by Jane Henry
I nod again. “Aye.”
“Good girl,” he breathes. “Sweet lass. We’ll do this together.”
I close my eyes against the flood of emotion at his words. I’m not a good girl. I’m not a sweet lass. And I shudder to think what will happen when he realizes it as truth.
Chapter 13
Nolan
When I told Sheena I’d have her on a tight leash, I meant it. She’s on probation, as it were, after what she’s done. But hell, keeping her under my control is no hardship. For either of us, really.
I keep her by my side, and make sure she does what she’s told. She’s feisty as hell and has a temper to match her hair, but I’m up for the challenge. We had a breakthrough, I know we did. I’ve seen the real Sheena Hurston, and it’s an honor and a privilege, one that I don’t think many have gotten.
She was angry at us before, so angry it colored every damn interaction we had with her. But now that we know the truth, she’s begun to soften, to change.
We expect any moment that there’s to be trouble from her mum, but we hear nothing. I watch the video of the execution with Father Finn and Keenan, and there’s no doubt the O’Gregors did what Finn says. I don’t tell Sheena I did, but somehow she knows. We don’t talk of it. I’m glad she didn’t see what I did.
We investigate. Carson has connections in Stone City, but no one’s heard a thing. The mother hasn’t returned since the night we took the children into our custody.
At first, Tiernan didn’t trust us at all, but as the days go by, as he sees Sheena interacting with us and he sees we aren’t the monsters he thinks we are, he softens a bit. He knows something’s up between me and Sheena, but he doesn’t ask questions.
And Fiona’s adorable. She’s got her sister’s bright gray eyes and the Hurston family red hair, but she doesn’t have the chip on her shoulder like Tiernan and Sheena. Everything’s a wonder to her, from the food our staff serves to the gardens we tend.
I haven’t given Sheena her phone since the first night she was here, and after several days of investigating and getting her siblings acclimated to life here, she asks for it.
“I’m on holiday at work, Nolan,” she says. “But that ends soon. I’ll have to go back to work in some capacity, or I won’t have a job. And you know how that will impact my ability to do what I need to.”
I frown. “Aye. But you’ll use it in front of me.”
“Do you still not trust me?” There isn’t a glimmer of reproach in her question, but curiosity. She knows what she’s done and how I have to keep tabs on her. She knows she’s got a very long way to go before she can show the men of The Clan she’s to be trusted.
“We’re getting there,” I tell her. And we are. I don’t think she’s lying in wait, ready to bring us to ruin. I do think she’s woven more than one lie, and under the pressure of what she has to do, she could be tempted to snap.
I meant every word of keeping her on a tight leash. She’s by my side during the day, even during meetings with my brothers. I’ve got cameras trained on her in my absence, which is rare, and she’s not given free reign over the house like the other girls. We eat every meal together, and sleep beside each other. And we make love, on my terms, every damn day.
Like I said. Not a hardship.
“Alright, lass.” I get her phone from the safe and bring it to her. She thanks me, sits on a chair by the window, and swipes it open. Sunlight streams in from the glass doors of the balcony, and for one brief moment in time, she looks like a portrait. Her ankles crossed gracefully, legs clad in dark-washed trousers. She wears a V-neck pale blue top, simple yet elegant, against her pale, freckled skin. Megan knows the kind of clothes that suit her. She did well. Her long, gorgeous hair’s swept up into a plait that hangs over her shoulder, making her look even younger than she is.
I walk to her, bend, and kiss her forehead. She blinks and looks up at me.
“I love that,” she says, her frankness my reward. I’ve earned her trust, and it helps bring restoration to us.
“What, doll?” I weave a lock of her hair around my finger and glide my thumb along the silky length.
“A kiss on the forehead. Makes me all soft and melty inside.”
I tug the hair. “Good girl. I like you all soft and melty.”
I bend and kiss her forehead again. “So that’s the ticket, is it? That’s your tender spot?”
She shoots me a salacious grin. “I’ve got several.”
Heat flares between us and before we know it, the phone lays forgotten, her clothes are on a pile on the floor, and she’s on her hands and knees on the bed.
My need for her’s insatiable. She bends to my will, submits to my needs, meets every demand with exquisite perfection. A woman like Sheena doesn’t submit easily. Submission from a woman like her is earned, and it’s this very knowledge that fuels my desire for her. She’s my spoils of war.
I fought a battle of my own once. I wasn’t the man I was meant to be when under the influence of alcohol. I tamed that beast, but I fight my demons still. Sheena has demons of her own she battles. It’s probably why we understand each other.
She’s panting on the bed after climaxing, her cheeks damp with perspiration, little tendrils of auburn hair stuck to her forehead and the rest a wild, beautiful mess.
“Nolan McCarthy, I’ll have you know I spent a full ten minutes taming my hair this morning.”
I reach down, wrap it around my fingers, and give it a good tug. Her eyes go half-lidded, and she moans a little. “My God, I love it when you do that.”
“I don’t care if your hair’s tame, lass. And anyway, I’m the one that does the taming around here.”
She shoots me a grin over her shoulder. “Is that right, sir?” she asks. I give her arse a good, sharp crack.
“Aye, love. And don’t you know it?”
We topple over on the bed, entangled limbs and pounding hearts. She places her hand on my chest, and she’s got the soft look in her eyes again, a gentleness she rarely shares. It’s the look I’ve come to crave bringing out of her.
“Today, we need to go to the shops,” she says. “Just now I’ve gotten leave to write a story, and I want to start making amends.”
I hold her hand, weaving my fingers through hers, and bring our folded hands to my lips. I kiss her long, beautiful fingers.
“What are you planning?”
She sighs. “Oh, a few things. I need to investigate first. Would you bring me to your finishing school as well?”
“Aye. I have to go there myself.”
“Do you?”
I nod. I asked Father Finn for more information about the O’Gregors, but we need to investigate further. Every lead so far has turned up nothing, and in our world, quiet like this is only the calm before the storm.
We head downstairs to the dining room. Mam sits with little Sam on her lap, feeding him his lunch. She looks tired.
“Y’alright?” I ask her. I reach for the little tyke, who lifts his chubby arms up to me.
“He was up a lot last night,” she says, running a hand across her brow. “Bit of a tummy ache.”
“Oh, I’m sorry, Maeve,” Sheena says. “I could—”
I shake my head sharply at her. No, she could not. We’re still establishing trust, and Keenan needs to know he can trust her as well. The best way for us to do that is to be sure she stays with me.
“I just… I’m not sure it’s the best for them, Nolan,” mam says. She looks to Sheena then to me. “All of you are in and out all day, Clan business and the like. They go to the library, they go out to the garden, but Fiona and Tiernan are getting restless. There isn’t much here for them.” She looks to Sheena. “They need to see more of you, I think.”
“That’s my doing, mam,” I tell her. “I want Sheena with me for now.” I don’t even realize I’m sort of swaying back and forth with the baby until I see Sheena’s eyes softening as she watches me.
“I know it,” mam says. “I’m just saying
it can’t go on like this for much longer.”
“Aye,” Sheena says with a sigh.
Good girl.
“Where will you be off to today?” mam asks.
“Heading to the shops,” Sheena says. “Maybe we can take them with us, then? Shouldn’t be any harm that comes to them there. Might even help our plan. Soften the locals, as it were.”
I mull this over and finally nod. Mam needs a break, and something tells me seeing Sheena with the children will give me insight into her as well. Since today’s work involves phone calls and questions, no traveling, I concede.
“We can take them to St. Albert’s as well, when we go there,” I tell mam. “Alright, round them up, then.”
Mam smiles at me, stands, and squeezes my arm. “You’re a good man, Nolan.”
I smile back at her.
She was the one who stood by me when the others lost faith. She was the one who built me up, encouraged me, and helped me through the darkest time of my life. Leaving behind the vice that helped me cope, I lost my father at the very same time.
In short time, we’ve got Tiernan, Fiona, and Sam ready to go. We head to the lobby just as Lachlan enters.
“Nolan, a word,” he says. I hand baby Sam to Sheena. She looks funny, all feminine and “melty,” as she calls it, but I’m not sure why. I walk with Lachlan to the steps.
“What is it, brother?”
“Went to The Craic last night,” he says. “Me, Boner, and Tully. Tully ended up with a lass, a girl who’s in with the O’Gregors.”
Bloody hell.
“Yeah?”
He nods. “Seems the Captain has left quite a line of women in his wake. Hooks up, sleeps with them, has his way, pays them well, sees them off.”
Pays them well?
I hope if we battle I get first pick of who we fight. The Captain was the one that touched my woman.
“Alright?”
“The Captain reveals much, it seems. Has a gob he can’t keep shut.”
“Bloody hell.”
“Works in our favor this time. The girl told Tully she was with the Captain last weekend, heard tell of a few things involving the McCarthys. Came to The Craic so she could inform us.”
“What’s in it for her?”
“Money. Wanted to be paid for the information. Tully took care of her.”
“Tell me everything.”
“She said a few things you ought to know. First, she told us they’re planning retaliation. According to them, we’ve trespassed on their territory and caused trouble.”
“Right.”
“Second, she says we’ve taken one of their runners from them. And that, Nolan, is their biggest gripe. Did some digging myself. Seems the prick we beat gets into fights all the time, so much so, they’ve come to damn near expect it.”
“Wait, now. Their runner? What the fuck are you on about?”
Lachlan swallows hard, and his eyes go to Sheena and the others waiting for us in the lobby. He lowers his voice. “Her brother, Nolan. He did paid work for them. And they’re pissed he’s with us now, convinced that we stole him from them and worse still, he was a spy.”
“Mother of God,” I mutter. This is more complicated than I realized. I have to talk with Tiernan. And I wonder what Sheena will do when she finds out?
“Perhaps it isn’t wise to have Tiernan here after all,” Lachlan says. “For all we know, he’s been spying all this time.”
Keenan would lose his mind if he found this out.
“Thanks, Lach.”
“Anytime,” he says. He looks wistfully over at everyone by the door. “You know I had little brothers and sisters myself at one time.”
I know it. He was orphaned young and lost his whole family. A teacher at our school found him. We damn near raised him at our finishing school.
Lachlan continues. “Maybe talk to her brother. Find out what you can.”
I nod. “Aye. And I’ll get in touch with Tully, too. Have you told anyone else?”
“Not yet.”
“Good. Don’t.”
“Aye,” he says. “But you can’t keep it from Keenan for long.”
“I know it. I’ll wait until I’ve had a chance to talk with her brother, though.”
Lachlan leaves. Sheena’s watching me curiously. How am I going to tell her what I know? Tiernan watches us as well, and for the first time since I’ve met him, I think he looks a little guilty.
He and I will have a word. Sheena, too. Did she know about this? Did she willingly bring a runner for the O’Gregors into our home?
I don’t know if I’ve made a mistake, bringing her here, bringing them all here. It’s complicated things.
But bloody hell, what’s life if it isn’t complicated? If you don’t take risks now and then? Where’s the pay-off in what’s easy to do? If there’s anything I’ve learned in my family, it’s that life and love are complicated. You have to face what comes at you, and choose to either bow to the demands of the world or let them strengthen you.
Sheena puts the baby in a pram Caitlin’s brought out to lend her, and he waves his chubby fists excitedly. Fiona takes the handle of the pram and offers to push it. “Go on, you walk with yer man,” she says to Sheena, giving us a coy look.
Yer man. I stifle a snort.
“Oh for pity’s sake, Fiona,” Sheena mutters.
I beckon to her. “Come here, now, lass. Yer man wants you.”
Tiernan watches us apprehensively. I suspect I know why he does. He wants to know his sister’s safe with me. What the lad needs to know himself is that I won’t allow him to endanger her either, by his own stupidity.
We walk down the path that leads us from the house, past the garden and out to the main road, the ocean behind us as we head into town.
Fiona chatters on about Aileen teaching her to plait her own hair, Caitlin showing her how to play patty-cake with the baby, and mam letting her help in the garden.
“You’re a lucky man, Nolan McCarthy,” Fiona says. “You’ve got an amazing family here. One most of us only dream about.” She flushes as soon as she says it, and looks to Sheena. “Oh, God, Sheena, I don’t mean it like that. It’s just—”
“Relax, Fiona,” Sheena says gently. Her siblings bring out the softer side of her. I like it. “I know what you mean, sweetheart. It’s okay.” She looks to me and her eyes grow a bit wistful. “I’ve thought the same myself, at times.”
Tiernan kicks a rock, his face sullen. He isn’t buying any of this. Fiona walks ahead when the baby spies a gull, and I intentionally keep Sheena back so Fiona can’t hear.
“We need a word with Tiernan,” I tell her.
“Oh?”
“Aye.” I tell her what Lachlan told me, simply and straightforward.
“You sure?”
“Aye, and I suspect he’ll tell us the truth when we ask.”
I watch her go from curious to angry. Her beautiful eyes harden, and her jaw firms.
“Mother of God,” she mutters. “Of all the—”
I squeeze her hand. “Sheena.”
When I say her name firmly, she responds to my sharp tone. She pauses, clenching her jaw, but stops talking.
“I know you’re angry, lass. What I need to know is the truth from you before we speak to him. Can’t let your temper cloud your judgment either. Did you know he worked with them?”
“No,” she says. “Nolan, I would’ve kicked his arse myself. I knew he had jobs, that he did various things, and he was earning money, that much I’ll admit. I knew that whatever he did was likely illegal, but I didn’t ask questions because I didn’t want to know the answers.”
She brings her hand to her brow and blows out a breath. “God, this is fucked up.”
I shrug. “Eh, nothing we haven’t dealt with before. The Clan, I mean. And we’ll deal with it again.”
Up ahead, the baby turns to us and waves his little dimpled fist. I grin, and wave back. When I look back at her, she’s watching me.
“Nolan, I know our relationship is… unconventional, one might say. I mean, I didn’t come here on a date. But I…” she pauses. “Do you know how hard it is for me to talk about my… feelings and crap like that?”
I squeeze her hand and can’t help but laugh. “Aye, lass. I do. And it’s one of the things I like best about you.”
“What’s that?” she says in a whisper, as if she’s afraid if she speaks too loudly her voice will crack.
“How brave you are. I see the real you. The one whose heart bleeds for those children, the ones you love.”
“You’re too good, Nolan McCarthy,” she whispers.
“Me? Good? Jesus, woman, are you high?”
But still, her praise warms me, and I can’t say I don’t like it.
“Right, then,” she says, changing the subject. “We talk to Tiernan. Now?”
“Aye,” I say, my voice hardening. I need this boy to know how serious this is. “Now.”
“Tiernan.” She calls to him. He walks ahead of us with his hands stuffed into his pockets. He looks from me to her, and I swear he already looks guilty. “Come here a moment, will you?”
We’re ten minutes from the shops. We may need to talk more later, but I want to get to the bottom of this now.
“Fiona,” I call out. “We need to talk to Tiernan for a few moments privately. When we get into town, reckon we’ll get a treat at the bakery? They’ve bought out Lickety Splits and sell ice cream now.”
Her eyes go wide. “Oh, aye, thanks!” she says. I take some money out of my wallet and hand it to her. She takes it gratefully.
“Brilliant. Haven’t had ice cream in ages. Thank you, Nolan.” She pockets the money and goes a few paces ahead of us.
“Is that safe?” Sheena asks.
“Aye, lass. Lachlan and Tully are behind us anyhow.”
“Are they?” she swivels around, and her eyes go wide. “Jesus, I’m losing my touch.”
Tiernan approaches us as Fiona walks away.
“What is it?” Tiernan asks, and I swear he looks a bit guilty. He watches me apprehensively.
I like this boy. He’s on the cusp of breaking into manhood, tall and lanky and thin, with his sister’s red hair and freckles. But he’s got the look of a boy that’s seen too much in his tender years. I feel for him. It’s something he shares with the men of The Clan.