Page 13 of Ciaran

“You’re fucking kidding, right?”

“No.”

“Well, I hope she doesn’t give you too much of a hard time when you ring and tell her you’ve withdrawn the offer.”

Not fucking happening. “I don’t have her number.”

“Then, go to her place.”

“I don’t know where she’s living.”

“You don’t have her number, and you don’t know where her pad is, but you still managed to offer her a job. What the fuck are you? Psychic?”

“Callum!” Laurella snaps. “What on earth is wrong with you? He’s offered this woman a job in Declan’s hotel.” She emphasizes the ownership. “I could understand your irritation if he’d given her a job in your business without consulting you, but he hasn’t.”

Callum arranges his face into an expression marginally less combative, as though, until she spoke, he’d forgotten Laurella was even here. He cocks his head toward their bedroom. “Why don’t you go get ready for bed, sweetheart. I’ll be in shortly. I’ll explain everything then.”

Her eyes flare as he summarily dismisses her. “Stronzo,” she mutters, giving him a jab with her elbow before she stomps off, slamming the door behind her.

Callum turns back to me. “You’d better start talking, and fast.”

Declan chooses that moment to speak up. “Okay, I’ve clearly missed the memo because I haven’t got a clue what’s going on. Can one of you catch me up?”

I ignore him. “I bumped into her by accident. I didn’t even know she was back in New York. She needs a job, Callum, and we had an opening. There’s nothing more to this than that.”

“And what’s Tanner going to say about his wife working here? I can’t see him being any happier about it than I am.”

“They’ve separated.”

Callum’s eyebrows shoot up, and he takes a breath, but his hesitation doesn’t last long. “My answer is still the same: she can’t work here. I mean, she’s a nice girl, or she was. Of course, I’d love to help her out, but fuck, man, I’ve only just gotten together with Laurella. Seriously, I don’t need a blast from my illustrious past setting up camp in my home.”

I set my jaw, forcing my hands to relax in my lap. Best not to clench them in case one of them shoots out and slams into Callum’s gut.

“I’m not retracting the offer.”

Callum releases a protracted breath. “If she needs a job, I’ll help you look for one for her. I’ll ask some of my contacts if they have any openings that would suit her. But her being employed here? Nope. That won’t work for me. Declan, you need to step in here.”

“I might if I knew why Millie’s employment is cause for such angst.”

Callum opens his mouth, but I get there first. Annoyance ripples beneath my skin. I love my brother, but he can be a selfish bastard at times.

“Callum is pissed because he doesn’t want to have to explain to Laurella how he spent a few weeks in high school with his tongue down the throat of our new employee. It’s not a problem, though. He moved on to the next girl after five fucking minutes.”

Callum glowers, his face darkening at the accuracy of my statement.

Declan laughs. “So, one of your many, many, many exes is back to haunt you. Hilarious.”

A warning sound vibrates in Callum’s throat—his way of telling me he doesn’t find the situation remotely funny.

“Look,” I say. “I don’t know what’s gone on with her and Tanner, but my instincts are firing like crazy. She’s thin, too thin, and scared shitless of something. My guess? Replace ‘something’ with ‘Tanner’. I’m simply trying to help an old friend in need. I had hoped being with Laurella would make you less of a dick.” I shrug for effect. “Clearly, I was wrong.”

Seconds scrape by. Eventually, Callum sighs. “Fine. It’s not even like we were a thing. I didn’t even get to second base if I recall.”

Thank fuck for that. “Always knew that girl had a good head on her shoulders,” I drawl.

Callum flashes his middle finger. “Screw you.”

Declan glances between us. “We’re good? I don’t have to get onto that useless agency in the morning?”

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