Saving a Legend: A Kavanagh Legends Novel

  “Nothing,” Fiona admitted softly. “I never told him.”

  Nora’s jaw dropped and she exhaled sharply. “He didn’t tell you about his past, so you dumped him…but you’re doing the same thing?”

  “That’s not it.” Fiona rolled her eyes up to the ceiling, studying the ceiling tiles as she groaned. “I didn’t break up with him because of that, Nora. You know me better than that.”

  Nora was silent for a moment before she sighed deeply and moved over to hug her friend. “The only thing standing in the way of you both being happy is you. You’ve got to tell him. You’ve got to at least let him decide if he can handle it.”

  Fiona took a deep breath at the reminder of one of the worst days of her life. She’d had no choice, it was him or Shea. He had already violently taken one family member from her and had set his sights on Shea next. Fiona couldn’t allow that; she had to stop him. She had made a choice: she had chosen to kill him.

  But she wasn’t sure Kieran would choose to forgive her.

  —

  “What the hell, dude! Avoid the fucking face. This mug needs to be gorgeous for the prefight interviews on Friday.” Kane rubbed his palm over his cheek that Kieran’s fist had just grazed.

  “Relax.” Kieran stepped around him, moving to jab him in the side. Kane blocked his fist this time, returning with an even harder knock to Kieran’s back. He groaned and fell forward as the strike radiated through his body; kidney shots were always the most painful.

  “Tapping out?” Kane wiped his brow on his wrapped wrist, breathing heavily as he stepped back to get some distance.

  “Fuck that.” Kieran pushed himself up and rushed his twin brother, catching him in a clinch as they both struggled to get the offensive position. They parted quickly, as neither could stick the hold, then Kane’s uppercut caught him under the chin, knocking his head back. He coughed and sputtered as he staggered backward.

  “Nice, Killer!” Rory called out to Kane from the edge of the cage, where he was waiting with Ace. Kieran’s fire flamed at the reminder of what had once been his career, and the name that his brother had stolen. His mother had told him that he should be flattered, that Kane had looked up to him and wanted to be like him—but he didn’t believe that.

  No one wanted to be like him.

  No one wanted to be with him, either. Despite Fiona’s insistence that things between them were over, the look of desire in her eyes had been unmistakable the few times their paths had crossed this week. It was confusing as hell, but as long as he saw that, he couldn’t let go of the possibility that she might change her mind. That there was something between the two of them still, if only her mind would let her heart take charge for once in her life.

  “Shit!” Kieran groaned as he was knocked backward, hitting the mat hard as Kane had leveled him with a punch he hadn’t seen coming.

  Definitely should have been paying attention. He stared at the ceiling, trying to push air back into his lungs. Kane’s and Rory’s faces appeared above him, and Rory offered him a hand. Kieran took the help and pulled himself to his feet, stretching his side where a bruise was already forming.

  “Well, I’d say you’re ready for Friday, Kane.” Rory patted him on the back. “You okay?” he asked, looking at Kieran.

  “I’ll be fine,” Kieran replied, then turned to his twin. “You’ve definitely got the championship in the bag.”

  “Hell, yes. I’m gonna make him my bitch,” Kane agreed, referring to his upcoming opponent in the state championship fight, for which he’d been training for several months. “Then I’m going to ask your woman’s friend out, K. Got tickets to the latest Logan Clay concert. Chicks go nuts for that dude. No way Nora’s turning me down.”

  “I don’t have a woman anymore,” Kieran reminded him, “and there’s no way Nora’s going out with you, no matter what you try to bribe her with.”

  “You’ll see!” Kane responded, still as cheery as ever as he walked out of the cage to go shower.

  Rory and Ace walked with Kieran over to the water station, and they both had their fill as the silence grew between them. Kieran watched his older brother crush a water bottle and toss it in a perfect arc into the recyclables container. Kieran had spent his entire childhood looking up to this man, wanting to do what Rory did; wanting Rory to like him, to be proud of him.

  He wasn’t sure how they’d gotten so off course from that.

  “Remember that time when we were kids and we made our own bowling alley outta these?” Kieran held up a water bottle as Rory eyed him sternly for a moment before his face split into a softer smile. It’d been a while since he’d looked at Kieran like that; the only happiness he’d seen on Rory’s face lately had been reserved for Clare.

  Rory knocked the water bottle out of his hand with a chuckle. “I refused to drink water for, like, a month after that.”

  “I think we drank at least thirty bottles that day so we’d have enough empties that we could use them as pins for a whole slew of lanes.” Kieran chuckled. “Why did we even do that? Why didn’t we just dump out the water, or use them when they were full?”

  “Fuck if I know.” Rory shrugged. “We were stupid kids.”

  “We’re still stupid kids,” Kieran said, looking at him more seriously this time.

  “No argument here,” Rory agreed.

  Kieran exhaled slowly, knowing this was the time he needed to talk to his brother. They’d been putting off this conversation ever since he got out of prison the first time. “I’m sorry, man. I shouldn’t have blamed you for everything back then. It wasn’t your fault I was mixed up in some stupid-ass shit.” Kieran rubbed the back of his neck. “I know you were just looking out for the gym.”

  “I didn’t know you were involved, K,” Rory told him. “One of Pop’s guys told me about the gambling happening, and the street fighting, and so Pops told me to shut it down. None of us knew you were part of it. It was just bad on the business to lose so many of the gym’s talent to street fighting, with them getting hurt and no regulations to keep order. Plus, all the lost income not having those fights under our roof, and then losing so many of the fighters to injuries. It was a clusterfuck for Legends, Kieran.”

  “Yeah, I know. I never thought about how much it affected the family.” Kieran nodded stoically. “It was stupid. I was stupid. Thought I was being all badass going rogue.”

  “You were never badass,” Rory teased.

  Kieran punched him lazily in the arm. “Fuck you.”

  Rory reached a hand out to him, and Kieran took it. They shook firmly, then pulled in for a half hug as their shoulders bumped together and they patted each other on the back. The tension melted away and the apologies were accepted—it was that simple. It always had been with the Kavanagh men.

  They fought hard but forgave easily.

  “Think Pops will forgive me?” Kieran asked as the two men walked back toward the front with the big black-and-white dog on their heels.

  Rory nodded. “He already did a while back. He’s just being a hard-ass to keep you in line.”

  Kieran rolled his eyes. “Of course.”

  “The question is if Fiona will forgive you,” Rory added.

  “That ship has sailed,” Kieran said adamantly. “She’s been pretty clear that she doesn’t want me.”

  “Well, get your shit together and maybe she’ll change her mind. Get a job, a place to live…Be someone she would like to have as a role model for her little sister. I think that’s probably all she’s worried about. Yeah, sure, you lied and did some stupid shit, but you’d be surprised how much women are willing to forgive. I did something sort of similar with Clare, and she forgave me. Eventually.”

  Kieran gave him a pointed look. “But she made you eat shit for a few days first, right?”

  “Felt like longer than that.” Rory laughed. “Speaking of my woman, though, I want to ask your help with something I want to do on Friday.”

  “Whatever you need, man.”

 
“Thanks.” Rory nodded, and Kieran clapped him on the back as they reached the front desk, where Casey was looking up at them.

  “Do I sense a truce?” She smiled as she looked from one to the other. Both men shrugged but didn’t admit to anything.

  “Is Pops here?” Kieran asked as he headed toward the back office. Casey just waved him on back because there was no point in answering when he could now see Seamus sitting at one of the large desks in the office.

  “Hey, kid,” Seamus said.

  “Hey, Pops. Is that director job here still on the table?” he asked as he plopped down in a chair next to his father’s desk. There was no point in beating around the bush with his father, or easing into the request. Seamus liked everything straightforward, and Kieran loved that about him.

  “Depends.” His dad lowered a pair of reading glasses on his nose. “You still arsing around with your life?”

  Kieran smiled at his father’s wit and shook his head. “I’m shaping up, Pops. I’m trying, at least.”

  “Hmm, I guess we can work something out, then.”

  “You won’t regret it.” Kieran shook his hand, making the promise not only to his father but also to himself. Things were going to be different; he was going to be different.

  He finally understood that he was the only one who could give himself that.

  Chapter 22

  “Is this a joke?” Fiona gaped at the letter in her hands.

  “What’s wrong?” Casey peered over her shoulder, her long red hair brushing against Fiona’s skin. Fiona held the letter in front of Casey’s face.

  Casey took the paper and scanned it. “Oh, I’ve heard of that school, they’re really great. Not far, either.”

  “You don’t understand. I didn’t apply for this. I couldn’t afford the application fees, and they said Shea wasn’t a candidate anyway because we live outside of Woodlawn. Well, we used to before we moved here.” Fiona paced back and forth, trying to contain her excitement.

  “Well, then, call them. Double-check.” Casey shrugged, handing back to her the letter that stated Shea had been accepted into the elite, private special-needs school and was receiving a full scholarship to cover the tuition as well.

  “Good idea.” Fiona glanced at the letterhead, focusing on the phone number as she pulled out her cell and dialed.

  A few minutes later, she hung up the phone, grinning wider than she ever thought possible as she began bouncing up and down in the empty kitchen. The administrators had confirmed what the letter said. Shea had been accepted to start school there this summer, in less than two weeks. Tuition was paid for, thanks to a large scholarship she’d never even known was an option, and they’d even put Shea on the bus route to have her picked up and dropped off right in front of the house every day. They would run some assessments on her to determine her placement in the program, then they’d tailor a learning plan specifically for her. She’d be able to go year-round to give her days the structure she needed and to keep her grades up. Fiona sat on a stool at the breakfast bar in the kitchen and read and reread the letter again and again.

  “I just heard the good news!” Dee said as she walked into the kitchen, clearly having just been informed by Casey of Shea’s acceptance. “This is so exciting!”

  “I can’t even believe it. I’ve been hoping to enroll her for over a year, but I haven’t been able to afford the tuition. They said a board member for the school district vouched for us. I don’t even know who that was.”

  Dee blushed and looked around the room. “Don’t be mad: I know we’re way too intrusive into your life already, but that was Seamus. Kieran told him that you’d mentioned trying to get Shea in there before. Seamus’s been on the board there for years, so Kieran asked him to call in a few favors.”

  “Are you serious?” Fiona jumped up off her stool and barreled into Dee’s small frame, clasping her in a tight hug.

  “All right, dear. I need to breathe,” Dee gasped.

  Fiona gave her a tighter squeeze for a quick second, then let go. “You don’t even know how grateful I am. Thank you so much. Thank you, thank you.”

  “Honey, it’s nothing. It’s not like we’re paying for it or anything; it was just one conversation. The scholarship is funded by the school and already set aside for special cases.” Dee patted her arms affectionately. “You never do anything for yourself. Maybe now you’ll have a little more time to take care of you. You don’t need to worry about Shea—she’ll have all the resources she needs. That’s what matters.”

  Fiona’s eyes had been welling with tears, and she didn’t even bother trying to hold them back any longer. They poured down her cheeks unapologetically as Fiona thought about that, about Shea finally having the help she needed.

  “Don’t cry, darling. You deserve this, but more important, Shea deserves to go to that school,” Dee assured her. “You’ve done an amazing job with her, taking care of her on your own. That’s more than most people your age would be able to do.”

  No matter what mistakes she’d made in her life, Shea was innocent; she always had been. Shea deserved this, and more. “Thank you again, I just don’t even know what to—”

  “Don’t even worry about it,” Dee insisted, cutting her off. “No more tears, okay? We can tell Shea all about it tomorrow, but right now we need to get ready for the fight tonight!”

  “Definitely.” Fiona smiled. “Kane’s going to do amazing.”

  “All my sons are amazing, darling. You should remember that.” Dee gave her a wink, and Fiona knew they weren’t talking about Kane just then. “The babysitter will be here any minute, so let’s get ready.”

  Fiona nodded and headed upstairs to get dressed. Dee had arranged for a nice young college student named Kiera to babysit Shea while everyone was out at the state championships tonight watching Kane.

  Fiona had avoided any Kavanagh family functions since Kieran had been home, but she couldn’t avoid tonight. Nor did she really want to, not after everything this family had done for her. She wanted to show her support. Tossing open her closet door, she shuffled through the few garments she owned. She spotted the long gown she had never ended up getting to wear, since Kieran had gone to prison instead of taking her to the gala. Fingering the delicate fabric, she sighed, reminiscing on how different things could have been.

  She’d absolutely loved dating him—he was caring, protective, and loyal. She’d liked how he’d aggressively pursued her, taught her how to have fun and enjoy her life, and made her feel safe in his arms. She’d fallen for his wit and his charming smile, lusted for his thick arms and tall frame with bulging muscles covering every inch of him.

  I fell in love with him…Fiona sighed. There was that word again.

  She had to remind herself why she’d ended things. He needed a fresh start, a chance to take charge of his life. Her presence in his life had only hurt him, and finding out about her past would hurt him even more. He’d never look at her the way he had done, his heart in his eyes, after he found out she’d stabbed a man. Pushing him away was as much protection for her heart as it was for his.

  “Fiona!” called someone from downstairs.

  “Coming!” she replied as she quickly pulled off her shorts and pulled on a pair of skinny black jeans that hugged her legs like a second skin. She slid off her top and snapped on a lacy black bra, topping it with a light pink top that was just thick enough to give the illusion of coverage.

  She felt like being sexy tonight, despite her better judgment.

  The house had filled with people; most of the family members were meeting there to carpool into New Jersey for the event. Many New York fighters made the trek, as New York had stricter regulations against the sport, banning it in most places. Seamus, Kieran, and Rory had gone ahead with Kane, needing the time to help him warm up. Nora, Casey, Clare, Quinn, and Dee were all in the kitchen when she went downstairs. The last brother, whom she was excited to finally meet tonight—Jimmy—was going to meet them there.

 
“Fiona, this is Kiera Finley.” Dee introduced a thin, young woman with bold red hair and big eyes. “Not to be confused with our Kieran, of course.”

  “Yes, please.” Kiera laughed. “People in the neighborhood often tease us about the similar names.”

  “I think I’ll be able to tell the difference between you two,” Fiona chuckled. “Thank you so much for watching Shea. I’ve written down her routine on this paper, as well as contact numbers in case you need me. She’s up in her room reading right now. She’s going to want dinner in about an hour, probably.”

  “Sounds good to me. Don’t worry about a thing, I’ve been babysitting for years, and I’m in college to become a teacher. I just finished an internship working in a special-education class, so I’ve had some really great experiences and training with children like Shea.” Kiera smiled brightly, and Fiona noticed that Quinn was standing to the side looking over at her…with longing?

  When Kiera followed her glance, she saw Quinn, and they both quickly turned away from each other. Fiona tried to suppress a smile, but seeing the heavily tatted and pierced Quinn blushing at this young schoolteacher was something she’d never expected of him.

  “Perfect. We’ll be back pretty late, then, but her bedtime is eight,” Fiona said, and Kiera nodded.

  “Everyone ready? Let’s get in the car!” Dee announced, pushing them toward the door.

  The crowd dispersed, and Nora hooked her arm around Fiona’s elbow, giving her a reassuring smile as they climbed into the car. Fiona smiled back, but her nerves were crawling across her skin. There was an entire evening ahead of her that held promises.

  She just wasn’t sure if she was doing the right thing.

  —

  The moment they got to the arena over the bridge in New Jersey, all the men abandoned them. Quinn went to join his brothers and father in the locker room, and the women were left to find their own seats and wait for the match to begin. Luckily, an area had been cordoned off near the front for family, and so they had a great view of the cage. Fiona was instantly intimidated by the entire thing, and Nora was right there with her.