Page 21 of Poison and Wine
“She maimed your cock and balls!” I bellowed.
“Like you said, she thought I was going to rape her. And even if she didn’t think that, the fact we were kidnapping her made her react that way.”
Throwing my arms up in frustration, I blared, “What the hell has happened to you all? Caterina goes on one crying jag, and you all turn into bleedin’ eejits.”
After sharing a look with Quinn, Dare replied, “Are you that much of a plonker that you don’t get it?”
“Apparently, I am since I can’t fathom how the killers I call my brothers are now moping around the living room because I made my future wife cry.”
“She reminds us of Maeve,” Dare replied.
I frowned at him. Physically my sister and Caterina were as different as night and day. Maeve had flaming auburn hair and emerald green eyes like Kellan and my mam. She would never dream of physically defending herself or mouthing off like Caterina.
But I knew what they meant. Not only were Maeve and Caterina close to the same age, they were both innocent pawns in our world. In their eyes, hurting Caterina was the same as hurting our beloved baby sister.
With a ragged sigh, I ran my hand over my face. “You have to leave Maeve and what happened to her out of this.”
“That’s impossible,” Kellan protested.
“With Caterina, I have to be firm with her, or she’s going to keep running over me. Can you imagine if wind got around to our enemies that Callum Kavanaugh had been fanny-whipped into submission? We wouldn’t hold our ground for five minutes!”
Seamus nodded. “Callum’s right, boys. At the end of the day, she’ll be his wife, and she’s his to deal with.” When my brothers remained silent, he then motioned for the doctor who had been waiting in the hallway. “Now get your leg seen about.”
To lighten the mood, Dare teasingly asked, “Will he do an exam on my wounded cock?”
The doctor’s eyes popped wide, causing the rest of us to chuckle. “I-I don’t think that will be necessary. Just continue icing it,” he replied before turning his gaze back to me.
After I whipped off my pants, I stood before the doctor in my briefs. He eyed Quinn’s handiwork before taking off the tourniquet. He then dug gauze and tape out of his bag. Once he’d wrapped me, he handed me a bottle of pills. “Take these for possible infection. Change the bandage morning and night for the next five to seven days.”
“Thanks, Doc.” I nodded to Seamus. “He’ll take care of the bill.”
The doctor held up his hands. “Oh no, there’s no charge.” With a knowing look, he added, “Just remember that I did you all a favor.”
“You have our word.”
In our world, we executed many transactions this way. No deed was too small to be remembered and in turn rewarded. I didn’t blame the good doctor for wanting to have us in his pocket. He’d probably done favors for most of the Sicilians around us, so it made sense to have some Irish on his side too.
As Quinn led the doctor to the door, Seamus suggested, “Why don’t you all take your things up to your rooms and get settled.”
“Think we could get the cook to fire up an early breakfast?” Dare asked.
With a smile, Seamus replied, “I don’t see why not.”
After we started climbing the stairs, Kellan’s voice interrupted the silence. “It might be better if you chose one of the guest rooms for tonight.”
Whirling around, I pinned him with a hard stare. Apparently, my statement from earlier had fallen on deaf ears. “Excuse me?”
He flushed before ducking his head. “I just thought maybe it might be better to give Caterina a night alone to get acclimated to her new surroundings.”
“I am her new surroundings.”
Although I knew it pained him greatly, Kellan merely nodded. As Seamus directed my brothers to their rooms, I stopped at mine.
After rapping my knuckles against the door, I waited for Caterina to open it. I knocked again. “Caterina?” I called.
I exchanged a glance with Dare whose room was across the hall. He shrugged. “Maybe she’s in the shower?”
With worry nagging my gut, I replied, “Or maybe she’s taken the sheets and hanged herself in the closet.”