Page 183 of Dirty Eoin

“That song.” He frowns.

“Do you like it?”

“I’ve heard it before. What’s it called.”

His forehead’s marred, and I immediately feel bad. I forget about his head sometimes. That he still gets headaches too.

“It’s calledChasing Carsand it’s by Snow Patrol. Do you want me to switch it off? Is your head hurting?”

“No, leave it on.”

We drive in silence with the song on repeat. We’re on our way to my parents’ house. Ma says Eoin can’t be trusted to live on his own as he’s clearly not been looking after himself. He’s there for the next six weeks minimum, which means he’ll be living under the same roof as Jaine for all that time.

After today, maybe that’s something they’ll both be happy about.

Fingers crossed.

The O’Connell Home, Darling, New York

Ma’s standing outside, waiting. She’s got little JJ in her arms and he’s opening and closing his fist, his tiny fingers making a little pudgy starfish shape each time as he tries his best to wave. He’s Ace all over, from his quiet demeanor right through to the fact that he’s the caring sort. If JJ thinks you’re sad or unwell, he’ll automatically come over to comfort you by giving you a sticky hug and offering you his own precious saliva-soaked soother.

Finian, on the other hand, is more likely to escort you personally to the reaper’s door by talking you to death.

He’s our Paddy all over.

We’re just parking as Jaine comes to the door. She’s in her trademark tank and cargoes, her hair wet and hanging down her back no doubt after her recent shower following her workout with Dec.

The inside of the SUV instantly feels cooler. I know it’s caused by Eoin’s now foul mood that she doesn’t care about him. That she doesn’t love him.

What he doesn’t realize is that he travelled to the hospital with his head cradled in her lap as she sat there in a pool of his blood. What he also doesn’t realize is that she rarely left his side, and when she did, I was under strict orders to replace her and not move an inch.

Or else.

I’ve seen Jaine’s ‘or else’ and I’d quite like to keep my head attached to the rest of my body.

He’ll know it all soon enough.

I’ve not seen the message that she sent to him, but I know it’s there on his phone. Missed somehow. Likely because it came from her burner and the fact that she sent it at the precise moment he was shot.

Was she planning on telling him about her alter-ego? I think she must have been. She was clearly giving her permission for him to use that number, and everyone else who has access already knows her heavily guarded secret.

I open the car door and the music filters out. Jaine stares at me, a small frown on her forehead.

She’s not daft. She now knows that I know.

I’m sure she won’t appreciate my meddling, so I reckon if I value my life, it’s best I just keep out of her way and let them get on with it.

I step out, then help Eoin down from the back.

“Dr. Kelly said you’d been doing too much, Eoin.” Ma immediately starts nagging him, and he rolls his eyes at her. “You were told to take it easy and to rest. What on earth possessed you to do something that would hinder your healing? What were you doing, for goodness’ sake?”

“You don’t want to know, Ma,” I mutter with a small smile, which earns me a glare from my big brother. “Although I’m sure Jaine can fill you in on all the details woman to woman if you really insist.”

Cue awkward silence.

Ma now knows exactly what he was up to and with whom. She looks between them both.

“Surely, there’s a time and a place for that sort of thing, and it’s not in the back of a moving vehicle with Declan driving,” she mutters, her lips twitching upward.

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