RYDER (Slater Brothers 4)

I bloody well hoped so.

After I got off the phone with Aideen, I ventured out of my room and went down the hall to Bronagh’s. I knocked on her door and entered her space when she shouted out for me to do so. I was glad to find she wasn’t watching television, but was reading a book on her Kindle instead.

“What are you readin’?” I asked as I approached her.

“Life Interrupted by Yessi Smith,” she replied, not glancing away from the screen.

I smiled at how engrossed she was. “Is it good?”

Bronagh nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah, but I really want to physically harm this one character, he defines the word psychopath.”

I chuckled. “Sounds intense.”

“It is,” she agreed, “but I like intense.”

I stood idle by her bed for a few moments and it made my sister smile as she switched her attention to me.

“Ask whatever it is you want to ask me,” she said, her eyes laughing at me.

I licked my lips. “Do you want to come out with me tonight?”

Bronagh blinked. “Like, to the cinema?”

I shook my head. “Clubbin’.”

She widened her eyes. “You want to bring me clubbin’?”

“Yep,” I chirped. “You’re eighteen now, you’re legal. I want to have some fun with you. I want to cheer you up to after all that’s happened with that Nico shite and the fight you were in.”

“Thanks, but I’m not exactly a social person, sis, do you think a club is the best place for me?”

“You’ve gotta start somewhere, kid.”

Bronagh mulled it over and I saw in her eyes that she wanted to reject my invitation, but she took one look at me and sighed in defeat. “Fine.”

Thank you, Jesus.

I whooped. “Atta girl.”

“What will I wear?” she asked and pushed her bed covers from her body.

“Go and get showered,” I encouraged. “I’ll go and to pick out somethin’ for us to wear, okay?”

My sister reluctantly nodded before she left the room and headed for the bathroom. When I heard the door closed, I snuck down the hallway and re-entered my room and grabbed my phone. I dialled Ryder’s number and pressed the phone to my ear.

“Hey sweetness,” he answered on the second ring.

“Hey sweetness,” I heard his brothers mimic him in the background.

Amusement filled me.

“Your brothers are children.”

“I’m aware of it, and so are they,” Ryder said then cursed at his brothers to keep it down.

“What are you doin’ tonight?” I asked on a chuckle.

“Darkness,” Ryder replied. “Dominic has a fight.”

Oh, I inwardly squealed, this was perfect.

“Brilliant,” I gushed. “I’m goin’ there tonight, too.”

“With who?” Ryder questioned, his voice was deep and it had me rubbing my thighs together.

I licked my suddenly dry lips and answered, “Me sister.”

Silence.

“You’re going to introduce us?” he asked after a few moments.

I gnawed on my lower lip. “Yeah, I want ‘er to meet you.”

“Shit,” he breathed. “I’m nervous now, thanks.”

I unexpectedly laughed. “Think about how I feel! I’m scared shitless, I’ve never done this with ‘er before.”

“We’ve got this,” Ryder assured me. “I’ll be extra sweet and won’t invade her space like you said, I’ll let her warm up to me in her own way.”

I let out a relieved breath. “That will help.”

“Don’t worry, Bran, she’ll love me.”

I hoped so, because I loved him, and it would kill me if Bronagh didn’t accept him.




Dominic Slater is Nico. The little bastard who had been hassling my little sister in school, and had caused nothing but problems for her over the last few months was my boyfriend’s little brother. I had an atrocious moment were I let my raging emotions take over my body and I did something really bad. Deplorable really. I punched Dominic in the face, in front of his other brothers, and Ryder broke up with me because of it.

I wasn’t proud of my actions, but I didn’t exactly regret them either, which didn’t help my situation in the slightest.

It was not how I expected my night to go. I shook my head as recapped what happened and before I could feel real emotion, I downed the remainder on my Vodka and Coke. I swayed a little and laughed at myself, wondering how many drinks I had consumed but couldn’t think of a number.

I was pretty sure it was close to double digits though.

“Are you okay?” I asked Bronagh as the lights of the club came on signalling everyone to get the hell out and go home.

She nodded and laughed for no reason.

“You’re drruuunnnkkkkk,” I sang, giggling.

She placed a hand on her forehead. “It’s so warm in here, I’m roastin’.”

I took her hand in mine and tugged her towards the exit of the club. We laughed as we stumbled up the stairs. I felt good until the cool fresh air hit me. One-second I remember talking to The Destroyer kid that Dominic/Nico fought on the platform in Darkness then the next I was heaving and slumping down with my eyes closed. I groaned when I felt myself being lifted into the air.

“Bee?” I mumbled.

“Not Bee.”

I forced my eyes open and looked up.

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