Page 42 of Killian (The Doherty Mafia)
What if Isabelle figured out the truth?
But there was a part of me that knew Reese was perfect for this situation. Nobody had been this good at handling Isabelle’s strong personality the way Reese was doing it.
I was sure my dad and Cynthia would both be equally amazed by this scene unfolding before my eyes.
As if on cue, my phone rang and I saw it was him calling.
Reese glanced up when she heard the ring, but I stepped away.
“Yeah?”
“You got any updates for me?” Dad asked.
I turned my back to the door and lowered my voice.
“Updates on what?”
“Are you kidding me? Connor. The girl. What is up with you?”
“I’ve been dealing with the Isabelle situation, for fuck’s sake! I need some time.”
“We have to find the girl. Now. She may be the only one who knows what really happened to Connor.”
I breathed in deeply and leaned my head against the door frame.
“Yeah, well, I might have an idea where she is.”
“Go get her! Figure this out! We’re relying on you, Killian.”
I ended the call quickly because I didn’t want to listen to my father anymore. When I turned, I saw Reese near the door. She was pulling a carton of milk out of the fridge.
She had her face turned away so I couldn’t see her expression. I wasn’t sure if she heard me—if she heard what I said to my father about her.
“Just give me a minute and I’ll heat this up. More cookies?” She spoke to Isabelle and her voice sounded unchanged.
So maybe I was in the clear. Maybe she had no idea what I was planning.
Twenty-Two
Reese
I couldn’t get my hands to stop shaking ever since I overheard what Killian said on the phone.
I didn’t mean to eavesdrop on his conversation…well, maybe I did.
He was being so cold towards me. Even though we slept in the same bed at night, and I cooked for him and we were play pretending this idyllic domestic life together—it was like he was shutting himself up slowly. Like he’d suddenly decided he wasn’t playing anymore.
I could sense something was wrong.
He’d given me a strange look when his phone rang. He was standing right there at the kitchen door with his back to us and I knew I needed to hear what he said.
I just knew he was going to talk about me, and he did.
He told the person, whoever he was speaking to, that he knew where I was.
He was going to turn me in.
Isabelle sat beside me at the table, still dunking cookies into her glass of milk. I’d helped wipe all her tears away and it seemed like she felt better about everything. I just hoped she wouldn’t try and get in contact with Brayden again. She was going to be better off without him in her life.
I couldn’t bear the thought of any girls being in abusive relationships, when they had means and a choice to get away. The way I never had.
“Thank you for everything you’ve done and are doing for me, Ray,” Isabelle interrupted my thoughts.
I forced myself to smile, and clasped my hands tightly to keep them from shaking so much.
Killian was back in the room and he reached for a cookie.
“And I’m grateful to you too, Killian. Thanks for giving me a place to stay…and for taking care of the Brayden situation.”
Her eyes filled with tears again when she said his name.
Killian stood over her and nodded. I wished he would have had the instinct to throw his arms around his sister and give her the hug she needed. But he didn’t.
Maybe he couldn’t.
Maybe he was not the kind of person who had it in him.
Isabelle sighed and stood up.
“I guess I should give the two of you some time alone. I’ve taken up too much of it already.”
I wanted to tell Isabelle I would always be here to listen and support her, and that she could drop in any time. But I didn’t. I stopped myself from saying it just in time.
I didn’t know how long I would actually be here, and I definitely needed to remember this was not my home.
Killian and I walked her to the door and once she left, I turned to him with my heart beating out of my chest.
“I heard what you said on the phone. You’re planning on handing me over to some people, aren’t you? You’re done with me.”
* * *
Killian popped open a can of beer and sat down on his couch. He hadn’t said much since I accused him at the door.
“You don’t have anything to say to me?” I asked. My voice shuddered. I felt weak.
The only thing racing through my mind was what would happen to me next? Was Connor dead?
What would Killian’s family do when they found out I shot him. Would they send me back to Aldo? What would he do to me?
