by S Kline
I pull open the door and walk down the wooden steps. I breathe in the familiar ocean breeze, and ruffle my sandy hair. I don’t have a car. I prefer the peace that comes with walking along the coast. I flick the bud of my joint into the sand and walk down the beach to mama’s house.
I wish I would have left my damn shoes at the apartment so that I can feel the warm sand on my toes. I bought mama a house not far from my apartment since I need to check on her often. I hired a nurse to keep her taken care of when I am not around, but mama gets agitated if she doesn’t see me for a few days.
I walk up the plank board steps and into the two-bedroom coastal house. June, the nurse I hired, is sweeping the wooden floors under the small dining table. She looks up at the sound of the door opening, and a smile touches her pink lips. June is old enough to be my mother, but she looks young. Her blonde hair is pulled tight into a ponytail, and her curves are on display in polka-dot scrubs.
If she wasn’t my mom’s caretaker I would totally hit that, but I don’t need her quitting on us when she realizes I am an ass.
“Hey, Dylan.” She props the broom against the table and stands up straighter pushing her chest out a little more than normal. “Your mother is napping.”
“Thanks, June. I’m getting ready to head out of town for a few days so I’m going to let her know.” A dreadful look settles in June’s blue-gray eyes. “Don’t worry. I’ll be back before you know it.” I place a reassuring hand on her shoulder as I walk past her and into mama’s bedroom.
Mama is lying on the bed, her brown hair hangs down her too thin shoulders, and her green eyes are closed. I had bought this house specifically for this room. The bed faces a whole wall of floor-to-ceiling windows that give the most magnificent view of the ocean outside. I sit down in the old wicker chair next to mama’s bed, and clasp her frail hand in mine. She opens her eyes and a smile lands on her thin lips. I miss the way her eyes used to light up with her smile. Now they stare at me vacantly, but her smile lets me know she’s glad I’m here.
“Hi, mama.” I smile back at her and use my other hand to push her hair away from her forehead so I can place a kiss there.
When I pull back I focus on her hand clasped in mine. “I’m going out of town for a few days. Troy needs my help with something.”
I look back at her and I don’t like the way her face pinches down as if she’s in pain. “It’ll be okay, and I will be back before you know it. You know I could never leave my favorite girl for too long.” I push back the pain in my heart as her face smooths out at my words.
I just want to hear her voice again. It’s been so long since I heard it that I don’t even remember what it sounds like. I place another kiss to her head, and then stand up. I release her hand, and my eyes drift to the nightstand. There’s a picture of us. It was taken the day I was born. Mom is in a hospital bed, a grin on her lips that lights up her whole face, and Dad is standing beside her like he’s king of the fucking world. I swipe quickly at the tear that starts to fill my eye. Crying would upset mama.
“The first thing I’ll do when I get back is come see you.” I look back at my mother, and her green eyes are studying me.
I smile before turning and walking out of her bedroom door. I close it behind me and almost slam into June.
“Oh, I’m so sorry.” June runs her hands over my chest and down my abdomen, and I realize she spilt the contents of the dustpan all over me.
“Shit.” I move her hands away and take over the job of swiping at my shirt. “It’s cool, no harm done.”
I look back up to see a knowing smirk on her face. Did she do that on purpose? Conniving little bitch aint she? I shake my head to clear it of the naughty nurse fantasies that are being circulating in my brain. I don’t say anything else as I step around her and out of the house.
As I walk down the steps I pull my cell phone out of my pocket, and dial in Sean’s number, knowing he is going to take out this shit with Troy on me. Sean is a scary fucking dude. He is always so fucking calm, and then… it is like a fucking bomb exploded and he demolishes whatever is in his path. It really is a blessing that he is like a brother to us.
“What do you want, dipshit?” Sean answers with a little more venom in his tone than I am used to hearing directed at me.
“Chill, man. I did nothing wrong, and what happens between Troy and Addie is none of our business.” I try to reassure him, but I know he isn’t worried about Addie.
“I don’t give a fuck about what Troy does with Addie, but you and I both know what he’s probably doing with Kaci. Shit, D. He’s been obsessed with her since we were kids.”
I nod then remember he can’t see me. “Exactly, he won’t hurt Kaci.”
A bitter laugh fills the line. “He’s having a baby with Addie, D. Do you really think he told Kaci about that?” I didn’t get a chance to respond before he spoke again. “Fuck, no he didn’t. When Kaci finds out she will be hurt.”
I don’t say anything more about it. Sean is right. “Troy needs us up at Delvin’s cabin. I have the directions. You can pick me up at the apartment.”
I hear a shuffle over the phone, and I know Sean is rushing to get ready. “I’ll be there in fifteen.”
“See ya then.”
I hang up and slip my phone back into my pocket just as a scream tears through the air around me. I don’t hesitate as I take off toward the high pitched wail. I round the corner of the lifeguard tower and see a slumped form in the sand. Deja Vu flashes into my mind as I rush over to the woman. She is naked except for the scrap of fabric over her shoulder that I assume had been a dress.
“Are you okay?”
Frightened brown eyes look up at me before scanning the area wildly. I call the police, and Sean shows up a few minutes later. We wait with the woman, but she won’t talk to us. We give our statements to the police, watch the ambulance load her up, and then walk to Sean’s SUV.
“Did that seem scarily familiar to you?” Sean asks, and I nod remembering the last time we had encountered a situation like this.
***
“What are you doing Marcus?” Troy’s voice vibrates with anger as we all look at Marcus carrying a woman over his shoulder.
She is passed out, and her clothes are torn and bloody.
“I found her on the beach. We should call someone.” Marcus’s voice is shaky.
Troy steps forward and grabs the front of Marcus’s t-shirt in his fist. “You found her like this on the beach and you moved her? You fucking moron. There could have been evidence there.”
Me and Sean walk over and lift the girl from Marcus, and position her on the leather couch in Troy’s living room. She looks young. I would guess around seventeen.
“I didn’t know what to do.” Marcus admits.
Troy releases him and yanks his cell phone out of his jeans. “They are going to think this was a fucking gangbang with all of us crowded around this traumatized girl.” He dials and walks out of the room.
I didn’t know if he was calling Ardon or the police.
“So you just found her?” Sean’s calm voice breaks the silence, and I look up to see his focus completely on Marcus.
Marcus nods, but he looks a little nervous.
“So how did you get that scratch?” Sean asks as he nods his head toward Marcus.
Marcus’s eyes go wide, and my gaze drops to the side of his neck where a long gash is welted against his skin. Blood fills the crevasse, and anger fills me.
“What scratch?” Marcus starts to move past Sean, but he isn’t quick enough.
Sean grabs him by the arm with one hand, and with the other he presses his finger into the wound. Marcus yelps in pain. “That scratch.” Sean’s voice is scary quiet now.
“I don’t… I don’t know. It must have happened while I was moving her.”
“Did you do this to her, Marcus?” Sean’s gaze is unwavering.
I step up and yank Marcus’s head to the side by his hair so that I can get a better look. That�
��s about the time that Troy walks back in.
“What the fuck is that?” Troy’s voice rings out around us.
“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.” Sean answers him.
I can’t speak. I want to toss Marcus to the ground and beat his face in.
“I didn’t do anything. I swear.” Marcus pleads with us. A small whimper fills the room and we all turn at once to focus on the small girl.
I release Marcus and walk over to her slowly. She looks like a frightened animal as she pulls into herself. She tucks her knees up to her chest and her eyes move frantically around us until she spots Marcus. Then her scared eyes widen.
I step in front of her line of sight. “Did he hurt you?” I didn’t want her to be scared of me, but if she answered yes I was turning around and beating the shit out of him.
She quickly shook her head no. I don’t believe her, and when I look back at the other guys I don’t think they do either. Sean punches Marcus in the gut and he doubles over in pain. Troy takes over Sean’s hold and leads Marcus to the sliding glass doors.
“Don’t come back here again, or I’ll fucking kill you.” Troy shoves Marcus out the door, and watches as he stumbles in the sand to regain his footing.
When the police show up we tell them everything. There are a lot of secrets in Fianna Fáil, but hurting women and children is not something that is tolerated. We would let the police investigate, but if even the slightest bit of evidence pointed to Marcus we would fucking kill him.
Chapter Thirteen
Troy
I hear the rustle in the leaves just before Sean and Dylan step forward from the brush. Sean takes one look at Kaci asleep in my arms and looks as though he is about to hit me, his face is so red it is starting to match his flannel shirt. I shift gently, so I won’t wake her as I stand up leaving her sleeping on the quilt.
“We need to talk, fucker.” Sean’s deep voice is hindered by his attempt to not wake Kaci, but I can hear the anger seething behind his words.
“Where’s Ethan?” I direct my question at Dylan, mostly just to piss Sean off, it works.
“Dylan thought it best to keep him back, you know, considering your situation.” Sean’s eyes are hard and set directly on me. “We need to talk, now.”
I scoff, but walk a few feet away, signaling for Dylan to keep an eye on Kaci as I go. I just want to get this pointless conversation over with. Sean isn’t going to tell me anything I don’t already know.
As soon as we round a large group of trees Sean grips the front of my t-shirt and slams my back against the tree. I chuckle, knowing it will only infuriate him more. I don’t know what it is about pissing him off that is amuses me? Maybe it is because Sean is always so eerily calm.
“What the Hell do you think you’re doing, Troy?” His anger is clearly visible in his words now, no longer dampened by his worry for Kaci sleeping. “You think you get to knock up Addie, and then fuck around with my sister?”
“Don’t play the big brother card now, Sean, you never have before.” I keep my voice neutral even though I can feel the blood start to boil under the surface of my skin.
“When have I not looked out for her, Troy? You know she can’t know who I am.” His face twists as if almost pained. “That’s not the point anyway, answer my question.”
I easily shake his grip off my shirt. He may be mad, but we’re like family. If I thought it would make him feel better I’d let him push me around or punch me a few times because that’s what brothers do.
“It’s not like that, man.” I watch closely as he pulls a cigarette from the pack, and I take the one he offers me. I pull in a deep breath of smoke, and feel my nerves begin to calm almost instantly. “I don’t have a clue how Addie got pregnant. I’m always careful, almost to the point of being paranoid.”
“It doesn’t matter how it happened. Ardon is already talking about your impending nuptials.” Sean’s gaze is zeroed in on me.
“That’s not going to happen.” My whole body goes tense at this news.
“Like you’ll have a choice!” Sean’s green-brown eyes widen in incredulity.
“They can’t make me say ‘I do.’” I start to pace as I talk, suddenly feeling trapped. My chest is squeezing, and all I can see is Kaci. My end game. My forever. “I won’t marry Addie.”
“That still doesn’t explain why my sister was lying in your arms.”
I shrug non-committedly. “It was a bit chilly.”
He narrows his greenish-brown eyes at me. “So you won’t care if I tell her about Addie then?”
The thought of him telling Kaci makes my heart stops and the oxygen leave my lungs on an agonizing exhale. Sean’s always watchful gaze catches my reaction before I can recover.
“That’s what I thought.” Sean walks around me to lean against the same tree he had slammed me against moments before. “I’ve watched the two of you tiptoe around each other for years.”
My eyes widen in shock. Kaci hated me before now. Ignoring my confusion he speaks again. “Why act on it now?”
This time when I shrug it isn’t to be a smart ass; it’s because I really don’t know. “It just happened.”
“Even if you don’t marry Addie, when Kaci finds out about the baby she’s going to leave you.”
I nod once, feeling suddenly very weak, my limbs heavy to the point I fear they might give out.
“Why Kaci?”
I peek up at him as I think about how to answer this. “What do you mean?”
“You’ve had hundreds of women, Troy. Any of them would have done anything to be in an actual relationship with you. So why now? Why Kaci?”
“I don’t know how to explain it to you. She’s so much more than I deserve, but everything I want.” I’ve never spoken truer words to anyone.
“I should kick your ass.”
“You could try.” I smirk.
Sean is probably the only guy I know who could kick my ass. He chuckles and pushes himself off of the tree he’d been leaning on, and takes another puff from his cigarette. I study him and wonder if he might in fact decide to take a swing at me.
Sean is always looking out for Kaci, and I have no idea how hard it is for him to keep the secret from her. I am not sure why he has to. Kaci’s mother knows about Ronan’s infidelity, and she knows about Sean. Yet he still isn’t welcome in the family. He is claimed solely by his mother, and privately by his father. It couldn’t have been Ronan’s decision. He adores Kaci, and he has always stood beside Sean. So why all the secrecy about his parentage?
“You need to tell her. I’ll keep quiet, for now, but only because I know you. If this were just a game you’d be done with her by now, not letting her cuddled in your lap.” He tosses the butt of his cigarette to the ground and steps on it with his western-style boot.
“I’ll tell her. I just… I want to enjoy this while she’ll let me.” I rake a hand roughly through my hair.
“We found another girl on the beach.”
My gaze snaps to his. “You still think it’s Marcus?” Fuck, I would kill him.
“There’s still no solid evidence. The cops have no idea who it could be.”
I nod and step toward him. “If we find out it’s Marcus, I will kill him.”
“You’ll have to beat me to it.” Sean sighs and tilts his head to the side. “You need to get that hair cut, dude.”
I grin glad he is done with his big brother role for now. “Yeah I do.”
“Let’s get this over with.”
I throw down my cigarette, and follow him back to Kaci and Dylan. Kaci is still asleep.
“No black eye, that has to be a good sign.” I shift my gaze to the amused smirk on Dylan’s face.
“Fuck off. Let’s get this done.” I kneel down beside Kaci and gently run my fingers over her face and through her hair. “Come on, Kace, I need you to wake up.” She blinks big blue eyes up at me with a smile on her face as she shifts into a sitting position.
Her eyes move to look
behind me, and the moment she spots Dylan and Sean she sits up quickly. She runs her hands over hair and smooths her shirt down. I look back to see two sets of wide eyes on us. I flip them off and help Kaci to her feet. I let her go only long enough to swing the duffle over my shoulder then grab her hand again
“Kaci, we need you to knock on the door. You’ll be the least recognizable.” Sean says, his voice back to its usual calm.
She nods and I clasp her hand as the four of us move through the trees and shrubs that line the back of the property. The sun is setting now, and is casting shadows over the pasture of wild flowers. I sneak up to the side of the cabin, and Kaci moves around to the front with Sean and Dylan flanking her sides.
Dylan and Sean press against each side of the door, just out of sight. Kaci knocks, softly at first, then a bit louder, until the door finally swings open.
Kane Kennedy stands there wearing nothing but boxer shorts. Dylan and Sean rush the door each grabbing an arm and maneuvering him to the floor. I follow in behind them pulling rope and duct tape from the duffle that’s slung across my chest. I grab one of the wooden chairs that sits against the wall by the door. Dylan throws a wild punch as Kane struggles to escape them. I’m not sure where it lands in the chaos, but the familiar crunching of bone along with Kane’s howl of pain tell me it hit hard. Sean moves Kane into position for me to secure him to the chair.
“You know this is war right? Did you think that through, Troy?” Kane works the words out through a split lip and a grin on his face.
“It’s not really a war when the opposing team has no chance of survival.” I grin right back at him as I place a strip of tape over his lips.
With all of the commotion the red-haired woman from the porch comes running in from one of the back rooms to see what is happening. I ignore the screeches coming from the woman behind me as I finish securing Kane. Her little fists pound at my back, and when I’m sure Kane isn’t going anywhere I turn and clasp both her wrists in one hand.