SHOW AND TELL

1.9K 84 154
                                    

TARA

"Well, I'm off," Joey murmured, his gaze darting between us, the tension in the room thick enough to cut. "I love you, sis. It was good seeing you." He took a step forward, arms outstretched like he was about to pull me into one of his usual hugs, but I wasn't having any of it. I grabbed his arm, digging my nails into his skin with just enough pressure to make him yelp in pain.

"Fuck, Tara! That fucking hurt, dammit!" he hissed, pulling his arm back with a glare.

"You," I snapped, my eyes burning into his, "stay."

His face faltered, and a nervous look flickered in his eyes. He glanced around the room like he was searching for an escape route. "I've work. Tony's waiting for me."

"I'm sure Tony can wait. I'm sure Tony's heard about Shannon being in the hospital, and I'm guessing Tony gave you a few days off. Or am I wrong?"

He let out a frustrated breath, running his hand through his hair. "I'm not sticking around to watch you sort out your problems in paradise," he muttered. "In case you haven't noticed, I've got my own problems in paradise to deal with."

I narrowed my eyes, refusing to back down. "You fix mine, I'll fix yours," I shot back, flicking a quick glance at Jonathan, who was standing there, watching us in confusion, his brow furrowed. "How the fuck do I explain this to him?"

Joey cast a glance over his shoulder at him and then looked back at me. "He already knows. Shannon's talked to him."

Alright, I thought. But the problem was, half of my scars weren't even from Da. And only Tadhg knew that.

"Don't you dare move a bleeding inch, Joseph Lynch."

He raised an eyebrow, mocking me. "And what are you going to do if I don't listen?" He let out a half-laugh, clearly not taking me seriously. "You can't even get out of bed, let alone chase me."

"Fucking try me."

He opened his mouth to fire back a smart comment, but Jonathan stepped in before either of us could escalate further.

"Why aren't you talking?" My boyfriend turned to Joey. "Why isn't she saying anything?"

"Vocal cord surgery, lad," My brother said with a shrug, patting him on the shoulder like it was no big deal. "Anyway, I'm going to lie down on that plush couch and get some kip. Try not to shout too much, yeah?" He flopped onto the couch, stretching out like he didn't have a care in the world. Then he turned his head toward me and winked. "And that goes for you in particular, sis."

Without a second thought, I grabbed the marker off the bed and hurled it at him with all the strength I could muster. A satisfied smirk tugged at my lips when the marker hit him square in the forehead, and his startled yelp filled the room.

"Fucking hell!" he yelled, rubbing his forehead with a grimace. "That actually hurt, you fucking bitch!"

"Oi, brother or not, don't be insulting my girlfriend."

"Mad," Joey muttered, turning his back to me with an exaggerated huff. "You're both bleeding mad. One's on a bed, and the other's on bleeding crutches."

Jonathan bent down, his movements slow and careful, and picked up the marker from the floor. He limped toward the bed, setting his crutches aside before pulling up a chair beside me.

"Here," he said softly, placing the marker back in my hand, his fingers brushing against my palm with a touch that sent a shiver through me. Instinctively, my hand wrapped around his wrist, holding onto him like he was the only thing keeping me grounded. I heard him suck in a breath, the air around us thick with tension.

Needing 13 - Johnny KavanaghWhere stories live. Discover now