indulgence. You don’t go seriously.”
“No, that’s what you do in college.” Teague snorted. “How’s that degree in accounting treating you?”
“Hey, I like numbers. It was the easiest major I could pick that got our father off my back.” Cillian leaned over and gave him a stern look. “All I need are some sexy-ass glasses and I’d make a wicked accountant.”
Given his trendily tousled hair, ridiculously expensive suit with the brightly patterned tie, and tattoos, Cillian couldn’t look further from the old man who did the family’s books. But he was right that their father wanted to pad the future with family in every way he could—including setting up one of his sons as bookkeeper to keep every responsibility in-house that he possibly could.
“Unlike you, Devlin’s in college actually making something of his life.” Aiden swiped at Cillian halfheartedly. “Some of us take things more seriously than you—and by some, I mean all of us.”
“Asshole.”
“You know it.”
Devlin took a drink of his beer. “The only difference between us is that I like school.”
“Nope.” Cillian shook his head, and then did it again like he had water in his ear. “No, they’re right. I enjoyed fucking around, and I had a whole hell of a