Total pages in book: 126
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 122206 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 611(@200wpm)___ 489(@250wpm)___ 407(@300wpm)
“All we’re missin’ is Aideen for us to have a Collins family reunion,” Ina teased.
JJ snorted. “Oh, I’m glad she’s not here.”
“She’d probably be grand,” Harley commented.
“Doubtful,” Gavin grumbled. “She’s rang me twice when we were in that field, and I hung up both times. She’s gonna kill me for not answerin’ and tellin’ her where we were.”
I turned my head when the noise of the door’s automatic lock suddenly unlocked and made its usual fancy beeping tune.
“Bastards!” The haunting, but all too familiar voice of my sister bellowed. “Bastards. The whole fuckin’ lot of ye!”
“Bollocks.” JJ paled.
“Fuck’s sake,” Harley grunted.
Gavin put his face in his hands. “If she hits me, I’m goin’ home.”
I was the only one smiling.
“She’s a legend. I don’t care what anyone says. She’d have ended Hitler’s reign in days with that temper and right hook.”
“We’re in the kitchen,” Da hollered. “And take your shoes off.”
I leaned back and watched as my sister kicked her shoes off and stormed into the room.
“I could kill every single one of ye!” She boomed. “Martin just told me that a man broke in here, battered Ina and kidnapped her, but he was informed not to phone the guards. He also told me that you lot brought her home. Why wasn’t I fuckin’ phoned?”
She didn’t give us a second to answer her before she crossed the room to my missus.
“Ina, honey,” she said. “Come here.”
Aideen gathered Ina up in a mammy hug, and I saw that it visibly relaxed Ina, which made me grateful to my sister. Aideen could relate to her on a similar level. She was almost killed in a fire by a prick from her husband’s past a couple of years ago. She knew what Ina was going through.
“Ado,” I spoke softly when she parted from hugging Ina. “Ye have two kids. Ye shouldn’t be—”
“Am I or am I not a Collins?” She interrupted and turned her eyes on me. “I’m a Slater by marriage, but Collins blood flows through these veins, Dante. I am a siblin’ in this family just like the rest of ye. Not havin’ a dick shouldn’t exclude me.”
I looked at our brothers and shrugged. “She’s not wrong.”
“Wrong or not, she could’ve gotten hurt,” Gavin said. “Ye all know it.”
He wasn’t wrong either.
My sister zeroed her eyes onto our baby brother. “I knew it. Ye hung up on me on purpose!”
She had Gavin in a headlock and bonked his head with her fist before any of us could blink. Gavin, as usual, didn’t try to stop her beating. One, because Aideen could hit hard as shit, and two, he was much bigger than her, and he knew he’d hurt her if he tried, so he did what he always did. He took the beating like a grown man.
“That hurts!” he yelped. “Da, make her stop.”
Maybe not like a grown man after all.
“Aideen, enough.” Da sighed. “Leave him be.”
Aideen released Gavin with a grunt. When he straightened, he made the sign of the cross with his fingers and held it out to her, making JJ chuckle as he watched their interaction.
“Tell me everythin’,” Aideen demanded. “I feel sick. I can’t believe this has happened. Your poor face, Ina.”
Ina smiled softly, lifting her hand to her bruised face. She looked at me and crossed the room towards me when she found I was already watching her. I leaned back, spread my legs, and opened my arms. She sat on my thighs and relaxed against me. JJ gave Aideen the rundown on what happened, he spoke low, so Ina didn’t have to hear it.
“Where does he live?” Aideen demanded when JJ finished speaking. “Give me his name and address. I’ll have this dealt with within the hour. Me husband knows people.”
Ina was staring at my sister with wide eyes. I was a little blown away by her too.
“Dante took care of everythin’, Ado,” Ina said, squeezing my arm. “He beat him bad. Finn won’t ever come near me again. He’s too much of a coward.”
Aideen nodded. “I’ve no doubt Dante kicked the bollocks out of him. I just wish I had been there to punch the bastard meself.”
I loved my sister.
“JJ mentioned ye won’t go to the guards or the hospital.”
Ina explained her reasons.
“Okay, I understand, but ye do need to get checked out by a medical professional. I think you’re still in shock, and I’m sure everyone, includin’ you, would feel better havin’ a doctor tell us that you’re physically okay.”
Ina protested and promptly blurted, “If I go to the hospital, they’re gonna think Dante beat me if I say I fell.”
My jaw dropped. “Baby, that’s why ye won’t go and get checked out? I don’t give a shite what anyone thinks once you’re okay.”
“I care,” she clipped. “I won’t have anyone think ye did this to me.”