“And who are you?” Trevor asked, all petulant. He looked like he was preparing to get comfortable, like he was going to stand in Eilish’s doorway until she finally gave up and invited him in.

“Patrick’s father,” I shot back pointedly and heard a tiny squeak of a gasp from Eilish.

“Oh,” said Trevor, the steam going out of his engine altogether.

I wondered why Sean hadn’t come out yet. If I knew anything about my teammate, it was that he’d rather Eilish date John Mayer than this piece of work. I’d say he was jumping for joy when Eilish dumped him. I mean, come on. It had to have been her who did the dumping.

A moment of silence elapsed and I relished every second of it, unable to help the smug smile claiming my mouth.

“I’ll just . . . uh . . . go grab that movie real quick,” she said haltingly, as though she didn’t want to leave me alone with her ex, but she didn’t have another choice.

I wasn’t going anywhere.

Avoiding my eyes as she passed, I waited until she was gone before turning my full attention to Trevor. Taking a few steps closer, I marched him backward and out of the doorway. “What’s your game?”

“Excuse me?”

“Why are you here?” I asked, enunciating my words like he was slow. He didn’t like that. I could tell by how the vein in his forehead popped.

“I came to get my movie back.”

“Bullshit. What do you want with Eilish?”

“Hey! Our relationship is none of your business.”

I cocked my head. “You don’t have a relationship. You broke up, so quit finding convenient reasons to stop by. How many times has it been this week, huh? Three? Four?”

He clenched his jaw, his nostrils flaring. “Like I said, it’s none of your bus—”

“Of course it’s my business. We have a child together.”

“She never mentioned you before.”

“She didn’t need to. I’m standing right in front of you now. And I’m telling you to sling your hook. Whatever went on between you, which I’m sure wasn’t much, is over. I’m here now.”

“You can’t just—”

I stepped even closer, breathing down on him. “Trevor, do yourself and favor and leave. Eilish dumped you. Move on.”

Something about the way I said it must’ve hit a nerve because his lip began to quiver. Without another word, he turned and stomped away.

I watched him go and . . . now I felt bad.

Well, kind of.

I shut the door and let out a heavy sigh. I didn’t need him coming around bothering Eilish, especially not with Patrick in the mix. The idea of her dating, of strange men being around my kid, made me want to break something. It was a foreign sensation, and some might argue I had no right being territorial given I’d only just come into their lives, but I couldn’t help it. I had a deep and uncontrollable need to protect them, particularly from unworthy arseholes like Trevor.

Needing a glass of water, I made my way down to the kitchen and found Sean sitting by the counter, a beer in his hand and a smirk on his face.

“I must say, that was quite the performance.”

I grit my teeth. “You were listening.”

“Of course I was. Wouldn’t want to miss you putting Trevor Donovan in his place. Never liked the fellow myself.” He handed me a bottle of water, and I popped it open.

“He looks like a fucking twat, Sean. What was Eilish thinking?”

“She was thinking it’s none of your business,” came another voice, and I winced. Eilish stood in the doorway, her expression hard. “What happened to Trevor?”

“He left,” I answered simply and knocked back a gulp of water.

“What did you say to him?”

I shrugged. “A few home truths.”

“You had absolutely no right,” Eilish said. Her tone was calm but her entire body radiated tension.

I took a step toward her and moved to place a hand on her shoulder; she flinched out of my grip, her eyes shooting daggers.

Was it wrong I found her irresistibly sexy when she was angry?

But I didn’t want her to be angry, not with me. In order to see my way safely out of this mess, I was going to have to channel old-school Bryan Leech, the charming bugger who could talk his way out of a military quarantine, not the crusty old bastard I was now.

The main problem was, I didn’t know if any part of the old me was left.

Chapter Fourteen

THEBryanLeech: Why does Dracula have no friends? Because he’s a real pain in the neck. LOL.

RonanFitz to THEBryanLeech: I thought it was because he’s always hogging the batroom :-D

WillthebrickhouseMoore to THEBryanLeech RonanFitz: I worry for you both…I really do.

*Bryan*

Careful to keep my voice conversational, I gave Eilish a smile that I hoped was equal parts charming and apologetic. “You obviously didn’t want him coming around. I thought I was doing you a favor, but I overstepped the line. My mistake. I apologize, it won’t happen again.”

At this I heard a snort from behind. Sean. Clearly, he didn’t believe me. Or my smoothing-skills were now terrible. Probably a bit of both.

“Yes, well, apology accepted,” Eilish said, stiff as she took another step backward. I got the sense she didn’t like or appreciate my closeness. “But I would like it if you—both of you,” her eyes flickered to Sean and then back to me, “respected my boundaries. My personal life is mine.”