2. One
One
Kayleigh
Y ears Later
I sigh as I walk out of class and head to my car. The one thing that Cillian and Dad both hate is how I insist on driving myself to and from school. Cillian does have an SUV that follows me, but at least I can drive myself.
A woman needs her independence and some time to herself. Especially with everything I have going on in my life.
I’m honestly shocked they haven’t demanded I stop driving myself to school with a stalker out there. I guess being the oldest daughter of Peter O’Sullivan has its advantages but also has many disadvantages. One of them is people thinking they can use me to get my Daid to do whatever they want. One flaw with that plan is they not only have to deal with my Daid, which is scary enough on its own as he is feared through Ireland for a reason, but they also have my four brothers and high-ranking men of both my Daid’s and Cillian’s organizations. Even though Dad has stepped down as Boss of the Irish Mafia and has stepped back, that doesn’t matter if it comes down to the safety of our family. I almost feel bad for the idiot who is stalking me.
I just wish everyone was afraid of my family and would leave us alone.
My stalker has left me notes, flowers and gifts on my car, and has sent me creepy text messages with pictures of myself from a distance.
“Come here, bitch,” someone says from behind me as they grab me by my elbow and spin me around. I raise my hand and punch them in the nose. While they are distracted by that, I kick them in the nuts before taking off to my car. I don’t look back; I push myself as hard as I can.
I can’t let him catch me.
“Watch out!” someone else yells as I run into them. I should apologize but my mind is focused on getting into my car.
Keep running.
Can’t stop. Keep running.
I start panting as I do exactly that. My chest starts hurting as it becomes more difficult to breathe, and my legs are aching.
If I stop, they could get me.
Who knows what they will do to me. Torture me? Rape me? Kill me? I don’t want to think about it. I was almost raped once, and that has traumatized me enough to make me afraid of men.
I see my car. Thank fuck , I say to myself.
I hurry to get inside and lock it up. I take a deep breath as I jam my key in the ignition and crank it. My tires squeal against the pavement as I leave the parking lot. I keep my foot heavy on the accelerator.
Ring…ring…
I look down at the touchscreen on my dash and see Aiden is calling me.
“H-He-Hello?” I say as tears start to pour down my face.
“Pull over now.”
“I c-can’t. He-he might get me.”
“Who?”
“My-y stalker. He-he grabbed me.”
“Kayleigh, pull over. You won’t have to worry about the stalker if you kill yourself driving like a manic.”
“I ca-can’t.”
“Kayleigh, pull over. I will drive you home and Larry will drive the other SUV home.”
“O-okay.” I bring my car to the edge of the road. I barely have it in park when my door is yanked open. Aiden reaches over, unbuckles my seatbelt, and pulls me into his arms. I don’t realize that I’m shaking and sobbing my heart out until he holds me to him and gently coos in my ear.
“Come on, let’s get you home,” he says and guides me to the passenger side and helps me in. He quickly runs to the driver’s side and gets in before pulling onto the road.
Ring….Ring….
He pulls his phone out and answers it.
“Yeah?” He pauses. “Yes, I have her. She says she was attacked after leaving her class.” He turns toward me and gives me a once-over.
“Are you hurt?”
“No. I punched him in his nose then kneed him in his nuts before running to my car.”
He smirks. “Good job,” he tells me before telling whoever is on the phone, “No, she punched the son of a bitch in the nose before kneeing him in the nuts.” He nods even though whoever is on the line can’t see him. “Okay, we will be home soon. I’m driving her because she is too rattled to be driving herself.”
He hangs up the phone then turns to me. “That was Cillian. He wants us to head to his office when we get home; he wants to know exactly what happened.”
I nod and groan. “Which means Dad and Oscar will be there as well.”
“I would assume so.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Why are you sorry?”
“Because this is pulling you all away from your jobs.”
“Kayleigh, there is nothing—and I mean nothing—more important than your safety.”
“I still feel bad.”
“Well don’t.”
“You know it doesn’t work like that with me.”
He smiles at me. “I know you have the biggest heart out of anyone I have ever met. It’s why I’m so overprotective of you. I don’t want you to get hurt. It’s why I don’t like Andrew.”
I sigh. “I know, and I love you for it.”
“I’m still not convinced he is the man for you.”
“You know he is going to be your brother-in-law one day.”
“Not necessarily. You think I wouldn’t kill him if I ever found out he hurt you?”
“I know you and any other man in our family would. I promise it isn’t necessary.”
“Hmm. We will see. But I meant what I said when you told us you were engaged to him. I will end him if he does anything to hurt you.”
“I know, Aiden,” I say, leaning my head on his shoulder. You would never know that he is three years younger than me, and for being nineteen, he is very mature for his age. Granted, I don’t know how he is when he goes out with his friends, nor do I want to, but he is the cinnamon roll in the family. Cillian is the morally gray one, Oscar is the psycho, Aiden is the cinnamon roll, and Keegan is a mix of unhinged and goofy. I’m hoping as Keegan gets older, he will mature. If not, I feel sorry for whoever marries him. Thankfully he has time to get himself figured out as he is still in high school.
When we get home, I’m barely out of the SUV before my Daid is pulling me into his arms, holding me tight against him. I sink into his embrace; nothing will ever make me feel as safe as being in my Daid’s arms. He holds me tightly a moment, until he relaxes knowing I am safe. He pulls away and his eyes scan me from head to toe.
“Let’s go to your brother’s office. You have a guest waiting for you.”
“Who?”
“Andrew,” he says stiffly. I close my eyes and mentally prepare myself not to flinch when Andrew touches me later.
“Oh, ok. I didn’t know he was planning on coming by.”
“He said he wanted to surprise you and was visiting a friend from college.”
“Oh, ok,” I say again and follow Daid to Cillian’s office in silence. I can feel the weight of Aiden’s stare on my back the whole way. Remember why you are doing this , I repeat to myself.
Daid opens Cillian’s office door. I look up and see both Cillian and Oscar jump to their feet and rush to me. Andrew simply finishes sipping his drink before placing it down. Fucking asshole.
“That’s it. You’re taking classes online,” Cillian demands as he pulls me into his arms.
“I’m okay. Just a bit rattled.”
“Not arguing about this with you,” he says with finality. I pull out of his arms and stare at him.
“Isn’t that my choice?”
“Not when some crazy motherfucker is trying to hurt you. But I’m glad you were able to get away. Good job nailing the fucker in the nuts.” I smile at him, but Cillian pulls me back into another hug and whispers, “We will get to the bottom of this.”
“I know,” I whisper back.
“Sweetheart, are you okay?” I reluctantly pull away from Cillian and face Andrew, who immediately pulls me into his arms. I tense for a moment but a pinch from Andrew makes me relax.
“Yes, just a bit rattled after someone tried to kidnap me.”
He cups my face. “I’m so glad you were able to get away. I don’t want to imagine what would have happened if they would have taken you,” he says, and I hear a growl from Daid.
“Stór beag, can you tell us what happened?”
I nod and pull away from Andrew, we all take our seats, and I stare at Cillian’s desk where a little rubber duck sits. I guess my nephew was here earlier.
“Someone grabbed me as I was walking back to my car, in between the English building and the sports auditorium. They tried to drag me off but made the mistake of spinning me toward them, and I used that opportunity to punch them in the nose and knee them in their balls. Then I took off toward my car,” I explain, digging my nails into my palm.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
Breathe in. Breathe out.
I keep repeating those words in my head, refusing to let the darkness seep in. I cannot let the fear live.
“Kayleigh!” I hear my name being shouted and see everyone staring at me. I feel my hand being painfully squeezed. Andrew gives me a concerned look but then quickly smirks before looking like the caring fiancé again.
“I’m okay,” I whisper. Andrew wraps his arm around my shoulders, pulling me into him.
“You aren’t safe here until we get to the bottom of this,” Cillian states.
“I agree,” Daid murmurs.
“Let me call Emilia. I’m sure she would be more than happy to have Kayleigh stay with her,” Daid says. I immediately relax and smile. If anyone can help me get out of this, it will be Emilia.
“She can come with me. She will eventually be moving with me to England after we get married anyway,” Andrew speaks up.
Please, Daid, don’t agree to this. Please. If I go to England, I don’t want to imagine what Andrew will do to me.
“She won’t be safe in England.”
“She won’t be there as your daughter but as my fiancée, and I will also keep guards on her every time she steps out of the house. And she can take classes online until this problem is resolved. If that makes you feel better,” Andrew says with his charming smile.
Daid and Cillian exchange a glance, and by the short nod Cillian gives Daid I know any hope of getting away from Andrew is gone.
“Okay. Kayleigh, go pack a bag of what you will need, and I will have everything else sent over in a few days.”
“Okay, Daidí,” I say, giving him a small smile before quietly getting up and leaving the room.