Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1)

by Chloe Walsh

“Morning,” Gibsie acknowledged, sinking into the passenger seat of my car on Tuesday morning. “How’d training go yesterday?” “I fucked up!” I blurted out. “You fucked up?” Gibsie arched a brow as he buckled himself in. “In training?” “No.” I shook my head. “I didn’t go.” “Why not?” “Because I fucked up!” “How?” “Fuck.” Groaning, I shifted into gear and pulled away from his house. “So fucking bad.” Tightening my hands on the wheel, I released a pained growl. “So fucking, fucking bad, Gibs.” “Are you going to say anything other than the word fuck?” he drawled as he pulled a blank CD out of his schoolbag and slid it into my CD case. “By the way, I burned this for you last night,” he added with a smirk. “I think you’ll enjoy it.” “Thanks,” I grumbled, too distracted to concentrate on anything other than my raging thoughts. “Now,” Gibsie said, pulling out a box of cigarettes. He placed one between his lips and sparked up. “Are you going to tell me how you fucked up?” “Roll the window down,” I grumbled. “You know I can’t stand the smell of those things.” “I presume this meltdown has something to do with little Shannon?” he offered as he rolled the window down and exhaled a cloud of smoke out of it. I nodded again, feeling panicky. All night, I had been waiting to get this shit off my chest. I could hardly breathe with the pressure in my body—that, and my regrets, and the smell of her on my sheets. I couldn’t even enjoy having dinner with my da, something that because of conflict...