Page 40 of Stay, Swear.

“Clara will be here in fifteen.”

“Yeah, I heard. Want to tell me what all of that was about?” I know I should, he completely laid everything on the line for me last night but I don’t think I can have this entire conversation before Clara gets here.

“We don’t have time. Can we talk about it tonight? It’s my turn to tell you everything.”

His fingers comb through my hair while he thinks on it for a beat. “Yeah Brave Girl, that’s fine. Are you safe? Are you going to be okay here with Clara for the day? I want to give you guys the space you need but I can’t leave you unprotected either. I mean, Killian will probably be here, but still.”

Giving him the most genuine smile I can muster, I nod. “I think I’m okay. We’ll talk about it all tonight. Clara will be with me and you know she’s coming with more than Killian.”

“Yeah, I know.” He pulls me tighter into him and lays his head on the top of mine.

“What are you doing?”

“Just let me hold you until she gets here. Then I’ll go talk tomy brothers. You were right we shouldn’t be fighting.” Instead of telling him I’m fine, and throwing my walls up, I snuggle in and let this giant of a man comfort me.

* * *

“We’ll be fine, Kie. There’s three men on the door plus two more outside running surveillance. We aren’t leaving the apartment, and you’re hovering. I promise we’ll talk about it all later.”

Clara got here over thirty minutes ago, but Kieran has been lingering that entire time. I’m not completely sure if he’s avoiding talking to his brothers or he just doesn’t want to leave me that badly. Realistically, I’m sure it’s a little of both. He brought me into the shower with him before Clara got here, washed and conditioned my hair for me, then dried me off and handed me a pair of his boxers and one of his hoodies. I’m definitely that kind of comfortable that can only come from wearing your man’s clothes. She got here about the time I threw my wet strands up in a messy bun, and because she’s my spirit animal she showed up in none other than Roe’s clothes and a messy bun too. We really are two sides of the same coin.

“Okay, okay fine. I know when I’m not wanted.” Teasing shines in his expression just before he leans over the back of the couch where Clara and I sit and presses his mock pout lips to mine.

Laughing, I push his face away about the time he starts getting carried away, “Go, I’ll see you later Mystery Man.”

He presses his lips to my forehead one more time before heading for the door, “My phones on loud, set it off BraveGirl. Don’t make me miss you too much.”

Clara fake gags as he winks at me and walks out the door. “Is that what Rowan and I look like? Because I owe you so many apologies if so.”

“Oh, you and Roe are about a hundred times worse than that. That was Kieran not wanting to go talk to his brothers. Rowan all but straps you to a chair to get you to stay in the house with him.”

“Oh perfect, speaking of being tied up. Please tell me he’s as talented as his brother and you aren’t having boring vanilla sex. I can’t root for that, Britt. On principle alone I’ll have to help you leave him. That would make things messy in my marriage but I’ll do it for you.”

I can’t help but laugh at her, I’m usually the dramatic one, but one of my favorite things about us is that we can switch it up when the other person needs it.

“You’re dramatic today. He’s talented. I don’t know about Roe because of obvious reasons. I do know that compared to what you tell me I’d guess they’re pretty well matched in that department.”

“Oh you’re fucked then. Britt, I don’t think another man could even make my pupils dilate anymore. That man is a god. And if Kie’s the same way? Well it looks like we’re in this together.”

I give that real thought, I don’t think I’ve even thought about another man since my first night with Kieran. Our one night stand really spiraled out of control. We’re both explosive, passionate, sarcastic, and consuming. That’s just our personalities but somehow it just works. We really do just fit, damn… I may just be fucked, both literally and figuratively. I guess we’re in this together.

The mood turns somber as Clara pulls me out of my thoughts with the uncertain tone of her voice. It’s one I haven’t heard in a long time. “Hey, Britt?”

“Yeah, Clara?”

“You’re not going to take off, right? Not without telling me first?”

My heart breaks. I’ve thought about it but honestly if he’s found me here he can find me anywhere. At least here I have Clara’s support, and no doubt after tonight I’ll have Kieran’s too.

“I’m not going to take off.”

“Promise?”

“Swear.”

“Good, then we’ll sit here and feel our feelings for five minutes, then we boss the fuck up and handle our business.” I nod and lean my head on her as I let all the fear and anxiety out. She’s right, five minutes, then we boss up and figure this out.

21

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