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“I’ll call in the cleaners.” His voice was hard as steel. “It’d be best for everyone to … step outside the apartment for a couple of hours. Kane, I need to speak to ye about disablin’ your security cameras and wipin’ footage for the last twenty-four hours, just in case we get any visits from our dear an garda síochána.”
“I’m already on it,” Kane answered. “I’ve filed a dub complaint to the company who monitors my system. That way, if the cops inquire, it’ll look like my system has been down, and I’ve been trying to get it fixed.”
Brandy chuckled. “I can always trust a Slater in a pinch.”
A knot formed in my stomach, but I forced it away. If Brandy wanted to dispose of the Russians lying in Gavin’s apartment, he could have at it. These pricks almost killed my brother. As far as I was concerned, either Brandy dealt with them or I did. That train of thought worried me. I hadn’t thought of anything so morbid before, but when my brother was threatened, killing people to protect him became a very real possibility.
“Date,” JJ said, alarmed. “Christ, man, ye’ve been stabbed.”
I had no clue what he was talking about … until he touched the area around my left shoulder, and burning pain erupted. I sucked in a breath, careful not to crush my nephew, who was now sleeping in my arms.
“The woman did it,” I hissed. “Is it bad?”
Kane moved behind me and assessed the injury.
“Not life-threatening, no excess blood loss, so she missed your artery. You’ll need a good dozen or more stitches, though.”
It was late when everyone found themselves in Kane’s temporary apartment a couple of floors below the pending penthouse. Aideen and the kids weren’t there. Kane mentioned that they were spending the night at our father’s house like they did every now and again to spend time with him. I thanked God for small favours. Aideen didn’t need to see Gavin in the state he was in and neither did the boys.
Kane’s doctor didn’t ask questions as to what happened. He concluded that Gavin had lost so much blood that he needed a blood transfusion. I assumed we’d go to the hospital for that, but the doctor made a call, and before I knew it, he had all the equipment and blood to perform the transfusion right there in Kane’s guest bedroom. We all left the room, except Kalin. She stayed and helped the doctor, who was happy to have an extra pair of hands. When the doctor did everything needed, he found the rest of us in the kitchen. He spoke to Kane, then came to my side. He stitched me up—it took seventeen stitches to close the wound on my shoulder—then left without a sound.
“Doc’s given Gavin some morphine for the pain. It’ll help him sleep, too,” my brother-in-law said. “He needs rest and lots of it.”
Kane left the room then to check on my brother, and Harley and JJ were right on his heels.
“I’ll make sure he doesn’t get out of bed once we get back down to his apartment,” Kalin assured me, blinking tiredly. “I’ll bring some stuff over from me apartment to his while me and Indie stay there … just until he is better.”
Gavin and Kalin’s relationship was none of my business, but it was obvious as the day was long that they cared for one another. She was likely halfway, if not completely, in love with my little brother, but it was obvious to me that he was holding back with her for a reason. I didn’t comment on it, though. I kept my lips shut. I was in no position to offer relationship advice. I was brand new to the relationship scene as it was.
I looked down at my nephew, who was snuggled up against Kalin’s chest.
“How is he?”
“The doctor put some antibacterial cream on his neck, but he said it’s nothin’ to worry about.”
I relaxed. “Thank God for that.”
Kalin nodded, her eyes glazing with tears.
“Hey.” I reached out and placed my palm on her shoulder. “Indie’s okay, and Gav’s gonna be okay. No one will hurt them again.”
She reached up with her free hand and wiped away a tear. “I won’t sleep easy until he’s free of Brandy,” she whispered. “I hate that man. I hate that he has a hold over Gavin.”
Christ, I felt the same way she did.
“Me too. This might be the wake-up call me dumbarse brother needs to get out of that life.”
Kalin nodded. She was upset and bone tired if her constant yawns were anything to go by. The woman had just given birth over a week ago. She was still healing and needed a lot of rest herself.
“Lie down and close your eyes. Sleep while Indie sleeps.”
She didn’t fight me. She kicked her bare feet up onto the settee and lay down, adjusting Indie on her chest, then closed her eyes. I grabbed a throw-over blanket from the chest in the room and covered them both. I leaned down and kissed her forehead. She didn’t notice because she was already asleep. I frowned down at her. She looked so young. Too young to be dealing with this rubbish.
