Page 78 of Keeping 13

Double shite.

Last night’s events came flooding back in a rush, bringing with it a flush of heat straight to my dick.

“Hi,” Shannon mouthed, looking wide-eyed and terrified as she clasped the blanket between her fingers and stared up at me. “Help.”

From my mother’s standing point, she could only see the back of the couch. I could have wept from the momentary relief that flooded me.

“What do I do?”she mouthed, breathing hard. “Should I get up?”

Fuck no!

“Would you believe me if I said I didn’t know?” I called out to my mother as I pulled the blanket back over Shannon’s head and awkwardly clambered over her, biting back the urge to scream when pain shot through me like a bullet to the cock.

Stay down,I mentally begged Shannon as I got to my feet.Please stay the fuck down.

“Not in the slightest,” Mam shot back, watching me like a hawk. “Why are you naked?”

I glanced down at my jocks and shrugged, feigning nonchalance. “I’m not naked.”

Her eyes narrowed. “Then why are you lounging on my good leather in your underpants?”

“Underpants?” I gave her an indignant look. “Am I ten?”

“No, you’re nearly eighteen and partially naked,” Mam shot back angrily. “And there’s a girl I can’t account for—one who you’re particularly fond of, and one whose mother has been hopping off my phone.”

I scratched my head, knowing that I was completely fucked, but wrestling for a way out all the same. “I thought you said she called Da’s phone.”

“And your father gave hermynumber,” Mam bit out, turning purple now.

Jesus, I was so fucking dead.

“I’ve been on the phone listening to that bleeding woman drone on the entire drive down from Dublin, demanding I return her sixteen-year-old daughter before she calls the Gardaí on you.”

“You shouldn’t answer your phone when you’re driving, Ma,” I poked the bear by saying. “It’s bad form.”

“Bluetooth headsets, Jonathan,” Mam growled. “Now, do you know where she is or not?”

“No idea,” I lied through my teeth. “Sorry.”

“If you know where she is, you need to tell me now,” Mam countered, giving me one of those don’t-bullshit-me looks.

“No clue,” I shot back. “Sorry.”

“Do you know what statutory rape is, Johnny?” she growled, sounding furious. “Because Marie Lynch threw that phrase around an awful lot on the phone to me! And if you’ve been with Shannon—if she’s here now and you’re lying to me, then you’re going to be in some serious trouble, laddie.”

“What the actualfuck?” I barked, horrified. “She said that? Are you being serious?”

“Yes, she said that, and it’s not the first time,” Mam said, voice shaking. “Do you have any idea how damaging an accusation like that could be to a boy’s future—and especially one in your position?” She threw her hands up for emphasis. “You could kiss goodbye to a career in rugby, that’s for sure!”

“Ididn’tdoanything,” I choked out.

“She’sunderage, Johnny,” Mam snarled right back. “Her brother swore she left her house with you yesterday, and she conveniently didn’t go back home last night.” Glaring, she added, “You’re the mathematician in the family, so do the bleeding maths!”

I glared right back at her, furious. “So, because her brother thinks she’s with me, that makes me a fucking rapist?”

“It means that if she doesn’t show up at home, her mother will have the Gardaí up to this house and you’ll be the first one—”

“Don’t let her call the Gards on him, Mrs. Kavanagh.”

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