BRONAGH (Slater Brothers, #1.5)

I frowned. "So why drink tonight?"

"I wasn't planning on it, but then we decided to try for a baby so I figured what the fuck, let's celebrate."

I snorted as I went into a bathroom stall, pulled down my booty shorts and suspenders and relieved myself.

"Are you still there?" I asked.

"Yes."

I shook my head and grabbed some tissue, wiped myself then stood up and flushed the toilet.

"Where were you going before that guy grabbed you?" Dominic asked me when I exited the stall and moved to the sinks to wash my hands.

"To see where you where."

"Why?"

I shrugged. "Just wanted to know."

Why so curious?"

"Why?" I asked.

Dominic shrugged. "Wanted to know what you followed me for."

I frowned. "I didn't follow you, I was just checking in to see-"

"Checking in? Jesus Bronagh, I'm not a kid, you don't have to check in on me."

What?

"No, that's not what I meant-"

"I mean I was away from you for two minutes did you think I ran away or something?"

Where the hell did all this comm from?

"What the fuck is with you? What are you pickin' a fight with me for?" I bellowed.

Dominic shrugged. "Not picking a fight, just saying it like it is."

"You're makin' out like I'm clingy with you."

Dominic laughed. "You are clingy with me baby."

Excuse me?

"No, I'm fuckin' not."

"Yeah, you are."

Oh, my God.

"Because I wanted to see where you were at means I'm clingy? Okay, then yeah, I'm so clingy. What I want to know is why do you act like that bothers you?"

Dominic blinked. "Because I like some freedom to chill with my brothers and friends without my woman's head up my ass 24/7."

What. The. Fuck?

"You're bang out of fuckin' line here."

Dominic shrugged.

I swallowed. "If I'm so clingy and it's bothers you why did you agree to us tryin' for a baby?"

"Because I want a baby with you... I'd just like you to-"

"Take me head out of your arse."

Dominic laughed. "You said it pretty girl, not me."

I was hurt, and I was furious.

"They only thing up your arse will be me foot, you dickhead!" I snapped.

"Oh, the dramatics."

I stared at him. "I'm sick of this."

"Sick of what?"

"This. Us. Fightin' all the time."

Dominic groaned. "We fight all the time because you turn every argument into a fight - not now, use the men’s room."

I looked to the girl Dominic snapped at and watched her flee back out the restroom door. Dominic turned his head back to me, and he didn't look so buzzed anymore.

"We fight because you can’t just converse when things get tough."

I felt my heart pound.

"I can't do this anymore Dominic; I'm not fuckin' tall enough to ride your emotional rollercoaster!"

"So get on your tip toes," he snarled. "Because it's one ride you're never getting off. I'm your fucking life, not just your boyfriend. We're need each other, don't you get that? We need each other. "

I blinked.

"Why must everything be over the top with you, Bronagh? I try to tell you I want a little space so I can hang out with my brothers and friends and you get defensive. I love you more that life itself, I swear on my life that I do. I want to have a child with you, I want to be with you forever... but you need to grow up with me. We aren't in high school anymore Bronagh, the tantrums have to stop at some stage."

I swallowed.

"I'm not tryin' to hurt you baby, but you have an anger problem. I have a temper that is spiked easily, but damn when I say one thing to you, you explode verbally or physically. I walk on eggshells around you most days because I don't know what you will do. I admit I react wrong by laughing at you or playing everything off as a joke, but I don't know what else to do to take tension out of a situation. Do you understand that? I just don't know."

I felt my stomach drop.

"Why does this feel like a break up?" I whispered.

Dominic sighed. "No one is breaking up, we're in this for the long haul... but I need to know if you're in my corner fighting for me, or if you in the opposing corner fighting against me. It's easier to fight when we're fighting for the same thing, pretty girl."

I looked down.

"Yeah, what's that?"

"Our relationship."

My head was swimming, and I couldn't think.

"I hate that this upsets you, I want to protect you from everything."

I sniffled. "And who protects you if you protect me all the time?"

Dominic smiled. "Once you're in my corner and you're really with me, that's all the protection I need, pretty girl."

I closed my eyes.

"Look, I'm going to do something I've never done before. I'm going to let you think about everything I just said instead of turning this into sex, okay? Come back to the table when you're ready."

I was shocked when I opened my eyes and looked up and found Dominic was gone.

He was serious about everything he said... but what the hell brought it on?

He has never mentioned my anger in a serious discussion before, nor has he said I needed to fight with him instead of against him.

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