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“Joeythe hurler,” Johnny acknowledged as he reached for Joey’s hand again.

“Joey, get up!” I ordered, feeling flustered and embarrassed. I had tried so hard to keep our demons hidden and now here they were, on full display. I couldn’t cope with it. It was too much. I felt too exposed. “Please.”

“Come on, lad.” Johnny grunted as he tried and failed to pull Joey to his feet once more. He was seeing the worst part of my life and he was wading in, throwing himself into the mix, crutches and all. “You need to work with me here.”

“What have we got here?” Gibsie asked. Kneeling down beside me, he reached over and pulled Joey’s eyelids open. “Woo, you’re good and stoned, aren’t ya, Lynchy?” he mused and then patted his chest.

“Aw fuck,” Joey groaned, twisting away from us. “Not that mad bastard.”

Gibsie laughed. “Glad to see I made an impression.”

“I need to get him out of here,” I choked out, panicked. “Those guys might come back, and I don’t trust Darren not to call the—”

“No worries, Little Shannon. I’ve got him.” Catching ahold of Joey’s shoulders, Gibsie dragged him off the ground in one clean sweep. “Now it’syourturn not to puke in my car,” he told Joey as he carted him over to his car and deposited him in the back seat.

Mortified, I wrapped my arms around myself and just stood there, frozen to the bone and drowning in my emotions.

“Does he do that a lot?” Johnny asked, coming to stand beside me.

I shook my head and handed his crutches back to him. “Not usually.”

He arched a brow. “Not usually?”

I blew out a harsh breath. “Not for a long time.”

Nodding in silent understanding, Johnny adjusted his crutches and gently nudged my shoulder with his. “Come on, Shannonlike the river.”

16

Back to the Manor

Shannon

Feeling completely exposed, I sat in the back seat of Gibsie’s car with Johnny and Gibsie in the front and Claire and Joey beside me. The radio was off, not one single word had been uttered since we pulled away from my house, and if I’d had a knife at my disposal, I was fairly sure I could have cut the tension enveloping the five of us.

Joey was sprawled across the back seat, with his legs on top of Claire and his head in my lap. To her credit, Claire didn’t complain or shove him off her. Instead, she proved the theory I had that she was the kindest person in the world by removing her coat and draping it over his trembling body.

Numb, I kept my eyes glued to his face, watching as his features contorted every time Gibsie hit a pothole or took a sharp turn. “You’re so stupid,” I whispered, gently pushing his blond hair out of his eyes. “Do you hear me? Hanging around with Shane Holland and his friends again? You know he’s bad news for you. They don’t care about you, Joey. They never did. They only care about what they cangetfrom you. They’ll bleed you dry.” I stroked his cheek, my fingers tracing the discoloration on his face. “God, I’m so mad at you, Joey.”

“Shan.” Groaning, he clenched his eyes shut and stiffened. “Fuck.”

“Yeah, fuck,” I muttered, wrapping an arm around him when Gibsie took the turnoff for Johnny’s house. “What did you take?” I leaned closer, keeping my voice low. “I know you’re drunk, and I can smell the weed off you, but there’s more, isn’t there? What was it? What did they give you?”

He groaned again and clutched his stomach. “Sorry.”

“Stop saying sorry and start telling me what you took!” I hissed. “Was it tablets or something more? Joey, tell me, dammit!”

“Please don’t hate me” was all he replied, his words a muffled slur as he shook violently in my arms.

Devastated, I glanced around the car and felt my cheeks burn with embarrassment. Gibsie and Johnny were both staring straight ahead and Claire was dutifully looking out the window, but I knew they were listening to us. They couldn’tnot. Tightening my hold on my brother, I remained silent for the rest of the journey, holding back the emotions threatening to overpower me as I debated the bleak future that was laid out in front us.

No money. Shitty parents. Painful memories. Fear and resentment.

Always the fear…

By the time we pulled up outside Johnny’s house a little while later, I was completely disheartened and beginning to understand my brother’s need to justforgetfor a while. I knew that’s why he did this.Escape and forget…

Killing the engine, Gibsie climbed out and walked around to Claire’s door. “Kav, give Claire your keys to unlock the door,” he instructed, helping Claire out from underneath my brother’s body. “You good, Claire-Bear?”

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