Keeping 13 (Boys of Tommen, #2)

by Chloe Walsh

“You don’t get to shut me out, Shannon. You don’t get to do that to me again, because I won’t go this time. Do you hear me? I’m here, I’m in, I care, and I’m not going the fuck away.”

Everything inside of me was swept up in him, and I couldn’t see beyond it. I couldn’t think beyond the surge of feelings I had for him. Even my brain, the part of me that was supposed to heed caution, was encouraging me to be reckless with my heart, to throw it all in with this boy and trust him not to break me. And I was all in.

But it was different with Shannon. Everything was different when it came to her.

“You teach people how to treat you by setting boundaries, lad. If you let someone walk all over you, they’re going to think it’s okay.”

“I’m with you. All of you. Every part. Good and bad. I’m staying. So don’t hide this part from me.”

She happened to me when I least expected her. I didn’t want it, wasn’t willing to negotiate with the change I knew she would bring. So I blocked her out. I kept her at arm’s length. Until one day, I couldn’t do it anymore.

I wanted to stand in front of this girl and shield her from all the horror she was exposed to. It wasn’t right, dammit, and I felt like I was drowning in the unfairness of her life. If I could lay her cuts and bruises over my skin, I would.

“You smell like home.” Shivering, I curled my body around hers and pressed a kiss to the curve of her jaw. “You are home.”

“You’re my little darling,” he slurred. “My whole heart’s inside of ya.”

“Now, I’m keeping 13,” she told me. “So come home to me when you’re done, okay?”