Saving 6 (Boys of Tommen, #3)

by Chloe Walsh

I never knew devastation until he walked into my world and gave me a glimpse into his. I never knew demons until I stood beside him and watched him battle monsters more frightening than my imagination could ever concoct. I never knew heartbreak until he decimated my heart by decimating his body. I never knew hurt until he walked away from me. I never knew. I never…

“Jesus Christ.” I blew out a breath. “I don’t care if you’re gay or not. You can’t deny that girl is the best-looking thing your eyes have ever seen.”

“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.”

“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.”

“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.”

“Is that your way of telling me that you don’t have a boyfriend?” “No, it’s my way of telling you that I will have a boyfriend once you ask me.”

“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?”

And just like last time, I couldn’t save her. And just like all the times before that, I couldn’t stop him.

He was the firstborn, the golden boy. I was the spare.

I could take the pressure. I could take the blows. I could handle his whiskey tantrums. I could take it all if it meant that they didn’t have to.

My life fell apart and I realized you were my boss’s daughter.

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.

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.

“I waited for you, you know.”

“I waited for months for you to get your shit together and ask me out.” She looked me right in the eye when she said, “Paul wasn’t my first choice, you know.”

“You are a really weird fucking girl,” he grumbled, looking thrown off-kilter, before begrudgingly adding, “With nice legs.”

To say that I felt drawn to him would be a major understatement. I felt it that very first day of first year—that epic wave of familiarity, lust, and camaraderie—when our eyes locked, and I felt it now.

“You’ll make a great father in years to come,” Mam said with a tremble in her voice. “I’d rather die” was all I replied…

“He’s going to kill you, Mam,” I lashed out. “Don’t you get that? Can’t you hear me? You’re going to die in this house. If you don’t get away from him, you’re going to die here. I can feel it in my bones…” My voice cracked, and I choked back a sob, unwilling to shed tears. “Don’t you love yourself? Don’t you love me?”

And with those words, my mother cut me deeper and more viciously than my father ever had. Ever could.

“What an idiot,” I grumbled with a shake of my head, disappointed in his behavior, mostly because I knew he could do better. Never mind do better, he was better, dammit.

He shrugged noncommittally. “Nice housecoat, Grandma.” “Nice face, Rocky,” I shot back, tightening the knot on my robe.

“It’s too hard for you to be friends with someone when you want them as badly as you want me.”

“You lied for me.” Joey’s tone was cold and full of unspoken accusation. “You covered for me.”

“Why?” His green eyes were laced with a mixture of heat, annoyance, and reluctant curiosity. “What do you want from me?” “I’m not sure yet.” My gaze locked on the recently healed cut on his bottom lip. “I guess you’ll just have to owe me for now.”

“Molloy,” I acknowledged with a small nod. “Nice game.” “Nice legs.” “Want to be a gent and walk these nice legs home?”

“You’ll take your meat whatever way I give it to you,”

“We’re friends, Joe. I’m allowed to have friends over anytime I want.” “We’re not friends, Molloy. And stop snuggling me.” “Friends snuggle.” “Friends do not fucking snuggle.” “I snuggle with Casey all the time.” “Well, I can assure you that I have never snuggled with Podge.”

“Then you can practice with me.” Shifting closer, she curled up in a small ball and burrowed her head under my arm. “See. You’re already a pro.”

“I don’t watch films.” “Yes, you do.” “No, I don’t.” “Well, you do now.”

“Kind of like how I took a wrong fucking turn tonight and ended up in a nightmare,” I drawled sarcastically. “Not quite as grisly as your film, but once my boss gets home and sees me snuggling with his daughter, I’m sure it’ll be a bloodbath.”

“I saw you first. You’re my friend, not his. So stop worrying about my dad and start focusing on me.”

“You’re mine, okay?” “I’m not yours, but whatever.” Huffing out a breath, I attempted to fold my arms across my chest, only for Molloy to loudly clear her throat expectantly. “I’m here like you want, I’m staying for the fucking film like you want, but I draw the line at snuggling.”

“Snuggle me.” “No.” “Do it.” “It’s not happening, Molloy.” “Snuggle me, Joey.” “I said no.” “Snuggle me or I’ll scream.”

“For fuck’s sake, fine,” I snapped, lifting my arm up for her to nestle into my side. “There. We’re s...

“I was hoping for something more along the lines of ‘Aoife, you’re my dearest, sexiest, most lovable, bestest friend in the whole wide world’.” “Don’t push your luck.” “But I’m your favorite, right?” With a teasing lilt to her voice, she said, “Your favorite friend?” “Yes, fine! Whatever. Christ,” I grumbled, rolling my eyes. “You’re my favorite friend, with my favorite legs.”

She leaned in close and pressed a kiss to my cheek. “You’re my favorite friend, with my favorite everything.”

“You’ve got a problem with me because I got the girl that you’ve wanted since day dot. She’s with me, not you, and it drives you fucking nuts.”

Addiction ruled his life. That was the pattern his life had taken, and I hated him for it. But not as much as I hated myself for following in his footsteps.

A smoke to sleep, a line to function, and whatever else I could get my hands on to escape. That had been my mantra for a long time now.

Pretending that it didn’t hurt me to see her with him was something that I had no choice but to master. So, like I did every other time she came into the garage flaunting her fantastic fucking boyfriend, I handled the knife-in-the-gut sensation like a trouper and went about my business.

She is yours.

“Woo! Would you look at the ass on number six!”

Molloy winked down at me. “Nice moves.” “Nice legs,” I replied, feeling much more sated now than ten minutes ago.

“Make sure you do.” She laughed. “Because I’ve put an awful lot of effort into saving you, six.”

“Someone broke my halo, Joe,” I wailed, waving a broken piece around aimlessly in front of his face. “I’m a fallen angel now.” “Don’t worry about it,” he replied with a shrug. “No one likes a saint, Molloy.”

“She’s not your anything.” “Uh, yes, I am.” “Hear that, Ricey?” Joey replied, with a shit-eating grin etched on his face. “Your girl here is my anything.”

“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?”

“Joey’s not here right now, but I can take a message and see that he gets it.”