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“Well, your dickisworking now,” Gibsie offered, thoroughly enjoying my torment. “A little snippet of information you decided to announce to her,stud.”

No wonder Joey wasn’t answering my calls. If Shannon told her brother half of what I had apparently said to her, there was no doubt he’d be waiting for me in Ballylaggin with a vendetta and a sawed-off bleeding shotgun.

“I’m so fucked,” I croaked out, dropping my head again.

“Nah.” Slapping my shoulder, Gibsie said, “Girl loves you back. Told you so Friday night.”

I groaned loudly, feeling shame in the deepest parts of my soul. “Because I coerced her.”

“No, because she just does,” he corrected.

“Doubtful,” I grumbled. “Very fucking doubtful, lad.”

“Listen, Johnny, I’m going to give it to you straight here, lad,” Gibsie added, tone slightly more serious now. “You’ve spent months lying to yourself and everyone else about your feelings. It was too much. All of that pent-up frustration had to come out of you sooner or later.” Shrugging, he added, “The anesthesia and morphine just helped the process along—forced the truth out of you.”

“I’m not, lying about my feelings” I denied, knowing it was pointless but feeling like I needed something to cling to. “I didn’t mean any of that.”

Gibsie arched a brow. “Don’t piss down my back and tell me it’s raining.”

My shoulders slumped in defeat. “Yeah, okay, I meant it. Happy now?”

“Areyou?” he asked, unblinking.

“Am I what?”

“Happy?”

“No, I’m nothappy, Gibs.” I glared at him. “Look at me,” I demanded, slapping my chest for emphasis. “I’m bleedingterrified!”

“About your dick?”

“My dick, my balls, the girl, the game—” I paused and exhaled a shaky breath. “I’m losing my fucking mind here.” Pushing the tray away, I slumped back on my pillows and sighed. “And I’m worried.”

“Understandable,” he agreed. “But you’re going to be fine—”

“Abouther,” I reiterated with a pained growl. “I’m worried abouther, Gibs.”

“Why?”

“She said something to me the other night,” I admitted, feeling at a loss. “And I can’t remember.” Running a hand through my hair, I confided in my best friend the doubts I was having. “It was something about her da, lad.” Grimacing, I tried to snatch up the memory but it continued to float just out of my reach. Frustrated, I let out a sigh. “I think…” Stopping short, I pinched the bridge of my nose, knowing that once it was said, I couldn’t take it back.

“You think?” Gibsie coaxed.

“This stays between us,” I warned him.

He nodded. “Always, lad.”

Releasing another sigh, I sat up and brushed my hair back with both hands, feeling restless and uneasy. “I’ve been seeing things,” I slowly began, watching him carefully, testing out his loyalty even though I knew I didn’t have to.

“Dead people?”

“Fuck right off!”

“Okay, okay, I’m sorry,” he said, sobering his features. “Tell me.”

I stared hard at him, waiting until his face was void of amusement before continuing. “On her.”

His brow furrowed. “On her?”

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