Page 66 of Beautiful Rush
Eden’s gaze swung to me. “You’re the one hiding it,” she accused.
“I am,” I said, coming clean. “But this time I’m on Killian’s side.”
“Traitor.” Eden crossed her arms over her chest and slumped in her seat. “It’s going to be a long seven months.”
Ava snorted laughter. “Seven months? It’s going to be a lifetime. God forbid you have a girl.”
“He’ll lock her in the tower like Rapunzel,” I said.
“No guy will have the guts to ask her on a date.”
“Killian will challenge them to a duel.”
Ava and I cracked up, but Edenwasn’t amused like I’d expected her to be. “He’s worried,” she confided. “And I think he’s scared. He wants to be a good father.He wants todo all the right things and be nothing like his own father.”
“He’s nothing like Seamus Vincent,” Avasaid, her voice ringing with conviction.
“I know,” Eden said. “He’s a good man. And our baby is going to be so damn lucky.I know he’s going to be the best dadever...” Her eyes filled with tears and she wiped them away. “Ugh. Stupid pregnancy hormones.”
“It’s going to be great. I can’t wait to be an auntie,” I said.
“Just don’t let Auntie Mario teach the kid to drive.” Ava shotme a lookthat made me laugh. “Any time I get into a car with you, I’m taking my life in my hands.”
I rolled my eyes as wegathered up our trashand tossedit in thegarbagecan.
“Time to get back to work.” Ava glanced at Eden who had her phone to her ear and from the sounds of it, she was trying to make her case for why she needed that ladder.
“…for the next seven months. That mural won’t paint itself. I need to do this. And when I’ve finished, I have two more murals I’ve been contracted to paint, Killian. We talked about this.”
He said something on the other line, and she rolled her eyes up to the sky.
“I’m painting the mural. I want that ladder back in the rec room tonight.It’s a sturdy ladder, it’s not even that high, and I promise I’ll be extra careful.”
She listenedto him talk on the other line.
“I know. I love you too and I know you’re just trying to protect me and the baby, but you’ll make yourself crazy if you keep worrying—”
He must have cut her off and she heard him out. Meanwhile, Ava and I shamelessly eavesdropped on Eden’s end of the conversation.
“I understand where you’re coming from. One hundred percent.ButKillian…I’m withholding sex until I get my ladder back.”
With that, she cut the call and smiled smugly.
Sure enough, Killian’s Range Rover pulled up outside Atlas Motors a few hours later. “Someone will be spotting her at all times,” he said. “I’ll do it myself if I have to.”
Istifled a laugh, having been privy to her tactics, andgave him a little slug on the shoulder. “She’s a tough girl. She’s going to be okay. It’s great that you want to protect her, but don’t go overboard. If you try to control her, she’ll resent you for it.”
He blew air out of his cheeks, trying to rein in his frustration.Who was I to be giving relationship advice? Especially to Killian who had a solid relationship with Eden.“I’m not trying to control her. Eden is too stubborn to be controlled. I’m just trying to keep her safeand protect her. There’s a difference, Keira.”
I knew that now. I’d learned that from being with Deacon.But I didn’t appreciate his tone. “No need to be so patronizing, big brother.”
“No need to tell me how to treat my own wife.”
“I give good advice.”
He raised his brows. “How many relationships have you had, Keira?”
“Ooh, hitting below the belt.” The only person who knew about Sasha was Deacon. And the only person who knew about Deacon was me. “Take your ladder and hit the road. I have a hot date with a GTO.”
