Redeeming 6 (Boys of Tommen, #4)

by Chloe Walsh

“You’re honestly trying to tell me that those two aren’t in love?” “I never said they weren’t in love.” Chuckling, she added, “Only that they’re not together.”

While the rest of his friends had long since abandoned their girlfriends and dates, Gibsie hadn’t taken more than three steps away from Claire all night.

Our eyes met, green on green, and he winked at me from across the room. And just like that, I was ruined.

“You can’t tell me what to do, Joe,” I growled, feeling a combination of drunk and dizzy. “You don’t own me.” “Well, that’s bad fucking luck on my account, because you sure as shit own me!” Drunk or not, his words hit me like a wrecking ball to the chest. Feeling the air whoosh from my lungs, I glared up at him, feeling a torrent of emotions crashing through me. “Why would you say that to me?” “Because it’s the truth.” “Since when?” “Since I was twelve.”

Because every part of me loved every part of her. The good, the bad, and the ugly. I fucking reveled in all of it.

“Bad boy.” Her breath was laced with alcohol and so fucking warm on my face when she whispered, “Tell me you’re sorry.” I gave in without a fight, too weary and too damn in love to fight my feelings. “I’m sorry.” “How sorry?” “Very sorry.” “Good boy.” Her tongue was on my ear then, her body pressed flushed against mine. “Now, tell me you love me.” “I love you.” The words flew off my tongue in record time. “Say it again.” “I love you.” “How much?” “A lot.”

“It’s you,” he repeated gruffly, fingers tightening on my waist. “I pick you. Every single time.”

“I’ll love you the right way this time,” he whispered, and his breath fanned my cheek. “If you’ll show me how.”

“I’m not your mother or your sister. I’m not another girl who needs something from you. I’m the girl who wholeheartedly wants you. I’m the girl who wholeheartedly loves you. The hurler. The mechanic. The boy. The protector. The asshole. The lover. The addict.” Sniffling, I added, “All of your versions. All of your shapes and colors. I accept them all. So, I don’t care how fucked up in the head you get, or how bad of an idea you decide you are for me. If you can’t be with me, warts and all, then walk away now, because I won’t go through this again with you.”

Unlike me, Shannon didn’t need to alter her mind to survive the world we lived in. She thought she was the weakest link in the family chain, when it couldn’t be further from the truth. My sister was titanium.

“Everything about Kav’s world is serious, stable, and selected since birth. His future is set in stone, and his plans are cemented in front of him without an inch of moving space. So, if he’s moving shit around to make space for her, if he’s even considering putting her slap-bang in the middle of those plans, then it’s not an accident. He’s about as spontaneous as a dustpan and brush, lad. So, if he decides to go there with your sister, you can be sure that he’ll have put together an entire thesis of the pros and cons of making such a move beforehand. Johnny’s careful, lad, and he’s stable, and when he makes a decision, it’s done intentionally and with permanence in mind.”

“I’ve loved your daughter for six years,” Joey finally broke his silence by saying. “I can easily love her for another eighteen.”

Joey looked at me like I had grown an extra head. “You are fucking crazy if you think I’m blowing on your toes.” “Come on, Joe,” I whined, toes still wiggling. “I’m pregnant.” “So?” he shot back, looking personally insulted. “I don’t want the polish to smudge.” “Then don’t smudge it.” “Blow.” “No.” “Blow on my toes.” “Absolutely fucking not.” “Joey Lynch.” “Aoife Molloy.” “You said you’d be there for me.” “As your boyfriend and the father of your baby,” he spluttered, throwing his hands up. “Not as your personal fucking groomer.”

“There were no stipulations spoken when you made your promises,” I argued. “Now come here and blow me.” “That’s my line.” “It won’t ever be again if you don’t do this for me.” “Jesus fucking Christ.” Rolling his eyes, Joey sank down on the edge of my bed and pulled my feet onto his lap. “You have made an eejit out of me.” “You’re the best,” I crooned victoriously. “I lucked out in the baby-daddy stakes.”

“Hey, Joe?” “Hmm?” “Are you going to still want me when I’m the size of a whale?” “Molloy.” He chuckled under his breath. “For fuck’s sake.” “I’m serious.”

“I know you are.” With a shake of his head, he tossed the cigarette butt away and climbed back inside. “You’re not going to be the size of a whale.” “But if I am?” “You won’t be.” “I might be.” “You’re having a baby, Molloy, not inhaling a town.” “But say it happens.” “Jesus Christ.” He rolled his eyes to the heavens. “Yes, I’m still going to want you.” “How?” “How?” His brow furrowed in confusion as he closed the space between us. “What do you mean how?” “How are you going to still find me sexy when I’m big and round and swollen?” I gestured to my body and sighed. “Look at me, Joe. Won’t you miss this body?” He threw his head back and laughed. “Hey, don’t laugh at me, asshole.” I narrowed my eyes. “I’m feeling vulnerable here.” “You are the vainest girl I’ve ever met.” “It’s not vanity when it’s true,” I sniped. “Then it’s just plain honesty.” Still chuckling, he shook his head, clearly amused. “Christ, I love you.” Grinning, he flopped down on the mattress beside me and stretched his arm out for me to join him. As soon as I snuggled into the crook of his arm, he pulled me close and released a contented sigh. “Don’t ever lose it, Molloy.” “Lose what?” “That spark of fire that makes you so incredibly you,” he replied, tightening his arm around me. “It doesn’t matter how your body

changes, because I’m always going to keep coming back to you. Because I might enjoy touching all of this,” he explained, fingers trailing over my body until he reached my face and g...

“Nobody else can fuck with my head quite like you can, and that has nothing to do with your body, Molloy.”

Her face. It was all I could see in this moment. Like a beacon of light in the darkness, guiding me home.

“Don’t run, Molloy. I know I don’t deserve you, but please just…don’t run.” “Never.” “Please just…please keep loving me.” “Always, Joe,” she breathed against my lips. “Always.”

“I don’t go around hurting girls,” he said, blue eyes darkening. “I don’t go around breaking hearts, either.”

“Hey! Don’t call my boyfriend a scumbag.” I roared, taking leave of my senses as I hauled ass toward the whore putting hands on him. “Is this her, Shan? Did she do this to you?” “No, Aoife, please just leave it.” Nope. Nu-uh. Wasn’t going to happen. Because she had the nerve to put hands on my man. “Who the hell are you?” Bella demanded, casting a menacing glare in my direction. Oh, you poor, sweet summer child. “Oh, I’m your worst nightmare, bitch,” I snarled, knocking her off Joey’s back and onto the flat of her own. “You like terrorizing little girls? Try someone your own size.” Losing my ever-loving shit right there and then, I straddled her chest. “Think you can call my boyfriend a scumbag? Think you can bully his sister, huh? Think you’re safe because you’re a girl and he can’t hit you back?” Narrowly avoiding a nail to the eye, I reared my fist back and socked her in the nose. “Well, I can!”

“Your sister and brothers love you,” she screamed at the top of her lungs. “They love you so fucking much it’s palpable. And your girlfriend? Aoife? Holy shit, lad, I have never seen someone look so in love with another human being in my life.”

Tell them I was sorry. Tell them I loved them. Tell my son that I loved him. Tell yourself that I loved you most. I’ll be seeing ya, Molloy. xx

“Return my grandson’s heart to him, and he’ll start living again.”

“Maybe before they moved on, someone wanted to make sure his first love had a fighting chance with her first love.”

“Is he single?” “You’re not his type.” “What’s his type?” “His girlfriend.”