Aideen

  * * * *

  Aideen

  a Slater Brothers novella

  Copyright © 2015 by L.A. Casey

  Cover Design: Mayhem Cover Creations

  Literary Editor: JaVa Editing

  Formatter: JT Formatting

  All rights reserved.

  All rights reserved. Except as permitted under S.I. No. 337/2011 – European Communities (Electronic Communications Networks and Services) (Universal Service and Users’ Rights) Regulations 2011, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without prior written permission of the author.

  The scanning, uploading, and distribution of this book via the Internet or via other means without the permission of the publisher is illegal and punishable by law. Please purchase only authorized electronic editions and do not participate in or encourage electronic piracy of copyrighted materials.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, establishments, organizations, and incidents are either products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously to give a sense of authenticity. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  License Notes

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  Title Page

  Dedication

  Chapter One

  Chapter Two

  Chapter Three

  Chapter Four

  Chapter Five

  Chapter Six

  Chapter Seven

  Chapter Eight

  Preview of Ryder

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Other Titles

  Mary and Yessi,

  You’re both the craziest best friends a girl could ever have, but I wouldn’t change either of you for the world. Thank you for the daily conversations that make me laugh, and for the funny shit you both have said when you try to be serious. I’ll take some of those weird conversations to my grave.

  I promise ;)

  I love you both dearly,

  Lee <3

  Pain.

  Stomach pain.

  Severe stomach pain.

  That was what I was currently experiencing... and it was all because of a damn biscuit. If I didn’t get the sugary, crunchy goodness into my rumbling belly soon I would go on a rampage that would put Nico Slater to shame.

  “Keela, please,” I whimpered, feeling close to tears. “Just give me a little bit of that biscuit, I won’t tell—”

  “Aideen!”

  I winced when his voice filled the sitting room.

  “Ah, bollocks,” I muttered under my breath and avoided looking over to the doorway where I knew he stood.

  Instead, I focused on the beautifully decorated Christmas tree that stood behind Keela.

  Keela Daley—who was still my best friend for some strange reason—was sitting on my sofa and acting as a leg rest for my swollen limbs. Two days prior, the cast I wore on my broken leg for the past eight weeks was removed. My knee and shin were nicely healed, but they were still prone to damage so I had to take things easy, which meant I had to sit down a lot.

  I wasn’t exactly happy about the prospect of sitting on my arse twenty-four-seven, but if it helped my leg get stronger then it was something I would just have to do.

  I glanced down to my forearm then, sighing at the newly formed scar. It healed a few weeks ago, and Kane assured me it was an angry reddish colour because it was brand new. Over time, it would fade to a lighter colour.

  I hoped so, because I could see myself wearing a lot of long-sleeved tops in the future otherwise.

  Keela regained my attention when she devilishly grinned at me as she popped the remainder of her chocolate digestive biscuit into her mouth—cunt move—then looked to the left and held up her hands. “I wasn’t goin’ to give her it, Kane. I swear.”

  I ignored my boyfriend’s presence and focused on the bitch in front of me.

  “You’re a shitty friend.”

  She looked back to me and unapologetically shrugged her shoulders. “I’d rather be a shitty friend than a dead one.”

  I scoffed. “He wouldn’t kill you for givin’ me a bit of a biscuit—”

  “He would kill her for giving you a biscuit.” A husky voice cut me off.

  I huffed in frustration and looked at the love of my life who was hell-bent on making me suffer. I locked my eyes on his and silently pleaded with him.

  “It’s been eight weeks since I left the hospital, Kane. Eight weeks. Me leg and arm have healed perfectly and me throat doesn’t even hurt anymore. I’m sick to death of soup and soft foods. I’m pregnant which means I’m always hungry, and that shitty food isn’t cuttin’ it anymore. Please, just let me eat a packet of biscuits.”

  “A whole packet?” Keela merrily laughed. “You fat fuck. How did eatin’ a single biscuit jump to eatin’ a whole bloody packet?”

  I dug the heel of my foot into her thigh. “Shut the hell up you traitorous cow!”

  She hissed and adjusted my foot, but did as asked and closed her mouth.

  “Aideen,” Kane sighed and rubbed his temples.

  He has done that action a lot over the past few weeks.

  “I’m not being strict to upset you, babydoll, but you heard the doctor. No solid food until after your throat fully heals. You have just a few more days and then you’re good. Why risk it? The first time you ate solid food after the fire you made a gash in your throat and it required stitches. Do you really want to go down that road again?”

  Kane was firm when he spoke, but I saw the emotion in his eyes.

  “Do you want to undergo more surgery, not being able to talk and having to eat through a tube? Personally, I can’t see you in that state. It almost killed me the first time around.”

  I thought of the gut-wrenching moment seven weeks ago when I swallowed a bit of a ham sandwich and my throat erupted with pain. A single slice of hard-crusted bread caused my already sensitive inner throat to tear open. It resulted in a painful gash that led to me spitting up a horrifying amount of blood that frightened the life out of those who loved me. I made Gavin and the girls cry, and I almost gave Kane and my father a heart attack.

  To be honest, I scared myself half to death, too.

  The pain after the surgery to stitch the wound shut, and having to be fed through a tube, sucked. I was a mess for weeks. It was definitely something I never wanted to experience again.

  Ever.

  I looked to Kane, then to Keela, then down to my fingers that were playing with the fluffy blanket that covered both Keela and myself.

  “No, I don’t,” I replied to Kane, but made sure to keep my head and gaze downcast so he couldn’t see that my eyes had welled up.

  I hated how easily I cried at things.

  Pregnancy turned me into such a pussy.

  “Baby?” Kane prompted.

  I sniffled.

  Shit.

  “I’m fine,” I said, and rubbed under my nose with the back of my hand.

  “Use a tissue, you knacker,” Keela said, revolt pulsing through her tone.

  I laughed and cried at the same time.

  “Leave her alone, Keela.” Kane clicked his tongue.

  She paid him no attention.

  “If you wipe snot onto this blanket so help me God, I’ll kill you, Ado.”


  I continued to laugh, only stopping when I got a stitch in my side.

  “Why do you make her laugh like that?” Kane grumbled. “She’ll end up hurting herself.”

  I practically felt Keela roll her eyes.

  “Give over, big man. She is pregnant, not made of glass. Give her a bump, I promise she won’t break.”

  Kane grinned wickedly. “Giving her a bump is what has me worried about her in the first place.”

  Keela’s eyes shone with wonder. “I can’t wait to see what you’re like when she gets here; you’ll have the poor kid wrapped up in bubble wrap from day one.”

  “He will be a super baby, the chosen one if you will. He won’t be fragile.”

  Keela gleefully laughed. “Keep tellin’ yourself that, mate.”

  I looked up in time to catch Kane stick his middle finger up at Keela and for her to stick up both of hers back at him.

  I shook my head good-naturedly.

  “Enough, children. Mother is too tired and hungry for your bullshit today,” I declared, yawning.

  Kane crossed the room and hunkered down next to me. He placed his elbow on the arm of the sofa behind me and gently scratched my back which his fingers. “Why don’t you come to bed?”

  His voice was low and inviting.

  “Maybe because she has company, i.e. me, you dirty bastard.” Keela flared. “Stop seducin’ her when I’m sittin’ right next to your nasty arse.”

  I beamed at Keela, and Kane smiled at me. He used his free hand to swipe away the already forgotten tears on my cheeks. “There’s my babydoll.”

  Keela giggled. “That’s adorable, but you’re still nasty.”

  I flicked my eyes in her direction and playfully narrowed them. “Do you mind?”

  “Not at all,” she acknowledged. “You do your thing.”

  Kane nudged me and gave me a wink. “You shouldn’t have ever fed her, she’ll never leave now.”

  Keela gasped in mock horror. “I’m not a dog. How dare you!”

  “I never said you were.” Kane deviously grinned then stood up to his full height. He turned and walked out of our sitting room and headed down the hallway to the kitchen.

  Keela pushed my legs, and the blanket that was covering her, off her body and shot to her feet.

  “Don’t walk away when I’m talkin’ to you, Kane Slater!” she hollered, and stomped out of the room after him.

  Kane’s low laughter did nothing but infuriate her further.

  “Or what? You’ll kill me?” he teased.

  “You’re damn right I’ll kill you... don’t smile at me like that, I will!”

  I chuckled to myself.

  They behaved like brother and sister, and I loved it because they loved each other. It would suck balls if my boyfriend and best friend didn’t get along.

  “Do not throw that at me!” Kane’s voice suddenly shouted.

  Keela cackled. “It’s just a tub of butter, you big baby.”

  “It’s a frozen tub of butter, so you might as well throw a brick at my head!”

  “That can be arranged, big man.”

  “You’re an evil little person, I hope you know that.”

  “I do.”

  I laughed at their conversation and sunk back into my sofa, tugging my blanket farther up my body.

  “Leave him alone, Keela.”

  I heard something being set down on either the kitchen counter or table. It dropped with a thud. “You’re lucky she wants you alive and unharmed.”

  “And you’re lucky she wants you here often, otherwise I’d ban you from ever entering this building.”

  Keela seethed. “You’ve gone mad with power.”

  I smiled.

  Kane recently told Keela that he owned the building I lived in, as well as many others in Dublin. She wasn’t mad, just a little hurt that Alec didn’t tell her about Kane’s secret properties, but once she got over the ‘bro code’, she was cool with it like I knew she would be.

  She also kept it under wraps, because Kane didn’t want it broadcasted to the rest of the group. He liked his privacy and she respected that.

  “You better thank God that I have to go home and feed Storm. I’d wipe the floor with you otherwise.”

  “Till next time, short-ass.”

  Keela casually strolled into the sitting room and stated, “I hate your boyfriend.”

  I grabbed my chest. “That’s a shame, because I love yours.”

  Keela’s lip twitched. “I’ll be back over tonight, I just have to go and feed—”

  “The fat beast, I heard you.”

  Keela growled. “You’d think being pregnant would make you sentimental and give Storm a chance, but no, you still rag on him.”

  In Keela’s mind, Storm was her baby.

  “He’d make a saint curse, Kay.”

  Her left eye twitched just before she turned and walked out of my house, giving me the finger along the way. “I’ll remember all of this when you’re in the height of pain in labour.”

  I grunted when the apartment door shut. I cringed then and silently prayed karma wouldn’t make my labour extra painful, because I teased Storm a lot... he brought it upon himself most of the time, so when you think about it, I shouldn’t suffer because of it.

  I leaned back and closed my eyes on a sigh, but just as quickly I snapped them back open. I shot upright when I realised no one was in the room with me.

  I was on my own.

  Panic struck.

  “Kane!” I called out as I looked around the sitting room, expecting someone to jump out and grab me.

  I heard his footsteps as he walked down the hallway and into the sitting room, a white mug in his hand with steam rising from it. He quickly sat the mug down on our coffee table when he saw my face and rushed over to me.

  “What is it?” he asked and placed a hand on my stomach in silent question.

  I swallowed and shook my head. “Nothin’, it’s just... I thought I was on my own for a second and... you know, I got scared.”

  Kane blinked. “You told me you weren’t afraid to be on your own anymore.”

  I looked down. “I lied.”

  Kane sighed and kneeled on the floor. “I’ll kill him for putting such fear into you.”

  I squeezed my eyes shut as Big Phil’s face cut through my mind.

  “I know.”

  Kane kissed the side of my head. “Do you want to help me with my injection?”

  He could do them himself now, but I appreciated him putting my focus on him instead of the monster that haunted me.

  I didn’t dream of that night I was trapped in my old classroom, nor did Big Phil’s face cut into my dreams. He only plagued me during waking hours when I could sit and think of the ‘what ifs’.

  What if I didn’t get out in time?

  What if I inhaled more smoke?

  What if he was still close by and watching us, waiting for the right moment to strike?

  I didn’t voice my thoughts, but they troubled me, and I knew the same questions haunted Kane. He was just keeping it to himself like I was because he didn’t want to upset me.

  We both suffered in silence.

  I knew Kane, his brothers, my brothers, and Keela’s uncle Brandon were looking for Big Phil, but none of that eased my mind. He got me once before, and he could do it again if he wanted to. He was that kind of person... if he wanted something, he got it.

  Period.

  I think Kane knew that as well. It was one of the reasons I was never without male companionship. When Kane wasn’t with me, one of his or my brothers were. It was a round-the-clock security gridlock the lads had going. Kane went as far as to completely seal off the apartment complex I lived in, and he tripled the security detail.

  I found none of it comforting though.

  My mind was my own worst enemy when it came to running plausible outcomes of Big Phil finding me first before the lads found him. It worried me sick.

  “Stop thinking of him.”


  I looked into Kane’s eyes when he spoke and I nodded my head. “I’m tryin’, I really am. I just can’t help it.”

  “I will protect you.” Kane swore, his eyes locked on mine. “No one will ever hurt you.”

  I lightly smiled. “Me knight in shinin’... tattoos.”

  Kane pumped his eyebrows. “I’m adding to my collection soon.”

  I blinked. “Where about and what are you gettin’?”

  He showed me both of his wrists so I reached out and rubbed my thumbs over the small patches of un-inked skin.

  “I’m getting your name on my left wrist and our child’s on my right wrist. Wrists are a lethal part of the body to be cut; any laceration could potentially be fatal. Without you and our baby I might as well be dead, so I’m putting you both in plain view so I never lose sight of that.”

  I touched my chest as a lump formed in my throat.

  “That was oddly disturbin’ and insanely beautiful at the same time.”

  Kane smirked and my eyes followed the thick scar that curved around his mouth. I stared a little longer than deemed polite, but I couldn’t help it. My gaze locked on the marred flesh until my eyes raked over his stunning face and to his arms where more of the thick lumps of damaged tissue lingered.

  I loved my man, but I hated that his perfect body was tainted with such marks that brought bulk loads of nasty memories. Lately, I found myself thinking of Big Phil when I focused on Kane’s scars for too long. I remembered everything I was told about him, and I didn’t think I would ever forget even if I tried. The sick son of a bitch used Kane’s vow to protect Damien from harm to his advantage.

  Marco Miles was the main man who called the shots over the brothers, but Big Phil held the leash that controlled Kane. He decided how much free-reign he got, and he was the one to viciously jerk on the leash when Kane didn’t do as he was told.

  That usually happened when Kane refused to hurt innocents. He was strung up with rope by the wrists and received lash upon lash to his body, or he was stabbed with needles as punishment for his defiance. Big Phil found pleasure in torturing and training Kane.

  He found pleasure in hurting him.

  Kane took his perverted son’s life, and in return he wanted my life and our unborn child’s. I was terrified of the lengths he would go to seek his vengeance, and I knew that eventually we were all going to clash.