Damien (Slater Brothers #5)(45)

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you,” I said, wringing my hands together. “I was goin’ to, but I hardly ever see you, and when I did, I’d chicken out … then you found out along with everyone else before I could figure out a way to form the words.”

“Don’t be sorry,” Gavin said. “You don’t need to check in with me when you fuck someone.”

I cringed. “Don’t say it like that.”

Gavin smiled. “Sorry, you don’t need to check in with me when you have sex with someone.”

“That’s better.”

He chuckled, then as if remembering why he was here, he groaned out loud. Again.

“How did this happen?”

I clasped my hands together. “Well, when a man and a woman like each other—”

“Shut up, smartarse.”

I giggled. “Sorry.”

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and his face in his hands. My heart went out to him, so I got up and sat next to him, putting my arm around his waist and resting my head on his shoulder.

“We’ll figure this out,” I said, giving him a squeeze. “Have you talked to Kalin? Has she let ye’know anythin’ regardin’ the baby?”

“She’s keepin’ it, and she’s six weeks along. She’s also offered a paternity test to prove the baby is mine, just in case I have any doubts. That’s as much as I know.”

“D’ye?” I pressed. “Have any doubts?”

“At first, loads,” he admitted. “Then I couldn’t remember if I wore a condom or not. We mostly got together at parties, and when we drink at one of the boss’s parties, we drink good. I’ll take the test either way, but Kalin says she’s only ever had sex with me so she knows the baby is mine.”

The boss he referred to was Brandon Daley, Keela’s uncle. I didn’t know exactly what Brandon was involved in, but I knew it wasn’t legal. My friends never spoke about him around me, not even when I asked questions, so I figured they probably had no clue what he was truly into either. Gavin knew, though—not that he would tell me.

From what I personally knew of Mr Daley, I liked. He did a lot of business with the insurance company my da worked for, and he even bought a large canvas painting off me before. I had no idea who purchased the piece until I delivered it to his house. He was a perfect gentleman, and told me he would keep his eye on my website for other pieces that caught his eye.

“You’re an eejit,” I said to Gavin. “A massive one.”

“I know,” he said. “God, I’m so dead.”

“You’re twenty-four,” I reminded him. “I don’t think you can get a hidin’ for gettin’ a girl pregnant.”

Gavin scoffed a laugh. “You don’t know me brothers and sister as well as you think you do if that’s the case.”

“This is your responsibility, not theirs, and if they have somethin’ to say, listen and then tell them to feck off.”

“Can you be with me when I tell them?”

“Me? No. I’d probably die of fear on your behalf. Aideen scares the shite outta me when she’s mad.”

Gavin burst into laughter before he hooked his arm around my shoulder and leaned in, kissing my temple.

“We don’t hang out enough.”

“No,” I agreed when he leaned back against the cushion, pulling me with him. “We don’t, and whose fault is that?”

Gavin noted my tone and sighed. “Don’t start, bear. I’m not in the mood.”

Apart from my parents, Gavin was the only other person who called me bear.

“No, I will start,” I said, annoyed. “How did we go from seein’ each other every day to seein’ each other maybe once or twice a week, if even?”

“I’m busy,” Gavin answered. “Ye’know that.”

“No, I don’t know that ’cause whenever I ask what you’re doin’, you don’t answer me.”

“Ye’know I can’t talk about what I do when I’m with the lads,” Gavin said sternly. “I told you, don’t ask ’cause I’m not talkin’ about it.”

I shook my head. “I think you shouldn’t hang around with people and do God knows what if it’s takin’ you away from your family and friends.”

Gavin frowned at me. “I’m not bein’ takin’ away from you, bear.”

A lump formed in my throat. “What if you’re involved in somethin’ one day, like somethin’ you can’t talk about, and it does take you away?”

His frown deepened, and when he saw my eyes well with tears, his lips parted.

“Please, please, don’t cry.”

Too late.

“I worry about you,” I said, wiping my tears before they had a chance to splash onto my cheeks. “I know you don’t trust me enough to confide in me about things—”

“You’re the first person who popped into me head when Kalin told me she was pregnant.” Gavin cut me off. “Not Aideen, not me brothers, not Bronagh. You, Alannah.”

I snivelled. “I suppose.”

“We’ve been friends a long time, and we’ll always be friends,” Gavin assured me, tugging me closer to him. “Just because I can’t talk about work doesn’t mean I don’t trust you, okay?”