by L. A. Casey
That was my story and I was sticking to it.
“Finally!” Bronagh stated when Kane and I entered the room.
I held up my hands. “Sorry, I was hungry.”
Bronagh waved me off. “Play the DVD. I wanna see me niece.”
“Nephew,” Nico mumbled.
I rolled my eyes at him and picked up the remote to the television. “Is the disc loaded?”
“Duh,” Bronagh and Alannah said in unison before they high-fived.
I snorted and hit play. I walked over to the largest settee in the room and sat down next to Kane, who apparently had the spot saved for me.
“It’s a boy!” Nico stated proudly six or seven minutes into the DVD.
I rolled my eyes. “We don’t know the gender so pipe down, you.”
“I can see that the baby is Slater boy,” Nico cheered, ignoring me.
I pulled a face and looked at the television and instantly laughed when I saw what he saw. “That is a leg, not a penis, you freak.”
“Whatever. It’s a boy. I can tell.”
Everyone laughed at Nico.
Bronagh looked at her sister. “Do you know what the gender is?”
Branna tilted her head as she looked at the screen. “Not from this video. The legs are crossed so it’s too hard for me to tell. Then again, I’m a midwife, not an ultrasound technician.”
I was glad she couldn’t tell because I really wanted the gender to be a surprise at the birth. It made everything more exciting for me, and hopefully for Kane.
“How cool would it be if you were on a shift when I go into labour.” I smiled to Branna.
Branna squealed, “I’ll swap patients to make sure I have you in me care.”
I leaned over and high-fived her. “I’m holdin’ you to that.”
We sat back then and watched the rest of the DVD, which was just the most amazing thing ever. The girls awed when the baby’s four-dimensional face came on screen, and the lads smiled when the heartbeat played.
“This child is goin’ to be so spoiled,” Alannah commented as she stared at the screen.
I snorted, “You’re tellin’ me. Me brothers are already fightin’ over which football team she will support.”
“He,” Kane murmured.
I looked at him and glared. “Stop that.”
He smiled. “Can’t help it, feels like ‘he’ is the right thing to say.”
“Bro. Yes. We’re on the same wavelength.” Nico beamed.
I rolled my eyes at the brothers and smiled as I looked around the room. I felt happy and content with how everything was turning out for me. I was no longer terrified of having this baby. Sure I was scared, but I was also excited now, and so was everyone else.
I jumped when Dominic’s phone rang. I glanced at him when he dug his phone from his pocket and looked at the screen. He smiled wide.
“Damien is FaceTiming me.”
I squealed, “Answer it so he can see the video too.”
Dominic tapped on the screen of his phone.
“Dominic,” Damien’s voice chirped. “What’s up, man?”
I loved how Damien spoke like he hadn’t spoken to Dominic in a long time even though they spoke every day. He always got really excited, just like Dominic did—it was beautiful to watch.
“Watching the DVD of Kane’s baby. Look,” Dominic said and stood up from his seated position. He tapped on the screen of his phone and aimed it at the sixty-inch plasma screen in front of us.
“Can you see?” Dominic asked.
How could he not?
The screen was sixty bloody inches wide.
Not a second later Damien said, “It’s a boy!”
Us females groaned, while the males cheered.
“He’s right,” Kane smirked. “Us men know what we’re talking about.”
I rolled my eyes. “She will not like being called a lad you know.”
“Let me see Aideen,” Damien asked Dominic.
Dominic pointed his phone at me so I smiled and waved. “Heya, cutie.”
Kane put his arm around my shoulder and tugged me into him. “Really?”
I laughed and so did the girls.
“Do you remember on movin’ day you said Damien could be your f—”
“Friend,” I cut Bronagh off. “Me best friend.”
Keela snickered to herself and it caused me to glare at her.
“Right,” Bronagh laughed. “Your friend.”
I shook my head at her and looked at Kane when I felt his eyes on me.
“Don’t look at me like that, I didn’t say anythin’ about him. I swear.”
Kane didn’t believe me, I could tell by the look on his face.
“Stand up, friend,” Damien laughed. “I want to see you. Do you have a baby bump yet?”
I nodded and leaned onto Kane’s arm as I got up off the chair. I flattened my t-shirt to my stomach, but it was black so didn’t really look like I had a bump from the front. I lifted my t-shirt up, tucked it under my breasts and turned to the side.
“Can you see?” I asked Damien.
He whistled. “You’ve gotten so much bigger since a few weeks ago.”
I frowned. “I know. I gain like four pounds a week. You and your brothers apparently produce hungry children.”
The brothers high-fived which just caused me to shake my head.
“Okay, he’s seen your stomach. You can you pull your t-shirt down now,” Kane’s voice grunted.
I looked at the girls before I looked at him and saw all of them smirk and grin to themselves like a bunch of weirdos. I looked at Kane who was glaring at his brothers who were all openly looking at me with sneaky smiles that I knew were just to piss Kane off.
“I want to feel it,” Dominic said and stepped forward, flattening his hand over my bare belly. “Wow. It’s really hard, now.”
I nodded and pulled a face at Dominic’s phone because it was directly in my face. Damien laughed as he got an up close and personal view of my face.
I laughed when Kane got to his feet and Dominic jumped back. “I’m just playing,” he swore.
Kane glared at him, the muscles in his jaw working.
I sighed, “You really aren’t going to let them feel their niece as she grows?”
Kane didn’t look at me, as he said, “No, that’s just for me.”
The girls awed while the brothers cursed and argued they would feel my belly whenever they wanted because it was their right as uncles. That made me chuckle.
“Just pull your tee down, babydoll.”
To avoid an argument, and because I strangely liked him wanting me covered up in front of people, I pulled my top down and sat back down in my seat. I leaned into him when he sat down.
“Are you two dating?” Damien asked.
I looked at the phone, even though Kane’s gaze was on me. “We’re friends.”
“Friends or friends?” Damien asked making Dominic snort.
I blinked. “Is there a difference?”
“Yes,” everyone in the room said in unison.
I looked around at them, and then looked at Kane. “Are we friends or friends?” I asked.
He smirked. “I’m aiming for friends.”
Why did they keep saying it so weird?
“Okay, we’re friends then.”
Bronagh hooted while everyone else laughed.
I frowned and looked at Kane. “What is so funny? What am I missin’?”
He smiled and kissed my cheek. “I’ll tell you later.”
“This is weird,” Damien muttered. “I’m not used to seeing them so... civil.”
“It’s been like this for a while now,” Alannah said then shrunk into Bronagh’s side when Dominic turned his phone in her direction so Damien could see her.
“Hey, Lana,” he said, his voice a little tight.
Alannah cleared her throat and nodded. “Damien.”
I could feel the sudden awkwardness in the room.
“How are you?�
� Damien asked.
Alannah flushed a little. “I’m good, thanks. You?”
Damien was silent for a moment and said, “I’m okay.”
Things were silent again until Alannah stood up and said, “I’ve got to get goin’. Call you later, Bronagh.”
Bronagh sighed, “Alannah.”
Alannah was already out of the sitting room and halfway down the stairs of the house though. From the sounds of things, she was running down the steps at full speed.
“Damien,” Dominic murmured.
“It’s fine,” Damien replied. “I deserve it.”
I frowned. “Deserve what?” I whispered to Kane.
“I’ll tell you later,” he whispered back.
I nodded my head and looked back to Dominic’s phone.
“She looks incredible,” Damien murmured.
Bronagh sat up straight. “She’s single, too. Come home and rectify that.”
Damien’s laugh was genuine, “I’ll be home soon.”
We all held our breath.
“Our soon, or your soon?” Dominic asked.
Damien laughed again. “Your soon. I have to finish three more months on my current contract here at work to get a big bonus at Christmas. It’ll be triple my current salary so I’ll stay for that, then I’ll be back. The bonus will hold me over until I get a job somewhere in Dublin.”
We were all silent, except for Dominic.
“If you’re joking, I’m going to fly over there and fucking kill you.”
Damien chuckled, “I’m not, bro. I’ve been staying away to figure out the shit inside my head. I’ve made peace with most of it, but I have to come back to fix the rest of it.”
Alannah.
I didn’t know their history, but I was sure he was talking about Alannah.
“When did you decide this?” Ryder asked his little brother.
“I’ve been thinking about it for a long time, but decided to do it about two minutes ago.”
Yep, definitely Alannah.
I blinked. “You’ll be here to see the baby born!”
Kane leaned against me. “I’m so happy you’ll be here for it, bro.”
“Me too,” Damien replied.
Bronagh burst into tears and that instantly set me off.
“You bastard,” Alec snapped. “You’re making them cry.”
“You’re just mad because you know Keela will question why she is with you when she sees me in person.”
Dominic burst into laughter while Alec glared at the phone with a smirk on his face.
“Trust me, blondie, my girl is going nowhere.”
Damien snorted, “We’ll see.”
I turned to Kane and placed my face right against his neck. He instantly wrapped me up in his arms and pulled me onto his lap. I closed my eyes and rested against him. I was so happy Damien was coming home, and I knew how happy Kane and the others were too. This meant everything to the brothers.
“Kane is taking full advantage of this emotional news,” Ryder commented, dryly.
Kane lifted a hand off me; the lads laughed a few seconds later, then his hand returned back to me. He stroked up and down my back. It calmed me, but also made me ridiculously tired.
“I’m goin’ to fall asleep,” I murmured after a few minutes of his back rub.
Kane’s body vibrated as he chuckled. “Come up to my room.”
I growled.
He laughed, “Just to nap. Promise.”
Damn right it was just to nap.
“Okay,” I sighed and pushed myself to my feet. “Bye Damien.”
“Bye, gorgeous. Bye, bro... Have fun being friends.”
I didn’t know what he was talking about, but I was sure it was a sexual reference so I gave Damien the finger as I walked away, making Kane laugh as he placed his hands on my hips and followed me. He continued to laugh as he pushed against me in order to get me up the stairs. I had one eye open just to watch the steps I took. I was tired before we sat down to watch the DVD, but now that I had a little cry and closed my eyes on Kane, I was absolutely drained.
We made it into Kane’s room and I kicked off my slippers as he pulled back the covers for me. I fell sideways onto the bed and sighed.
“I want your bed,” I murmured as I snuggled deeper into the pillow and massive mattress I was lying on.
Kane chuckled as he climbed onto the bed and lay next to me. He was on top of the covers while I was underneath them. “What’s mine is yours.”
I snorted, “That only works if we were married.”
“You’re having my kid, you own my balls for the next few years. We might as well be married.”
I kept my eyes closed as I snickered.
“Don’t let me fall asleep,” I said after a yawn.
Kane was silent for a moment then said, “Why not?”
I wanted to say because it was wrong for us to sleep in the same bed, but somehow saying it would feel like a lie. In all honestly, I would happily sleep in the same bed as Kane. It was my willingness to do so that was the cause of my hesitation. My willingness for all things Kane was becoming a big bloody problem for me.
“Because I don’t want to ruin a night’s sleep for you,” I eventually said. “I’m restless durin’ the night now.”
Kane scoffed, “Babydoll, go to sleep. We’re having a sleepover tonight.”
My belly burst into butterflies.
I opened my eyes. “Are you sure?”
Kane was already on his side looking at me. “Yes, I’m sure. Why wouldn’t I be sure?”
I shrugged. “I thought it might be weird, us sleeping in this bed together when the last time that happened I got pregnant.”
“Huh. I never thought about that.” Kane blinked then smirked. “Think of it this way then—if we fuck this time, we don’t have to worry about you getting pregnant because you’re already knocked up.”
I forced myself to keep a straight face and not laugh.
“If I wasn’t so tired, I’d smack you.”
Kane grinned. “I’m glad you’re tired then.”
I closed my eyes and smiled. “I’ll get you tomorrow.”
Kane hummed, “Go to sleep, my babydoll.”
His babydoll.
His.
The last thing I remembered before falling into darkness was that being Kane’s wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world. Not being his would be.
“Aideen?”
I looked to my right and smiled to Ryder as he entered the kitchen. “Mornin’.”
He returned a smile. “Early morning, it’s six in the morning. Why are you awake?”
I chuckled, “I fell asleep real early yesterday and didn’t budge all night. I woke up at four and was wide-awake so I came down here for some tea. Do you want a cuppa?”
Ryder nodded his head. “Sure, light on the milk and one sugar, please.”
I got up from my seat and moved over to the kettle. It was already refilled so I pressed the button on the base to re-start the boiling process.
“So, you slept in Kane’s bed last night?” Ryder mused. “How was that?”
I turned around. “Very comfortable.”
Ryder laughed.
I looked down my feet then back up to Ryder. “I’ve been down here awhile and I’ve done some thinkin’.”
Ryder bit his lower lip. “Uh-oh. Should I be worried?”
I snorted. “No... well, maybe.”
He sighed, “Lay it on me, mama.”
I grinned. “So you know I live in a small apartment, and that Kane has been askin’ me to move in here, right?”
Ryder nodded his head. “Are you thinking of accepting his offer? We’d be more than happy to have you here, sweetie.”
I smiled. “I know you would, but no, I’m not goin’ to move in here. But I am goin’ to move someplace else. Some place bigger than my current apartment.”
Ryder blew out a breath. “Kane won’t like that.”
Which is why I was worried.
“My help?” Ryder asked. “Why would you need my help?”
I shrugged. “I need you to help me brainstorm. Kane thinks we’re gettin’ on famously right now, and we are, but Ry, we did hate each other at one point. I don’t want to move in and have everythin’ fall apart. Am I crazy for wanting stability?”
“No,” Ryder instantly replied. “You’re right on all counts, but I also understand where Kane is coming from. Out of the five of us, he really doesn’t understand people. He steers clear of them if he can, but now that he has you in his life, he wants to steer you away from them too. Living with him gives him the control he wants, but since you aren’t together, it’s probably best that you find a different place other than here. He is getting too comfortable with you... or rather the idea of you.”
I nodded my head. “I think I should involve him somehow though just so he feels like he is part of the decision. What do you think?”
Ryder mulled it over for a few seconds. “I like it, it will give him peace of mind.”
“I agree,” I said then blew out a big breath. “I’ll bring him apartment huntin’ with me.”
“Sounds like a plan.”
I nodded my head. “Let’s just hope it’s a good one.”
Ryder smiled. “Trust me, Kane will be good at apartment hunting. Everything will be fine.”
“This comin’ from the man who is on anythin’ but fine terms with his missus.”
Ryder’s face hardened. “We’re just going through a rough patch, it’ll get better.”
He didn’t sound like he believed his own statement though.
I raised my eyebrows. “Your rough patch has been goin’ on awhile. Are you sure everythin’ is okay with you and Branna?”
Ryder stared at me for a long moment then in a lowered voice he said, “No, I’m not sure everything is okay with Branna.”
Fuck.
“Don’t tell me you’re both gonna break up?” I asked and held my breath.
Ryder lifted his hand and rubbed his face before dropping it back down. “I don’t know, Aideen. I’m not sure about anything right now when it comes to us. All I know is we’re fighting a hell of a lot. It’s more than childish arguments, it’s just... anger. Pure anger. We can’t be in the same room longer than ten minutes without someone blowing up.”