I nodded my head. “There was no cursin’ or even much shoutin’... he just shut me down with the look in his eyes and the way he said me name. He went out runnin’ so I came home.”
Bronagh leaned her head back against my settee. “We can be expectin’ him soon then.” It was a statement, not a question.
I shrugged. “He might not come over. He wasn’t happy with my pryin’.”
“You could hold a gun to his head and he would still come to you,” Keela snorted and the girls agreed.
I frowned. “This time was different... I asked about a scar with a name on his neck and he just... blew up.”
“What name on his neck?” Bronagh asked, surprised.
I looked at her. “You’ve never seen it?”
She shook her head and so did the others.
“Huh. His hair must have hidden it from sight. It’s right on the back of his neck.”
“Whose name is on his neck?” Keela asked, her voice tight.
I looked away as I said, “Marco.”
“What?”
I swallowed. “It’s carved onto his neck. It’s horrible lookin’. I can only imagine how much it hurt him.”
“Oh, my God,” Keela whispered.
“Poor Kane,” Branna whimpered.
Oh, no.
“Don’t cry. You’ll set me off and if I start I won’t stop.”
“Sorry,” Branna sniffled and wiped under her eyes.
I clasped my hands together over my stomach. “I didn’t only ask about his scars...”
“I don’t like how you left that open,” Branna sighed.
Bronagh sat forward. “I asked about his job for Marco because I know whatever it was caused the scars.”
“Bollocks.” This came from Keela.
I nodded my head. “Yep, it’s a right shit storm.”
“Why did you ask the questions?” Bronagh asked.
“Because I felt like I only know half of a person. I just want to understand him... Nico said-”
“Oh, Jesus Christ,” Bronagh cut me off. “What did that bastard of mine tell you?”
I couldn’t help but laugh. “He told me a few weeks ago to ask Kane these questions, but I had to wait for the right time. Earlier on felt like the right time.”
Bronagh rubbed her hands over her face. “Knowin’ the answers to your questions is this important?”
I nodded. “I wish I could overlook the scars. I wish I could be that woman who didn’t have to know what made him the way he is today, but I’m not. I need to know, so I can fully understand him. Does that make me sound crazy?”
“No, honey,” Branna said and moved closer to me. “It makes you human.”
I nodded my head. “I’m just afraid... I don’t want to lose him. This feelin’, it’s exactly what I was terrified of. It’s the reason I didn’t want to get with him. I didn’t want to develop deep feelin’s and I have. I love him so much, and it breaks me heart that someone hurt him and that it’s still hurting him. I want to help him, but I don’t know how.”
“You love Kane?”
I blinked. “What?”
“You said you loved him.”
I did?
I closed my eyes as realisation struck me. “I love him. Fuck!”
“Aideen,” Keela murmured, her voice soothing.
I turned to her and wrapped my arms around her body.
“You won’t lose Kane,” she said firmly in my ear.
I hiccupped, “How do you know that?”
“Because,” Bronagh chuckled, “he loves you, too.”
What?
I pulled back from Keela and looked at Bronagh. “He loves me?”
Bronagh was beaming at me. “Of course, only an eejit would miss it.”
The girls nodded in unison.
I dumbly blinked.
I guess I was a massive eejit then because I had no clue. The more I thought about Kane, the deeper my own feelings became. It caused a sick feeling to fill my stomach and a pain to develop in my chest.
I must have been coming down with something.
The flu probably.
“I know he really cares-”
“Ado,” Branna interrupted, “he loves you. He probably won’t say it for a while, if ever, but he does.”
Oh.
“That’s... a lot to take in.”
“I know, but do take it in,” Keela said. “Don’t ignore it.”
I looked down. “It doesn’t change that I want to know about his past and it’s a huge problem for him.”
The girls sighed but said nothing.
I looked down for a few more minutes then said, “I’m really tired.”
Keela frowned. “Go to bed. We’ll tidy up here and lock up after we leave.”
I didn’t need to be told twice.
I hugged all my friends and ventured out of the sitting room and down the hallway to my bedroom. I didn’t even change for a nap, I just kicked off my shoes and climbed into bed. I closed my eyes and let my exhaustion take over.
I was out in seconds.