Page 315 of Keeping 13

“Dellie!” Ollie shouted at the top of his lungs. “I caught them again!”

“Please, please, stop shouting,” I begged. “Don’t tell her—”

“I want my money,” Ollie shot back. “And you know the rules, Mister Rule-Breaker.” Narrowing his eyes at me, he said, “You’re not allowed to play with my sister on your own.” He folded his arms across his chest. “And you’ve got no clothes on. Dellie says that’s a big no-no.”

“But it’s my birthday,” I choked out, not against emotional blackmail given the current circumstances and prospective consequences. “And I’ll give you fifty quid if you don’t tell Dellie.”

He tilted his head to one side, studying me carefully. “One hundred.”

“What?” I gaped at him. “But it’s my birthday!”

“That’s why it’s one hundred,” Ollie replied. “Otherwise, I’d need a trillion.”

I narrowed my eyes right back at him. “What do you need a hundred quid for?”

“For my Legos,” he replied. “And my business.”

“Oh yeah?” I arched a brow. “And what business is that?”

“My spy business,” he told me. “And you’re my number one target.” He squinted his eyes at me. “I’m watching you all the time.”

Jesus Christ…Shaking my head, I pointed to my jeans. “Get my wallet.”

“Woo-hoo!” Grinning from ear to ear, Ollie dragged my wallet out of my discarded jeans and handed it to me. “That’s a good choice, Johnny.”

“You better keep quiet about this,” I warned him as I handed over two fifties. “Or else I’m going to declare war on your tree house.”

“You wouldn’t dare,” he gasped.

“Oh, I would,” I shot back with a nod. “Gibs and I will make an even bigger tree house, and then we’ll bomb yours with water balloons until you surrender, and then we’ll hijack it like pirates.”

“Oh, I’m so fucking down for that,” Gibsie declared in an excited tone. “I have an excellent aim.”

“Fine, I won’t tell on you,” Ollie huffed, snatching the cash out of my hand and then holding it up to the light to check its authenticity. “But this is a one-time deal. If I catch you near my sister again, you’re fair game, Johnny Kavanagh.”

“Deal,” I agreed. “Now, out you go.”

With a stiff nod, Ollie stalked out of my room only to pause in the doorway and run back to my bed. “Oh—and happy birthday,” he said, giving me a quick hug. “I love you.” With that, he scampered out of my room with my cash in his hands.

“That kid is slick,” Gibsie said in a tone laced with admiration for the young hustler. “Little Lynch has more of Joeythe hurlerin him than I thought.”

“Yeah? Well, little Lynch just walked out of here with our beer fund for the camping trip today,” I grumbled as I reached for my discarded boxers and slipped them on.

“That littleshit,” Gibsie growled, not looking so fucking admiring now. “For that, Iamgoing to water-balloon and hijack his tree house.”

“No, you’re not, lad,” I said wearily. “You’re going to go downstairs and wait for me in the kitchen.”

“Fine,” Gibsie huffed, heading for my door. “But one of these days, we’re going to take the fort back. We’re going to take itallback,” he added before closing my bedroom door behind him.

“Coast is clear, Shan,” I called out. “We’re off the hook.”

“Oh my god!” Shannon burst out of my bathroom, red-faced and flailing. “I am soembarrassed.”

“It’s okay,” I coaxed, patting the mattress next to me. “Come here—”

“No way!” Shannon choked out, grabbing her clothes off my bedroom floor. “He’ll be back. That bribe only stands for as long as it takes him to put that cash in his money box. He’s ruthless, Johnny. I give him five minutes, tops.”

“Will you give me a kiss, at least,” I grumbled when she rushed to my door.

---