Binding 13 (Boys of Tommen, #1)

by Chloe Walsh

If she was here, then she was here with me. She was mine and I didn’t want to share.

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.

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.

“So, this is my room,” he said with a smirk, waving a hand around the still-messy room. “Again.”

I wanted to be here with him. I wanted him, period.

“What do you want to do?”

“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 ...

“Someone touched you,” Johnny whispered in my ear, placing his fingers on the marks. “I want to know who.”

he stared right back at me, blue eyes scorching holes in my soul, waiting for an explanation I could never give him.

“Tell me who put their hands on you,” he coaxed as he stood behind me, my face in his hand and his fingers on my throat. “And I’ll make it better.”

can help you,” he pleaded. “Let me help you.”

“Just tell me who’s hurting you and I’ll make it go away.” You can’t help me. No one can. I took that beating for talking to you. For taking a fucking picture with you. You are the last person who can help me.

In one stare, I felt like I had collided with him. It was instant and shocking.

was desperate for him. All of him. Every piece and part.

Releasing an unsteady breath, I reached up, grabbed Johnny’s neck, and pulled his face down to mine.

And then I kissed him.

“Jesus Christ,” Johnny groaned, dropping his head in his hands. “Of course, I like you.” He tugged on his hair and sighed. “I think it’s pretty fucking clear that I’m mad about you.”

“She kissed me.” Gibsie eyes lit up. “Yeah?” I nodded. “On my bed. In a towel. Looking like a fucking wet dream. She just fucking put her mouth on me, Gibs.”

“Did you see—” “Yes,” I snapped and then groaned loudly. “Fuck.” “And?” “Perfect.” “Fuck.” “Yep.” “Well, shit, lad,”

you’re the one who told me to be her friend,” I accused. “Well, I was wrong,” he chimed. “You can’t do it. It’ll never work. Give up now.”

“Because I need her—” I shook my head and expelled another frustrated breath. “Because I want to keep her in my life.” “You want to keep her, period,” Gibsie countered. “Because you are ass over tit in love with that girl.”

Whatever she needed from me, I was more than willing to provide.

Because of her. Because when she jumped, I flew clean off the ledge after her.

“Um, yeah, sure—of course,” Shannon mumbled, falling over her words in that adorable way she did when she was flustered. Don’t worry, baby, I thought to myself. I’m flustered too.

“I don’t want you to go,” she moaned. She actually fucking moaned in my ear.

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

Once I committed myself, once my heart laid claim on her, I might as well slap a label on my forehead stating, I’m yours. Please be gentle with me because I’m here to stay.

“Well,” Lizzie piped up. “You just earned some major brownie points in my eyes.” She patted my arm. “And trust me, I don’t give those out often.”

“Thank god. And for what it’s worth, I would have lost my shit, too,” he told me. “If some bitch talked about Claire like that, I would have blown ten head gaskets.”

“Binding thirteen,” Gibsie snickered as he tore off way too fucking fast for comfort. “Little Shannon blew that shit clean out of the water.”

don’t even feel like I have a choice anymore,” I confessed. “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.” “Fuck,” I choked out, biting down on my lip as sheer terror seized my chest. “Yeppers,” he agreed. “Terribly inconvenient, isn’t it?”

“What one did you mean to give me?” Johnny had a pinched expression when he said, “A Maroon 5 song.” “Oh?” I looked up at him. “Which one?” He shifted in discomfort. “‘She Will Be Loved.’”

John Mayer’s “Daughters.”

If only he knew how true those lyrics were, I thought to myself. If only…

She was worth it all.

“Do you mind?” I asked then.

He smirked. “No, baby, I don’t mind.”

keep our own defensive line,

love you, I almost blurted out, holding the three terrifying words back just in time. Oh my god! Where did that come from?

Stop lying to yourself, my brain hissed. You love him with every piece of your fractured heart…

He was broad. He was huge. And beautiful.

Johnny was being playful. It was strange, unexpected, and surprisingly welcome.

It didn’t matter, though, because when he looked at me like that, all smiles and interested eyes, I couldn’t stop myself from playing along.

“I reckon I can make those pretty cheeks of yours turn pink.” I turned scarlet. “Wh-what?”

“Keep poking your tongue out at me and I’m going to catch it.” I popped my tongue back in and gaped at him. “Yeah, right.” “Try it,” he dared, grinning. “Go on.”

“I’m scared, Shannon.” “Scared?” I felt him nod, his stubbly cheek rubbing against mine. “Of what?” “You.” “Me?” My heart flipped in my chest.

“I like you,” Johnny shot back without an ounce of hesitation. Well, I love you, Johnny Kavanagh! Even though you’re leaving. Even though you don’t feel the same. Even though loving you is going to break my heart. I love you with everything I have. And I probably always will.

“Because you’re beautiful,”

“Inside and out.”