AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Yeah, that sounds pretty boring,” Johnny answered for both of us. Catching ahold of the back of my shirt, he pulled me backwards with him. “Well, we better be getting to class,” he said, tone as polite as ever as he hauled me out of harm’s way. “Have a good day, Dee.”
“Bye, boys,” she called after us. “Don’t be afraid to pop into the office if either one of you need anything.”
“Will do,” he tossed over his shoulder as he steered us both toward the main entrance at lightning speed.
“Jesus, where’s the fire?” I huffed, breaking out of his hold before I had to break into a run to keep up with the overgrown bastard. “Slow down.”
“We need to talk about that.”
“What?”
“Cougar Dee,” Johnny whisper-hissed as he yanked the door open and shoved me inside. “What’s happening there?”
“You mean today?” My brows shot up in surprise. “I just saw her in the car park, same as you.”
“You know that’s not what I mean,” he growled. “Christ, Gibs, she’s almost thirty, lad.”
“Actually, she’s more like twenty-four.”
He paused in the doorway to gape at me. “No fucking way.”
“Hand on heart. She was in the same year as Caoimhe Young,” I offered with a nod. “It’s the makeup—and the sunbed.”
“More proof that sunscreen is invaluable,” he grumbled, pushing us both inside. “Whatever. Listen, I think we need to have a proper talk about her. I should have said something about this a long time ago,” he continued, walking us through the corridor. “But to be honest, I was so stuck in my own head that I didn’t give it a second thought.”
“Give what a second thought?” I asked, letting him lead me into the empty lunch hall. “What in the name of God are you on about, Kav?”
“I’ve been doing a lot of growing up since Shannon and the boys came to stay with us, and it got me thinking about right and wrong.” Taking his seat on his throne at the end of the rugby table, he drummed his fingers on the table, clearly unnerved. “And this is wrong, lad. So fucking wrong.”
“Care to fill in the blanks here, Cap?” I asked, dropping into my usual seat opposite him. “Because I’m kind of stumped.”
“Dee, lad,” Johnny repeated, pushing his hands through his hair.
“Yeah,” I drawled slowly. “What about her?”
Bristling with tension, I looked around us before leaning in close and whispering, “I think she’s been grooming you, lad.”
“Grooming me?”
“Yes.” Eyes wide, he nodded eagerly. “Grooming you.”
I stared blankly at him for a long beat before bursting out laughing. “Get a fucking handle on yourself, Johnny.”
“Gibs,” he urged. “I’m being serious here.”
“So am I.” I laughed. “Don’t get all high and mighty with me because you’ve got a girlfriend now.”
“That’s not what I’m doing, lad.”
“And don’t fucking judge me,” I added, sitting up. “I’ve done a lot of favors for you that resulted in me owing favors to that woman.”
“That’s what horrifies me,” he snapped. “It’s wrong, Gibs. This is all wrong. It’s a consent issue.”
I gaped at him. “Consent?”
“Gibs,” he snapped, leaning over the table. “That woman has been fucking around with you since we were fourth year.” Shaking his head, he bit out, “Since you were fifteen.”
“Now, hold the hell up,” I snapped, feeling myself bristle with defensiveness. “First off, I haven’t touched that woman since I got my ladder piercing back in fifth year—not that it’s any of your business, but I haven’t. Not one goddamn time. And, again, not that it’s any of your business, but I have no plans to change that.”
