Keeping 13 (Boys of Tommen, #2)

by Chloe Walsh

Until one day at school one of the girls from his class, the pretty blond who always watched him, a girl I was sure Joey had never spoken more than two words to, chased him outside to the schoolyard and stopped him from climbing into that car. I knew this because I, too, had followed at a distance. The girl had caused an unmerciful scene in the car park and had waved her phone around at those older boys in the car. And then she did something that had shocked me. She fisted his school jumper in both hands and dragged his face down to hers, kissing him right there, without thought for suspension had they been caught. I never did find out what Aoife said that day, but whatever it was, it caused Joey to walk away from the car and climb into hers instead. After that, things slowly started to change for him.

“I don’t just like you. I fucking—” Shaking his head, Johnny rubbed his jaw before looking back at me. “Shannon, I love you.” I stopped breathing. “You love me?” He nodded slowly, blue eyes locked on mine. “Like, a crazy fucking amount.” “Really?”

“Je veux lécher la chatte de ma copine.” I frowned. “What?” Johnny grinned devilishly. “I said, je veux être à l’intérieur de toi.” I scrunched my nose up. “You know I’m terrible at French.” “I’m counting on it.” He laughed as he sauntered off. “See you tonight, baby.”

My breath came out in a pained rush. “Johnny…” “We’ll have a family,” he continued to say. “One of our own, and I’ll stand by you right back. In whatever you choose to do. No matter what.” “This won’t break us,” I croaked, touching my brow to his. “Nothing can break us,” he whispered. “I promise.”