End Game (New York Stars Book 1)

IT’S cute that he’s nervous.

As we head to the penthouse, he tugs on the neckline of his sweater for the millionth time in the thirty seconds it takes to get up there.

I don’t say anything because these are the kind of nerves that I can’t help with.

This’ll go however it goes.

Paddy, for all that I’m annoyed at his edict, was in the right to give this a shot, and, with that in mind, I get to work on making this easier for him.

“Okay, so Conor O’Donnelly is behind purchasing the Stars. He has five brothers. Conor’s engaged, but the rest are married. He’s also got a stepdaughter; her name’s Katina.

“Declan and Aela have two kids, Shay and Cameron,” I drawl as I fluff up my hair in the elevator mirror with one hand, the other clutching onto a ridiculously expensive bottle of wine. “Finn and Aoife have a preschooler named Jake.

“As for Brennan, his wife is Camille, Eoghan’s is Inessa—those wives of theirs are sisters. Aidan Jr. is married to Savannah Daniels.”

“From TVGM? The news anchor?”

“Yup.”

“Okay. Got it.”

When he tugs on his neckline again, I turn to him and press my hand to his chest. “It’ll be fine.”

“Will it?”

“Yeah, it will, and if nothing else, Mom food. That’s gotta put a smile on your face.”

When he graces me with a mocking grin, I roll my eyes and turn back to the reflection to fix my blouse. He bought me this darling little corsage pin holder that’s barely the size of my pinkie finger. Earlier, he popped a tiny frond of lavender in there and the sweet scent’s still prevalent enough to perfume the small space we’re standing in.

“You like that, don’t you?” he asks after catching me toying with it.

“The pin?” I can’t resist returning my hand to his chest. “I do. It was very thoughtful of you.”

Such an old-fashioned gift but I’m coming to learn that, in some ways, Liam is old-fashioned.

His finger taps the underside of my chin. “Whenever you smell whatever I put there, you can think of me.”

My lips widen into a smile but before I can answer, the elevator doors open and spit us out onto the penthouse floor, only I’m not sure what I expected but this isn’t it.

Even Liam jolts in surprise and the hand that was hovering beneath my chin shifts so he can grab me by the arm, tugging me behind him as he retreats into the elevator when a girl, back flipping down the hallway, lands a bare inch away from us.

“KATINA! How many goddamn times have I told you not to do that?”

I peer around Liam’s arm to find a woman standing a mere foot away from us, clearly in lecture mode.

Personal space obviously isn’t a thing in this family because there are four of us in the elevator now. As large as it is, it’s not large enough for us to witness a lecture.

Katina is utterly unapologetic. “I didn’t mean to land in the elevator. The doors just opened out of the blue!”

“Leave the kid alone, Star.” A soft rumble comes from somewhere. “She’s only playing.”

“Playing? Do you know what happens when elevators crash, Conor?” Star growls.

Immediately, I push Liam and say, “Let’s get out of it before it takes flight, huh?”

Star blinks as we both alight and finally stand on relatively terra firma. “Sorry. Not much of an introduction.”

“I don’t know. It’s pretty fitting for this madhouse,” the guy, who I recognize as being Conor from seeing him around the stadium, greets.

“This is Conor,” Star introduces. “I’m Star, and this is our brat, Katina.”

My lips curve. “Those were some mad back-flipping skills even if you surprised both of us.” I elbow Liam in the side. “This is Liam. I’m Gracie.”

“We know,” Katina grouches. “We’ve been waiting all morning for you.”

“You have, huh?” I tease.

“Yup. Grandma Lena is nervous. She almost burned the beef!”

Because she sounds scandalized, I immediately know that we’re in for a treat.

“You know, for a kid who used to be vegan,” Conor muses, “you sure like Ma’s food.”

Katina shrugs. “I’m Irish now.”

Star snorts. “We’re Irish.”

Conor’s smile is smug.

“Why was your grandma nervous?” Liam asks Katina.

Clearly, he’s with me in appreciating the massive icebreaker that Katina is.

“Because you’re Uncle Paddy’s son, of course.” Katina scoffs. “Everyone’s scared that you’re going to run, but I’ve seen you on the ice. I bet you suck at running without skates.”

His brows lift. “Is that a challenge?”

She smirks. “No challenge. It’s aerodynamics. You’re big. Big doesn’t run fast. It can’t.”

“You should see him on the treadmill,” I answer with a chuckle. “He’s faster than me.”

“You have little legs. Conor’s a good runner. He’s the right ratio—”

“Sorry about her,” Star apologizes. “I don’t know what her school is teaching her but it’s weird.”

“Not weird! It’s physics!” Katina sputters, more scandalized than ever. “And human biology. Certain bodies are better adapted for certain sports.” She peers at Liam’s legs. “I saw on TikTok that hockey players find it hard to buy pants. Do you?”

Liam’s eyes bug. “Excuse me?”

“Jesus, Kat!” Star grumbles.

Laughing, Conor retorts, “Yeah, cuz. Do you find it hard to buy pants?”

I grin. “I can confirm that he needs to have his pants tailored.”

Star rubs her forehead. “I’m going to have to start restricting your access to TikTok.”

Katina shoots her a winsome smile then, out of nowhere, twists into another backflip and goes up the hallway the same way she came.

Whistling under my breath, I ask, “That takes some skill.”

“She’s got a lot of energy today,” Conor excuses. “Because my brother has zero idea about kids, he gave her some of his coffee when she asked.”

“Fucking moron. Who doesn’t know that it’s a dumb idea to give an already precocious teen caffeine?”

“In Brennan’s defense,” Conor reasons, “Katina is pretty persuasive.”

“Yeah, and now we have an already hyper kid who’s more hyper than usual!” She throws her arms up in the air. “Anyway, Conor was right. That’s pretty much all the introduction you need. This family is crazy. Welcome to the madness.”

I know it’s unusual, but that ‘welcome’ couldn’t have been better. Even Liam’s nerves have abated some.

“Thank you for having us over,” he says politely, without needing me to prompt him.

“It’s our pleasure,” Conor answers as I pass Conor the wine I bought for this occasion. “Uncle Paddy said we had to wait before we brought you into the circle. Said we’re overwhelming, but I don’t know what he means.”

Star snorts again.

Hooking his arm over her shoulder, Conor hauls her into his side and smacks a kiss to her lips. “You love it.”

The flush on her cheeks is all the answer I need.

Again, that sense of welcome overwhelms me and they’re not even my family.

Conor remarks, “Come on, let me introduce you to everyone.”

“There are a lot of faces,” Star says. “Don’t worry if you don’t remember their names. They answer to anything.”

“Curse of coming from a big family,” Conor agrees. “We should have made everyone wear name tags.”

Star beams a grin at him. “I’d pay to see Eoghan with a name tag on.”

Chuckling, Conor offers, “I think I might have some stickers in our office. Pink ones that Katina left in there last week after that book project.”

Star ducks out from his hold. “Bear with me and I’ll make this happen.”

“You don’t need to,” Liam argues, eyes wide. “Gracie’s family is big. We’re used to it.”

Star wafts a hand. “Putting a sticker on Savannah’s Gucci dress will be priceless too.”

“And Inessa’s,” Conor chimes in.

Star’s cackle of agreement echoes down the hall as she retreats to their office.

Conor, on his own now, studies us both. “Paddy says you’re together?”

And how did Paddy know that?!

Still, I’m not sure why, but his words trigger a welter of nerves inside me. I don’t even know that I’ve done it until Liam is there, swooping in and pressing a kiss to my lips.

“What was that for?”

“You bit your lip,” he rumbles.

Conor clears his throat, but he’s smiling at us.

Somehow, I think I have his approval and I never realized that I needed it.

Especially when, a couple minutes later, he and Star, stickers and pen in hand, introduce us to the O’Donnelly clan…