Startled, Ava takes an influx of air. Either I’m hallucinating more than me mam, or Ava has a ghost haunting her. My heart stalls in my chest as Ava collects herself. She forces a smile. “Let me guess. Your bully big brother finally saw reason?”
Kiera laughs. “Hey, I probably gave it away.”
“Just a little.”
I place my hands on my sister’s shoulders, kneading softly, displacing her along the side of the SUV. Returning to Ava, I help her out.
Her eyebrow lifts.
“What’s wrong, Ava?”
“Aside from an alien invasion.” Her hand slips from mine, and I shut the door. “Well, you’re not chivalrous. I suppose you’ve rules to discuss with Kiera.”
Although I stare at Ava a beat, it’s me who caves. Aye, I’ve a few stipulations?or a hundred. And no, I don’t want to see a crater has taken root between Ava and me, not after all we did, teaming up to find my sister.
* * *
“You can’t pay me to teach my girl,” Ava folds her arms. “First, I hardly have two years of college education. It doesn’t constitute an AA—almost, not quite. Second, I’d give her special treatment.”
“Oh, man, that could’ve stayed between you and me.” Kiera snorts.
I wag a finger. “No. Nothing’s limiting the education my wee sister’s to obtain.”
“The last two assistants you had,” Ava glances me over, “appear to no longer work for you, Kieran.”
Aye, Marty, and the other guy I hung upside down only to snap hisfeckingneck.
“Who’ll conduct the background checks?” Ava asks.
I run a hand over the scruff of my jaw. “Leith. Only trust him to do the job.”
“Oh, Leith!” Kiera pumps a fist.
“Leith’s a MacKenzie,” Ava muses aloud. “With your high turnover rate, shouldn’t you hire him full time? For techie security purposes and to keep our Kiera safe?”
My sister shakes her head. “Nah. Leith’s wife’ll kill him for too many clan affairs.”
I agree. “They’re straight shooters. In fact, he’s developing video games now. That’s all the action he gets.”
Later tonight, I find Ava on the balcony outside of her bedroom. She’s taking in the pristine forest. Ava straightened her hair, and it hangs loose over her shoulder. I stop in my tracks. The tips of her tresses brush across the small of her lower back. My heart nearly stops in my chest.Heaven help me. A tiny silk swath disappears between two lovely mounds.
A gentle breeze collects Ava’s sweet, natural scent, and I let out a ragged breath.
My fingertips massage over Ava’s spine as I speak. “Why’re you viewing the stars as if you’d not expect them to be there tomorrow night? And the night after that.”
Moaning, Ava caresses my dick with her voice. “And the night after that. Um, Boston’s up next?” A smile lightens Ava’s honey skin.
“End of summer,” I reply. My fingertips slip down the curve of Ava’s back to cup her prettyarseand pull her against the bulge in my pants.
“I’ll have a few more security cameras installed at my home there. Have a personal driver hired for Kiera. Visit the private schools around Boston, drop off a few extra suitcases of cash—over the admittance fee. So that they know how important the lassie is.”
“Hmmm, enough suitcases to remodel an already grand library.” Turning around at the railing, Ava loops her arms around me. “End of summer—check. By way of a few cameras, you’re indicating . . .”
“Enough to surveillance the White House.”
“Check. Now for Kiera’s driver. They should have the skills to double as a secret agent—only providing intel to you—of course. Very thorough,” Ava murmurs, between planting kisses on my jaw. “Oye,you’re missing one thing.”
“What?”