23. Kael

23

KAEL

The entire Burke family gathers at Natalia's, a famous Italian restaurant in the area. It's an expensive one, too, but Patrick always picks up the tab, so I don't mind.

Paige and I arrive first, and she's dressed in a cute little sundress, one that seems a little short. Her thighs and calves are on full display, and I keep having to tear my eyes away.

Declan shows up in a rumpled, three-piece suit, clearly having already imbibed in some whiskey before he came, and Bree follows behind him, frowning.

He leans into her as they approach us. "You're just mad you can't drink."

She laughs, and there's no bitterness to it. "I'll drink you under the table as soon as this little one is out."

I laugh, too, walking up to Bree and hugging her. "Congratulations."

"Thank you."

"Want a drink?" Declan heads toward the bar, and Bree rolls her eyes.

The Irish celebrate and mourn in the same way. Alcohol .

I follow Declan to the bar, and he orders us both Irish whiskey on the rocks.

I quietly ask the bartender to add a splash of soda water to mine, and she does so, smiling brightly up at me. In any other circumstance, when I wasn't working, I might flirt with her, but I've got to keep my eyes and ears open. This might be a gathering, but not for me. This is work.

Besides, I don't really feel like flirting with her.

My eyes fly to Paige.

I'm doomed.

The Burkes all gathered together in public would be sitting ducks for Murphy, and I'm sure he's still pissed that his daughter married Declan, so I need to keep my wits about me.

Gray and Lara arrive together, and Paige instantly goes to her sister's side, whispering to her.

Is she telling her about what happened between us? Surely, not. She wouldn't want Lara to blab to her father.

Or worse, to Declan.

I glance over at my best friend, feeling guilty for craving his baby sister, but Declan seems none the wiser.

He sips his drink, turning toward me. "How's the babysitting going?"

"Fine."

He snorts. "That doesn't sound all that fine."

"It's challenging." I shrug. "You know Paige."

"Indeed, I do, which is why I hired you for the job instead of someone else. I think you can handle her."

Oh, I handled her all right.

I clear my throat to push images of what happened between us out of my head. I haven't been able to stop thinking about it .

Days have gone by, and she's been in her room, almost like she's avoiding me.

I glance over at her, and she's talking animatedly to Gray, now, her hands moving with her words. I can't help but crack a smile at her bubbly personality.

Declan raises an eyebrow at me. "Seems like you two don't hate each other as much as you used to."

"I never hated her."

Declan's face goes blank, and I know what that means. I better explain myself and fast.

I shrug. "Didn't care enough to hate her."

His expression relaxes. Crisis averted. But I need to be more careful with both my words and my actions. Which is not easy.

I'm supposed to help provide security for the dinner, but as everyone huddles around the bar, all I can do is look at Paige.

I make my way over to her as everyone waits for Patrick, and as if she feels my presence, she shivers.

She turns to look at me, huffing out a breath. "Do you have to be everywhere I am?"

"It's kind of my job," I drawl, looking down into her deep green eyes.

"There's like five other bodyguards here." She waves her arms around to prove her point. "Pretty sure you don't even have to be here."

"Declan wants me to have eyes on you at all times." I pause. "Besides, you didn't seem to mind it when?—"

"Don't you start." She huffs. "That was a temporary lapse in judgment."

I roll my eyes, but I can't help smiling. I have to admit that I enjoy this back and forth that we have, how she keeps pretending to hate me .

Declan calls me over for another drink, and I sigh when I look down at the whiskey and soda he ordered me.

"This is my last one. I'm supposed to be watching out for Paige and the rest of you, not getting sloppy drunk."

He nods solemnly, clapping a hand on my shoulder. "I really appreciate everything you've done for us. For Paige."

"Not doing it for her," I mutter, willing myself to believe it. "I'm loyal to the Burkes. I'll protect all of you as long as you need."

Declan grins, and his wife tugs at his arm. "Patrick's here."

He nods, and we all trail to the dinner table.

I stand around with the rest of the security guards, looking out for who might be coming in and out of the building.

"Paige is really growing up, isn't she?" a voice from beside me says, and I blink, turning toward him.

It's one of Patrick's men, an older man named John, and I almost wrinkle my nose. He's way too old to be thinking of Paige in that way.

"Don't know what you're talking about." I grit my teeth, but he grunts and keeps staring at Paige's legs.

I want to hit him, but I don't think the Burkes would want me to start a brawl in the middle of dinner, so I decide to ignore him.

I focus on the table instead. And I know I shouldn't be listening in, but I can't seem to help myself as they chatter.

"Have you been seeing anyone new, Lara?"

Lara shakes her head. "Same old, same old," she drawls, and Paige laughs out loud.

I smile.

Patrick is looking over at Paige like she hung the moon, and I suspect he misses his baby girl .

God, the things I did to Patrick Burke's baby girl... He'd take my head off if he had any idea how often I think about it in the shower.

Lara turns to her brother. "What about you, Gray? Anyone special?"

His face shadows for a second before he grins. "Plenty of newbies, but nobody special."

What was that about?

Paige scoffs. "You never have someone special. Haven't brought anyone home in?—"

Lara cuts her off. "Well, none of us have found love. Except Declan."

"And even then, it was thrust upon him." Gray chuckles while Bree glares at him.

Declan puts an arm around his wife, and she smiles up at him with love in her eyes so strong that it makes me look away. It feels like an intimate moment between them.

I've never really thought that love like that existed, but being around Declan and Bree, I'm starting to believe.

Not that I'd ever feel that way. I don't let anyone get close enough.

Paige is getting close.

I shake myself out of that minefield.

We're not that close. I'm just keeping an eye on her, that's all.

Aiden, one of Declan's usual bodyguards, nudges me with his shoulder as we stand over at the bar. "You're sure guarding Paige pretty closely."

I shrug, sipping my soda water with lime. I want to keep my head clear. "That's my job, isn't it?"

Even I can hear the edge of irritation to my voice.

I don't really get along with the other bodyguards. I don't really get along with anyone but Declan and Gray and Patrick.

He snorts. "You think you're such hot shit, getting the job watching the baby girl."

"I'm no better than anyone else." I take another sip of my drink to avoid saying the few choice words I want to let out.

My eyes find Paige as she talks to Gray about something, her hands moving as she speaks. She really talks with her hands, and it's kind of cute.

"I think you've got the hots for her."

"I think you're a fecking idiot."

He stands up straighter, puffing his chest out. "You wanna take this outside?"

I look him up and down coolly. "No. I want to stay here and do my job. I suggest you do the same."

Then my eyes go back to Paige, and she's looking back at me with an expressionless gaze. There's something flashing in her green eyes, though, and I don't know if it's anger or lust or some combination of both.

We both know what happened between us, and how we have to keep it a secret for the rest of our lives. No one can ever find out.

She tears her gaze away, turning to her father.

After dinner is over, Gray stands up, giving his father and Declan a knowing look.

"We should take you girls home." Declan stands up and wobbles a bit.

One of his men walks up behind him, chuckling. "I think I'll drive."

"Good idea." Declan gives him a goofy grin, leaning down to kiss Bree's cheek as she stands up .

She goes to the head of the table. "Thank you for dinner, Patrick."

"Of course. I'm about to be a grandfather, wanted to celebrate you two and my new grandbaby."

She smiles, leaning down to hug Patrick, and Gray and Lara also say their goodbyes. Thank God, John and Aiden leave with the group, and it's just me and a few guys I don't know very well waiting around to guard Patrick and Paige.

Patrick holds his hand out to Paige when she goes to get up. "Don't go yet, a'stor. Wanted to see you. It feels like it's been a dog's ear."

Paige smiles, moving to sit right next to her father, and he takes her hands in his.

I look away, feeling like I shouldn't be part of this conversation, but I can't help listening in.

"How have you been?"

"Good, Da. The nightmares are better with Kael around."

I'm surprised that she admitted that to her father, of all people, but he just hums and continues speaking.

"I hate not having you at home."

"I know, Da, but I'm safe. Kael keeps me safe."

Hearing that makes my heart swell. I'm glad that's what she feels around me.

"But I could keep you safe." Patrick pats one of her hands. "I could keep you safe, and you could be at the house with me."

"I like my freedom, Da," she says gently. "That's why I moved out in the first place."

"But things are different now, Paige. You were hurt. They almost captured you."

"I thought we didn't talk about business at the dinner table. "

"Dinner's over."

Paige sighs. "Da, I love you, but I can't live at home my whole life."

"Why not? Everyone else is there. And I guess I was just hoping for you to be my little girl a little longer."

I glance over at them, and Paige smiles wryly at her father.

"I'm twenty-seven, Da."

"Still. You're my baby, you know that, a'stor . I miss you when you're not around."

"I promise to make it to every family dinner from now on, and I'll visit in between, too."

Patrick smiles widely, finally letting go of her hands.

I shouldn't keep watching. I shouldn't keep staring at Paige, but watching her is my job, right?

It has nothing to do with how I feel a twitch in my boxers every time her mouth parts because I imagine it around my cock.

It has nothing to do with the way she arched up beneath me, the way she put her arms around my neck to kiss me deeply, rolling her hips against me.

She keeps saying it's a one-time thing. I keep thinking it needs to remain a one-time thing. But I don't know if I can keep that up.

I want her again. Crave her. Can't get enough.

Why, of all the women in Chicago, is it Paige Burke I got addicted to?