“Noah asked to set up a meeting to discuss his interest in you. You aren’t involved with anyone so I’m obligated to hear him out.”
“You aren’t my father.”
“But I am your leader and no one has claimed you.”
Her mouth twists. “As much as I appreciate you pointing that out, I’m already quite aware.”
I’m handling this all wrong. “I wasn’t trying to be unkind. I only meant that if there’s interest in you by a brother, I have to explore it. It’s part of my duty. My father and I are accountable for securing a good match for you because you don’t have a father to do so. I think you’d prefer I make the arrangement rather than my dad.”
My father’s marriage was arranged. Although he and my mother aren’t in love, he still firmly believes in arranged marriages because they often benefit The Fellowship. If things don’t work out with Leith, at least I would try to find Lorna a match where there was some kind of affection.
“Maybe I don’t want a husband. Have you ever considered that perhaps I’m happy with the way my life is?”
She forgets she’s already confided her discontent. “But you aren’t. And I feel I’m to blame for that.”
“How could you be the cause for my unhappiness?”
It’s time to get real about what happened. “I think you and Leith fell in love after Jamie left the group, but I fucked it up by being the third wheel.”
Lorna’s eyes grow large. I’ve caught her off guard. “I loved Leith but he didn’t love me back.”
The more I learn about love from Bleu, the more I see things for how they really are. “He loved you then and I think he still does.”
She’s shaking her head. “No man would sit back and watch his best mate have sex with the woman he loves. It doesn’t work like that.”
She’s exactly right. “That’s why it all ended. He couldn’t stand it anymore.”
“Well, he’s not the only one. I couldn’t stand it anymore, either.”
She’s referring to me. “I’m sorry for everything. What we did was wrong, but I want to make it right for you now.”
Her eyes well with tears. “I disgust him. Did you know that I work with him five, sometimes six days a week and most of the time he can’t even look me in the eyes?”
I’ve never noticed Leith being that way with her.
“I’m going to give you a bit of advice, Sin. Make sure Bleu never finds out what we did because I can promise you this. You never want to see revulsion in the eyes of the person you love when they look at you.”
“Bleu knows.”
“No!” Lorna slaps her hand on the table several times. “No! How?”
“I told her.”
“No!” Her mouth gapes as she shakes her head. “Why the hell would you do that?”
Lorna doesn’t yet understand the relationship between spouses. “She knew we had history and asked me to tell her about it.”
Lorna puts her head down on the table. “That was a dumb, ignorant, stupid move.”
I disagree. It’s probably one of the best I could’ve made for my marriage. “I’m glad she knows. I never have to worry about someone else telling her.”
Lorna kicks me beneath the table––in my prosthesis. “Fuck you, Sin! Fuck you!”
I reach down to ensure it’s still in place. “Why are you so angry?”
“Because Bleu’s a dear friend who now hates my guts.”
If I were married to any other woman, Lorna would probably be right. Most wives wouldn’t so easily forgive what we did. “She doesn’t hate you.”
Lorna lowers her voice to a whisper. “She just found out one of her best friends slept with multiple men at the same time and one of them was her husband. How could she not despise me?”
It indeed sounds bad when she says it like that. “You spoke to her less than an hour ago. Did she sound angry or say anything to make you believe she hated you?”
“No.”
“Because you’re a beloved friend to her. She doesn’t like the things we did but she harbors no ill feelings toward either of us about it. What has passed is past. That’s what she said.”
Lorna covers her hands with her face. “I don’t know how I’ll ever face her again.”
“You’ll act no differently because she’ll have it no other way.”
“Oh God. I hate this. I wish we’d not done any of those things.”
She isn’t the only one who wishes we could take it back. But we can’t, so we must make the best of a bad situation. “Do you still love Leith?”
She places her hand in the center of her chest. “With all of my heart and soul.”
I can work with that. “Will you let me fix this?”
“I’d love nothing more but I’m not holding my breath.”
“If it doesn’t work out, then you’re no worse off.”
“Except you will have given me hope and then yanked it out from beneath me.”
I’ll only do this if it’s what she wants. “It’s your decision.”
“What would you say to him?”
“I’m going to tell him about Noah asking to meet to discuss a match with you but that I think he would be a better fit.”
Lorna leans back and moves her hand to her stomach. “Oh God. I feel like I may throw up.”
It’s a sure sign she’s in love with him. “Is he in the office?”
“Aye. He’s closing out the books for the month.”
I get up to leave the table. Lorna looks as though she may pass out. “You might want to consider having a whisky. You look pale.”
“You would be too if you were in my shoes. My entire life is riding on what you say to Leith.”
“Trust me when I say I understand the feelings you’re having. I’m on your side. I promise I’ll do all I can to make Leith see that you belong together.”
I knock on the office door because it’s closed. And locked. “Leith.”
He calls out from the other side. “Go away.”
Leith is my best mate, but even on his best day he doesn’t get to tell me to leave him alone. I knock again much louder. “Come on, Leith. We have business to discuss and I’m running short on time.”
“Hold the fuck on.” I can hear him muttering on the other side. “Mother. Fucker.”
He yanks the door open. “What!”
I step out of the way so Greer can exit. It doesn’t escape my attention that she’s straightening her blouse as she passes through the door. “Hi, Sinclair.”
“Greer.”
Leith plops down in his office chair. “Whatever business you’re here to tend better be important. You just cost me a shag.”
“Are you in some kind of relationship with Greer?”
“No. We fuck when we feel like it. That’s all.”
He reaches for a bottle of Ballantine’s and pours a glass. “Want one?”
“Sure.”
“You said we had business to tend?”
“Aye. Noah Wallace asked me to meet with him about a potential match he has in mind.”
“Let me guess. He’s after Declan Stuart’s sister.”
He’s going to wish it were her when I tell him who it really is. “No. He’s interested in Lorna.”
He’s bringing his glass of whisky to his mouth but stops before taking a drink. “He wants to claim Lorna?”
He wouldn’t ask to meet with me if he were only interested in claiming her. He doesn’t need my permission for that. “I think he means to make her his wife. We’re meeting at nine to discuss the details so I’ll know more then.”
“You’re her leader. You have the right to refuse him on her behalf.”
“I could, but why would I if they’re both agreeable?”
He perks up. That caught his attention. “Have you asked Lorna how she feels about a match with Wallace?”
“I don’t have to because she’s in love with someone else. Has been for years.”
He tosses back his whisky and re
aches to pour another. “We work together almost every day and I’ve seen nothing that suggests she’s in love with anyone. Yet you seem very clear about it.” He sounds pissed off, like he suspects I’m talking about myself.
“That’s because you’ve been blind to it.”
“What is that supposed to mean?”
I’m not sure he sees what he does to her. “You keep Lorna close, yet you’re careful to maintain distance. But every once in a while when you’ve had a little too much whisky, you let down that wall that separates the two of you.”
“You’re confusing the hell out of me.”
“Lorna is in love with you. She has been for years.”
“I think you’re wrong about that.”
“I’m not.”
“Then explain this. If she was in love with me, how could she keep fucking you?”
This is so much harder than I thought it would be. “I think she realized it that night you walked in on us because it never happened again after that. I swear. And she’s been suffering in silence since.”
“Did you know Lorna and I were having one-on-ones without you?”
That’s news to me. “No.”
“I thought I had won Lorna––until I found you with her in the storage room. I was completely wrecked, so please excuse me if I’m a little insensitive to the degree of suffering she has experienced.”
“She never had one-on-ones with me until that night. It was the first and last time.”
“I don’t really want to hear this right now.”
He has to. It’s time to get it all out in the open. “Lorna hasn’t been with a man since then because she’s in love with you.”
“She fucked the three of us enough that her pussy needed a vacation.”
That was completely uncalled for. “You’re being a pure arse.”
“What do you expect? That I’d go out there and fall to one knee and propose because Noah Wallace wants her?”
Actually, yes. That’s sort of what I was hoping for. “I thought you loved her and would be happy to find out she felt the same.”
“Are you out of your damn mind, Sin? I’ve watched her fuck you and Jamie in every position imaginable. The last thing I want is a whore like that for a wife. And I damn sure don’t want that as the mother of my children.”
“If you don’t love her, fine! But she’s our friend and you don’t get to talk about her like that.”
“I’m just speaking the truth.”
He’s being a hypocrite. “We were all there making the same mistakes so don’t count yourself out when you pass judgment.” This is going nowhere and I’ve had enough of his shite. “You know what? You’re a total dick!”
“Well, Lorna does love some dick. Guess that explains why she wants me.”
“Fuck you, Leith!”
I have to get out of here before I go across the desk after him.
I’m walking toward the door when he calls out to me. “Just because you got your happily ever after with your perfect life doesn’t mean everyone else does.”
I jerk the door open and come face to face with Lorna, huge tears streaming down her face. “I decided I wanted to be the one to tell him––until I heard the things he said about me.”
She reaches up to wipe the tears rolling from her eyes. “I’m not feeling very well. I think I should go home. It’s not busy so I’ll have… Greer pick up… my tables.”
“I’m so sorry.” I wanted to make things right for her but all I’ve done is mess everything up.
I move toward her but she steps away, holding her hands up to stop me. “No. Don’t. It was stupid to think he could have feelings for me. Brothers fuck women like me. They don’t marry them.”
“That’s not true.” Lorna is worthy of someone’s love. Leith doesn’t deserve her. “Don’t go.” I don’t want her to leave like this.
“I can’t stay.” She squeezes her eyes shut. “I have to get out of here.”
I let her go because there’s nothing I can do to make this better for her.
Leith has pissed me off over the years but I’ve never wanted to beat him into the floor so badly in my life. And I may.
I go back into his office. “You should know that I just met Lorna in the hallway. She was coming to tell you that she loved you but was interrupted when she overheard you calling her a whore who was unworthy of being your wife or the mother of your children. Congratulations! You win the arsehole of eternity award.”
“Shite!”
“You’ll never have to worry about her being in love with you because I’m certain that just ended. And I’m guessing you should start looking for a new barmaid to manage this place because it will be a miracle if she comes back to work for you.”
“Son of a bitch!” He gets up and moves toward the door. “I have to talk to her.”
“I’m not sure now’s the right time.” He didn’t see the hurt in her eyes.
He’s panicked. “I have to do something to fix this.”
He’s not grasping the severity of the situation. “Leith. I’m not sure there’s a fix for this.”
“I have to try.”
I’m going to make him admit he loves her. “You said she’s an unworthy whore. Why go after her? It’s no skin off your back if she’s gone for good.”
“Because I lied, okay? Everything I said about her was rubbish.”
“Then why did you say them?”
He doesn’t reply.
“Tell me.”
“Because I love the fuck out of her.” He drops his head. “But she has cut me to the bone deeper than you can imagine. Both of you.”
It’s time for this to end. He must figure out what he wants. If it isn’t Lorna, he needs to let her go. “What do you want, Leith?”
“I don’t know.”
“You do know but you’re fighting it.”
He says nothing.
“You can love her or hate her but not both. Your decision. Which is it going to be?”
“God knows I don’t want to but I can’t help myself from loving her.”
“Then go after her and tell her how you feel.”
Leith grabs his coat from his desk and dashes out the door.
I return to the triad table to wait on Noah. Greer comes by and places a Johnnie Walker in front of me. “How are Bleu and the baby?”
I can’t stop the corner of my mouth from tugging upward concerning our well-kept secret. I can’t wait to make the announcement about the twins at my swearing-in. “Mom and baby are doing well. She’s been a little nauseated but otherwise…” I stop midsentence when I hear a shot fired outside the pub.
I grab Greer’s arm and pull. “Get down.”
I rush toward the door and scan the front of the building, Beretta in hand. I see no one.
“Sin! Sin!” It’s a high-pitched, panicked female voice. Lorna’s.
Four of my brothers and I exit the pub. “Cover me.”
I dart around the corner of the building and find Leith lying face down on the ground, Lorna sprawled under him. Blood is pooling on the cobblestones beneath them.
“Are you shot?”
“No, but Leith is!”
I roll him off Lorna and look for his wound, seeing it in his shoulder. Maybe a second in his arm. There’s too much blood to be certain but neither appear life threatening. “Not too impressive, mate. Jamie can fix this in a snap.”
Bystanders are on the street staring at us. “We need to get him out of here before someone calls the authorities.”
I phone Sterling to pick us up while one of my men calls Jamie. “Tell him to meet us at my place.”
We move Leith into the back seat of my car.
Lorna climbs in with Leith, placing his head in her lap. “I’m coming with you. No argument.”
“I’m so sorry, Lorna,” Leith says.
“Don’t talk.”
“But I need you to know that I didn’t mean any of those things I said to Sin.”
“Shut up. You’ve been shot. Now isn’t the time to discuss what you did or didn’t mean.” Good for her. She isn’t going to let him off the hook because he’s taken a bullet or two. I hope she gives him hell.
“What happened?” I ask.
“An Order member grabbed me from behind and tried to shove me into the back of a car. Leith came out and saw what was happening. They struggled and he shot Leith.
This is another cowardly attack. They aren’t going to quit until they’re made to stop.
The Order is in complete chaos. That’s good yet also bad for us. At least with Torrence in charge, they were typically predictable. That means we can probably expect more of these random attacks as a show to prove they’ve not been weakened by their leader’s death.
Jamie’s waiting in the drive when we arrive at my flat. “Let me have a look before we move him.”
Jamie takes out bandage scissors and cuts Leith’s shirt down the center. “Dammit. You know this is my favorite Johnny Cash T-shirt.”
“Aye. I know.”
Jamie inspects his wound. “Doesn’t look serious but I can’t tell if there’s an exit wound without turning him. Take him to the guest room.”
We’re passing through the front door when Bleu meets us in the foyer. “What in the world is going on?”
“Leith was shot.”
“Boss. There’s a woman in your guest room.”
Ellison rushes into the foyer. She’s pointing in the direction of her room. “Jamie and two other men just put Leith on my bed. He’s been shot!”
“Jamie’s going to treat him here.”
Ellison’s mouth gapes. “Physicians treat gunshot wounds in a medical facility. They don’t make house calls for trauma like that.”
I look at Bleu. “I don’t think we have any choice but to tell her now.”
“No.”
“Tell me what!”
The three of us go silent, Bleu and I looking at one another. She’s making eyes at me. I shrug and mimic her expression. “I don’t know what that means.”
“Well, somebody needs to tell me what the hell is going on around here.”
We have no choice. “Is it going to be you or me?” Sin asks.
Kyle comes into the foyer. “Sorry to interrupt, boss. Jamie told me to get help for Lorna. She’s passed out.”
Complete Sin Box Set Page 56