Page 33 of Stay, Swear.

“Home. Why?”

“Good, I’m coming over so we can talk.”

Taken aback by him being so direct, “Uh, okay. I was about to go to bed, but yeah sure just barge into my apartment.”

“Sounds perfect, I’m coming up the stairs. Don’t get up, I’ll let myself in.” He cuts the call.

Looking at my now black phone screen half in shock due to his audacity. I sit up against the side of my couch and watch the front door. Seconds pass before the door swings open and the most handsome, yet broken man is standing in front of me. His head is hanging low, his face and demeanor just appears to be defeated. Without a word he locks the door behind him, walks over, and toes off his shoes, laying down on my legs, he puts his head in my lap. My fingers tangle in his hair on instinct, combing his hair with them in a soothing rhythm. I don’t say anything. We left off on a bad foot, but something’s clearly wrong, so I’ll wait until he’s ready.

We lay in silence so long I’m starting to think he’s asleep until finally he speaks up, “Tomorrow’s the anniversary of my parent’s death.”

Out of all the things I’d have expected him to say this was not one of them. Deciding to let him get it all out, my hand keeps a steady movement while I bring my free hand up to rub up and down his arm.

“They were murdered by some people who didn’t like my Da or his businesses. They took them, held them hostage,tortured them, and then took their lives. They made my Da watch my Ma be tortured and raped before they killed her. No one knows this part, not even my brothers, but they videoed the entire thing. I used to fight underground back then too.” His voice sounds dejected as he shakes his head. His hand comes to mine and holds it.

His movements are almost robotic as he continues. “The night the video of my parents murder was sent to me, I was scheduled to fight. I know I shouldn’t have watched it, but I did. It was an unlabeled tape and I needed to see what it was before I passed it along to Mac. The things I saw can never be unseen. That night I fought anyway. I needed to get all the aggression out of me that was building. I won, but I saw red and blacked out. They had to pull me off of him. I don’t have a lot of regrets but that’s one of them. I had no business being there that night.”

I can feel the tears streaming down my face. This man who never lets anyone see him break, who has kept this inside for three years chose me to share it with. He came to me when he needed a safe space. Fighting this feeling I’m now certain we both feel seems senseless.

Gently I move his head so he’s on his back looking straight up before leaning down and gently pressing my lips to his. “Thank you for telling me that. I’m so sorry you’ve carried that by yourself for so long. You don’t have to do that anymore though, Kie.”

He lets out a shaky breath and sits up to turn towards me, “Thanks. Something was pulling me to come to you tonight. I know we’re not on the same page, but—”

“No, we are Kie. I think we’re on the same page. I’m just scared of the chapter.”

“I think we’re both scared. I don’t know how to do this. I’m so used to keeping my life secret, and existing only for the safety of my brothers or my job. So I’m not sure how to be with you, but I know I want nothing more than to be here with you every evening.”

That doesn’t scare me like it would have in the past, “I want that too.” His smile melts my heart as he pulls me into his arms, my legs straddling his lap, “So what does this mean?”

“I think it means you just became my girlfriend.” Before I can do much more than smile back at him his lips are on mine, a claim. I guess I’m Kieran Byrne’s girlfriend.

17

Chapter Seventeen

Kieran

It’s been about two weeks since Britt and I became official. We’ve stayed either at her house or my penthouse every night. I’ve avoided my brothers at all costs aside from business since that night in the office. They keep trying to talk about my ‘meltdown’ that night, which is annoying because it wasn’t a meltdown. I’m a grown ass man not a seven year old. But per usual I’m not allowed to have feelings without it being me throwing a fit. Fuck them. That’s why I refuse to engage in anything but work.

We’re at Ryan’s and I’m warming up to get ready to train for my fight tomorrow night. We talked to Ty after that night. Allegedly someone went around him to put James on the card once they saw my name. I don’t know how true that is, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt while I have no tangible proof that he’s lying. While I’m warming up, I’m watching Ryan andBritt talk and get to know each other out of the corner of my eye. They’re probably swapping stories to embarrass me but I don’t care as long as they get along.

Ryan’s not just my best friend, he works for us too. It could be a messy situation but it isn’t. Just like Roe’s my boss when we’re working. I’m Ryan’s boss. If I make a decision he doesn’t agree with, he shuts up and gets it done at work, then we fight it out down here after. It’s a system that’s worked for years so I won’t be changing it anytime soon.

Eminem’s ‘Lose Yourself’ blares through my headphones as I jump rope. Dancing to the song while continuing to jump on beat, I catch Britt watching me intently. I started doing this years ago when the mundane task of jumping rope was boring me to sleep. So I started adding little moves here and there. My timer goes off letting me know I can stop. Putting the rope away then popping my headphones off, I quickly grab my water and take a drink before nodding over to the space we have set up to spar. Not stopping to talk because I’m in the zone now, I make my way over to put on my sparring gloves. Without a word Ryan does the same. When we’re both ready, we meet in the middle of the makeshift ring and set our stances.

We tap gloves then immediately start. The objectives are simple; I’m trying to make sure I’m ready for tomorrow night, and he’s trying his hardest to embarrass me in front of the pretty girl. It’s always been like this. Eighteen years of friendship will do that to you. I’m always trying to win and master everything and Ryan’s taking nothing serious. I tag his cheek before pulling my punch, always pulling my punches. Full power is for show time only.

“Watch out Ry.” I let out a playful laugh as he rolls his eyes,unable to stop the grin tugging at one side of his mouth. We continue to tease each other while dodging hits and kicks. Eventually after we end up on the ground, I get the tap. Ryan shoves me off of him calling me a‘punk bitch’under his breath.

Before I can suggest we start another round Brittany catches my attention. She’s making her way over to me and all I can do is stand here with a goofy grin on my face. Her arms go around my neck as she stretches up on her tiptoes. I let her drag me down to press her lips to mine. Instinctually, my hands grip her hips as I match her intensity and slip my tongue between her perfect lips. It takes every ounce of self control my body possesses to pull away from her, but I still tug on her bottom lip with my teeth as I go.

“What was that for?”

“I didn’t think I’d like watching you fight, but I think it may be my new favorite pastime. You looked good out there, Byrne. Really good.”

Now this is something I can work with. “Yeah? How about we go to the bathroom and you can show me how good.”

“I would, but we have to be at your house in an hour for this cookout, and we still have to take me to my car because we can’t show up together.”

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