Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1)

by Chloe Walsh

I once read somewhere that we mature with damage, not with age.

Experience told me that boys were dogs. And fathers. Fathers were bastards and men couldn’t be trusted. Not all men, I begrudgingly admitted, but most were.

I could always depend on this fucker. Hail, rain, or snow, Gibsie had my back.

When I turned back, I found Shannon standing exactly where I left her, watching me with a nervous expression. She had her arms wrapped protectively around herself, with her long brown hair drenched from the rain and sticking in wet clumps to her face, and in my whole life, I’d never seen anything so beautiful. Jesus.

“Don’t ever lie to me again,” he finally said in a quiet tone as he cast me a sideways glance. “I can’t take it.” “I won’t,” I told him, hating the lie as it fell from my lips.

You’re playing with fire. This girl is going to ruin you.

“I am losing my bleeding mind, Gibs.” “Nah, your mind’s still there,” Gibsie chuckled, patting my shoulder. “It’s your heart you’re losing, lad.”

“Boom, boom, fucking boom.”

“Stings will toughen you up,” he told me. “There’s a big bad world out there, son. It’s all sharp edges.”