Chapter 1
Ronan
Present day
"Slainte!" A raucous cheer went up around the bar as I downed my whiskey. The cheap brand burned as it slid down my gullet, but I gave no shits. It helped dull the aches and pains from yet another stint in the ring.
Five men. All seasoned fighters. All knocked out.
I snorted to myself before noticing the cute redhead fluttering her thick lashes at me. The minute I locked on her, she sidled over and thrust her ample tits into my arm while licking her pouty lips.
"Not seen you in here before, darlin'." I offered her a smile. "Call me Ronan. And you are?" The best-looking girl in this shitty place. She could be my post-fight fuck.
"Bailey." She fluttered her lashes at me again. "Just passing through, checking out the local sights." Her American accent marked her as a tourist. Perfect. Unlike the local girls, she wouldn't expect me to put a ring on it.
"Happy to give you a private tour, a chailín álainn."
"Of his bedroom." Mike, the landlord of this disreputable establishment, smirked as he polished a glass behind the bar.
Bailey giggled, apparently not offended, and stepped closer.
"I'd love it if you showed me the sights." The way she licked her pouty lips made it clear she didn't mean the local stone circles or the ruined monastery on the hill.
"Ro, oh…" For fuck's sake. My brother stalked across the bar, frowning when he saw Bailey. Maeve trailed after him, scowling like always. The stupid bitch still hadn't got the message that he wasn't interested in making it official.
Bailey half-turned. Her eyes widened when she saw my identical twin. Double trouble, twice the fun.
"Fancy being the filling in a twin sandwich?" A subtle tremor shot through her body in anticipation, and my eyes snagged on her hard nipples, saluting me through her dress. I'd planned to drink myself into a coma, but Bailey would be a fun diversion.
"Conal's with me, you pervert!" Maeve stabbed me in the chest with an acrylic nail, having overheard my comment. Oops.
"He was joking." Conal rolled his eyes and glared at me, which I ignored. Winding up Maeve was my new favorite hobby. The stupid bitch made it too damned easy.
"Actually, I wasn't." I smirked. "Always happy to share with my favorite bro, and Bailey here looks like she'd love a bit of Irish in her."
Bailey blushed right on cue.
Conal threw me a look that said, you're an asshole. And I threw one back that said, she's totally up for it, so ditch the bitch.
"I'm staying at the B&B down the road." Bailey didn't protest when I slid my hand over the curve of her ass. Maeve threw her a vicious glare and spat something derogatory about manwhores and braindead bimbos, but nobody gave a flying fuck what she thought.
"You joining us, bro?" I winked at my twin and waited for the inevitable explosion.
"I fucking hate you!" Maeve screamed before raising her hand to slap me. Conal caught her wrist and spun around.
"Behave," he growled, clearly tired of her bullshit. "He's winding you up, as you well know."
Maeve burst into tears and ran out of the bar, much to my and everyone else's amusement. Someone turned the music up and a couple of inebriated women scrambled onto a table for a spot of dirty dancing. Just another Tuesday in the Mucky Dog Irish Tavern.
"Can you not mess with her?" Conal huffed out a long-suffering sigh.
I rolled my eyes. "Forget her. It's about time you chilled out, bro." He needed to get laid, and I was more than happy to facilitate.
Icy rain dripped steadily down the back of my neck as I ducked out of the pub, Bailey's hand in mine.
No fucking way was I going back to her B&B. Ma Riley would have my balls for breakfast if she caught me with one of her guests. The old bitch had threatened to castrate me with a pair of pliers the last time I'd snuck in.
Besides, if I fucked Bailey in a bed, she'd probably expect me to stay for a sleepover, and I didn't do sleepovers.
"They say the Irish have the gift of gab, but I'm speechless looking at you.
" The swell of Bailey's tits certainly had my mouth watering as we staggered into the back alley behind the pub.
She leaned back against the wall near the fire exit, too high on lust and local ale to care about the smell of piss or the overflowing dumpster.
"I love your accent." Her breathy giggle irritated me but I grinned anyway. "It's so sexy."
"Are you a good girl?" I caged her in with my arms, enjoying her sharp intake of breath and the way her eyes widened in excitement. Any sensible girl would have thought twice about letting a strange man lead her outside, but this one had no sense of danger. Good job I wasn't a rapist scumbag.
"What…what do you mean?" I slid my hand under her top and palmed her tit. It felt firm. A little too firm. Fake. Ugh. Nothing worse than fake tits, but I could overlook them for the sake of a blowjob.
"If I tell you to get on your knees for me, will you do it?" I leaned in and kissed her neck, inhaling her perfume. Floral with musky undertones. Her pulse fluttered wildly as her small hands gripped my shirt.
"I… um… OK?" Not as enthusiastic as I'd like, so I gripped her shoulder and pushed her down while releasing my cock. "Wow… that's… a lot," she choked in surprise. "I'm not sure I can—"
The girl talked too damn much. I wasn't here for conversation or fake porn star posturing. She spluttered a little when I pressed my crown between her lips, but opened wider to accommodate my girth. Fuck, this was exactly what I needed.
"Good girl." Bailey gagged hard when I curled my hand into her hair and pushed deeper.
My eyes closed in delight at the sensation of her hot, wet mouth and tongue.
"That's my good girl." It had been too long.
Five days at least. Maybe I'd take Bailey back to hers after all.
Ma Riley didn't hear so well these days, so unless Bailey turned out to be a screamer, the old bitch might not catch me.
"You done yet?" My brother's amused voice cut into my lustful imaginings. Bailey tried to pull back, but I held her head firmly in place.
"Does it look like I'm done?" I scoffed as Bailey's eyes widened in panic. She probably couldn't breathe.
"We need to go. Dec messaged. We're heading to Italy to collect Verity."
My erection wilted. "Is Pixie in trouble?"
"Not sure yet."
I shoved Bailey away, no longer interested in getting off, and tucked myself back into my jeans. The girl on her knees yelped something, but I ignored her bleating. There was only one girl I cared about, and it wasn't this dumb ho.
What mess had my youngest sister's best friend got herself into? Dammit. If anyone had hurt her, I'd make sure they hurt ten times worse.