Page 473 of Lodestar

“No. But Shay doesn’t have five brothers.”

“That means dick,” I dismissed. “I’m not talking smack about her, just saying that it’s not a bad thing to have women who care is all.”

“Meaning Star will care?”

From the back seat, I peered at Eoghan. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

He shrugged. “She’s just as likely to come back with bruises. They’re stock in trade for us.”

Us.

Ex-ninjas.

“I’d want to know who bruised her.”

“Is this how we know we’ve grown up?”

Eoghan chuckled. “Declan, we just got into a fight in front of people in your stadium.”

“Our stadium. Don’t make out like it’s mine.”

I slapped him on the shoulder. “On the paperwork, it is, bud.”

“Where did I go wrong in life?”

“I think it’s too late to ask yourself that question,” Eoghan drawled.

With a laugh, I stated, “I think so too.”

“What is this? ‘Give Declan Shit’ Day?” He huffed. “I’m not inviting you to any more live interviews. Pulling faces at me like that, asswipes.”

When I saw a Duane Reade, I asked, “Pull over, would you?”

“Why?”

“Need something.”

“What do you need from a drugstore?” Eoghan inquired.

“Why do you ask like that? You can buy anything in those stores.”

“We just don’t buy stuff, do we?” Declan answered, turning to look at me once he’d parked.

“From how full our apartments are, I can safely say that’s not true.”

Eoghan frowned. “Yeah, but… not regular stuff.”

“You think toothpaste just miraculously appears in the bathroom, huh?”

“No, I thought my housekeeper bought it,” was Eoghan’s retort.

“Never understood why you don’t have one of those, Con.”

“Don’t like people in my space. It’s enough for someone to come in once a week. Star’s the same. I offered to get a housekeeper but she said no.”

“Then what are you buying?”

“Tampons.”

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