Page 58 of Keeping 13

I didn’t need to finish that sentence. Johnny’s eyes were locked on mine and the wordhomehung heavily between us, unspoken and painful. Feeling exposed and vulnerable, I tore my eyes away and climbed the rest of the steps. Concern roared to life inside of me as I watched Johnny struggle up the remaining steps. “Hey—are youokay?” I asked when he finally reached me, jaw tight and shoulders rigid.

He stiffened, and for a moment, I expected the same cold brush-off I was used to receiving when I asked him about his pain. But he surprised me by turning to face me. “I’m okay.” His tone was soft, eyes gentle. Leaning against the banister railing, he released another heavy sigh. “I’m sore,” he offered with a small, vulnerable shrug. “I’m stiff, and I despise being slowed down, but I’m on the mend, okay?”

I studied his face, looked for the lies, and when I didn’t find any, I nodded. “Yeah, okay.”

“What about you?”

“Me?”

“Yeah, you.” Reaching out, he traced his thumb across my cheekbone. “How areyoufeeling?”

“Same as you,” I offered in a small voice, unable to suppress the shiver that rolled through my body when he put his hands on me. “Stiff and sore, but on the mend.” I paused, thinking of something positive to say. “I can breathe again,” I blurted out and then cringed when I said it. “Sorry.”

Pain flickered in his blue eyes. “It’s killing me,” he admitted, voice low and gruff. “Knowing what happened to you, seeing what that bastard did every time I look at your face, and not being able to fix it.”

I released a shaky breath. “Johnny.”

“I’ve spent days waiting for this,” he quickly hurried on, his words coming fast, his accent thickening as he spoke. “To get time with you. To justbewith you, and now I have you here?” His hand snaked out and entwined with mine. “Where I know you’re safe? All I want to do is just…” Shaking his head, he pulled me closer. “Keep you right here with me and never give you back.”

Oh god, I want that, too. I want you to keep me.

“I know you have a lot of stuff going on in your life right now with your family, and there’s a shitstorm falling down around us,” he added, voice gruff. “I know there’s a conversation we need to have, Shannon, an important one, but I just want you to know… No, Ineedyou to know that I’m—”

“A little help, Kav!” Gibsie’s voice boomed down the landing. “We have a code puke situation going on in here.”

“Jesus Christ,” Johnny hissed, throwing his head back. “I can’t catch a bleeding break.”

“I’m sorry,” Claire croaked out as she barreled toward us, holding her stomach. “But I’m a sympathetic vomiter and that boy is spewing his guts up in there.” Flustered, she gagged before adding, “Honestly, I’d love to help, really I would, but I had a heavy meal before I came here, and if I stay in that room, it will becarnage.”

“Oh god.” Turning, I moved to go check on my brother, but Johnny tugged my hand and pulled me back to him.

“Don’t go in there,” he said, releasing my hand. “He doesn’t need his sister seeing him like that.”

“Yeah, Shan,” Claire agreed, coming to stand beside me. “Let the boys take care of him.”

“He’s my brother,” I countered shakily.

“Yournakedbrother,” Claire shot back. “Gerard had to take his clothes off because he’s covered in—” She paused to gag. “Ugh, it smells so bad. He needs a shower and you can’t do that in your condition.”

“You remember the layout of the downstairs?” Johnny asked, directing his question to me. “Where everything is?”

I nodded, flustered. “I think so.”

“Take Claire downstairs with you,” he instructed calmly. “Make whatever you want in the kitchen or chill out in the sitting room. Whatever you want. Gibs and I will sort him out.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, not feeling very sure at all.

“Positive.” He gave me one last, final look and then walked stiffly in the direction of his bedroom. “I’ve got this.”

“You know,” Claire mused, “when I signed up for this jailbreak, I didn’t anticipate vomit.” Wrapping an arm around my shoulders, she led me down the impressive staircase to the entrance hall. “Or penises.”

“Penii,” I corrected with a defeated sigh.

“Huh?”

“Mrs. O’Leary, our science teacher, says that’s the appropriate plural.” Not that it even mattered.

“Oh.” She scrunched her nose up at the notion. “Well, I don’t know anything about ‘penii.’ I must have zoned out during class, but this house isamazing. It’s like…Muckross or something.”

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