by L. A. Casey
Marco turned in our direction and his face was covered in blood. I didn't know were it came from because it was all over his face.
He tried to crawl off the platform but Alec grabbed his legs and pulled him back.
"Stop!" Marco screamed.
Alec didn't.
Alec straddled Marco's chest, gripped his hair in his left hand and balled his right hand into a fist.
"This is for my parents," Alec snapped and punched Marco in the face. "This is for Nala." Another punch. "This is for Bronagh and Branna." Another punch. "This is for Aideen and Storm." Another punch. "This is for my kitten." Another punch. "And this if for me and my brothers you son of a bitch. You ruined our lives." Countless punches.
I felt my eyes well up with tears when Alec's voice cracked.
I looked away when Alec continued to beat Marco long after he stopped moving.
I moved out of Kane's hold and stumbled over to my uncle. I put my arms around his waist and placed my face against his chest and closed my eyes.
"I've got you, baby girl."
I gave him a squeeze.
"I'm sorry for what I did, I made a business choice and allowed it hurt you. I regret it dearly. I would take it back if I could, I swear it."
I didn't say anything as my uncle whispered to me.
"Do you hate me?"
I opened my eyes and looked up at my uncle. "No, I love you. You just made a bad decision, it will be okay. You're only human."
My uncle carefully kissed my sore head. "You're a good girl, Keela."
I smiled and placed my head back against his chest.
"Sir."
I froze when Alec spoke.
"Do I need to waste a bullet on Mr. Miles?" my uncle asked.
I swallowed.
I didn't like how casually he spoke of ending someone's life like that, even if the person who he was talking about was horrible.
I knew I would have to get over it though, after this night was over I knew I'd probably never hear of another incident like this ever again. It was still hard to wrap my head around the fact that my uncle was a gangster. Not only a gangster, he was the boss.
"No sir, you need to waste one on Thomas though. He is still breathing."
Jesus.
I heard footsteps.
"No, please... No." Thomas's voice moaned.
Bang.
I screamed into my uncle's chest and held onto him for dear life.
"Baby girl?" my uncle murmured.
I felt tears fall from my eyes, they slid down my neck and down onto my chest.
"Yes?" I asked.
"Your lad would like a word."
I swallowed. "The blood... I can't."
"He wiped it off."
I took in a deep breath and released as I slowly turned.
I looked up to a now shirtless Alec with his messy hair and a frowning face. He looked so young.
I looked down to his hands and could see some blood, but not enough to make me sick.
Alec watched me with nervous eyes, and I could tell he was afraid that I was disgusted with him and to prove that I wasn't I stepped forward and put my arms around him.
He wrapped his arms tightly around me and kissed the crowned of my head a few times then he sighed a sigh of relief.
I titled my head back and looked up at his tired face.
"Hi," he whispered.
I smiled. "Hey."
"I love you," he murmured.
"I love you, too."
"Ah bollocks, they are in love."
I laughed at my uncle, and so did everyone else. I moved to Alec's side and put my arm around his waist as I faced my uncle with him.
"I don't think I need to tell to look after her."
"You don't sir, I have her covered."
My uncle nodded at Alec then gave me a wink. "Go on and get home, I’ve got some work to finish up here."
I grumbled, "I don’t wanna know."
My uncle smirked.
I turned with Alec and smiled at Nico who was kissing Bronagh. I moved away from Alec and grabbed her hand as I passed her. I tugged her away from Nico and threw my arm around my shoulder.
"You can help me up the stairs while the brothers converse."
Bronagh laughed and put her arm around my waist as we walked.
I looked over my shoulder just as Alec hugged his brothers. I smiled and so did Bronagh when she looked back. We turned and walked forward when the brothers looked at us.
"They caught us," I murmured.
Bronagh laughed then called for help when she buckled a little under my weight. I blinked my eyes open when another arm wrapped around me.
I looked at Alec and smiled as he held me close to his side. Bronagh held onto my arm that was still over her shoulder as she helped Alec walk me up the stairs of Darkness.
"Can you carry me?" I asked Alec.
"No, you have to stay awake."
"I will stay awake, I promise, your voice will keep me awake."
Alec awed.
"You're so sweet - you leave little footprints on my heart."
I glared up at him through my dizziness. "Keep that sarcasm up and I'll be leavin' little footprints on your face."
Alec glanced down at me and smiled. "You're perfect."
"You're a prick."
Alec laughed. "I'm a Slater, of course I'm a prick."
"Truer words were never spoken," Bronagh laughed. We were silent until we exited Darkness and stepped out into the night.
I gazed out at the city and all the lights then glanced up to the dark sky and took in a deep breath.
"I'm glad that’s over."
"I'm glad Marco is dead," Bronagh murmured.
I looked to her with wide eyes.
She sighed. "I'm not evil, the world is just a better place without that man."
After my brief encounters with Marco, I could only agree with her.
"I hope Aideen and Storm are okay."
"You heard Kane, Aideen is fine and the pup is okay. Aideen and Branna are with him now."
I lightly shook my head. "That's what I'm worried about, Storm hates Aideen."
"What time did Branna say we have to be there for dinner?" Aideen asked me.
"Five," I replied.
It's half five, the brothers will kill us. Branna won't let anyone eat until we get there."
I looked to a stressed out Aideen and smiled. The bruise on her face was still clear, but it was healing nicely. I couldn’t help but feel terrible for her, the bruise and cut she received the night I met Alec was almost healed and now the other side of her face was injured.
Poor girl.
"They will understand, we were with Storm."
"You were with Storm since ten this mornin'."
I shrugged. "So? He was shot ten days ago, give him a break. He won't be back to full strength for awhile, it's why he is still at the hospital."
Aideen grunted. "He is milkin' it, I'm fuckin' tellin' you he is. I saw him sit up earlier then when you looked at him he quickly laid down and start whimperin' and shite lookin' for sympathy treats. He has easily gained ten pounds in that hospital."
I laughed. "You're losin' it, man."
Aideen grumbled about Storm and it made me smile.
Things were already back to normal.
Ten days ago I was kidnapped and you wouldn't even know it by the way I was acting.
My Uncle Brandon told me 'not to worry' and that he would 'clean up everything' at Darkness. I have no idea what he did with Marco, Toby, and Thomas's bodies, but I didn’t want any idea so I was fine with being kept in the dark.
The first few days after the incident I was very jumpy, and found sleeping at night difficult but the brothers' and my uncles' advice, was to simply 'get on with life' so that was what I was trying to do.
"What are you doin'?" Aideen suddenly shouted then gaped at the car that over took us. "What. The fuck. Are you doin'?"
I snorted and pulled down the visor in fro
nt of me so I could look at my face. I winced when I seen my face. I had to get five stitches in my eyebrow to close the cut, but that was nothing compared to the swelling and bruising I dealt with. Thankfully the pain was minimal now and everything looked worse than it felt.
"I'm goin' ten miles over the speed limit, is that not enough for you?" she hollered.
I lightly snickered at Aideen and closed the visor.
"Where the hell did these wankers get their licenses?" Aideen snapped to herself.
I bit down on my lip as a car changed lanes in front of us without indicating they were going to do so. Aideen's face got so red I thought her head might pop off her shoulders. I watched in amusement as she lowered her window down and bellowed, "Nice indicator, arsehole!"
I lost it - I literally rolled around in my seat laughing.
"Is that the Garda behind us?" Aideen murmured and checked her mirrors, then gasped. "Fuck, it is the Garda!"
I heard the noise of a siren and I laughed harder.
We were getting pulled over!
"Keela, pull up your dress!" Aideen hissed at me as she pulled into the break down lane.
I looked at her and said, "Excuse me?"
She was peering into her rear view mirror while she undid some buttons on her top. "It's two male guards, I'll use my tits and you use your legs. Pull. Up. Your. Dress!"
"You have got to me jokin' me!"
Keela snapped her head in my direction. "Does it look like I'm jokin'?"
No it didn't and that's what I was freaked out about.
"Oh my God!" I snapped when she exposed herself.
Jesus, forgive me.
I shimmied up my dress so a lot of leg was showing.
I looked directly ahead and jumped a little when the glass on Aideen's side of the car was tapped.
"Evenin' sir, can I help you with somethin'?"
"Um... well, yeah. Do you know how fast you were goin'?"
"No, sir."
I glanced to my right and noticed Aideen pushed her chest out.
Fucking slag.
"Nine miles over the limit."
Ten.
"Oh, I'm sorry sir. I didn't even realise."
I looked out my window when the other guard walked by and checked the tax and insurance discs in the dash window. He walked back by my window then slowed down and took a longer look at my legs.
I looked up at him and smiled.
He smiled and nodded his head.
Dammit, I was a slag too.
"I'll let you off with a warnin' this once."
"Oh, thank you sir."
"You ladies have a nice evening."
The guards went back to their car, so Aideen took off and kept under the speed limit.
"I feel dirty!" I snapped.
Aideen burst out laughing. "I can't believe it worked!"
I shook my head and folded my arms across my chest and remained quite until we got to the Slater's and Branna's house. Aideen and I jumped out of the car and quickly walked up the garden steps.
The door was flung open.
"It's about fucking time!" Nico bellowed. "I'm starving!"
I rolled my eyes and we passed him and walked down the hallway.
"Don't blame me, blame Keela."
I gasped as I entered the kitchen. "Blame me? That's rich. Who's the one who got pulled over for speedin'? That's right bitch, you!"
Aideen rolled her eyes. "We got out of that situation in less than five minutes."
I glared. "Yeah, but at the risk of losin' our self-respect!"
"How did you lose your self-respect?" Ryder asked.
I snapped my fingers. "I'll tell you how, Aideen used our bodies to get out of a speedin' ticket."
"You didn't!" Bronagh said then burst into laughter.
It wasn't funny!
"It wasn't as bad as she is makin' it out-"
"My dressed was hiked up so high you could see me knickers and your tits were on display for the world to see."
"I don't suppose anyone took pictures-"
"Dammit Dominic, shut up," Bronagh snapped to a smirking Nico.
"It wasn't that bad... besides he let me off with a warnin', it was a success."
I rolled my eyes then jumped when I felt arms come around me from behind.
"Hi," Alec whispered in my ear.
I smiled. "Hey."
"How’s the pup?"
I beamed. "He is great. The doctor said we can take him home in three or four days."
"I'm tellin' you all that dog is fakin' it."
"He was shot Aideen, give him a break."
I walked over and high fived Kane. "Thank you."
Aideen glared at Kane. "You keep out of this, germinator."
I smiled while Kane growled in annoyance.
He has been sick the past two weeks, so Aideen dubbed him " The Germinator" and he hates it.
"Leave him alone," Branna frowned and hugged Kane.
Kane grinned and hugged Branna tightly. "Yeah, leave me alone."
Ryder glared at Kane and shook his head.
"I'll serve dinner now that everyone is here," Branna said.
"Praise Jesus!" Nico shouted.
"Would you stop? You eat every five minutes, you're not starvin'."
Nico groaned. "Stop watching what I eat and how often I eat, it's driving me insane woman."
"Like Marco insane?" I asked.
Alec burst out laughing.
"Not that insane," Nico smirked to me.
"Keela."
I looked at Alec and walked over to him when he nodded for me to.
"What?"
"Hi," he smiled.
I chuckled. "Hey."
"I got you something."
I smiled. "You did?"
Alec nodded and reached into his pocket and took out a small black box.
"Oh my God!"
He got down on one knee.
"Oh my God!"
He held opened the box and revealed a beautiful diamond ring.
"Oh my God!"
He smiled.
"I didn't ask you properly the first time, so I wanted to do it right this time."
"Oh my God!"
Silence.
"Keela Daley, I love you and I'll spend the rest of my life proving just how much I cherish you. Only you. Not even your girl crush to-do list can get in on this. Will you marry me kitten?"
I laughed.
Would I marry Alec?
"Hell yes!" I replied.
Cheers erupted from behind us as Alec slid my engagement ring onto my finger. He stood up, took my face in his hands and kissed the daylights out of me.
When we broke apart, the girls attacked me while Alec's brothers slapped hands and hugged him.
"Congratulations!"
I hugged all the girls, then the brothers.
"Can I call you sis now since you're going to be my sister-in-law?" Nico asked me.
"You can call me whatever you want to."
Nico grinned and just as he opened his mouth, Bronagh whacked him across the back of the head.
"I wasn't going to say anything!"
Bronagh grinned. "Good."
Nico grumbled under his breath then grabbed Bronagh by her arse and pulled her down onto a kitchen chair with him.
I laughed at them then stared down at my ring.
It was beautiful.
"Do you like it?" Aideen asked when she popped up beside me.
"I love it."
"Good, because I helped pick it out."
I shoved her. "You're so sneaky."
She grinned and gave me a hug.
"You know you're me maid of honour, right?"
Aideen began jumping up and down excitedly and so did Bronagh and Branna when I told them I wanted them as bridesmaids.
"You have it easy," Alec said to me when I found him in the home gym a few minutes later.
"How?"
"I have to pick a best man out of four brothers. No matter who I pick, the ba
stard will rub it in the face of the other three."
I chuckled. "You're brothers, it's to be expected."
Alec sighed then kissed my head when I put my arms around him.
"I'm nervous about seeing your mom tonight, how do you think she will take the engagement news?"
I shrugged. "I don't care how she takes it, we're happy and that's all that matters."
I leaned up to kiss Alec when suddenly Aideen graced us with her presence.
"I have to give you the talk, Slater."
Alec looked up from me to look at Aideen and grinned. "What kind of talk?"
"The don't-hurt-me-friend-or-I’ll-kill-you talk."
Alec nodded his head. "Ah, that talk."
I snorted.
"I like you Alec you're a good lad, but if you ever harm me friend in anyway, I will kick you so hard between the legs that your balls will be picking your balls out of your teeth for a week. We clear on that?"
Alec stared wide eyed at Aideen for a moment then flicked his eyes to me and whispered, "Was I just threatened by a leprechaun?"
I nodded my head.
Yes, yes you were.
Alec turned back to Aideen and hesitantly smiled. "Crystal clear, beautiful."
Aideen grinned. "Flattery doesn't work on me, blue eyes. Remember that."
"How about chocolate... does that work?" Alec asked.
Aideen froze then murmured, "Dairy Milk, Carmel."
I laughed. "So it's okay for him to hurt me once you get chocolate off him?"
"But it's Dairy Milk, Carmel... that chocolate is amazin'. World war could be forgiven with that chocolate."
I shook my head and laughed.
Aideen frowned. "I'm a bad friend."
"Go help Branna with dishin' out dinner, crazy."
Aideen smiled then pranced off into the kitchen.
"She drives Kane crazy."
"Only because he wants her and can't have her."
Alec laughed. "True."
I smiled up ask Alec and he sighed.
"You know something?"
"What?"
"I love you to Neptune and back."
My heart warmed as I laughed. "You mean you love me to the Moon and back?"
Alec shook his head. "Nah, Neptune is the furthest planet from Earth in our solar system so the greater the distance, the greater my love."
Oh, wow.
I teased. "I thought Pluto was the furthest planet from the sun?"
Alec shook his head again. "Pluto isn't known as a planet anymore; it's a dwarf planet meaning neither planet nor moon."