Brenda Chapter
Brenda:
My good mood evaporated as I watched the O’Sheeran brothers invade our date.
The insistence on knowing who Malcolm and Johnny were, then demanding to speak to us alone, pissed me off.
But when Cormac grabbed hold of Cyndi and refused to let go, my restraint broke.
I pushed away from Malcolm and got in Sean’s face.
“Tell your brother to let go of her before I make him,” I snarled.
“Brenda, Aimsir, Tempest, he’s not hurting her. We only want you to talk to us, one-on-one. Your…friends can wait.”
The pause before he said, friends told me he didn’t like the Coopers. It was ridiculous. As far as we knew, they’d never met. God, my head hurts.
“What did you call me?” I asked through bared teeth.
“Nothing bad. It’s Gaelic for tempest. And you can’t deny, at the moment you are one. I like it, but would like it more if you wouldn’t do it to me.” The corner of his mouth twisted up in a half-smile.
“Well, you know the old saying, don’t you?” I flung back.
“What?” he retorted.
Smiling sarcastically, I told him, “People in hell want ice water, but there’s no damn way they’re getting it.”
Instead of making Sean back off, my words drew him closer. I had my back to Malcolm. Sean moved until he was mere inches from me. His expression was hard to decipher.
“Brenda, we need to talk. Let’s go somewhere we can hear ourselves think.”
“Do you think we’re dumb enough to go behind closed doors with you? Or we’ll leave our dates here with your bodyguards? No, there’s nothing you have to say to us that can’t be said in front of Malcolm and Johnny,” I insisted.
“I guarantee, Brenda, that we mean no harm to you and Cyndi,” he responded.
“And our dates? Will they be unharmed, too?” Cyndi asked before I could.
Both O’Sheerans exchanged what I thought were speaking glances with each other, then their gazes were back on us.
Malcolm had placed his hands on my shoulders during the exchange.
Sean’s mouth tightened as his eyes zeroed in on his hands.
Suddenly, I was spun around, and Malcolm was standing between Sean and me.
Johnny did the same to Cyndi, breaking Cormac’s hold.
It was as if they coordinated it. I edged to the side so I could still observe Sean.
“You need to back off. Whatever you have to say to the ladies, they don’t appear to want to hear. I’m asking nicely. Please leave,” Malcolm demanded.
When it came to size, all four men matched on the surface.
If there was a fight, and the bodyguards stayed out of it, I thought the Coopers would win.
They hadn’t been raised as sheltered mobster princes.
They’d used their fists plenty of times.
Sean and Cormac undoubtedly allowed their guards to fight for them.
“I don’t know who you and your buddy are, but you need to let the ladies come with us. We’re not taking no for an answer,” Cormac growled.
Tension jumped. All it would take for these four to fight was one wrong word. Hoping to divert their attention, I tossed out the first thing that came to mind.
“Where are your little friends?” I sneered.
Sean’s gaze locked on mine. His fists were clenched at his sides. The guards had inched closer.
“Little friends? Who are you talking about, Aimsir?” Sean replied.
“You know who I mean. I’m shocked you have time to talk to other women.
Won’t your playmates get upset if you ignore them?
They really hated it when you paid attention to us the other day.
Have they succeeded in getting some other poor working people fired because they’re having a tantrum? ” I added.
“Go spend your time with those bitches,” Cyndi told Cormac.
“Mo áilleacht, my beauty, there’s no reason to be jealous. Those women mean nothing to us,” Cormac told my friend.
His words and use of that endearment flustered Cyn.
She shifted and shot me a hurt look. I felt her pain.
If those three socialites, who would fit into the O’Sheerans’ world, were nothing to them, then women like us would be lower than dirt on the soles of their shoes.
It had to be sex that had them insisting on seeing us alone.
There was no other reason. If they changed their minds about the gifts they bought, they would return them to the store.
They must be bored and want to go slumming.
“We’re not jealous. There’s no reason to be. Now, if you don’t mind, we were about to leave. We have other plans that don’t include this club,” I said sweetly. I pinched Malcolm’s back.
Smoothly, he partially turned to smile at me. His arm came out to surround me and draw me against his side. His expression was adoring.
“That’s damn right, we do. Let’s get out of here. I can’t wait for the next stop. Tell us where you want us to go.”
The rumble in his voice was very sexy. Shit, why couldn’t I fall under his spell? He was a good-looking man who was the whole package. Damn, my wiring must be crossed and fucked up.
“Yeah, it’s all I can do to stand here with you so close,” Johnny told Cyndi. He was mirroring his brother's behavior.
A growl rolled out of Sean. His face was red with fury. Cormac wasn’t much better. We had to stop this. I tried to get in front of Malcolm again, but it was no use. He held me close and tightly.
Suddenly, another man joined the group. Given his attire, he must have been another bodyguard.
He went to Sean, but gestured for Cormac to join them.
When the other O’Sheeran did, the new guard whispered into their ears.
Whatever he said changed Sean and Cormac.
Their countenances became bland, but something told me it wasn’t because they received good news.
If anything, the tension in the air increased.
They were more furious than they had been.
“Brenda, Cyndi, please forgive us for interrupting your evening. We would still like to speak with you privately. However, it seems that something has come up that requires our immediate attention. Will you give us your numbers this time?” Sean asked.
After hesitating, I shook my head. “Mr. O’Sheeran, there’s no reason for that. We have nothing to discuss. If that should change, we have your numbers. Please, stop asking and don’t do this again.”
Both men’s mouths tightened for a second, then relaxed.
In unison, they bowed. “Take care, Cyndi, Brenda. Gentleman, we weren’t properly introduced, but I do want to warn you.
If anything happens to them, by your hand or another’s, you will be the ones to suffer the consequences.
Ladies, until we meet again,” Cormac breezily announced.
And then all of them blended away and out of sight. Several pairs of eyes were on us. My enjoyment for the evening leeched away until all I wanted to do was go home, get drunk, then fall into dreamless sleep.
“What the hell was that about?” Johnny asked.
“We’ll explain in the car. Can we please go?” I asked.
“Sure, no problem,” Malcolm said.