Storm did almost die, but that happened because of different circumstances days after I arrived back in Ireland from Micah's wedding in the Bahamas. The reason I came home was because of Alec... and my uncle... and two other vile creatures that I refused to think about.
“It was me weddin' though, Keela.” Micah frowned.
I refrained from rolling my eyes. “And Storm is me dog, I wasn't lettin' him die. I was there for the most part of the trip though, isn't that somethin'? I still went.”
Micah thought on that before sighing, “Yeah, I guess.”
Fuck.
She agreed with me.
I opened my mouth to speak just as the hall door open and in walked Alec and his brothers.
He groaned when he spotted my uncle. “I'm going to kill Gavin,” he said.
Gavin Collins?
“Why?” I asked.
“He told them about the party when Aideen rang and told him. We tried to get them to leave before you and the girls came down the stairs. That’s why Dominic called Alec down from your room, we wanted his help.” Kane replied, glaring at my uncle.
He really didn't like him.
Wait, how the hell did Gavin tell my uncle about the party—“Keela, come here?” Alec said to me, breaking my train of thought.
I walked over to Alec just as music started up again from the sitting room. Everyone went inside and left us out in the hallway. Seconds passed and then I heard laughter.
So much for the damn party being over!
“I'll go and get rid of them.”
“Leave them,” I sighed and turned to Alec. “They're fine. Will you just go up to our bathroom and tell the girls to come down?”
Alec nodded his head and jogged up the stairs.
I went down to my kitchen to get some water and was surprised when I found Gavin leaning against my back door having a cigarette.
“Hey,” I said to him.
He flicked his smoke away. “Hey, nice house.”
I snorted. “Thanks.”
Gavin closed the back door and turned to me.
He looked so... different.
Black jeans, boots, buttoned up blue shirt, and a snapback hat on his head.
He looked... hot.
“When did you get here?” I asked. “And how did you get in?”
Gavin grinned. “Front door was open, I came with...”
“You came with who?” I asked.
Gavin avoided looking me in the eye. “Your uncle.”
My uncle?
“Why would you come with—Wait, why are you around me uncle in the first place?”
Gavin scratched the back of his elbow. “Well... he is me boss.”
Excuse me?
“That's not funny,” I said.
Gavin shrugged his shoulders. “I'm not laughin'.”
My stomach churned. “You can't be serious... You can't get involved with me uncle's... business.”
Gavin snorted.
“Gavin, I'm serious!” I snapped. “Do not get involved with me uncle.”
Gavin gnawed on his lower lip. “Too late, Kay.”
What the hell?
“What do you mean 'Too late'?” I asked.
Gavin groaned, “I can't really talk about this—”
“Brandon!” I bellowed, cutting Gavin off and stormed out of my kitchen.
My uncle walked out of the sitting room with raised hands. “Whatever it is, I can fix it.”
I jammed my thumb over my shoulder. “You... enlisted me best friend's little brother? Really?”
Brandon sighed. “The kid won't be doing anythin' dangerous, just a couple of runs here and there till he finds his feet among me circle.”
His 'circle' was his group of baby gangsters, how lads and girls started out in his world.
No!
“I don't want him to find his feet. How dare you do this!” I yelled.
My uncle pinched the bridge of his nose. “He came to me, not the other way around. If you want to be annoyed, be annoyed at the kid.”
I swung around and narrowed my eyes at Gavin who was leaning against the kitchen doorway. “I'm twenty-two, Keela. That's the same age as Dominic, Damien, and Bronagh. I'm not a kid.”
I felt sick—he had no idea what getting involved with my uncle meant.
“I'm tellin' your brothers,” I warned.
Gavin snorted, “So?”
He wasn't afraid?
His older brothers were big, and scary as hell when mad.
“Fine... I'll tell Aideen,” I snarled.
Gavin stood upright. “Don't you dare.”
Ha! I had him now.
“I am! I'm tellin' her!” I turned around and walked by my chuckling uncle.
I was about to call for Aideen when she walked down the stairs with Bronagh, Branna, and Alannah behind her.
Perfect timing.
“I need to talk to you!” I said to Aideen.
Bronagh leaned forward. “When are you goin' to the shops?” she whispered.
“Soon. I promise.”
Bronagh nodded her head as I grabbed Aideen's arm and lead her down the hallway.
“What's wrong?” she asked.
Gavin came up behind her. “Nothin', Keela is just stickin' her nose in places she shouldn't.”
The neck of the little bastard!
“I'm tryin' to stop you from makin' a mistake you little shite!”
Aideen turned and stared between her brother and me. “Talk. Now.”
Uh-oh.
Mama bear Aideen was rearing her head.
Her mother died giving birth to Gavin, and as the only daughter in the midst of four brothers and a father, she moulded into a mother figure in the household even though she was the second youngest. She took care of Gavin the most out of everyone in her family. He was the baby of the family and Aideen adored him.
“Go ahead, Gav,” I said. “Tell her about your new... job.”
Gavin growled at me, “You're such a fuckin' bitch.”
“Hey!” Aideen snapped and whacked him across the head. “Don't you speak to her like that.”
She turned to me then and said, “Tell me what's happenin'.”
“Gavin has entered me uncle's circle. He works for him now.”
Aideen stared at me for a long moment then turned to Gavin and began to slap the shite out of him.
“Damn it, Aideen!” Gavin shouted and tried to dodge away from her hands. “Stop!”
Aideen was shouting obscenities.
“You stupid little eejit! How could you? Do you understand what you have gotten yourself into?” she asked, her voice high.
Gavin grabbed her hands and stared down at her. “Yes, I do. I can handle this.”
“Brandon is a gangster!” Aideen cried, but kept her voice low.
Gavin sighed. “I'm aware of that, but he is also an honourable man.”
I snorted. “And how the hell would you know that?”
Gavin cut his eyes to me. “Because I hang around with Jason and have gotten to know him.”