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“Nope,” Gibsie replied for me, reaching for another shot glass. “Not happening. So you can keep on walking, turncoat, because he’s not biting.” “Shag off, Gibs.” Cormac glared down at him. “I wasn’t talking to you.” “Maybe not,” Gibs replied, tossing his drink back. “But I’m sure as hell talking to you.” Shoving his stool back, he jerked to his feet and squared up to Cormac. “Now turn your ass around and take your little girlfriend back to the hole you both crawled out from.”
“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” Hughie groaned, voicing my thoughts aloud. “He had to push it.” “Yep,” Katie agreed glumly. “He sure did.”
“I’ve got no problem with you, Gibsie,” Cormac barked. “My issue’s with Kavanagh.” “Well, that’s too bad, because I have a huge fucking problem with you,”
“Trouble?” Gibsie laughed humorlessly, and then he swung his fist, catching Cormac straight in the jaw. “I’m going to rip this fucker’s head off,” he roared, barreling into him.
“Walk away, lad,” I commanded in a low tone as I clamped a hand on his shoulder and pulled him back to me. “This isn’t your fight.” “Like hell it’s not,” he snarled, lunging forward so hard that I had to double my efforts to keep him at bay. “You’re my best friend and this prick has been disrespecting you for months.”
“Did you enjoy that?” I seethed, not even flinching. “Because that’s the only way you’ll put your hands on me again.”
“Stop,” Cormac commanded, pushing her behind his back. “Don’t hit him.” “He deserves it,” she screamed. “Because I don’t want you?” I tossed back and laughed. “Oh yeah, because that’s how life works.”
“Can’t hit a girl, which means I’ll be coming for the next best thing,” I explained. “So, bear in mind that every single time your Bella decides to make a threat, spread a nasty rumor, or fuck with my Shannon, I’ll return the favor on your face. Every single goddamn time.”
I should have known better than to leave my phone alone with him when I went for a shower. The last time he got ahold of my phone, he renamed my mother Sugar Tits and Bella Devil Pussy. It was all shits and giggles until Sugar Tits texted me in the middle of the night, demanding I come downstairs and unlock the front door because she was standing outside and wanted to come inside. Not knowing who the hell was texting me, I had replied with more profanities than I cared to think about before threatening to call the Gardaí—on my own bleeding mother.
“Where are we heading?” Straight to your house because I wanna fuck your sister, I thought to myself.
“What the fuck?” Joey barked seconds before two hands slammed down on the hood of his car. “Get off my car, asshole!” “You’re stealing my center,” Gibsie roared in the window as he leaned over the hood of the car. “Give him back.” His eyes darted from Joey to me, recognition sparking. “Hey, Cap.” He grinned, head lolling to one side. “How’s it going? I’ve been looking everywhere for you.” “And this clown is?” Joey asked, tone derisive, attention locked on Gibsie who was having a one-way conversation with me through the windscreen of his car. “He’s my flanker,” I grumbled before turning my
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“He looked at me, Johnny—shone his big fucking torch right in my eyes,” he called back. “I panicked and jumped out of the car.” Shrugging, he added, “I’ve been running around town ever since.” He narrowed his eyes. “I tried to call you but you kept cutting me off!” I glared at him. “You’re King Clit?” “Oh, yeah,” Gibsie snickered. “I forgot about that.” “What’s Hughie down as?” “Ginger Pubes,” he replied like it was the most obvious thing ever. It wasn’t. “He’s blond,” I growled. “His girlfriend isn’t.”
But instead of climbing or crawling inside, the bastard lunged into the back seat.
“I hope there’s not any more of you,” he said. “The car’s weighing down at the back.” “Sorry,” I began to say but was cut off by Gibsie. “It’s his fault—the fat bastard,” he announced. Turning to face me, he added, “Hey, is your dick okay, man? I’m really sorry about that. I hope I didn’t squash your balls.” I narrowed my eyes at him. “Go fuck yourself, Gerard.”
tonight… Hold up!” Grabbing the front of my shirt, he dragged me toward him and sniffed my mouth. “You traitor!” he choked out, looking comically horrified. “You went to the chipper!”
“We’re supposed to be on a diet!” Gibsie hissed in an appalled tone before quickly asking, “Did you get me something?” “Yeah, I got you a burger.” “Thanks, Johnny.” “And then I got hungry so I ate it.” “You’re a monster.”
“Hey.” Suddenly realizing he was in the company of strangers, Gibsie leaned through the middle of their seats and asked, “Who the fuck are you guys?”
“Because I fucked her—” “You what?” Joey roared, slamming on the brakes. The sudden jolt of the car stopping caused Gibsie and me to lunge forward. Turning around, Joey glared at me. “You better be messing around right now, Kavanagh, because I swear to Christ I will—” “Over!” I hurried to explain, dragging myself back onto the seat. “I fucked her over on her first day. Embarrassed her on the pitch when I knocked her out.”
But I want to fuck her… I want in your sister so bad you wouldn’t believe it… The things I imagine doing to her would shock you…
“Thanks again,” I said before reaching into the back and hauling Sleeping Beauty himself out of the car. “I owe you one.”
“What I’m trying to say here is that I appreciate you looking out for my sister,” he finally said. “She’s had a hard few years and Tommen seems like a good fit for her. So, I guess I’m hoping that you continue keeping an eye out for her at school—you know, making sure no one is giving her any hassle.” My brows shot up. “Ah, yeah, sure. That’s no problem.”
“Ciara Maloney’s boyfriend,” Joey filled in, giving me an odd look. “Some fella from Tommen beat the shit out of him in town yesterday.” “Oh?” I arched a brow and folded my arms across my chest. “Is that so?” Joey smirked. “Yeah, it is.”
“But I don’t get why she would do this for me.” “Me either,” I teased. “Especially when you look so much like Shrek.” “Cheeky fucker,” he chuckled, play-shoving me.
“That’s the one.” Joey nodded, then released a low chuckle. “Bloody eejit threw himself on top of the car, demanding I give him back his center.” Laughing, he added, “He looked serious, too. Like he genuinely thought I was kidnapping Kavanagh.”
“Do me a favor, Kav,” Joey called over his shoulder. “Go and check on my sister, will ya?” My heart leaped in my chest. “Shannon?”
“What the fuck is that?” he demanded, voice deathly quiet, as his blue eyes blazed with fire. “What?” I squeezed out, panic-stricken. Tipping my chin up, he brushed my hair off my shoulder and released a low growl. “That,” he growled, trailing his thumb over my cheekbone. “And that,” he added, skimming the curve of my eye.
“You don’t smell it because you’re immune,” Gibsie retorted. Turning to Joey, he said, “He lets the mutt sleep on his bed every night.” “Call my dog a mutt again and you’ll be wearing that frying pan,” Johnny warned.
“I’m going to hug you,” Johnny whispered in my ear. “Tell me if that’s not okay.” Sniffling, I turned inward and buried my face in his side, answering his question with actions. Johnny’s arms came around me, pulling me close, and I clutched his shirt in my hand, fisting the fabric tightly as sobs racked my body. “I’m here for you,” he told me, voice gruff and thick as his hand moved in slow circles over my back. “If you need someone to talk to”—he pulled me closer—“I’m right here.”
I couldn’t live like this. I was so alone. All my life. I was so scared.
“I couldn’t keep your pants up.” His lips twitched in amusement. “No?” I shook my head, cheeks burning. “I’m too small.” “That’s okay,” he replied gruffly. “I like it.” “You like it?” “I mean I—” He shook his head and exhaled a sigh. “I mean I don’t mind.” “Will your parents mind?” I tucked my hair behind my ear nervously. “I mean, they won’t think…” “No,” Johnny replied but he sounded distracted. “Are you sure?” His gaze roamed over me, making my skin flood with heat. “No, it’s, uh, good.”
“So?” Johnny replied, still with his back to me. “Having a vagina doesn’t automatically tie you to a cooker—or a fucking hoover.” He shook his head. “Christ, if I even thought about pulling that sexist shite on my ma, she’d cut my balls off.” “That’s a healthy way to approach life,” I told him, thrilled by his words. “That’s the only way to approach life,” he corrected. “We’re in the twenty-first century,” he added. “Not the eighteen hundreds.”
I was completely fucking clueless, armed and ready to go to war for a girl I didn’t know, against an enemy no one would tell me about. Jesus, I was so fucked in the head from her. It was getting out of hand.
“It’s her, man. You were right. I am completely fucked in the head, and I need you to stop me from doing something stupid with that girl.” “Which girl?” “Which girl do you think, asshole?” I snarled. “Shannon.”
Similar to Shannon, the ‘resurrectionator’ of your bollocks that day outside the P.E hall.” Snickering, he added in a deep voice, “She shall appear and he shall arise.”
“But then I snatched her back.” “What the fuck?” “I know,” I barked. “I know.” “How do you snatch a girl, Johnny?” I shrugged helplessly. “Fuck knows, but I did it.” “Why?” “Because I couldn’t let her go,” I admitted truthfully,
“So, what are you asking me to do here, Johnny?” he asked, smirking. “Are you saying you want me to cockblock you?” “I’m saying that if you see me bulldozing over any lines, pull me back,” I bit out. “I don’t trust myself around her.”
“Keep that pathetic shit talk up, and I won’t want to be your friend, you big vagina,” Gibsie snorted. “‘What if she doesn’t want to be my friend?’” he mocked
“Fine, lad, I’ll help you,” Gibsie replied with a sigh. “Even though it’ll never work, you’re doomed to fail, and I’ll more than likely end up giving the best man speech at your wedding at some ridiculously young age because you’ll have bulldozed the shit out of things, for now, I will absolutely help you bury your head in the sand.”
When he broke his promise of sobriety to my mother last night, I wasn’t even surprised. When he used my neck as a squeeze toy, I didn’t even flinch. I was just so tired. A part of me prayed he would just get it over with.
“Johnny’s not Bella’s fella.” Claire snorted. “She, on the other hand, is everyone’s girl.”
“I wouldn’t be so sure about that,” Helen piped up, looking worried. “Bella can be a right bitch when she wants to be.” “Oh yeah?” Claire shot back, placing a hand on my shoulder. “Well, so can I.”
“Nice catch,” I finally breathed, looking up at his face with a mixture of shock and admiration as he held my entire body up with one hand. His lips twitched. “Thanks.” “Well, you’re definitely better at catching than throwing.”
“Honestly, Johnny offering to drop me home is probably just another one of his ways of trying to make up for knocking me up on the pitch.” “Excuse me?” Mrs. Kavanagh spluttered, eyes bulging. “It was an accident,” I quickly interjected. “He didn’t mean for it to happen. If anyone’s at fault, then I am. I shouldn’t have gone there. I distracted him. But he took good care of me afterward.” I blew out a breath before adding, “He was very kind.” “And when did this accident happen?” “Back in January,” I explained, my hand automatically moving to cup the back of my head. “The doctors at the hospital
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“I’m sorry,” I squeezed out, clasping my hands together anxiously. “Your mam thought I was your…that we were…that you got me…with your pregnant balls… Ugh—” Clearing my throat, I whispered, “I’m sorry.” Johnny turned back to face me and smirked. “My pregnant balls?”
“Uh, okay?” she replied nervously, though it sounded more like a question. “If you want me to?” Jesus, she needed to stop asking me what I wanted her to do. If she kept it up, I might be stupid enough to tell her the truth. And then we were both screwed.
And being here with Johnny was a good kind of terrifying. I wanted to be here with him. I wanted him, period.
do you want to do?” “I don’t mind,” I replied. “I’ll do whatever you want to do.” “Fuck.” Johnny clenched his eyes shut and groaned. “Oh god, are you okay?” I hurried to ask, well aware he was in pain. “All good,” he assured me in a tight tone.
Bro's down bad
“Do you want me to go?” He shook his head. “Are you sure?” He nodded slowly. “I want you to stay.”
“Oh,” I breathed, staring down at what looked like the happiest little boy in the world. “Well, you were a gorgeous child.” “Was?” Johnny quipped. “As in, I’m not anymore?” “Uh, no… I mean yes, of course… I didn’t… Um, you have all your teeth now,” I spluttered, feeling flustered and foolish for voicing my thoughts aloud.
Smooth
“I’m the best,” I cackled as I cleared another mission. “I did try to warn you.” “Yeah, well, I didn’t expect you to be the Bill fucking Gates of Grand Theft Auto, did I?” I laughed loudly, feeling completely at ease with him in this moment.
