I giggled. “I understand. I was pretty shocked when I first found out, too.”
“I can’t believe it,” Skull said dumbfounded. “You’re really havin’ a kid?”
“I am.” I beamed.
“Fuckin’ hell. Me little baby is havin’ a baby,” he laughed. “Congratulations, sweetheart!”
I squealed when Skull stepped forward, wrapped his arms around me and lifted me up off the ground. I latched my hands onto his shoulders, closed my eyes and laughed.
“When are you havin’ the brat?” Skull asked when he set me back on the ground a few seconds later.
I held onto him because I didn’t fully feel steady on my feet.
“January,” I said, smiling up at him. “I’m due on me ma’s birthday.”
“No!” Skull gasped and beamed. “That’s incredible.”
He gave me a big kiss on the cheek that made me laugh. I was about to step back away from him now that I had my bearings, but I remained put when I heard the commotion from my right.
“Kane. No!” I heard Nico’s voice bellow.
Kane?
I looked at my right and widened my eyes when I spotted him storming towards myself and Skull, his face was twisted in rage, and I had no clue why. All I knew was he was pissed, and his focus was completely on Skull.
Fuck.
Time slowed down then as I stepped backwards just as Kane collided into Skull, taking him up off his feet and spearing him to the ground. The noise of Skull hitting the ground struck me like a physical slap, and I heard my ear-piercing scream before I realised the sound even left my mouth.
“Stop!”
I stupidly rushed forward to try and stop Kane from hurting Skull, but Nico was on me in a second. “I don’t fucking think so!” he snapped at me. “You’re pregnant, stay back!”
I blinked my eyes and nodded at him.
He was right, and I hated that it took another person to remind me not to rush into a fight. I should have already known that—I was the one who was pregnant after all.
“Eejit,” I hissed at myself.
I lifted my hands to my face and covered my ears with my palms to block out the sounds of all the chaos around me. I could hear Skull trying to get through to Kane, as well as Nico. I widened my eyes when Nico jumped on Kane’s back and wrapped his arm around his neck. For a few seconds nothing happened. Kane continued to hit Skull, but then ever so slightly his movements slowed and I realised why.
Nico was suffocating him.
“Stop!” I screamed. “You’ll kill him.”
Kane rolled off Skull with Nico still attached to his back like a monkey, and it was only when his eyes closed that Nico released him and pushed himself up off the ground. Kane wheezed a little as he caught his breath back and blinked his eyes open. He stared up at the night sky and laughed like a crazy person.
I stared at Kane then Nico.
“You fuckin’ eejit!” I shouted and stalked forward, shoving Nico in the chest. “Don’t ever do that to him again. You were suffocatin’ him!”
Nico grunted as he slightly stumbled. “It’s the only way I can get him to stop when he starts.”
“Starts what?” I asked.
He looked me in the eye. “When he starts fighting... he blacks out and doesn’t stop until he is forced to.”
Like when he was fighting James a couple of months ago.
I swallowed and looked away. “Bring him home. I have to make sure me friend is okay.”
“He had a few drinks more drinks when you went to the bathroom. Your brothers challenged him to a shot contest. He is drunk and saw Skull kiss you on the cheek, he got the wrong idea,” Nico said when he grabbed my arm to keep me put in front of him.
“Why’re you tellin’ me this?” I asked.
Nico shrugged. “So you go easy on him when he is sober.”
“Fat chance of that,” I replied.
Nico smiled. “Come with me, I’ll bring you home.”
I looked over my shoulder for Skull, but he was gone, and the crowd that gathered outside the pub was already breaking up.
I sighed, “Comin’ here was a stupid idea.”
“Tell me about it.”
“I have to tell everyone goodbye-”
“I’ll text Bronagh to make something up. She’ll say goodbye for you and Kane.”
I sighed but nodded my head.
He turned away from me and helped his stupid older brother up to his feet then slung an arm around his waist as he guided Kane to their parked Jeep in the car park. I silently followed behind them.