Page 52 of Keeping 13

“Me.”

He arched a brow. “And who is me?”

“I’m her—”

“He’s her Johnny,” Claire blurted out.

“Nice,” Gibsie chuckled, tucking her under his arm. “And since we’re making introductions, she’s my Claire-Bear and I’m his flanker.”

“I remember you,” Darren said, giving Claire a curious look. “You’ve grown up.”

“Look, is Shannon here or not?” I snapped, clinging to my patience by the skin of my teeth. “I need to see her.”

“No.”

Goddammit!“Well, can you tell me when she’ll be back?” I bit out through clenched teeth. “So I know how long I’ll be waiting in my car.”Because I’m not going anywhere, fucker.

“No.”

Furious, I leaned on my crutches and hissed, “Where is she, Darren?”

He shook his head and reached for the door. “Go home, Johnny.”

“Don’t do it, Cap,” Gibsie warned, placing his hand on my shoulder. “Don’t fucking bulldoze.”

I heard him. I did. But I couldn’t see beyond the red-hazed fog in my mind, smothering me, making it hard to think clearly.

“Nope,” I growled, shaking off his hand. “I’m not going anywhere.” I shoved a crutch in the doorway to block Darren from slamming the door in my face. “I know all about your family.” I glared behind him. “About the shite that goes on in this house, and if you think I’m walking away without seeing her, then you have another think coming!”

“You don’t have a clue,” he growled. “Youthinkyou do, but you have no goddamn idea!”

“Johnny, maybe we should just go—”

“I’m going nowhere!” I roared, feeling furious and sore from standing. “I’ll stand right fucking here until he either lets me in or brings her down!” Straightening, I looked him dead in the eyes and said, “You decide. I’m good with either.”

“Do you have any idea of what my family is dealing with here?” he demanded then, his cool facade slipping. “What we’re all going through right now? Trying to work through?” He glared at me before continuing, “I am holding my family together by the skin of my teeth here, kid. I spent the best part of a week at my sister’s hospital bedside, trying to manage the shitstorm that I’ve walked back in to. My family has enough problems right now, issues more complicated than you could ever understand, so I need you to back the fuck up and give us some breathing space.”

“I’ll give you all the space you need,” I shot back hotly. “AfterI see Shannon.”

“The last thing Shannon needs is you rolling up andconfusingher,” he snapped. “She’s been through hell. She needs rest and peace. I’m trying to give her that. I’m trying to make her lifebetter, and you storming in and bombarding her with questions is only going to traumatize her even further.”

“Then Shannon can tell me that herself,” I countered, unwilling to give an inch. “To my face.”

Darren shook his head. “Jesus Christ, Johnny, my mother already explained this to you. I spoke to your father and explained this to him. What aren’t you getting here? Why can’t you understand that what’s happening in our family is private and we need time to process everything?”

“What are you so afraid of?” I taunted. “That she’ll talk to me? Confide in me? Tell me all the shite sheshouldbe telling the authorities butisn’tbecause you’re keeping her locked up like a fucking prisoner?” I looked him up and down and sneered, “Yeah, I know there’s more. I know that fucking much. And I also know that you might be able to control her, but you can’t control me, and I have no problem with blowing the roof off your dirty little secrets. And here’s another thing you can’t do.” I straightened my spine. “You can’t make me leave.”

“You need to calm down,” Darren instructed. “Stop puffing your chest out and looking for a fight, Johnny. My sister’s fine and you need to leave.”

“She was neglected and abused in her own home. She was tortured outside of it. It’s a fucking miracle she’s still standing. So no, I won’t fuckingcalm down!” I snarled. “I want to see her and I’m not going until I do.”

“If you don’t leave, I’ll phone the Gardaí,” he replied. “I don’t want to, but I will if you don’t go.”

“Then go for it, because I’m not going anywhere, asshole!” I roared, losing all touch with my self-control. “Go right ahead and call the fucking Gards, because quite frankly, I’d love to speak to them.”

“Oh Jesus, his mother’s going to kill me,” Gibsie groaned. “It’s bad enough that I took him out behind her back, but now he’s going to be arrested, and then I’ll be arrested because I’m a good friend and it’s just bad form to let him go to prison on his own, but she won’t see it that way. No, she’ll see her baby in a cell and I’ll be the dead, ball-less eejit beside him. Ugh!”

“Shut up, Gibs!” I barked.

---