“Doesn’t matter,” he said shockingly calm. “You still did it, so you better get to hopping.”
Jesus.
“She’s pregnant with your child.” I gripped Keela’s waist. “You can’t come at me when she’s pregnant.”
“Watch me,” Alec said and began to walk towards me, his eyes unblinking and his movements calculated.
I held my ground for all of two seconds before I turned, yanked the sliding door open, and sprung out into the back garden. My eyes darted around for an escape route, but everything was blocked by damned toys. The only thing I spotted was the trampoline, and in my head, I planned to get inside it and zip up the netting which would form a barrier between myself and Alec. That plan didn’t work out because when I managed to get inside of the poxy thing, Alec was hot on my heels.
“Get back here!”
I screamed with fright and scrambled away from him as he entered through the gap in the netting. He was a big man, but his towering height intimidated me even more inside the enclosed space. Trying to flee on a trampoline was nothing but a complete failure I quickly realised, and all I could think of was to jump as hard and as fast as I could to knock Alec off his feet to give me a chance to break free. He threatened me the second I started jumping, and when he advanced, I screamed louder and bounced faster. Amid my screams and Alec’s threats, I could hear my so-called friends laughing like fucking hyenas.
“Stop jumping!” Alec ordered.
I jumped harder, making his legs wobble a bit more.
“This is assault!”
“I haven’t even touched you yet!”
Yet.
“It’ll be assault when you touch me then.”
“It’s about to be upgraded to murder if that’s the case.”
I screamed. “He admitted he’s gonna murder me!”
More laughter.
“Bronagh,” I pleaded. “Help me!”
“Why me?”
“Because,” I screeched when Alec lunged for me but crashed into the net when I dove out of the way. “Just because!”
“What the fuck is going—is that Alannah and Alec?”
“Damien!” I hollered, relief flooding me. “Save me!”
“What happened?” he demanded. “He looks like he’s going to kill her.”
“She broke his cup,” Keela answered.
“Oh, shit,” a chorus of male voices spoke.
I spotted the opening to the trampoline now that Alec wasn’t blocking it, and I crawled to it as fast as I could. I made it halfway out of the trampoline when a hand grabbed my left ankle and held on for dear life.
“I don’t fucking think so, you life ruiner!”
“That isn’t even a word!”
“I don’t give a shit,” Alec yelled. “I’m going to tickle you until you cry!”
Like a horror film, I was dragged back into the trampoline all the while I was screaming for God to help me since none of the fuckers in the back garden would.
“He is like Pennywise draggin’ me away to me death,” I bellowed. “One of you bastards help me; I don’t wanna be like Georgie!”
My niece cheered when she heard me shout her name, not realising I was talking about a fictional Georgie who was savagely murdered by a dancing fucking clown.
I couldn’t see my piece of shite friends because I had flipped myself onto my back so I could track Alec’s movements, but I could hear them, and they were all laughing. I could have sworn I heard Jax and Georgie squeal too, and that was just wrong. Bringing those beautiful babies to witness my demise was unforgivable.
I stared up at Alec, and the way his head tilted as he stared down at me reminded me of Damien. All the brothers looked alike, but the twins resemble Alec the most. At the mention of the fair-haired twin, I got an idea.
“Damien!”
Silence, then, “Yeah?”
“I’ll go have sex with you if you get this lunatic away from me!”
More silence, then Alec looked up and growled, “Don’t even fucking think of it, you little shit.”
I heard a rustle from behind me.
“Sorry, brother.” Damien chuckled, sounding awful close to me. “I can’t pass up on her offer. I’ve been dreaming of sex with her for more years than I’m willing to admit.”
Hands gripped under my armpits, and I was pulled backwards, out of reach of Alec who was diving for my legs. I bent them, preventing him from grabbing them as he bounced off the trampoline and spewed curses to everyone and their dog.
“Traitor!” Alec snapped at his younger brother.
I pointed at each of the backstabbers as Damien held me against him.
“I will remember this when you need a babysitter.”
Bronagh and Aideen’s smiles fell from their faces, and they paled, except Keela whose face was red from laughter.
“You too,” I told her. “Your demon child is never gettin’ five-star Alannah care.”
She clapped her thighs together as she laughed. Damien was laughing too as he settled me down on my feet, then he laughed harder when I pushed by him and sprinted from the house.
“I’m gonna get you, Alannah” Alec hollered, his voice sounding demonic. “And your little cat, too.”
Not Barbara!
I didn’t stop in my escape until I was out of the house and safely inside my locked car and speeding away. I thanked God that I lived in a secure apartment complex because God only knew what Alec Slater was going to do to me once he eventually got his hands on me.
I was so dead.
“We aren’t really havin’ sex … ye’know that, right?”
I had forgotten about Damien when I originally fled Bronagh’s house. When I realised that he wasn’t with me, I swiftly turned back around and drove back to get him. I made sure to stay in my car with the doors locked until he jogged out of the house, laughing like a madman. Tears fell from his eyes when Alec chased my car on foot while I, on the other hand, screamed bloody murder until I lost sight of him in my rear-view mirror.
“You mean you were only saying what you thought I wanted to hear to enlist my help so I’d get you away from my psychotic older brother who intended to tickle you to death for breaking his favourite tea cup? I’m positively shocked at this turn of events.”
I stared at Damien, my lips pursed.
“Well—” I blinked “—this was your first smartarse moment in our relationship.”
“Should we mark it on your calendar to celebrate next year?”
“And that—” I rolled my eyes “—was your second. Third strike, and you’re out, buddy.”
Damien’s devilish grin did things to my insides. Naughty, naughty things.
“Have you ever watched a game of baseball in your life?”
“Jesus, no.” I felt myself pale. “Why would I ever do somethin’ like that?”
His laughter brought a smile to my face.
“I love your laugh.”
“Yeah?” he asked, his bright eyes gleaming. “I’m a little partial to yours, too.”
“Sweet talker.”
He helped me out of my coat, then hung it up and his own while I saw to Barbara. I opened the sitting room door carefully, and instantly, a putrid odour stung at my nostrils. I quickly glanced around and saw the used litter tray.
“Why on Earth did I leave the stupid tray in ’ere?”
I placed my hands on my hips and searched the room, coming to a stop when I found Barbara sitting on my curtain pole.
“Barbara!” I gasped. “How in Christ’s name did you get up there?”
“How did she get up whe—holy shit.”
I began to panic and rushed across the room until I was directly below Barbara with my hands up, ready to catch her in case she fell. She was looking down at me with a bored expression and made no move to even try and get down.