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“Shannon, don’t listen to him,” I urged, feeling her wilt at my side. He was getting into her head, just like he intended, and it was crippling me. He might not be able to hurt me, but when he hurt her, it fucking shredded me. “It’s not true. The bastard’s unhinged. Just block it out. Do ya hear me, Shan? Block him out.”
“I didn’t want you either,” he tried again with me.
“My heart’s bleeding,” I spat out, words dripping with sarcasm. He couldn’t hurt me with his words. Only the woman standing beside him could do that.
“Well, we feel the same about you,” Tadhg tossed out. “None of us want you!”
“Tadhg, be quiet,” I warned, feeling my panic rise when my little brother put himself directly in the line of fire. “I’ve got this.”
“No, I won’t be quiet, Joe,” he argued. “He’s the fucking problem in this family and he needs to hear it.”
I wholeheartedly agreed with him, but he needed to keep quiet and let me do the talking. I could take the shit our father threw. I could take the blows. Tadhg was just a little kid. He needed to stay in his lane and, more importantly, stay unharmed.
“Get him out of my sight,” our father roared, gesturing to my brother. “Now, Marie. Get him out before I do away with the little bastard.”
“I’d like to see you fucking try,” I snarled, roughly shoving the mouthy little fucker behind me before he got himself in deeper. “Try it, old man.”
“No.” Mam stepped between us. “You need to go.”
“What did you say to me?” he snarled. “What the fuck did you say to me?”
“Leave,” Mam whispered breathlessly, looking like she was seconds away from face-planting on the floor. “It’s over, Teddy. I’m done. We’re done. I can’t. I need you to go away.”
“You’re done? You think you’re leaving me? You’re mine, Marie. Do ya hear me? You’re fucking mine. Think you can throw me out? Walk away from me?”
“Just go! I want you gone, Teddy. Get out of our lives.”
You need to go.
I want you gone.
Get out of our lives.
She was directing the words at my father, but I didn’t feel a thing. Because her words didn’t mean shit. It was too little, too late. The damage was done. The time to stand up to him had long since passed. Whatever move she made now was out of fear for herself, not fear for her kids.
“You think you have a life without me?” he continued to taunt her. “You are nothing without me, bitch. The only way you’re leaving me is in a box. I’ll kill ya before I let you leave me. Do ya hear me? I’ll burn this fucking house to the ground with you and your cunts in it before I let ya go!”
“Stop,” Ollie sobbed, clinging to my leg. “Make him stop. Please.”
“Are ya a girl now?” Dad sneered, glowering at his second-youngest son. “Toughen up, Ollie, ya little bollox.”
“That’s enough, Teddy,” Mam tried again. “Get out.”
“This is my fucking house,” he doubled down and roared. “I’m going nowhere.”
“That’s fine,” I said in a strangely calm tone of voice, considering I felt anything but calm in this moment. “Ollie, go outside and take Sean with you.” Reaching into my pocket, I grabbed my phone and handed it to him. “Take this and phone Aoife, okay? Call her up and she’ll come get us.”
I hated dragging Molloy into this.
Fucking despised myself for dragging her back to this house.
But I didn’t have a choice.
I didn’t have anyone else.
She was my ride or die, and whether it was right or wrong, I knew she would come.
“No, no, no. Please, Joey. Don’t take them away from me.” Panic-stricken, my mother rushed for me. “I told him to go. I told him, Joey.” Eyes wild with fear, she pulled on my hoodie, pleading with me to do something we both knew I couldn’t. “Of course, of course I choose you. Please don’t do this. Please, Joey. Don’t take my children.”
