Page 36 of Killian (The Doherty Mafia)
I didn’t want to think about what she’d suffered so far, especially not the fact that I’d kept her locked up in the basement for days.
There was a part of me that wanted to forget about that, and this part was getting stronger everyday. It was like I had suddenly forgotten about everything that happened. About Connor and my dad. How my family was expecting some answers from me and they were expecting it soon.
My father called when I went to the kitchen to make a coffee. I left Reese sleeping in the bed. I’d already lost the instinct to keep an eye on her at all times.
Something told me things had changed around here. That she wasn’t going to try to get away. Maybe I was wrong.
“Killian, where are you?” my father spoke gruffly into the phone.
“At home,” I replied. I was already peering through the kitchen window to make sure there wasn’t anybody around. I couldn’t rid myself of the worry that someone could storm my cabin at any time and take Reese away.
“You need to go and get Isabelle.”
“Go and get here where? What are you talking about?”
My father breathed heavily into the phone. I got the feeling that something had happened to her. Isabelle was his stepdaughter. She was Cynthia’s daughter.
Dad married Cynthia several years after our mother was killed, and Isabelle was the baby of the family.
“That motherfucker, Brayden. He punched her in the face. I don’t want Cynthia seeing her like this. Isabelle doesn’t want that either. You need to go get her. She’s still at his place.”
“Brayden punched her in the face? What the fuck?” I roared.
I was already halfway to the door, flicking my jacket off the wall. I sensed a movement behind me and turned to see Reese standing there. She was in nothing but the shirt I’d given her earlier. There was a worried expression on her face.
“We need to do something about that bastard,” Dad continued.
“I’ll take care of it,” I said, ending the call.
“Everything okay?” Reese asked. Her voice was hoarse and she spoke in a whisper.
“Nothing is okay. Someone hurt my little sister,” I snapped.
Reese lifted a hand up to her mouth in surprise.
* * *
I needed to make a quick decision, and I had two options. I could take Reese back to the basement and lock her up like before. Or I could leave her up here in the house, free to roam, free to run away if she wanted. I didn’t want to do either of them.
I wished Dad hadn’t called, and I wished I didn’t have this decision to make.
I was sure the same thoughts were running through her mind too.
“Are you going to her?” she asked, watching me put my jacket on.
“She’s still at his house. Her motherfucking boyfriend’s house. I need to go and take her out of there,” I answered.
Reese gulped the lump down her throat.
“Okay, I’ll go back to the basement,” she whispered.
I stood still, watching her in silence as she walked in the direction of the basement. When she realized I wasn’t following her she stopped in her tracks and turned to look at me. She was surprised. She didn’t know what to expect from me.
“Killian?”
“What would happen if I left you here?”
My words seemed to have taken her breath away. Reese’s mouth fell open and she filled her lungs with air.
“I would…I would watch some TV. Change into fresh clothes. Maybe I’d make some eggs. I’m quite hungry.”
The question on my mind was inevitable. She answered before I had a chance to ask it.
“I’m not going to run. I can promise you that, but my promises mean nothing unless you actually trust me. I was being foolish. I know I have nowhere to go. This is the safest place for me.”
She was right, none of it mattered. The real question was, did I trust her?
My mind was buzzing but I couldn’t waste another moment. I didn’t know what had happened to Isabelle. If she was safe or not. Every minute that passed could put her in harm’s way.
“I’m going,” I replied, storming out of the house.
I didn’t turn to look at Reese again. Nothing mattered. If she wanted to run, she was free to do so. I’d face the consequences of that later, but I didn’t care about it now.
I just needed to get to Isabelle and bring her to safety.
As I drove away, I thought I saw Reese at the window, staring at me. I didn’t know what she was thinking, or if she was already out of the door.
Maybe this was the answer to everything. Maybe this was the way it was supposed to happen. Whatever came next, I’d face it.
I just needed to take care of Isabelle first.
My time spent with Reese felt like a dream anyway.
