Page 32 of Follow Me
“Then you guysreallyneed to not focus on me right now. You and Doug focus on Mal. I’m fine.”
“Okay.” But Kel knew there was more from the way Niall studied him.
“Listen,” Niall finally said. “Ye haven’t been in to talk, an’ I would’ve preferred to do this together with at least Doug to help, but ye’re a stubborn sod. We need to discuss something serious.”
Kel’s heart sank. “How much has she lost?”
“What?”
“How much weight has she lost?”
Niall scowled. “None. She hasn’t lost anything—she’s still gaining.”
Confusion mixed with a heavy dose of relief set in. “Then what’s wrong? I mean, besides our shittacular week?”
“Wrong? Nothing’s wrong, except ye haven’t been in for a talk with us yet like we’ve asked.” He pointed at Kel. “Ye don’t wear a gun like June does, do ye?”
“Huh?”
“Carry. Do ye carry a gun?”
“No, I don’t carry. Why? What’s going on?”
“For starters, are ye in agreement that whatever we have to do to save Mal’s life is justified?”
Nope, fucking terrified again. “Just fucking say it, Niall! What’swrong?”
Niall held up his hands. “Calm yer tits, it’snot‘bad.’ So knock that shite off. I’m gettin’ there.”
Kel glared at him but shut up.
“Would ye agree, then? That we’re justified?”
“Yes, of course I do.”
“The hypnotherapy, working with her in tandem, bringing her home—all of that?”
“Yes.”
“The routines we’ve created for her?”
Kel impatiently nodded. “Yeah, you were right. If it’s working, it’s working.Pleaseget to the point.”
“All right, then. To clarify, there is absolutelynothin’improper going on. That’s another reason we felt it best there be all three of us workin’ together with her. So she wouldn’t be as likely to get attached to any of us.”
A chill crept through Kel’s soul. “Whatare you saying, Niall?”
“Keep in mind, none of us have or will ‘collar’ her. She is still yers.”
“She uncollared herself, so technically no, she isn’t.”
Niall glared at him. “That’s beside the point. She uncollared herself to save her life.”
Kel’s jaw dropped. “What?”
“Because she instinctively realized that the two of ye were goin’ to love each other to death. That the dance ye two did wasn’t gettin’ either of ye where ye needed to be.” He pointed at Kel. “She’s fightin’ for her life because she loves ye so much.”
“If she really loves me as much as you insist she does, then why can’t I move home, or even ask her about it?”
