by L. A. Casey
I jumped away from Gavin as Storm ran for him. Gavin cursed and jumped over my sofa and stumbled out of the sitting room. Strom slipped on the wooden floor in the hallway, but continued to give chase to Gavin. I knew Gavin got out of the house before Storm could get to him, when the front door slammed shut.
I looked to Storm when he came back into the sitting room. I didn't go over to him, I waited until he came to me. I knew he wasn't dangerous and I knew he wouldn't hurt me, but I didn't want to do anything to upset him when he was clearly stressed.
I kneeled down and rubbed and hugged him when he put his head against my leg. I kissed his head and scratched his ears. “Thank you,” I murmured to him for protecting me.
“Good boy, Storm,” Alec's voice praised. “Protecting Mama.”
I turned my head when Jason's voice snarled, “Don't even think of settin' that beast on me.”
I glared at him. “It's no more than you deserve!” I snapped. “What the hell did you think you were playin' at, showin' up at me house and kissin' me? Have you lost your mind?”
Jason smirked, blood smeared over his nose and mouth. “Nope, I just enjoy a bit of excitement every now and then.”
Nico reached down and punched Jason across the face.
“Is that exciting enough for you?” he asked.
I shook my head and got to my feet. I brought Storm to my kitchen and put him inside and closed the door. When I walked back to the sitting room I stood idle at the doorway and watched as Nico pushed Jason out of the room. Neither of them looked at me.
I put my arm around Alec who walked out of the sitting room holding onto his side. I growled and I pressed myself to him. “I'll kill Gavin for hurtin' you.”
Alec shook his head. “Aideen will do a great job of doing that herself.”
I didn't smile because I knew she would. She would beat the crap out of him for betraying us like he did. I leaned up to kiss Alec, but I froze when I heard a siren. A Garda car siren.
“Fuck!” Alec grunted.
We walked outside and I groaned when I spotted two male Garda getting out of their squad car and walking into our garden. I wanted to cry because I had no clue what we were going to do.
“Can I help you officers?” my uncle's voice sounded.
I looked to my right and raised my eyebrows as my uncle walked over to the Garda like he wasn't repulsed. I knew better though. My uncle hated the law and anyone who represented it.
“We received a noise complaint… and from the looks of the blood on some of you I'm guessin' some fall outs happened?” one of Garda mused as Gavin and Jason leaned against my uncle's SUV.
Micah was inside the SUV on her phone, she didn't even care about the bullshit her stupid husband had just caused.
“Fuckin' bitch,” I growled.
I refocused on my uncle and the Garda and walked forward with Alec when we were motioned to do so.
“This is my niece and her fiancé’s house. Anythin' that happened here was… resolved. I assure you.”
Both Garda raised their eyebrows at my uncle. “What is your name, sir?” one asked.
“Brandon Daley.”
I watched as both of the Garda exchanged a look.
“Mr. Daley… would you like to speak to us over by the car, Sir?”
“Absolutely,” my uncle replied.
I shook my head in disgust as the trio walked away from Alec and myself.
“They're about to end up on his payroll,” I grumbled. “I hate crooked Garda.”
Alec gave me a squeeze. “I'll square this with Brandy. I won't be in debt to him for helping us.”
I scoffed. “He wouldn't dare hold you in his debt, I'll have his balls if he even tried.”
I glanced to Ryder and Kane as they brought Branna, Alannah and a distraught Aideen, back inside my house. Nico and Bronagh remained outside with us. My uncle re-joined us when his 'talk' with the Garda ended and they drove off in their car.
“You're unbelievable,” I said to him.
He simply shrugged then switched his gaze to Alec. “That's me son-in-law you and your brother just roughed up.”
I opened my mouth to speak, but Alec bet me to it. “That's my fiancée your son-in-law just kissed.”
My uncle growled and looked over to Jason who raised his hands in the air. “I was just playin'!”
Bullshit.
“I'll deal with you later,” my uncle snarled then turned back to me, and softened his gaze.
“I'm sorry about all this.”
I nodded my head to him.
My uncle looked to Nico then. “Son… can I have a word?”
I stepped forward. “What do you want with him?” I asked.
Nico appeared next to me. “It's okay, Kay. I'll deal with this.”
My uncle smirked and moved off to the end of my garden with Nico. A few words were shared then Nico shook my uncle's hand.
“Dominic!” Bronagh and I snapped in unison.
I think Bronagh knew just as well as me that some sort of deal was struck between the pair, and that wasn't good. Not at all.
“I'll talk to you later, honey.” My uncle winked at me then walked over to his Jeep.
I ignored him and focused on Gavin. “You come back here again and I'll kill you meself, do you understand me?”
Gavin didn't know what to say, I could tell by the look on his face, so he turned and got into the back of my uncle's SUV. My uncle laughed. “You're definitely me niece.”
“Lucky me,” I sarcastically hissed.
My uncle got into his SUV chuckling, Jason got in grunting and groaning in pain, which made me grin. Fuck that bastard. I turned my attention from the SUV when it reversed out of my garden and looked to Nico as he walked towards us, his gaze locked on Bronagh.
“What the hell was that?” she snapped.
Nico swallowed. “He offered me a job.”
Alec shot forward and shoved Nico.
“Wait!” Nico shouted. “It's a good one, it's for fighting.”
Alec halted his beating on his brother and stared at him. “He's paying you to fight?”
Nico nodded. “Every week at Darkness for a fixed wage… I need this Alec, fitness training isn't enough to pay my bills. I need to take care of my girl.”
Alec let go of Nico and shook his head, but I could already see he accepted Nico's job, but Bronagh… she didn't.
“I'm goin' home, and you're not to follow me,” she said, her voice tight with emotion.
She walked out of my garden and left us looking after her.
“You aren't going after her?” Alec murmured.
Nico shook his head. “I will only upset her more if I do. She needs to cool off. When she is calm I'll explain why this is no different than the arranged fights I take part in every so often.”
I humourlessly laughed. “You're so fuckin' stupid, you don't see what she does.”
Nico looked at me. “Which is what?”
“Me uncle, in her eyes, is Marco. You've gone back to a world she hates… and you made Darkness part of the deal… do you even realise what that place does to her? What it does to me?”
Nico didn't speak. He didn't do anything.
I turned from him and Alec and walked into my house, not looking back when both of them called for me.
“I'm goin' to kill Gavin,” Aideen said for the tenth time in the last twenty minutes.
I sighed. “I'll help you.”
My attempt at humour was lost on her.
“I can't believe he would do this. I can't believe he would join your uncle's circle. Me brothers will kill him!” she swore.
I sat in silence but then looked to Branna when she called my name. She was sat to my right on my sofa with Alannah, Kane, Alec, and Nico spread out on it too. All of them were looking over at Aideen and myself.
“Yeah?” I replied.
She gave me a stern look. “You have to go to the shops… remember?”
I was about to ask for what, but w
idened my eyes when I remembered.
The pregnancy tests.
“Fuck,” I murmured. “I'll go now.”
Branna nodded, but didn't look at the brothers when they looked at her.
“Go to the shop for what?” Aideen asked me.
I looked at her. “You know for what.”
She shook her head.
Oh, for God's sakes.
“The bathroom,” I said, staring at her as I drilled the answer into her mind with my eyes.
She gasped when it hit her.
“The pregnancy tests!” she shouted.
I face-palmed myself.
“Pregnancy tests?” male voices shouted in unison.
“Well done,” I growled to Aideen who had her hand over her mouth.
I looked to the brothers who were all on their feet. “Yeah, pregnancy tests.”
“Who is pregnant?” Alec asked and stared at me.
I shook my head. “Not me.”
He visibly relaxed. “Thank God. I mean, I want babies with you, but we just talked about—”
“It’s okay, I know.” I snorted and shook my head again.
“If not you, then who?” Ryder asked.
I looked to Branna and he almost fell over.
“Bran?” he asked.
She winced. “It might be me. Might be.”
Ryder looked like he was about to puke.
Kane scratched his head. “I don't understand what's going on. So Branna might be pregnant?”
Aideen nodded her head. “Or Bronagh.”
“What?” Nico screamed.
I jumped with fright at the pitch of it.
“Why are you screamin'? You and Bronagh are tryin' for a baby.”
Nico fell back onto the sofa. “We are but… still. Fuck.”
“Relax honey,” Branna said to Nico. “It might not be Bronagh either.”
“Who else could it be then?” Alec asked.
Both Branna and I looked at Aideen.
She hissed. “Thanks very much!”
I shrugged my shoulders. “Should have kept your big mouth shut.”
“Aideen?” Kane’s voice snapped. “You might be pregnant? By fucking who?”
That was a good question.
Aideen lifted her hand to her head. “We're not doin' this. We aren't agruin' when we have no idea who is pregnant.”
“Then let's fucking find out,” Kane growled.
I blinked at him.
He was furious.
I spoke softly. “I'll go get some in Tesco—”
“I'll go with you,” Kane cut me off then stormed out of the sitting room, and then out of the house.
“Fuck,” Aideen hissed.
She stormed off up the stairs, and Branna and Alannah quickly followed her. I sighed and looked back to the remaining brothers. “I'll be back.”
Ryder and Nico nodded at me, but they were both in a world of their own.
I moved over to Alec and leaned up to kiss him.
“I love you,” he whispered.
I smiled. “Why are you whisperin'?” I asked.
“Because they're all in deep shit with their ladies, and I'm cool with you. I don't want to pour salt in their wounds by shoving it in their faces.”
“Then learn to whisper, you prick,” Nico growled making me smile.
I kissed Alec again.
“I love you, Kitten,” he repeated. “I really do.”
I relished in hearing that.
“And I love you, Playboy. To Neptune and back.”
“Good, now go and get those pregnancy tests before me and my brothers lose our minds. I want to know if it's one of the sisters. I hope so, I want to be an Uncle,” Alec said, chuckling.
Ryder and Nico dove for Alec as I ran out of the house giggling to myself. I stopped smiling and making sounds when I climbed into Alec's SUV and looked to Kane in the driver's seat.
“You okay?” I asked.
He nodded. “Fine.”
He took off driving then and I took his hint of wanting silence loud and clear. We got to Tesco a few minutes later and exited the car. We walked side by side into the shop and Kane trailed me as I headed for the hygiene aisle.
“Fuck me,” Kane whistled. “That's a lot of different brands.”
I nodded my head. “Yep. There is a lot to choose from.”
Kane lifted his hand to his head. “Can't we just pick any box? I want to get out of here.”
I snickered.
“Feelin' uncomfortable being in the women's aisle?” I teased.
He shook his head then stumbled a little to the side.
“I just... I just want to leave,” he said, his voice low.
I dropped my smile and stepped toward him. “Kane... are you okay?” I asked.
“I don't... I don't know. I don't feel good,” he said.
The next few seconds passed by in slow motion. Kane turned to face me, but he lost his footing. He grabbed at thin air as he fell to the ground looking for something to stop his fall, but found nothing. I heard myself scream when his body hit the floor and his eyes closed and didn't re-open.
“KANE!” I cried and dropped to my knees next to him.
I placed my hands on his face and shook him. “Wake up!” I screamed.
Nothing.
He was breathing, I could tell that from his chest movements, but he was unconscious and not responding to me. That frightened the life out of me. I shook him a few times and shouted his name hoping to get his attention, but he didn't wake up. He didn't move, or flinch.
He just laid there.
He gets ill now and then, but he has never collapsed... he hasn't even mentioned lately that he wasn't feeling good.
Something was very wrong.
I looked up and down the aisle and was surprised when I found nobody at either end. I could hear multiple fast paced footsteps though, and people calling all different things out to me to see which aisle I was on. I placed my hands on Kane's chest and screamed.
“Somebody help me!”
I had a headache.
A pounding headache.
My stomach was queasy too, and I felt a little dizzy.
I felt like shite.
I felt like this because I was scared.
I was so damn scared… and all because of a damn plastic stick!
I tried not to look at the stick that would decide my fate as I sat in the main bathroom of the Slater brothers’ house. I focused on the tiled floor, and the grout that cemented them in place to avoid looking up. I counted the tiles, and each time I only got to ten or eleven before my head automatically turned to look at the counter.
No.
I hissed at myself and stilled my movements before I could take a peek. I didn't want to know what the stupid stick said, but I had to. It was eating away at me and has been for the last hour and a half. I looked up at the ceiling and blinked.
I wish you were here, ma.
I needed my mother, I needed to vent to somebody about the fucked up day I had. I swallowed and pictured my ma was in front of me, and I mentally unloaded everything onto her. I told her everything.
Today was a pretty eventful day to say the least.
It was moving day for Keela and Alec. They moved out of their box-sized apartment into a beautiful house, directly across from the brothers’ place in Upton. As a member of the friendship group we uphold, we were all drafted in to help pack up boxes in the old apartment and then unpack them in the new house.
Everyone had some fun packing up the apartment and unpacking in the new house, but we also had arguments… and a lot of other bullshit to deal with. Keela had more bullshit than anyone to deal with.
My girl was stressed, and I put it down to moving because that was stressful, but she revealed she wasn't doing good and it wasn't all down to moving house. She was having nightmares about an incident that happened with her uncle and the brothers thirteen months ago. Keela never liked talking about what happened. I knew the gist of
what went down, but not everything. I didn't know what caused Keela to be so scared… scared enough to still be having night terrors so many months after what happened.
Her nightmares weren't her only problem though. She wasn't comfortable with how fast Alec was moving with their relationship. She wanted to enjoy him in the dating game, but he wanted to get married and have babies right away.
The kicker?
Alec knew none of this. Nothing about her nightmares, and diddly-squat about her hesitation with what she wanted out of their relationship. This all came out of course… during a surprise housewarming party that Alec arranged. Keela wasn't impressed at all, she had a bit of meltdown, and if things weren't bad enough, her uncle, her cousin Micah and her husband showed up.
You know, the uncle who is really a gangster, the cousin who puts the B in bitch, and her husband who is the biggest wank stain ever. Yeah, those bastards. They showed up, and they caused arguments, physical fights… they even caused the Gardai to be called. They found out about the party thanks to my bastard little brother, Gavin. He was somehow close to Brandon and Jason now, however that situation was too fresh for me to hink about right now. I needed time before I even thought about that little fucker
The whole situation was bad, but what really put the cherry on top of our fucked-up-day-cake was the stupid thing myself, Branna, Bronagh, and Alannah did in Keela's bathroom for fun.
Before shit hit the fan, we had some drinks to unwind from a long day of packing and unpacking and we thought it would be funny to take pregnancy tests. And it was funny, until Keela showed up and knocked the pregnancy tests into the sink and mixed them up. That wouldn't normally be a problem, but guess what one of the test results turned out to be?
You guessed it.
One of us was fucking pregnant, and we had no clue who.
We had Keela to thank for that.
It got scarier when Alannah ruled herself out of possibly being pregnant because she swore there was no tick in her clock for at least six months. So that left Bronagh, Branna, or myself to have the pleasure of being with child.
Ha. Pleasure my arse.
I prayed it was either Bronagh or Branna who was pregnant, simply because those two were in committed relationships, while I wasn't. The closest I ever got to being in a relationship was the hate/hate thing I had going on with Storm—and he was a dog. And he hated me.