Saving 6 (Boys of Tommen, #3)

by Chloe Walsh

Her gaze flicked to mine. The moment our eyes collided, I felt a pang of heat shoot straight to my chest. Holy fuck.

With a defiant tilt of her chin, she gave me a look that said, What are you waiting for? Well, shit. What was I waiting for?

“I don’t want fifty more girls,” I replied, twisting back to find her still watching me. “I just want that girl.”

“You saw me back there,” she stated evenly, green eyes snaring me. “I did.” “You kept walking.” I nodded like a fool. “I did.” “Don’t do that again.” Fuck me. “I won’t.” She looked me over once more before nodding in approval. “You’re beautiful.” Well, shit. “Likewise.”

“Does it matter?” I countered, needing to regain some ground I had lost to this powerhouse of a girl. “We both know that you’ll be calling me ‘baby’ by the end of the day.” She licked her lips to bury her smile. “Is that so?” I stepped closer. “You tell me, blondie.”

“So, should I spend more time with the male form in general?” she said, and somehow our fingers were entwined now. “Or with you? Because it’s safe to say that I’m impressed with the male form standing in front of me.”

“No, it’s my way of telling you that I will have a boyfriend once you ask me.” “Jesus.” My heart rate sped up. “You’re not backwards about anything, are you?”

“There,” she said with an approving nod, admiring her bright-pink bag on my shoulder. “That should do it.” “Should do what?” “Warn the other girls away.” My brows rose up. “Did you just mark me with your bag?” “I sure did,”

“Now, let’s go, baby.” I laughed, because in all honesty what else could I do?

Hearing Paul Rice tell half of the lads in our P.E. class about how Tony’s daughter was so tight he could barely get a finger inside her had caused me to flip the fuck out on him in the changing rooms. I did it for Tony because he wasn’t there to do it himself. At least, that’s what I continued to tell myself.

I’m right, aren’t I? You like me.” Of course I fucking liked her. She was the first thing my eyes had landed on when I walked through the entrance of Ballylaggin Community School last September, and the only face I consistently sought out since.

“You have nice eyes.” “Nice eyes.” “Uh-huh.”

“You think I like you, Molloy?” “I know you do,” I breathed, heart galloping recklessly in my chest. Reaching down with his free hand, he tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear and whispered, “You think I want you?”

“Technically, your dad saw me first—” “You’re mine, okay?” “I’m not yours, but whatever.”

“He’s not worth it, Joe.” No, but she is.

“You’re not the wolf in our story, Molloy.” His breath fanned my cheek, causing my pulse to skyrocket. “You’re the lamb.”

“Ta-da.” “Yay!” I clapped in delight. “My hero.” “Easy to please you, Molloy.”

Her easygoing, playful nature meant that she didn’t take a lot of his jibes to heart, but I did. I fucking took them to heart for her.

finding it even more humorous that he thought she was mine. She is yours.

“Stay out of trouble out there, okay?” I nodded slowly. “I’ll try my best.” “Make sure you do.” She laughed. “Because I’ve put an awful lot of effort into saving you, six.”

“I could go a fair bit crazy over you, Molloy.” His lips brushed against my brow as he said, “Stay out of my head now, ya hear?”

The only time I seemed to meet the former version of Paul was when we were on the outs. Only then did he show me affection, take interest in what I had to say, and most important of all, treat me with respect.

“Who?” My heart did a flip in my chest. “Aoife?” Sam snorted. “You wish.” Yeah, I did. Regularly.

“Who came out on top?” “You, Molloy.” Shaking his head, he stared up at my face and released an amused sigh. “Always you.”

“You’ll think I’m crazy.” “I already think you’re crazy, Molloy.” “Well, crazier than normal then.” “Try me.”

“This is the only time what’s ever stopped?” I croaked out, feeling my heart thunder wildly in my chest. “And don’t break what?” “My head,” he mumbled, before adding, “The quiet.”

“I promise I won’t leave you,” I told him, gently removing his tie from his neck. “I’ll stay right here.

“You should let me go.” “I know I should.” With my heart hammering violently in my chest, I quickly clenched my eyes shut and willed my heart to just calm down. “But I can’t.”

“She never left.” I swallowed. “She just needed a time-out.” “Good.” He nodded. “Because if she did leave, he wouldn’t like it.” “He wouldn’t?” “No.” His green eyes locked on mine from across the table. “He wouldn’t.”

Because it didn’t seem to matter how much I avoided, distracted myself, or denied it, my thoughts always returned to the place they shouldn’t. To the person they shouldn’t.

“Joey…shh, shh, Joe, look at me.” Reaching up, I cupped his face between my hands. “Look at me.” Reluctantly, he did, and I sucked in a sharp breath at the sight.

“He. Hurt. You.” “No, he didn’t.” “I saw him.”

with his cheek pressed to my belly and my hands stroking his hair. Finally, after what felt like an age, I felt the tension slowly leave his shoulders, and then his arms came around my waist. “He hurt you,” he croaked out. “You don’t hit girls.”

“It reminds me of you.” “Wow,” I deadpanned. “Which part?” “All of it,” she teased, tossing a chip at my face. “From now on, this will be our song.”

I choked out a laugh as I rolled up the sleeves of Joey’s hoodie that he’d given me to wear.

the front of the hoodie I was wearing—his hoodie—and fisted the fabric as he pulled me back to him, our bodies flush together. “I care. I care. I care,” he repeated, eyes locked on mine as his hand moved up to cup my neck. “Too much.”

“If I had a packet of Rolos right now, I’d give you my last one.” “Yeah?” I smiled, indulging her. “Well, if I had a packet of Rolos right now, Molloy, I’d give them all to you.”

feelings, the way my heart beat—it was all too fucking much. And still I remained completely motionless, watching her watch me.

“I would never hurt you, Molloy,” he slurred, his words a lot like his life, a broken mess. “I’d rather die than hurt you.” “Don’t say that.” “It’s the truth.”

“Because you’re not him.”

“I won’t mean it. Of course I won’t fucking mean it, but that won’t stop it from happening—” His words broke off when I kissed him.

This kiss was going to have consequences, I realized. Huge, heart-stopping, feeling-igniting consequences.

“I always check the product before I make any purchases.” “And?” She blew out a shaky breath and nodded. “Oh, I’ve been sold on you for a long time now, Joey Lynch.”

if you let yourself fall for this girl, you’ll never recover. Forget that shit, she’s already in. Keep her.

The sensible thing to do would be to walk away from her, but I never seemed to have much sense when she was near.

“Hmm?” Reaching up, she cupped the back of my neck. “Don’t look at you like you matter?” With a sharp tug, she dragged my face down to hers and pressed another hot kiss to my lips.

“You matter to me, Joey Lynch.” “I shouldn’t,”

“I don’t care about you, Molloy. I never have and I never will.” “You’re a terrible liar” was all she replied before crushing her lips to mine.

I could feel how much Molloy cared. It was emanating from her lips, and that made me want to do better, be better, straighten my shit out and be the fella she deserved.

“Run,” I desperately urged. “Run, Molloy.” “I’m staying right here,” she whispered. “With you.”