Page 349 of Lodestar

“By the way, the purchase went through, Conor. I’ll need you to extend the security settings to the whole floor.”

Conor arched a brow. “Is this a memo I missed?”

“No. You know I don’t like sharing, so I gave the other apartment owners an offer they couldn’t refuse.”

“Very Don Corleone,” I mocked.

“There were two other apartments on the floor below me, Aidan.”

He shrugged. “So?”

Conor huffed. “I don’t have time right now.”

“We can work on it together,” I said calmly. “But it’s not a priority, is it? You’ll be modifying the other apartments first?”

Aidan folded his arms across his chest. “Security modifications need to be taken into account before the reno starts.”

“Then it’ll just have to wait,” I countered sweetly. “We have other things on our plate, and Conor isn’t your indentured servant.”

Aidan frowned at that. “I never said he was.”

“No? You just drop the fact that he needs to amend your security on him when he comes by for Sunday dinner?”

Flicking a glance at his younger brother, Aidan’s tone was wary. “Kid?—”

“I’ll see to it,” Conor said with a huff.

“Onourtime,” I argued, squeezing his fingers with mine.

“No, I’ll?—”

“You won’t figure something out, Conor. Your brothers need to accept that you have a goddamn life and you need boundaries as much as they do.”

He smirked down at me. “You’re cute when you’re pissed.”

“I’ll be even more pissed,” I warned, “if you take on extra work when you’re already pushing your limits.”

Savannah waded in, “I’m not sure there’s anyone worse to talk about boundaries than you.”

“I’m turning over a new leaf.” And I’d turn it over a few million times if it meant sparing Conor from his family.

“Since when?” Vana queried, but she was studying me with as much interest as I’d had in her when taking note of her reactions to Aidan’s touch and his gentle terms of endearment.

“Since right now. It’s not like we’re sitting at home twirling our fucking thumbs, Vana.”

She shrugged. “It can wait, can’t it, Aidan?”

The eldest O’Donnelly son wasn’t scowling, not entirely, but he was bemused by this conversation. “I guess it can.”

With a satisfied nod, I drawled, “Good.”

Conor preened as he tugged an arm around my shoulder. “Is it the wrong time to tell you it’s hot as fuck when you stand up for me?”

“Yes, seeing as I have a future mother-in-law to meet.”

Savannah grinned. “To be honest, I’ve been looking forward to this all week.”

“Only you,” I grumbled.

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