Slowly, he shakes his head. “I’ve checked the dates, Faye. She gave birth to you when she was seventeen.”
I hop up. “What?!” My brain is racing at a hundred miles an hour.
He rises. “It’s true. I can show you the records.” He shuffles on his feet, clearing his throat. “What did she tell you about how she met your father?”
I’m spinning in a million different directions, frantically trying to decipher this latest bombshell.
Jeez, did Mum tell me the truth about anything?
James gently taps my elbow, drawing me out of the hazy mess in my head. “He, um,”—I calm my beating heart and force myself to get it together—“he was working on a construction site in her hometown and they met at a local club.” I slap a hand against my forehead as I have a light bulb moment. “Oh my God! That is it!” I look deep into his eyes. “I thought Dad was only five years older than her but the age difference was even more pronounced, and if she had me at seventeen, then that means …” I clamp a hand over my mouth, horrified at the implication.
“That he had unlawful sex with a minor and he could’ve been jailed,” James finishes for me. I plop back down on the seat, completely devastated. James sits down too, speaking softly, as if I might break. “I didn’t know she had a boyfriend, and I was insistent on her finishing school, but I’d never have turned her out or handed him over to the authorities. I would have supported her if she’d confided in me.”
Tears pool in my eyes. “Has everything been a lie, James? Was anything she told me the truth?” My voice cracks at the end.
Pulling me into his side, he wraps his arms around me. “You know I can’t answer that, but my sister loved you, Faye. I see it in the way she raised you and how well she protected you even after her death. She obviously felt she was doing the right thing sheltering you from the truth, or perhaps she had planned to tell you when you were older, when the timing was right.”
I sniffle. “Guess we’ll never know now.”
He smooths a hand over my hair. “I still can’t believe she’s gone. I can’t help thinking of all the wasted opportunities, and of what you said last night. I let your mom down, and I’ll never have the chance to change that. But I can with Alex, if she’ll let me.” He plants a soft kiss to my temple. “I want to have a proper relationship with you, Faye. I can never replace your father, and I don’t want to, but I hope in time you can come to rely on me. That you can forgive me for the mistakes I’ve made. You’re very important to me. More so than you can even imagine.”
I blink up at him. “I’d like that too.”
It’s only now I realize how much hearing that means to me.
Chapter Thirty-One
At work later on, I’m a little distracted over the most recent discovery. I’m struggling to find justification for all the lies. I have to believe that Mum was planning to admit the truth at some stage, because otherwise I think I’ll stay mad at her forever. I don’t want all the good memories stained with the color of her deceit.
I’m so caught up in my mind that I don’t notice Jeremy cornering me in the corridor outside the bathrooms. “I’ve been looking for you, darlin’.” Leaning against the wall, he shoots me a sleazy smile. “You’re a tricky one to pin down.” He winks. “Give me a day and time, right now.”
Discreetly, I dig my fingernails into my thigh. “For what?” I feign ignorance, knowing full well what he’s implying. Brad was right—Jeremy doesn’t give up easily.
“Our date.”
“I thought our last conversation made everything crystal clear. And, if I remember correctly, you weren’t actually interested in going out with me anyway?” I cock my head to the side.
Reaching out, he fists a hand in my hair, tugging me toward him. “I should probably apologize for that, huh?” His large hands hold my face in a firm grip, and I’m instantly uncomfortable.
“Jeremy, let me go.” I curl my hand around his wrist, trying to loosen his hold.
“Baby,” he rasps, closing his eyes as he inhales deeply. “Don’t fight this. You know you’ll give in one way or another.”
Fear and anger choke me as I raise my knee in preparation.
“Get your fucking hands off her!” Ky’s tone is pumped full of explosive rage.
Jeremy slowly releases my face, backing away with a sneer.
Ky pulls me behind him, facing off with Jeremy. Every muscle in his body is on high alert. “Faye isn’t interested, so leave her alone.” Ice drips down my spine at the hostility in his tone. “Next time, I won’t be so understanding.”
Jeremy claps him on the shoulder. “Go fuck yourself, Kennedy.” Looking down, he fixes his intense gaze on me. “You and me ain’t done, Ireland.” His eyes smolder with malicious promise. “Not by a long shot.” The clumping sound of his boots retreating is like music to my ears, and I release the breath I was holding.
“You need to tell me if anyone is hassling you. Especially that skeeze,” Ky glares at me as if this is somehow my fault.
“He hasn’t bothered me in ages. I thought he’d lost interest.”
“There is no such thing when it comes to Jeremy.”
“Well, I’ll be ready for him next time.”
“I know you can handle yourself, Faye, but Jeremy’s got a rep for a reason. Promise me you’ll tell me if he gets too much.”
Muscles flex and roll under his shirt as he crosses his arms in front of him. His pale blue eyes become storm-filled, and I melt under the power of his gaze. Genuine concern radiates off him in waves and my heart soars in my chest. While I’m more than capable of looking after myself, it feels unbelievably good to know he cares enough to want to protect me. A long-forgotten memory pops into my mind. “I will, thanks.” My voice quivers a little.
His thumb swipes over his prickly jawline. “What’s going through your head right now?”
“It’s nothing.” I attempt to shrug it off. “Just remembering something that happened when I was younger.”
He lounges against the wall. “Try me.”
“It’s kind of silly.” I pull at the corner of my ear.
A genuine smile graces his lips. “Now I’m intrigued; you have to tell me.”
I smooth my hands over my apron as I clear my throat. “We lived in this large estate in Waterford when I was younger, and there were these two brothers who used to tease me relentlessly. They were always giving me a hard time. Mum was fond of saying they had a crush on me, but whatever.” I smile at the memory. “During the summers, all the kids used to play water fights on our bikes. It was only supposed to be harmless fun. One time, one of the brothers caught me and absolutely drenched me, soaking every last piece of my clothing. I was hopping mad, so I raced home and filled my bottle with a mix of washing-up liquid and water and went back out and hunted him down. I deliberately squirted it in his eyes, and he totally freaked out, knocking me off my bike and kicking me repeatedly in the stomach. As I was lying on the ground, I remember how much I wished that I had an older brother or a cousin or someone who cared enough to come to my rescue.”
Ky’s face is a block of stone, and now I definitely feel silly. I shuffle, embarrassed, on my feet. “Your words brought the memory to the forefront of my mind.”
Silence engulfs us as we stare at one another. After a bit, he opens his mouth. “I’m not the hero, Faye.” A look of repulsion crosses over his face. “And I certainly can’t be that for you.”
My embarrassing recollection and Ky’s words plague me the rest of my shift. No matter what Ky said, his coming to my rescue has touched on a long-held desire. While I don’t consider myself to be a damsel in distress, it’s nice to know I can count on others to have my back.
It hasn’t always been like that.
I still don’t know why he came to the diner earlier—whether there was a purpose to his visit or it was just lucky timing.
Either way, I’m glad he was there.
Rose comes back to the house with me after work so we can get dolled-up together in my room. My cousins are throwing another party tonight, and even though we can’t hear anything from here, I’m assuming it’s already in full swing. “Where’s Theo tonight?” I ask, wiggling a pair of jeans up my legs.
“Away with his fam for the weekend. He’s back tomorrow night.” She saunters into my walk-in wardrobe, emitting a low whistle. “Do you think the Kennedys would adopt me if I begged enough?”
I crank out a laugh. “You and Rachel would get on like a house on fire. Borrow whatever you want, Rose.”
“I don’t get you.” She walks out with a swath of black material draped over her arm. “You have the most sought after designer clothes in your closet and you live in jeans. What a waste.”
“It’s not me.” I press my lips together, blotting my lipstick as I peer at my reflection in the mirror.
“You’re going to indulge me for one night.” Her tone brokers no argument.
I swivel on my seat, raising an eyebrow. “I am?”
“Yep.” She flings the black dress at me. “You put that on, and I’ll find a dress for me. We’re going to rock up to that party and nail it.”
Twenty minutes later, I’m regretting allowing her to talk me into wearing this pathetic excuse for a dress. The black lace mini clings to my every curve leaving little to the imagination. With thin straps, a dipped neckline, and a shockingly short hem, which barely covers my ass, I’m feeling rather exposed. Thank God, I won the battle of the shoes, and I’m wearing my combat boots and not the sky-high peep-toes Rose wanted me to wear. She’s wearing a similar style mini in a floral patterned print that oddly works well with her pink hair.
I insist that we detour to Lana’s en route. After several minutes of pleading, I finally get Lana to pinky swear that she’ll follow us to the party.
“You two should come with a health warning,” Brad jokes, hopping down the steps to greet Rose and me. He gives us a quick once-over, and his smile is appreciative. “You look amazing.”
I take in his appearance. Tonight, he’s wearing jeans with a plain white tee and a blue-and-red-checkered shirt that’s fully unbuttoned. If I wasn’t so obsessed with my cousin, I could totally see myself crushing on Brad. “You look good, too.”
He leads us through the heaving crowd out toward the back. A few guys reach for me as we pass, but I manage to duck out of their way. Rose continuously flashes her middle finger as a myriad of wolf-whistles are aimed our way. Kalvin grabs me into a headlock the minute I step foot in the kitchen, gleefully messing up my hair. “You’re such an ass,” I moan, punching him in the gut.
He frees me, palming his sore stomach. “And you’ve got a real mean violent streak.” He looks me up and down. “But I’ll forgive you because you’ve just given me hours’ worth of visual stimulation that I’m gonna put to good use.” He winks, tapping the side of his head.
“You’re grossing me out again.” Brad thrusts a wine cooler into my hand, and I smile up at him. Kal stiffens, and I shoot him a cautionary look, but he’s not paying any attention to us. Lana has entered the kitchen, scanning the room with anxious eyes. My hand shoots up and I wave her forward.
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Kalvin demands, looming over her with a scowl on his face.
“Back off, asshole,” I snap, looping my arm through Lana’s and pulling her over to my side. “I invited Lana. She’s my friend.”
“She’s not welcome here,” he growls.
“I should leave,” Lana mumbles, looking down at her feet.
“You’re going nowhere. Stay here while I talk to my cousin.” It takes considerable effort to call him that and not one of the multiple insults currently flitting through my mind. I gesture to Brad to keep an eye on Lana while I drag my cousin outside.
“You were unbelievably rude to Lana. What the hell is your problem?”
At least he has the decency to look ashamed. “She doesn’t belong here, Faye.”
“Don’t be such a condescending prick! I thought you two used to be friends? How can you treat her like this?”
He hooks his hands in his pockets. “This is me being a friend to her.”
“That’s a cop out! I’d hate to see how you treat your enemies.”
“It’s not!” He gnashes his teeth at me. “You see those bitches in there?” He points into the house. “They’ve been horrible to Lana in the past. You’ve no idea how they’ve used her to try to get to us. Keeping her away is the best way of protecting her. That’s all I’m trying to do.”
I suck in my cheeks as I consider his words. “You mean that.”
“Yes,” he hisses.
“But why do you have to be such a jerk about it?”
He walks around me, opening the door. “Haven’t you figured it out yet?”
I shoot him a puzzled look. He leans into my face, and the look of revulsion and self-loathing shocks me. “Because I am a jerk.” He pushes into the kitchen, brushing furiously past both Rose and Lana as he storms out.
Lana takes one look at me, her eyes filling with tears, before she runs out of the room.
“Damn it! I’ll be back,” I shout at Brad and Rose as I race after her, pushing and shoving people out of my way in my haste to catch up with her.
“Lana!” I call after her fleeing figure. “Wait up!”
My tight dress restricts movement, and she makes ground easily, promptly fading from sight. I stop, cursing under my breath. I could murder Kalvin right about now.
Traipsing back to the party, I stop on the bottom step when I catch sight of Addison leaning over the railing, watching everything with those cunning eyes of hers. “Enjoying the drama?” I snap, as I trudge up the stairs.
“Most definitely,” she sneers, flicking her blonde locks over her shoulder. “Kennedy parties never fail to enlighten me.” She skips into the house ahead of me, grinning as if a genie has just granted her every wish.
Brad hands me a fresh drink when I return to the kitchen. Rose is nowhere to be seen. At that exact moment, Ky shows up in the room with his arm slung protectively around Addison’s shoulders. Her arm is wrapped around his back, and she’s leaning into his side, purring like a cat. For the second time in a minute, I want to gouge her eyes out with toothpicks. Either that or make a voodoo doll in her likeness to stick pins in.
I can’t believe he’s doing this. It makes me sick.
Brad leans down and whispers in my ear, “You want to go outside?”
I put my drink down. “I’ve a better idea. Let’s dance.” Deliberately avoiding Kyler, I take Brad’s hand and pull him into the living room, right into the thick of the teeming crowd. Flicking my hair back, I start swaying to the music, limbering up to the infectious beat. My limbs feel loose and free, and I grin at Brad as he matches my movements.
We dance until sweat coasts down my spine and starts pooling between my breasts. Damp tendrils of hair kiss my forehead, and my mouth feels like something died in there. We head back into the kitchen, and I pull myself up onto the counter, crossing my legs as Brad throws me an ice-cold bottle of water. Dehydrated, I knock it back in one go, my throat working overtime.
A petite girl with masses of red corkscrew curls comes bounding into the kitchen, looking hassled and upset. “Has anyone seen Judy Mills?” Most everyone stares blankly at her. “She looks like me only she’s a bit older?” A few people shake their head, and the rest go about their business.
“Crap.” She scrunches fistfuls of her hair.
I jump down off the counter. “Are you sure she’s here?”
She nods. “She texted me. But what she doesn’t know is her boyfriend is on his way here, and if I know Judy …”
“Gotcha. Did you check the bedrooms?”
She bobs her head vigorousl
y. “I checked the ones on that side”—she gestures to the left—“but I can’t check the ones on the other side as you need a key to access the corridor.”
“Leave that with me. Stay here and I’ll come back.”
I drag Brad with me as I locate a sulky Kalvin and retrieve a key. Unlocking the wooden door, I step into the narrow corridor with Brad at my back. The music muffles as the heavy door closes with a thud. Three doors emerge on our left. Loud moans mix with a repetitive thumping noise that appears to be originating from the last bedroom. A female voice cries out, and Brad and I exchange knowing looks as we stop in front of the third door.
I fling it open before I change my mind. The sight that accosts me sends me stumbling back into Brad. He grips my waist, helping to keep me upright. Butterflies swarm my chest in outrage. “Holy fuck. I think I’m going to be sick.”
Chapter Thirty-Two
Kent glances over his bare shoulder, leering, completely unashamed, as if this type of behavior is normal. I slap a hand over my lips, forcing myself to swallow the acrid taste in my mouth. He continues to pound into the naked girl underneath him, unconcerned about the audience. His fingers dig into her left hip as he thrusts, and his naked ass cheeks clench and unclench with the motion. I look down at my feet, not wanting that mental image of him etched for eternity in my mind.
Seeing two of my cousins naked in the same day has to be some kind of gross record.
The girl’s long, wavy red hair is spread around the pillow like a fan. She emits a passionate moan, and I feel a compelling urge to smack her into next week. “Here to join the private party?” Kent winks. “There’s always room for one more. Or two, if you fancy joining in, too, Brad.”
“Kent!” the dark-haired girl on the other side of him screams, bucking her hips as his fingers thrust deep inside her. A third girl—this one has poker-straight blonde hair—runs her hands all over his body, jiggling her small breasts at Brad in invitation.
Finding Kyler (The Kennedy Boys #1) Page 25