Holding on to you

“Nope not that, definitely not that. What the hell is that even doing in there? Wait! Let me see that… Ok, you can keep that, that pink one too. No, no, no, god please burn that!”

For the past hour and a half, I’ve been going through my wardrobe searching for appropriate clothes to carry with me to Paris, but so far everything that I’ve shown Kinsley she’s told me to either burn, bury or send it to hell where the devil will make bad soul wear it as a form of punishment.

I’ve just about had enough of it all went my phone ring. Kinsley gave me a stern look and told me to not answer it and I was going to listen to her until I saw who was calling. I showed her my phone and mouthed, ‘it’s your brother,’ but she didn’t care. I, on the other hand, didn’t feel like breaking any more of Killian’s rules.

“Hello?”

“Why the hell aren’t you here yet?!”

Would it kill him to say hello how are you doing once in a while?

“I’m still with your sister, we’re um, we’re packing.”

Kinsley stopped what she was doing and was now sat on my bed watching me with keen eyes.

“Leave it, I’ll buy you whatever it is that you need, I need to sleep before our flight in the evening and I want you in my bed.”

I didn’t know what to say to that I was rendered speechless.

“Ok.”

“Don’t keep me waiting, Red, there’s only so much disobedience I can take from you in one day.”

With that said he hung up the phone. I was really pissed off but I couldn’t let Kinsley see it, because whatever Killian told his sister had her believing that we were your traditional happy couple.

“So what did my dear brother want?”

I turned and closed the suitcase before answering her.

“He wants us to come over to the house now, he said I should leave everything and he will buy me whatever I need.”

Kinsley squealed and when I turned around I saw her grinning like a Cheshire cat, clapping her hands.

“OMG! I knew that he liked you, I just knew it. I told him you’d be the one to bring him to his knees. I mean, after what that bitch Natasha did to him he deserves someone who can see past his mean boy persona to the real Killian.”

Natasha?

“Who’s Natasha?”

I watched as Kinsley shut down and closed up tighter than a clam. A look of fear passed over her face before she shrugged it off and smiled.

“She’s nobody, let’s not talk about her. You know what, it’ll probably be best if we never mention her ever again… ever!”

Now that got me intrigued, I wanted to know who this Natasha was and how she impacted Killian’s life. Whatever she did couldn’t have been good judging from Kinsley reaction. I knew I had to find out, I just didn’t know how to go about getting my information.

I was about to try and pry some out of Kinsley when the door to my bedroom was thrown open and in walked all six of my brothers, and before I know I was being squashed to death by man armpits.

“Can’t breathe, you’re killing.”

I barely choked it out. When my brothers did let me go I took a step back and a big gulp of fresh air. I sucked it up like a thirsty horse in the Sahara desert.

“Congratulation sis, we heard about your big new from the parents.”

I glared at them.

“So you decided that killing me was the only way to show your happiness for me?”

Liam laughed. “Nah, we first thought about hiding your passport, but when we got to it mom had already hidden it from dad.”

I gasped at them, they couldn’t be serious, right? I opened my mouth to tell them exactly what I thought about their antics, but Kinsley who I forgot was sitting on my bed cleared her throat.

All seven of us turned to look at her. I saw my brothers’ eyes widened and I rolled mine.

Men!

“Somebody pinch me, I think I’m dreaming because an angel is standing right before me.”

Zack said and Kinsley giggled.

What the…! “That is the lamest pickup line I’ve ever heard.”

Zach frowned and the others started laughing. Zack stumped out of the room embarrassed and Mike took his place.

“Don’t worry baby, he’s a boy I’m the man you’re looking for.”

I grunted and put my hands to my face, I’m destined to have my brothers embarrass me to death. I thought Kinsley would dismiss him the same way she did Zach, but when I saw her blushing I just groaned and rolled my eyes. I couldn’t believe that she was falling for his horseshit.

“Uh, guys, can you please leave we’ve got a lot of packing to do.”

That brought all of their attention back to me. They all sobered up and a sad look came over their faces. Max was the first one to talk.

“We don’t want you to leave Lilly, bear.”

“Yeah,” Brandon continued, “You’re the only sister we’ve got and we don’t want anything bad to happen to you.”

I felt the tears pricked at my eyes and I hurriedly wipe it away.

“Who’s gonna scare away the monsters from your nightmares if we’re not there with you?” Mike asked.

For the corner of my eyes, I saw Zach walked back into the room and he joined the others.

“And besides,” he said, “Who’re we going to irritate when you’re gone?”

I was full out crying, I couldn’t even stop if I tried. I threw myself at my brothers and the caught up in a group hug. They might be a pain in my ass but there were my brothers and I love them.

After a while, I pulled back and smiled at them.

“I love you guys and I’ll miss you very much, but if any of you so much as touch my Nutella stash I will cut your balls off and feed it to each other, got it?”

All six my brother looked horrified as they placed their hands over themselves protectively.

“Uh, come on, Lilly, why you gotta go say something so mean when we were trying to be nice to you?”

I laughed and watched as they walk out of my room mumbling about god punishing them by giving them a sister, and why is it I couldn’t be a boy cause that would have made their lives a lot easier.

Well, I guess so much for them loving me and wanting to protect me from the monsters in my nightmares. Laughing I looked around the room to ask Kinsley is she was ready, but she was nowhere to be found, I groaned when I realise that she probably left with Mike.

I grabbed my suitcase with what little it had in it and walked out of the room. When I got to the living I saw my entire family sitting watching a comedy, laughing. And Kinsley was sitting next to Mike way too close for my comfort.

“You guys couldn’t even wait for me to leave before you start having fun. You guys are so not awesome anymore.”

I pouted my lips and fold my arms feeling a little bit like they really wanted me gone. My dad saw my look and came over to hug me.

“No one can ever replace you Baby Bear if this opportunity didn’t mean so much to you I’d never let you leave. Hell, it took me two years to come to terms with that fact that you’ll be leaving for college soon.”

I hugged him back, then I felt my brothers and my mother joined in the hug. We stayed like that for a while before I pulled away and left. I promised them that I’ll call every day, even though I was only leaving for four days.

When we finally arrived at the Black’s mansion it was pretty late. I started to panic and worry about how upset Killian would be, and from the look, he gave me when we entered the house, I knew that he was pretty pissed.

However, I didn’t get a chance to worry about that because Mr and Mrs Black were also there. They looked very startled when they saw me.

“Hello, who are you, young lady?”

Mr Black asked, but his tone was anything but welcoming. I was about to answer him but Killian did instead.

“Mine! She’s mine, she belongs to me and that’s all you need to know.”

He walked over to me and slipped his hands around my waist, pulling me to him. I have to say, I felt far better with him by my side. I did not like that way his father was looking at me.

“Killian, I will not have another incident like that of the Natasha one happening again in my house.”

I felt Killian stiffened next to me and his grip on me tightened. I stood there feeling awkward watching father and son having a standoff. It wasn’t until Mrs Black stepped in did they broke their stares.

“Kennedy, let’s not get into that in front of our guest.”

I felt the tension relax, but it didn’t last for long because the moment Mr Black saw my bags he started up again.

“What’s the meaning of this, Killian? You are not bringing your latest plaything along with us, I will not have it!”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I felt his words like a jagged knife to my heart, but I couldn’t really be upset because it was true.

I don’t know what Mr Black expected his son to do but it wasn’t what he did.

“That’s rich coming from you, cause there’s no need for you to travel with your playthings, you already have them in whatever country, city or state to fly to.”

I heard Kinsley and Mrs Black gasped, but I didn’t look at them my eyes were trained on Killian and I was listening intently to what he was saying. He let go of my waist and walked closer to his father.

“Take a good look at her beautiful face dad, cause you’re going to be seeing it for a very long time. You see, unlike you, I play for keeps when I say she’s mine that doesn’t mean mine for a little while, I mean mine completely, mine forever. So if you’ve got a problem with that, take it up with someone who gives a f**k!”

To say I was stunned would have been a massive understatement, I didn’t know if I should believe what he said, but I knew that Killian wasn’t one to say things he didn’t mean.

He moved away from his father and grabbed my hand, the look on his face was like a man on a mission.

“Come on, Red, we’re going to bed, I’m tired.”