I turn around to face one of our greatest enemies, ready to wind him up just as I successfully did with Colin, only to have the wind taken out of my sails. All the air in my lungs vanishes as I watch Alejandro and the infamous Rosa Hernandez walk in our direction.
Alejandro is in his usual business attire, looking like a million bucks. No shock there, since the fucker has more money to spend than most. It’s the creature walking at his side that really takes my breath away. Long brown hair flows in the wind over her shoulders making way for all of us to see her perfectly-sculpted face. I’ve never been one to admire works of art, but Rosa’s face has all the distinctions of a great masterpiece. Cupid bow lips centered low on a heart-shaped face, with high cheekbones and eyelashes that go on for days. Wearing a white full-length coat and killer heels to match, I doubt her intention was to summon images of said heels digging themselves into my back when she put them on this morning, but here we are.
Huh.
Here I was thinking my eldest brother was about to marry a girl version of Alejandro, who is one scary-looking, ugly motherfucker, when in reality Tiernan is going to walk down the aisle with the most exquisite woman I have ever set eyes on.
Suddenly my brother’s fate doesn’t seem too bad to me.
Some fuckers have all the luck.
“Fuck me,” I finally vocalize my lascivious astonishment. “Is that Alejandro’s sister? Jesus, Mary, and Joseph. Do you know if he has any more stashed away?”
I’m about to clean the drool from the corners of my mouth with my sleeve, when Colin slaps me across the back of my head.
“The fuck was that for?!” I shout.
“For eye-fucking your brother’s wife, asshole.”
“She’s not married to him yet.” I wiggle my brows, jutting my tongue out as I walk backwards in the direction of the Hernandez siblings.
Colin’s scowl is deeply engrained on his face as I turn around and meet the new addition to the Kelly family, as well as her prick of a brother.
“Kelly,” Alejandro utters in greeting, looking none too pleased to see me here.
“Long time no see, Hernandez,” I counter with a smug smile.
“Not long enough, I’m afraid,” he retorts, his gaze falling behind me and onto my undoubtedly brooding cousin.
“Aw, don’t be like that. We’re family now.”
“Not yet we’re not. Where is Tiernan?”
“Tied up on business,” Colin explains, now beside me, his frown still in place.
“I see,” Alejandro replies at the vague excuse.
“We have express orders to take you to him later today,” Colin explains all business-like.
“Good. There is much we still need to discuss before the wedding tomorrow.”
My eyes fall on the bride herself, head held unapologetically high while the grown-ups talk.
“Aren’t you going to introduce us?”
Reluctantly, Alejandro nods at me before making the introductions.
“This is my sister, Rosa. Rosa, this is Shay Kelly, your soon-to-be brother-in-law and this is Colin Kelly, your fiancé’s right hand.”
“Actually, I’m Tiernan’s right hand. Colin is his left,” I joke, picking her hand up and placing a kiss on her knuckles.
Rosa pulls her hand away before my lips have had time to taste her warm olive-tone skin, but doesn’t reprimand me for my forwardness.
“A man that needs two extra hands to do his business doesn’t seem like much of one,” Alejandro chimes in, not hiding his resentment at my brother not showing up to greet him here.
“Oh, I wouldn’t say that. There is a lot more that a man can do when he has two sets of extra hands. All you need is a little imagination.” I arch a suggestive brow.
“Do you always speak this way in front of women you’ve just met?” Alejandro scolds, displeased with my wayward tongue.
“Most of them appreciate my honesty.”
“Rosa isn’t like most women.”
“I can tell that just by looking at her.” I lick my lips, staring at the woman who is trying very hard not to fidget under my scrutinizing gaze.
“Don’t look too hard, Shay. Especially when the prize has been bought and paid for already by another,” Alejandro warns.
“Is that how you see your sister? As a prize?”
“She’s worth more than your pockets can afford. I can tell you that much.”
“I’ve got deep pockets.”
“Not deep enough.”
“You wound me.” I feign hurt by placing a hand to my chest.
“Trust me, Shay. If I wanted to wound you, it wouldn’t be with words,” he threatens with a menacing glower.
“Enough,” Colin interrupts, annoyed. “We’ve been out in the open for too long as it is. I say we get into the car and return to Back Bay.”
“Why the rush? I doubt anyone in their right mind would use this opportunity to take us out in the middle of a Hanscom Field landing strip, of all places. Besides, isn’t Rosa being here supposed to be the end of the Mafia Wars?” I mock, salaciously eyeing the woman in question, while making sure Alejandro sees me doing it.
“The wars aren’t over yet,” he spits out, nostrils flaring.
All the fucker needs is another little push to break that cold demeanor of his.
How fun.
“I agree with… Colin, is it?” Rosa says at last, her melodic voice doing something to my insides I didn’t expect, stealing away any desire to fuck with her brother a little more just so I can hear her speak again. “We’ve had a long flight, and I’d like to freshen up and rest if that is at all possible.”
“Follow me,” Colin replies with a staunch no-nonsense tone.
Without added encouragement, she follows my cousin to the car, leaving me and Alejandro to trail behind them.
“She’s very well behaved, I give you that.” I smirk while staring at her pear-shaped ass.
I wish I could say it is more for her brother’s benefit than it is for mine, but with each sway of the hip, I almost forget that my blatant ogling of my soon-to-be sister-in-law is only to piss Alejandro off.
“Rosa is a lady and should be treated as such,” he forewarns.
“A lady, you say?” I chuckle at the word.
“Yes.”
“There’s no such thing.”
“Maybe not in the sewer you were brought up in.”
“Ouch, Alejandro. Again, is that any way to talk to family?”