Текст книги "AIDEEN"
Автор книги: L.A. Casey
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Aideen
a Slater Brothers novella
Copyright © 2015 by L.A. Casey
Cover Design: Mayhem Cover Creations
Literary Editor: JaVa Editing
Formatter: JT Formatting
All rights reserved.
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The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.
This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, establishments, organizations, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously to give a sense of authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.
License Notes
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Title Page
Dedication
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Preview of Ryder
Acknowledgements
About the Author
Other Titles
Mary and Yessi,
You’re both the craziest best friends a girl could ever have, but I wouldn’t change either of you for the world. Thank you for the daily conversations that make me laugh, and for the funny shit you both have said when you try to be serious. I’ll take some of those weird conversations to my grave.
I promise ;)
I love you both dearly,
Lee <3
Pain.
Stomach pain.
Severe stomach pain.
That was what I was currently experiencing... and it was all because of a damn biscuit. If I didn’t get the sugary, crunchy goodness into my rumbling belly soon I would go on a rampage that would put Nico Slater to shame.
“Keela, please,” I whimpered, feeling close to tears. “Just give me a little bit of that biscuit, I won’t tell—”
“Aideen!”
I winced when his voice filled the sitting room.
“Ah, bollocks,” I muttered under my breath and avoided looking over to the doorway where I knew he stood.
Instead, I focused on the beautifully decorated Christmas tree that stood behind Keela.
Keela Daley—who was still my best friend for some strange reason—was sitting on my sofa and acting as a leg rest for my swollen limbs. Two days prior, the cast I wore on my broken leg for the past eight weeks was removed. My knee and shin were nicely healed, but they were still prone to damage so I had to take things easy, which meant I had to sit down a lot.
I wasn’t exactly happy about the prospect of sitting on my arse twenty-four-seven, but if it helped my leg get stronger then it was something I would just have to do.
I glanced down to my forearm then, sighing at the newly formed scar. It healed a few weeks ago, and Kane assured me it was an angry reddish colour because it was brand new. Over time, it would fade to a lighter colour.
I hoped so, because I could see myself wearing a lot of long-sleeved tops in the future otherwise.
Keela regained my attention when she devilishly grinned at me as she popped the remainder of her chocolate digestive biscuit into her mouth—cunt move—then looked to the left and held up her hands. “I wasn’t goin’ to give her it, Kane. I swear.”
I ignored my boyfriend’s presence and focused on the bitch in front of me.
“You’re a shitty friend.”
She looked back to me and unapologetically shrugged her shoulders. “I’d rather be a shitty friend than a dead one.”
I scoffed. “He wouldn’t kill you for givin’ me a bit of a biscuit—”
“He would kill her for giving you a biscuit.” A husky voice cut me off.
I huffed in frustration and looked at the love of my life who was hell-bent on making me suffer. I locked my eyes on his and silently pleaded with him.
“It’s been eight weeks since I left the hospital, Kane. Eight weeks. Me leg and arm have healed perfectly and me throat doesn’t even hurt anymore. I’m sick to death of soup and soft foods. I’m pregnant which means I’m always hungry, and that shitty food isn’t cuttin’ it anymore. Please, just let me eat a packet of biscuits.”
“A whole packet?” Keela merrily laughed. “You fat fuck. How did eatin’ a single biscuit jump to eatin’ a whole bloody packet?”
I dug the heel of my foot into her thigh. “Shut the hell up you traitorous cow!”
She hissed and adjusted my foot, but did as asked and closed her mouth.
“Aideen,” Kane sighed and rubbed his temples.
He has done that action a lot over the past few weeks.
“I’m not being strict to upset you, babydoll, but you heard the doctor. No solid food until after your throat fully heals. You have just a few more days and then you’re good. Why risk it? The first time you ate solid food after the fire you made a gash in your throat and it required stitches. Do you really want to go down that road again?”
Kane was firm when he spoke, but I saw the emotion in his eyes.
“Do you want to undergo more surgery, not being able to talk and having to eat through a tube? Personally, I can’t see you in that state. It almost killed me the first time around.”
I thought of the gut-wrenching moment seven weeks ago when I swallowed a bit of a ham sandwich and my throat erupted with pain. A single slice of hard-crusted bread caused my already sensitive inner throat to tear open. It resulted in a painful gash that led to me spitting up a horrifying amount of blood that frightened the life out of those who loved me. I made Gavin and the girls cry, and I almost gave Kane and my father a heart attack.
To be honest, I scared myself half to death, too.
The pain after the surgery to stitch the wound shut, and having to be fed through a tube, sucked. I was a mess for weeks. It was definitely something I never wanted to experience again.
Ever.
I looked to Kane, then to Keela, then down to my fingers that were playing with the fluffy blanket that covered both Keela and myself.
“No, I don’t,” I replied to Kane, but made sure to keep my head and gaze downcast so he couldn’t see that my eyes had welled up.
I hated how easily I cried at things.
Pregnancy turned me into such a pussy.
“Baby?” Kane prompted.
I sniffled.
Shit.
“I’m fine,” I said, and rubbed under my nose with the back of my hand.
“Use a tissue, you knacker,” Keela said, revolt pulsing through her tone.
I laughed and cried at the same time.
“Leave her alone, Keela.” Kane clicked his tongue.
She paid him no attention.
“If you wipe snot onto this blanket so help me God, I’ll kill you, Ado.”
I continued to laugh, only stopping when I got a stitch in my side.
“Why do you make her laugh like that?” Kane grumbled. “She’ll end up hurting herself.”
I practically felt Keela roll her eyes.
“Give over, big man. She is pregnant, not made of glass. Give her a bump, I promise she won’t break.”
Kane grinned wickedly. “Giving her a bump is what has me worried about her in the first place.”
Keela’s eyes shone with wonder. “I can’t wait to see what you’re like when she gets here; you’ll have the poor kid wrapped up in bubble wrap from day one.”
“He will be a super baby, the chosen one if you will. He won’t be fragile.”
Keela gleefully laughed. “Keep tellin’ yourself that, mate.”
I looked up in time to catch Kane stick his middle finger up at Keela and for her to stick up both of hers back at him.
I shook my head good-naturedly.
“Enough, children. Mother is too tired and hungry for your bullshit today,” I declared, yawning.
Kane crossed the room and hunkered down next to me. He placed his elbow on the arm of the sofa behind me and gently scratched my back which his fingers. “Why don’t you come to bed?”
His voice was low and inviting.
“Maybe because she has company, i.e. me, you dirty bastard.” Keela flared. “Stop seducin’ her when I’m sittin’ right next to your nasty arse.”
I beamed at Keela, and Kane smiled at me. He used his free hand to swipe away the already forgotten tears on my cheeks. “There’s my babydoll.”
Keela giggled. “That’s adorable, but you’re still nasty.”
I flicked my eyes in her direction and playfully narrowed them. “Do you mind?”
“Not at all,” she acknowledged. “You do your thing.”
Kane nudged me and gave me a wink. “You shouldn’t have ever fed her, she’ll never leave now.”
Keela gasped in mock horror. “I’m not a dog. How dare you!”
“I never said you were.” Kane deviously grinned then stood up to his full height. He turned and walked out of our sitting room and headed down the hallway to the kitchen.
Keela pushed my legs, and the blanket that was covering her, off her body and shot to her feet.
“Don’t walk away when I’m talkin’ to you, Kane Slater!” she hollered, and stomped out of the room after him.
Kane’s low laughter did nothing but infuriate her further.
“Or what? You’ll kill me?” he teased.
“You’re damn right I’ll kill you... don’t smile at me like that, I will!”
I chuckled to myself.
They behaved like brother and sister, and I loved it because they loved each other. It would suck balls if my boyfriend and best friend didn’t get along.
“Do not throw that at me!” Kane’s voice suddenly shouted.
Keela cackled. “It’s just a tub of butter, you big baby.”
“It’s a frozen tub of butter, so you might as well throw a brick at my head!”
“That can be arranged, big man.”
“You’re an evil little person, I hope you know that.”
“I do.”
I laughed at their conversation and sunk back into my sofa, tugging my blanket farther up my body.
“Leave him alone, Keela.”
I heard something being set down on either the kitchen counter or table. It dropped with a thud. “You’re lucky she wants you alive and unharmed.”
“And you’re lucky she wants you here often, otherwise I’d ban you from ever entering this building.”
Keela seethed. “You’ve gone mad with power.”
I smiled.
Kane recently told Keela that he owned the building I lived in, as well as many others in Dublin. She wasn’t mad, just a little hurt that Alec didn’t tell her about Kane’s secret properties, but once she got over the ‘bro code’, she was cool with it like I knew she would be.
She also kept it under wraps, because Kane didn’t want it broadcasted to the rest of the group. He liked his privacy and she respected that.
“You better thank God that I have to go home and feed Storm. I’d wipe the floor with you otherwise.”
“Till next time, short-ass.”
Keela casually strolled into the sitting room and stated, “I hate your boyfriend.”
I grabbed my chest. “That’s a shame, because I love yours.”
Keela’s lip twitched. “I’ll be back over tonight, I just have to go and feed—”
“The fat beast, I heard you.”
Keela growled. “You’d think being pregnant would make you sentimental and give Storm a chance, but no, you still rag on him.”
In Keela’s mind, Storm was her baby.
“He’d make a saint curse, Kay.”
Her left eye twitched just before she turned and walked out of my house, giving me the finger along the way. “I’ll remember all of this when you’re in the height of pain in labour.”
I grunted when the apartment door shut. I cringed then and silently prayed karma wouldn’t make my labour extra painful, because I teased Storm a lot... he brought it upon himself most of the time, so when you think about it, I shouldn’t suffer because of it.
I leaned back and closed my eyes on a sigh, but just as quickly I snapped them back open. I shot upright when I realised no one was in the room with me.
I was on my own.
Panic struck.
“Kane!” I called out as I looked around the sitting room, expecting someone to jump out and grab me.
I heard his footsteps as he walked down the hallway and into the sitting room, a white mug in his hand with steam rising from it. He quickly sat the mug down on our coffee table when he saw my face and rushed over to me.
“What is it?” he asked and placed a hand on my stomach in silent question.
I swallowed and shook my head. “Nothin’, it’s just... I thought I was on my own for a second and... you know, I got scared.”
Kane blinked. “You told me you weren’t afraid to be on your own anymore.”
I looked down. “I lied.”
Kane sighed and kneeled on the floor. “I’ll kill him for putting such fear into you.”
I squeezed my eyes shut as Big Phil’s face cut through my mind.
“I know.”
Kane kissed the side of my head. “Do you want to help me with my injection?”
He could do them himself now, but I appreciated him putting my focus on him instead of the monster that haunted me.
I didn’t dream of that night I was trapped in my old classroom, nor did Big Phil’s face cut into my dreams. He only plagued me during waking hours when I could sit and think of the ‘what ifs’.
What if I didn’t get out in time?
What if I inhaled more smoke?
What if he was still close by and watching us, waiting for the right moment to strike?
I didn’t voice my thoughts, but they troubled me, and I knew the same questions haunted Kane. He was just keeping it to himself like I was because he didn’t want to upset me.
We both suffered in silence.
I knew Kane, his brothers, my brothers, and Keela’s uncle Brandon were looking for Big Phil, but none of that eased my mind. He got me once before, and he could do it again if he wanted to. He was that kind of person... if he wanted something, he got it.
Period.
I think Kane knew that as well. It was one of the reasons I was never without male companionship. When Kane wasn’t with me, one of his or my brothers were. It was a round-the-clock security gridlock the lads had going. Kane went as far as to completely seal off the apartment complex I lived in, and he tripled the security detail.
I found none of it comforting though.
My mind was my own worst enemy when it came to running plausible outcomes of Big Phil finding me first before the lads found him. It worried me sick.
“Stop thinking of him.”
I looked into Kane’s eyes when he spoke and I nodded my head. “I’m tryin’, I really am. I just can’t help it.”
“I will protect you.” Kane swore, his eyes locked on mine. “No one will ever hurt you.”
I lightly smiled. “Me knight in shinin’... tattoos.”
Kane pumped his eyebrows. “I’m adding to my collection soon.”
I blinked. “Where about and what are you gettin’?”
He showed me both of his wrists so I reached out and rubbed my thumbs over the small patches of un-inked skin.
“I’m getting your name on my left wrist and our child’s on my right wrist. Wrists are a lethal part of the body to be cut; any laceration could potentially be fatal. Without you and our baby I might as well be dead, so I’m putting you both in plain view so I never lose sight of that.”
I touched my chest as a lump formed in my throat.
“That was oddly disturbin’ and insanely beautiful at the same time.”
Kane smirked and my eyes followed the thick scar that curved around his mouth. I stared a little longer than deemed polite, but I couldn’t help it. My gaze locked on the marred flesh until my eyes raked over his stunning face and to his arms where more of the thick lumps of damaged tissue lingered.
I loved my man, but I hated that his perfect body was tainted with such marks that brought bulk loads of nasty memories. Lately, I found myself thinking of Big Phil when I focused on Kane’s scars for too long. I remembered everything I was told about him, and I didn’t think I would ever forget even if I tried. The sick son of a bitch used Kane’s vow to protect Damien from harm to his advantage.
Marco Miles was the main man who called the shots over the brothers, but Big Phil held the leash that controlled Kane. He decided how much free-reign he got, and he was the one to viciously jerk on the leash when Kane didn’t do as he was told.
That usually happened when Kane refused to hurt innocents. He was strung up with rope by the wrists and received lash upon lash to his body, or he was stabbed with needles as punishment for his defiance. Big Phil found pleasure in torturing and training Kane.
He found pleasure in hurting him.
Kane took his perverted son’s life, and in return he wanted my life and our unborn child’s. I was terrified of the lengths he would go to seek his vengeance, and I knew that eventually we were all going to clash.
I just didn’t know who would be left breathing in the end.
“Babe.” Kane’s voice jarred me from my thoughts. “Are you okay?”
I blinked my eyes, and looked down to his wrists and lightly smiled.
“I can’t wait to see them both when you get them done.”
Kane playfully nudged me. “I could get them done tomorrow if junior here would hurry up and vacate your premises.”
I giggled. “She will come out when she is good and ready.”
“Like a typical woman then?” Kane mused. “Her way or the highway option.”
I bobbed my head up and down. “You got it.”
“Good thing it’s a boy then.” He grinned as he leaned in and kissed my head. “I love you, babydoll.”
“And I love you.”
Kane smiled and said, “You want to know something funny?”
“Always.”
“There are over seven billion people on this planet, and I can only tolerate eleven.”
I raised an eyebrow. “Who are the eleven people?”
He held up both of his hands and dropped a finger for each person he named. “You, Branna, Bronagh, Keela, Alannah, Alec, Dominic, Ryder, Damien, Tony the pizza delivery guy, and Susan who works in Subway in the village.”
I resisted the urge to laugh.
“Why the last two? You don’t know them.”
Kane pointed his index finger at me. “Tony brings me food, and Susan makes me food. Leave them alone, they’re good people.”
I snorted. “You really need to expand your circle of people.”
“I need to do a lot of things, but that doesn’t mean I’m going to.” He shrugged.
I grinned. “Why was there no mention of my father or brothers on that list?”
Kane gnawed on his lower lip then smiled wide. “Your family are my ultimate favourites, they’re above any list... obviously.”
I hummed. “Obviously.”
“Have I pleased my lady with my answer?” he asked in an awful British accent.
I was about to say yes, when his eyes dropped to my breasts, and he licked his lips.
I playfully rolled my eyes. “You’re such a man.”
He stood up, took a giant step backwards as his eyes dropped down to his crotch before he looked back to me and said, “I’m aware of that.”
“No, like, you’re so—”
“Handsome? Sexy? The best sex of your life?”
I narrowed my eyes. “Irritatin’.”
“But still handsome, sexy and the best sex of your life?”
My lip twitched. “I suppose.”
“I can live with being irritating if I’ve got the rest going for me.”
“You’re really annoyin’ me.”
He grinned. “Not irritating you?”
“It’s the same thing.”
“Not really. They’re different words.”
I was losing my patience.
“They have similar meanin’s though,” I stated.
Kane folded his arms across his chest. “But they’re still different words.”
That was it.
“Come closer to me so I can smack you.”
“Yeah,” he snickered. “Like that is going to happen.”
I leaned back and closed my eyes. “You drive me crazy, you know that?”
A hand gripped my thigh causing me to jump. I opened my eyes and was surprised to see Kane looming over me. The man could move fast for such a big lad.
“It’s only fair since you drive my body crazy all the time.”
I waggled my eyebrows. “I wonder if you’ll still be lookin’ for some when we’re in our eighties.”
“No doubt about it. I’ll speed after you in my wheelchair for some sugar.”
I burst into laughter and leaned my head against his when he crawled over me and tucked himself behind me on the sofa.
“How many babies will you give me?” he murmured as his hand absentmindedly stroked my swollen abdomen.
I glanced over my shoulder to him. “How many do you want?”
“At least five.”
I gnawed on my lower lip. “Five total or like, five boys? ‘Cause we could have all girls, and me body won’t be able to go until you get your mini football team of lads.”
Kane rumbled with low laughter. “Five total will be fine. I come from five siblings and you do too. I like the number five.”
I leaned back and kissed his forehead. “Five it is, bud.”
“They’ll have to be close in age, too,” he stated. “So right after this one comes out, we’ll have to get working on the next one.”
My lip curved upward. “So lots and lots of sex then?”
“Yep,” he chirped. “We have to make sure your eggo gets preggo.”
I laughed and held my stomach.
Kane slid his hand over my hand and gave it a squeeze. “We’re having a baby,” he whispered.
“We are indeed,” I beamed.
“I couldn’t be happier, Aideen,” Kane said and sat upright. He looked down at me for a long moment before climbing off me and walking out of the room.
I watched him leave the room and confusion caught hold of me. Wanting to know what he was doing, I heaved myself up off the sofa and followed him out of the room, down the hallway and into our bedroom.
“Honey, what’s wrong?” I asked from the doorway.
He was standing in front of his nightstand, staring down at something he plucked from the top drawer.
“I wanted to do this after the baby got here, and I wanted it to be perfect and romantic, but I can’t wait anymore.”
I stared blankly at him as he dropped his hands to his side. He turned to face me then and walked over to me, his eyes locked on mine.
“What are you talkin’ about?” I curiously asked.
Kane grabbed my hands gently, took a deep breath, then he did the most out of the blue thing ever.
He got down on one knee.
“Aideen—”
“Omigod.” I gasped and pulled my hands from his so I could cover my face.
“I love you more than I ever thought it was possible to love a woman.” He smiled wide, his eyes gleaming. “You’re my everything, and have completed my life by just existing. I can’t put into words the love I’m feeling knowing you’re carrying my unborn child... it’s mind-blowing. I love you so much, and I was hoping you would do me the honour of becoming my wife.”
“Omigod.”
With a cheek splitting smile, Kane said the words every girl in her right mind dreamt of hearing, “Will you marry me, babydoll?”
“Kane,” I whispered.
Kane lifted his right hand and revealed a large single diamond ring, with mini diamonds filling the band. Without words, I lifted my left hand and watched through blurry eyes as he slid the ring onto my ring finger and then sealed it in place with a forever binding kiss.
“Yes,” I said when I found my voice. “Yes, I’ll marry you. Yes. Yes. A million times yes!”
Kane sprung to his feet, grabbed my hands and pulled me up against his chest. He crashed his lips to mine and then kissed all over my face as I cried. Tears flowed from my eyes, and hiccups started when I couldn’t control the sobs.
“I can’t believe this,” I wept.
Kane kissed me once more. “I was terrified to ask you in case you said no. I know you love me, but fuck, that was the scariest thing I’ve ever done. The not knowing took years off my life.”
I blinked with shock. “When? How?”
“I bought the ring weeks ago, just after you got... hurt. I then asked your dad and brothers for permission, and after giving me a hard time for a few hours, they gave me their approval and called me an asshole.”
I cried again. “You a-asked for per-permission?”
“Of course,” Kane responded. “You’re precious to your guys, and I wouldn’t take you away from them without the go-ahead. I also wouldn’t have made it two days before they hunted me down and kicked my ass if I didn’t ask.”
I laughed as I cried.
I threw my arms around him as best as I could with my stomach keeping me from fully pressing against him. His arms wrapped tightly around me, and for a few seconds we were silent as we held one another. Kane broke the silence when he chuckled.
“What’s so funny?” I asked.
Kane pulled back and said, “Damien was just getting used to seeing me with you, and knowing you’re really having my kid. Knowing we’re engaged will blow his mind.”
I beamed as I thought of my new favourite person.
“He will be happy for us,” I said with a nod. “They all will be.”
Kane pressed his forehead against mine and said, “You’re mine forever, now.”
I smiled wider than ever before. “I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
We both turned our heads when a voice shouted, “The favourite brother has arrived!”
I grinned. “Speak of the Devil.”
Kane’s mouth curved as he took me by the hand and led me out of our bedroom, down the hallway, and into our sitting room where we found Damien setting up Kane’s Xbox with two wireless controllers.
“What game do you have?” Kane questioned as he walked over and dropped onto our sofa.
Damien almost squealed with excitement. “Fifa 16.”
Kane clapped his hands together, but stopped when he found me staring. I grinned when he cleared his throat and focused on his brother.
“Heya, Dame.”
Damien looked over his shoulder to me and winked, “Hey beautiful.”
Kane rolled his eyes, but said nothing as I smiled at his baby brother. He fully accepted that I was head over heels for his brother, just like I was for the rest of the Slater brothers.
“Dame,” I whispered.
He looked back to me and smiled as I wiggled the fingers on my left hand at him. He shook his head for a few seconds, not understanding what I was up to until he saw the ring. His brow furrowed together and his lips parted.
He jumped up and spun around to look between Kane and myself with his mouth hanging open.
“Shut the fuck up!” he shouted after a long stretch of silence
Kane burst into laughter, and so did I.
“You guys! Is this for real?”
I bobbed my head up and down, my smile stretching from ear to ear. “We’re engaged. He just asked me before you walked in. I obviously said hell yes.”
Damien’s shock was evident, but so was his happiness for us.
“Congratulations,” he choked out before rushing forward and wrapping his large arms around me, squeezing me tightly.
When he released me, he dove for Kane. He cursed him out as he began hitting and kicking him as he lay in a mess on the sofa in laughter.
“Three of my brothers are engaged, there is just Dominic left to ask Bronagh,” Damien said when he got to his feet.
I smiled. “It’ll happen.”
“I thought it would have happened when we were teenagers, but I can feel him doing it soon. He worships the ground that girl walks on.”
I hugged my fingered ring to my chest and looked at Kane. “As soon as the girls get here, I’m startin’ to plan our weddin’.”
Kane swallowed. “Do I need to be heavily involved? I mean, you know I’ll do anything and I want to be involved, I just don’t understand the importance of flowers and colours and such. I don’t want to do or say the wrong thing.”
I snorted. “Honey, you just need to show up and say I do.”
He snapped his fingers at me. “That I can do, babydoll. Deal!”
I grinned and walked out of the room towards the bathroom so I could shower. As I undressed, turned the shower on and waited for the water to heat up, I let my mind drift.
It was hard to believe that Damien was home only six weeks. Even if I tried, I don’t think I could ever forget the day when he walked back into his brothers’ lives, and dived right into my heart.
He made one hell of an entrance.
