Page 27 of Into Temptation
My first instinct is to protect her.
And my second? Well, the second instinct is to rip out Brody’s spleen and feed it to him.
Babydoll’s accelerated breathing hints that Brody wasn’t invited. She’s just as surprised as I am at seeing him here. But Darcy seemed to know he was coming. I wonder how?
I can figure that out later because now, I need to salvage the last ten years of my life.
Brody enters the bathroom, closing the door behind him. He obviously wants privacy. My stance in front of Babydoll remains firm. He’s going to have to go through me before he touches her.
I was seconds away from telling her the truth—that we’re not brother and sister. But when I asked her why we couldn’t give in to what we both wanted, her response put everything into perspective.
“Because Rory doesn’t deserve this. Just because we’re fucked up doesn’t mean we have to take him down with us.”
She’s right.
I lost sight of everything because all I could see was her.
I didn’t care that my best friend was happy and living the life I wanted for him. All that mattered was giving in to temptation because my hunger for Babydoll has only grown, and I know that regardless of what’s right or wrong, she feels this undeniable pull as well.
Her body responded to me just how it did ten years ago. She may love Rory, but it’s clear our feelings for one another haven’t diminished with time. Which is why I will never tell her the truth. If she believes we cannot be, then her feelings will eventually fade, and she and Rory can have a chance at living the life they both deserve.
Every part of me rebels at the thought, but what nearly happened is proof that together, we’re on a collision course, bound to destroy anyone in our way. And I won’t allow that to happen. I need to accept that Babydoll and I are better off apart.
The hunger she stirs in me is unbearable, but I won’t let it win. I will treat her as if we are really related and forget that I want her more than I need air to fucking breathe.
“Bout ye, son?” asks Brody, smiling happily. “Look at ya. Yer a big man now.”
He almost sounds proud at the fact, that going to prison because he sent me there was a grand life lesson.
“How dare you!” Babydoll snarls from behind me. “You say that like it’s something to be proud of. Puck was in jail because of you. You’re not welcome here. Get out before I throw you out myself.”
Brody chuckles, not at all intimidated by her demands. And why would he? He’s the king of this fucking town.
“I’m a wee bit hurt ya didn’t invite yer da to yer engagement,” he says while Babydoll scoffs.
“You may have been the sperm donor, but you are not my dad. As far as I’m concerned, I have no father. And I’m totally fine with that.”
Brody merely smiles in response. But what I say next wipes his smile clean.
“I thought y’d have better things to do, like trackin’ down Sean. I mean, surely ya know he’s not dead?”
Babydoll gasps while Brody’s jaw clenches. “I can’t say I do.”
But he’s lying.
Although he may not want to believe it, I’m certain he’s heard rumors about the fact. However, without proof, he has merely passed it off as hearsay. I’m here to change that.
“I think we have some things to discuss in private.”
“I’m not going anywhere,” Babydoll argues, and I know this is a fight I won’t win.
So, I put my plan into action as I confront Brody.
“We both know that’s a lie, but I suppose honesty isn’t a quality ya possess. Yer sloppy. And yer fucking arrogant. Yer not untouchable. You may think that ye are, but yer not. Sean is smarter than ya. He also has somethin’ that you don’t. And that’s the Kelly name.
“Don’t you ever forget that we once ruled Northern Ireland, and if Sean is intendin’ to return, then ya won’t stand a chance against him. He managed to fool ya once. The second time around, he won’t be so generous.”
“Ye know an awful lot, considerin’ ya just got out of prison. Ya shouldn’t be believin’ everythin’ ya hear.”