Page 52 of Shattered Veil
Balor grabbed a little bit of everything.
“Oh, there was salad?” I ask, seeing someone walk by holding a plate overflowing with dark, leafy greens.
“Aye, I guess.” Balor stabs a tiny meatball, looking at it with suspicion. “I don’t know a lot about women, but handing one a salad unsolicited is a quick way to get kicked in the balls.”
I choke a laugh around my chicken wing. “I wouldn’t kick you in the balls. I wouldn’t kick anyone in the balls.”
Balor turns to me. “Not even your ex?”
Every muscle in my body tenses. “It never occurred to me. I’m not a violent person.”
Balor grumbles. “The asshole counted on that.”
He eats with more force like he’s annoyed. I hope not at me. He brought it up.
“I’m getting some salad.” I scoot away before he or Trace can stop me.
I’m no one, so I don’t need protecting the way Balor does. He’s mob royalty and a billionaire.
Seeing more plates put out, I juggle two and make one for Trace.
Returning to the table, I shove it at him. “Eat, Trace. Please. You have to be hungry. What good will it do if something happens and you’re light-headed?”
He glances down at the heaping plate I made for him. With a faint smile, he takes it and sits down to eat. “Thank you, lass.”
I devour my entire plate of salad while Balor speaks on his phone. It’s been ringing since we arrived.
One by one, each brother calls him, offering to drive up to collect us.
Over and over Balor tells them the roads are closed. He hangs up, and then another call comes in and it starts all over again.
“Your family cares about you.” I nudge him.
He nods, rolling his eyes. “It’s because I’m one of the youngest.”
“And how old is young?”
“Thirty-five. My sister Shea-Lynne is just a year older than me.”
Trace visibly tightens his fork hearing Balor mention his sister.
Balor and I hold each other’s gaze, and the depth in his eyes suggests he wants to open up more. I lay my hand on his thigh and watch his eyes flutter. I’m ready to ask him what bothers him about his brothers, but he cuts me off.
“My brothers are not used to me being out of reach. Lachlan often needs my help with intel if someone he dragged to the black site isn’t cooperating.”
“Black site?” I’ve heard that term in movies. “And whatdoesisn’t cooperatingmean?”
Balor’s body goes rigid, and his green eyes penetrate me.
“Never mind,” I say, figuring it’s best I don’t know.
“It’s the place we take people who deserve to be punished for betraying us.” The calmness of his voice scares the living hell out of me.
“I see.”
“It’s nothing you need to worry about.” He wipes his mouth. “My brothers forget how much they need me until I’m not around. They put Shane through the wringer while I was in Sydney.”
Mentioning Australia thickens the tension around the table.