Unless that was their front.
The NSA did shit like that all the time.
I rubbed the back of my neck. “I shouldn’t—”
“Shouldn’t, what? Tell me anything? Trust me, I’m completely in the dark,” she teased. “What do a prince and a bank have to do with anything?”
“Sounds like the punch line to a bad joke,” Finn mocked.
I cast a glance at the doorway and found him standing there, one arm against the jamb as he studied us both.
“What happened to your head, Kid?”
I hated that tone of voice. “I’m not nine, Finn.”
“You look like you are. I remember that time you came back busted up from fighting with Mark Benedict. Your ma went—” He tensed. Paused.
Aoife heaved an impatient sigh. “You can mention her, Finn. She exists. I’m not unaware of that fact.”
“You know I don’t like to upset you.”
“Then don’t freeze up when you mention her name. I know Hitler existed and you can say his name without me bursting into tears.”
“There’s a difference—”
“Yes, there is, but you freaking out when you mention her is more annoying than upsetting. So finish your sentence.”
She ended that with a glower that had me remarking, “I’d do as she says, Finn. She could freeze your balls off with that glare.”
Aoife chuckled, and Finn grumpily continued, “Your ma went apeshit over you getting into fights.”
“She would, wouldn’t she? Her good,pureboy suddenly fighting.” I let out a bitter laugh. “She had no idea.”
Aoife frowned but Finn inserted, “Aoife, leave the grouch with me. I’ll get him into bed.”
“You’re not my type,deartháir,” I mocked, earning a swat from Aoife on the shoulder and a grumble from Finn as he ambled over and hauled me out of the bathroom as if I were inebriated.
“What’s wrong with you?” he sniped in my ear.
“Conor, do you want me to call you when lunch is ready?” Aoife asked, not realizing her husband was whisper-bitching at me. “I made your favorite.”
That had me shooting her a loved-up look. The quick movement of my head whipping around had the blood rushing to it as I garbled, “Roasted duck with orange sauce?”
“Yep.”
“Consider yourself lucky that someone already smacked your head around or I’d do it for staring at her like that.”
Snorting, I leaned more heavily on him as I muttered, “I think I need to crash. Can I eat the leftovers?”
“Of course,” she reassured me, but her tone was worried. “I’ll set aside a plate for you.”
When Finn dumped me on the bed, I half-expected him to go with her, but the pair of them whispered at each other like I was five before she left and he returned to my side.
He dropped down to the other half of the bed, kicked up his heels as he settled back against a pillow, then demanded, “Come on then, talk. Who is it? That Star chick?”
That was when I knew I’d entered a parallel universe.
I started sputtering, but all I could get out was, “You think I have woman troubles?”