20. Chapter Twenty

20

Chapter Twenty

Brittany

K ieran opened up completely to me last night. He laid it all out there without being backed into a corner. He almost died at the hands of my boss’s brother. What the hell? I don’t blame him for his actions last night. He was livid I was near Jax and knowing what I know now, rightfully so. It makes sense now as where last night I didn’t understand. I’ve got to tell him soon. He’s told me everything and I’m still holding him at an arm’s length.

Kieran and I snuggled on the couch for a long while before he took me to bed and slowly worshiped every inch of my body. When I woke up this morning he had my back tucked tight into his front. His entire body wrapped around me. Not a single breath of space separating us. I’ve been awake and laying here just soaking in his warmth for about twenty or so minutes when my phone rings throughout the room. Grabbing it up quickly and answering before checking my voice comes out a half whisper trying not to wake him up.

“Hello?”

“It’s been awhile.” I feel like ice water has been dumped on top of me. My entire body locks up. No, how’d he get my number? I can feel myself trembling as Robert continues. “I see you’ve found yourself in the bed of one of the wealthiest men in Jersey. You always were the best whore we ever had.” Suddenly my phone is ripped out of my hand as Kieran brings it to his ear.

“Who is this?” He demands in a voice I’ve never heard him use before, like he may reach through the phone and rip my sperm donor’s head from his body. Kieran pulls the phone from his ear and kills the call before dropping the phone on the bed and turning his attention to me. “Mo Stóirín? Hey, are you okay? Who was that?”

I can feel tears rapidly falling down my cheeks but I don’t even attempt to wipe them away. Kieran looks like he’s genuinely in pain as he watches helplessly unsure of what to do. After a few moments he pulls me into his arms and practically begs me to tell him how to help. He can’t help me though, no one can. But there is someone who knows how this feels, kind of. Picking my phone up off the bed, I click the contact I’m looking for and bring the phone to ear.

“Hey, what are you doing to—”

Before Clara can finish her sentence I’m rushing out, “He found me. Clara, he just called me.”

She curses under her breath, “Are you sure? Britt, he’s locked up. You’re safe.”

“He’s out. He got out weeks ago.”

“I’m sending someone to come pick you up. You’ll be safe here. We just have to lock down until we find him.”

I’m already shaking my head, “No.No I can’t do that. I just needed to call you. I know you know how I’m feeling.”

“Okay, we’ll do this your way for now but I’m coming over and you’re calling out tomorrow. I’ll be there in fifteen. I love you.”

“Love you, too.”

We hang up and I look up to find Kieran just staring at me. No doubt he’s pieced the conversation together enough to know this has to do with Robert getting out of jail. If I thought he looked like he was barely holding on before, that’s child’s play compared to what I see in his demeanor and face now.

“Clara will be here in fifteen.”

“Yeah, I heard. Want to tell me what all of that was about?” I know I should, he completely laid everything on the line for me last night but I don’t think I can have this entire conversation before Clara gets here.

“We don’t have time. Can we talk about it tonight? It’s my turn to tell you everything.”

His fingers comb through my hair while he thinks on it for a beat. “Yeah Brave Girl, that’s fine. Are you safe? Are you going to be okay here with Clara for the day? I want to give you guys the space you need but I can’t leave you unprotected either. I mean, Killian will probably be here, but still.”

Giving him the most genuine smile I can muster, I nod. “I think I’m okay. We’ll talk about it all tonight. Clara will be with me and you know she’s coming with more than Killian.”

“Yeah, I know.” He pulls me tighter into him and lays his head on the top of mine.

“What are you doing?”

“Just let me hold you until she gets here. Then I’ll go talk to my brothers. You were right we shouldn’t be fighting.” Instead of telling him I’m fine, and throwing my walls up, I snuggle in and let this giant of a man comfort me.

* * *

“We’ll be fine, Kie. There’s three men on the door plus two more outside running surveillance. We aren’t leaving the apartment, and you’re hovering. I promise we’ll talk about it all later.”

Clara got here over thirty minutes ago, but Kieran has been lingering that entire time. I’m not completely sure if he’s avoiding talking to his brothers or he just doesn’t want to leave me that badly. Realistically, I’m sure it’s a little of both. He brought me into the shower with him before Clara got here, washed and conditioned my hair for me, then dried me off and handed me a pair of his boxers and one of his hoodies. I’m definitely that kind of comfortable that can only come from wearing your man’s clothes. She got here about the time I threw my wet strands up in a messy bun, and because she’s my spirit animal she showed up in none other than Roe’s clothes and a messy bun too. We really are two sides of the same coin.

“Okay, okay fine. I know when I’m not wanted.” Teasing shines in his expression just before he leans over the back of the couch where Clara and I sit and presses his mock pout lips to mine.

Laughing, I push his face away about the time he starts getting carried away, “Go, I’ll see you later Mystery Man.”

He presses his lips to my forehead one more time before heading for the door, “My phones on loud, set it off Brave Girl. Don’t make me miss you too much.”

Clara fake gags as he winks at me and walks out the door. “Is that what Rowan and I look like? Because I owe you so many apologies if so.”

“Oh, you and Roe are about a hundred times worse than that. That was Kieran not wanting to go talk to his brothers. Rowan all but straps you to a chair to get you to stay in the house with him.”

“Oh perfect, speaking of being tied up. Please tell me he’s as talented as his brother and you aren’t having boring vanilla sex. I can’t root for that, Britt. On principle alone I’ll have to help you leave him. That would make things messy in my marriage but I’ll do it for you.”

I can’t help but laugh at her, I’m usually the dramatic one, but one of my favorite things about us is that we can switch it up when the other person needs it.

“You’re dramatic today. He’s talented. I don’t know about Roe because of obvious reasons. I do know that compared to what you tell me I’d guess they’re pretty well matched in that department.”

“Oh you’re fucked then. Britt, I don’t think another man could even make my pupils dilate anymore. That man is a god. And if Kie’s the same way? Well it looks like we’re in this together.”

I give that real thought, I don’t think I’ve even thought about another man since my first night with Kieran. Our one night stand really spiraled out of control. We’re both explosive, passionate, sarcastic, and consuming. That’s just our personalities but somehow it just works. We really do just fit, damn… I may just be fucked, both literally and figuratively. I guess we’re in this together .

The mood turns somber as Clara pulls me out of my thoughts with the uncertain tone of her voice. It’s one I haven’t heard in a long time. “Hey, Britt?”

“Yeah, Clara?”

“You’re not going to take off, right? Not without telling me first?”

My heart breaks. I’ve thought about it but honestly if he’s found me here he can find me anywhere. At least here I have Clara’s support, and no doubt after tonight I’ll have Kieran’s too.

“I’m not going to take off.”

“Promise?”

“Swear.”

“Good, then we’ll sit here and feel our feelings for five minutes, then we boss the fuck up and handle our business.” I nod and lean my head on her as I let all the fear and anxiety out. She’s right, five minutes, then we boss up and figure this out.