Think fast, Bleu.
“Westlyn didn’t mean that literally. Just that she hoped I had a girl so we’d have a mother-daughter bond. Isn’t that right?” I lift my brows and bug my eyes at her.
“Exactly.” Westlyn nods. “Of course I wasn’t suggesting Sin would do something so vile.”
Ellison seems satisfied with our explanations since she says nothing more about it. Disaster averted. For now.
Lainie chooses one of the opened bottles of white wine and refills her glass. “It’s too bad you can’t have some of this, Bleu. It’s really good.”
“It’s okay. I’m not much of a wine drinker. I prefer Johnnie Walker.”
“You and Sin both,” Lorna says.
Lainie holds out the bottle. “Anyone need a refill?”
Ellison takes it and inspects the label. “You remember the girl who used to sing for Southern Ophelia? She quit because she married a guy from Australia. A winemaker. This is from his vineyard. Do you know who I’m talking about, Bleu?”
“Yeah.”
“I saw Southern Ophelia perform at Coyote Ugly when they were first starting out. Long before they hit it big. Do you have any of their old music when she was still singing with them?”
“Yeah, but I think they only put out one album before she left.”
“Put it on. I haven’t listened to them in a while.”
I connect my phone via Bluetooth to the speaker on the bookcase. I scroll through my music and play my favorite Southern Ophelia song, “Without a Goodbye.” I wore this song out while Sin and I were apart—it fit us so perfectly. “This is their best one, in my opinion.”
“Yes! I remember this one. So good, so good.”
I doubt Westlyn, Lorna, and Lainie are familiar with it. “Ladies, this is country music at its best.”
“Turn it up, Bleu. Loud.”
My three friends listen to me and Ellison sing the chorus in unison. I think it’s very possible that Ellison is a worse singer than I am.
“You lasses look like you’re having a lot of fun.” Agnes comes into the living room and places a tray of food on the cocktail table. “Mini ham and haddie pies. Scotch eggs and barbecued piggy scallops. There’s more in the kitchen when you finish these off.”
“Thank you, Agnes. Everything looks delicious.”
“I’ll be off now. Enjoy your night, lasses.”
Ellison examines the cuisine Agnes has prepared. I can tell she doesn’t find it appealing. “What the hell is this? I’ve never heard of any of it. And it looks as fucked up as a bologna Pop-Tart.”
Oh God. At least she waited until Agnes left to express her distaste. I’d shit twice and die if she heard her say that.
“These are bacon-wrapped scallops. Nothing weird. And those are Scotch eggs. Just boiled eggs wrapped in sausage meat and breadcrumbs. Sort of like an egg-stuffed meatball. Agnes’s are really good. But I’m not sure about the ham and haddie pies. I’ve never had those before.”
Westlyn grabs one and pops it into her mouth. “My mum cooks these at least once a month. They’re made with smoked haddock and bacon. The pie portion is breadcrumbs and grated Scottish cheddar cheese. These are quite delicious—even better than my mum’s, although I’ll never tell her that.”
I’m really looking forward to catching up with Westlyn. “I haven’t seen you much this semester. Tell us everything about uni.”
Westlyn puffs her cheeks out and crosses her eyes. “Economics is tough. I’m not really sure why I chose that as my contribution.”
“What about life outside of studies?”
“That’s actually pretty spectacular.” I’m guessing that being at the university is probably Westlyn’s first opportunity at socializing with people outside of The Fellowship.
I recognize her goofy expression. I saw it on my own face several months ago. “I only know of one thing that would make school spectacular.”
Westlyn bites her bottom lip, likely to keep herself from grinning. It doesn’t work.
“You’ve met someone,” I say.
She shakes her head. “It’s nothing.”
People don’t look the way she does over nothing. “Your smile says otherwise.”
“He’s just a guy I have some classes with. We’ve talked a few times. It’s no big deal.”
“Is he cute?”
“Extremely.”
“Does he make a point to sit next to you?”
“Aye.”
He sounds like he’s into her. “But he hasn’t asked you out?”
“No, but I get the feeling he wants to.”
“Nothing is wrong with you asking him out,” Ellison says. I’m not at all surprised she would encourage Westlyn to do so.
She shrugs. “I’ve never done that before. I wouldn’t know what to say.”
“There’s nothing to it. Just ask him if he wants to go out sometime. He’ll say yes. You’ll go to dinner and a movie. Or whatever you do on dates here. Then you’ll find somewhere to fool around,” Ellison says.
Westlyn is all giggles. “I haven’t fooled around with a guy in so long, I probably wouldn’t remember what to do.”
Lorna grabs one of the reds for a refill. “I bet it’s been longer for me than any of you.”
Westlyn cackles loudly. “I don’t know about that. Can you top eight months? And it wasn’t even full-on sex. That’s been over a year.”
“I can’t but I’m at five months. That’s a record for me. Definitely the longest I’ve gone since I started having sex. I’m miserable,” Ellison admits.
Westlyn laughs. “Then I’m still winning.”
“Not for long. Can someone give me a drum roll, please?” Lorna says.
Ellison leans forward and taps rapidly on the cocktail table.
“Duh duh duh duh,” adds Lorna. “Well over … two years. Going on three, but I’m not exactly sure because I’ve stopped keeping up with it.”
Ellison slaps the table. “Holy shit, Lorna. You need a broom to clear out the cobwebs between your legs.”
“Tell me something I don’t know.”
“Why so long?”
I’m interested to see how she’ll explain this. “I decided I was finished letting men use me for their pleasure. I want someone who loves and treasures me. The only way to get that kind of man is to become a woman worthy of those things.”
She didn’t come out and say it, but anyone can read between those lines.
Westlyn squeals. “Oh my God, Lorna. You’re in love.”
Lorna wears the same goofy smile I saw on Westlyn’s face earlier. “Maybe.”
“I don’t think there’s a maybe about it. You are. And you have to tell us who he is.”
Lorna shakes her head. “My secret to keep.”
Westlyn groans. “No! That’s completely unfair. You can’t admit you’re in love with someone and then keep it from us.”
“Trust me. I can.”
“We’ll get it out of you before the night’s over.”
“I assure you there’s not enough wine here to make me talk.”
“We’ll see about that,” Westlyn says.
I don’t want anyone to ask Lainie about her last sexual encounter so I steer the topic in another direction. “We’re going to miss you, Lainie.”
“And I’ll miss all of you too. But Dublin isn’t that far. We’ll still see one another.”
We all jump when there’s a sudden commotion at the front door. It sounds like someone trying to push his way into the flat. We all go still and silent. My heart immediately takes off in flight.
“Is someone trying to break in?” Lorna asks.
“It could be that mugger. Get your gun, Bleu,” Ellison squeals.
I get up from the couch and fetch one of my Berettas from its hiding place in my new end table’s drawer.
Kyle and Blare are on guard outside since we’re having a girls’ night in. Surely they didn’t let anyone get past them.
I take aim at the door, prepared to annihilate
any persons passing through the doorway. Whoever it is, I’m ready for him.
Chapter Eight
Sinclair Breckenridge
My father steps onto the rostrum located at the back of the pub. “Thank you all for coming tonight. My son and I called this meeting so we might discuss future dealings with The Order. I’m going to ask Sinclair to step forward and take the lead.”
“As you all know, Torrence Grieve kidnapped and beat my wife until she almost miscarried our child. Your feature leader.”
Low murmurs spread throughout the room. I’m sure there’s a lot of speculation about the other things they may have done to Bleu. I’d very much like to clear the questions in their minds, but Bleu wouldn’t have me discuss a private matter in such a public way.
“I killed Torrence and the two men who beat her. No man who harms my wife will live.”
The brothers erupt in cheer.
“Torrence has no successor so The Order is without a leader. Should they appoint one, he will not have been properly trained. He’ll be inadequate for the job. That places their brotherhood in a weakened state. There’s no better time for us to make a strike against them.”
“What about numbers? Those haven’t changed,” a brother calls out. It’s a legitimate concern since The Order is bigger than we are.
“That’s one of the topics we brought you here to discuss tonight. You’re all aware of our new alliance with The Guild from Dublin. The Order has a firearms customer our Irish friends would very much like to make their own. But like us, The Guild is smaller in numbers, so they have asked for our help.”
Leith stands in the corner, arms crossed. “Why should we stick our necks out to help a new alliance that hasn’t yet proven its loyalty?”
Good question. “Because we need them as much as they need us. Together we can wipe out our enemy. It’s a beautiful plan. The Guild gets the buyer they want. We get all of The Order’s remaining business associates. But most of all, we get the joy of destroying them, which means they no longer attack the women of The Fellowship.”
Leith should understand this. He saw them go after Lorna and Greer at his pub.
No one’s wife, daughter, or sister is safe. They need not think they are. “If you believe my wife is the only woman in danger, you’re wrong. It could’ve just as easily been yours they took had the circumstances been different. They won’t stop using that tactic against us because they know we won’t retaliate using the women from their brotherhood.”
“You’re asking us to go to battle,” Hewie calls out.
“Not battle. As your leader, I’m telling you it’s time to win the war and be done with this.”
The room hums with low murmurs as the brothers talk amongst themselves. “When will we do this?” Leith asks.
“My father and I will be meeting with the leaders of The Guild over the next several weeks. We want everything to align perfectly so you shouldn’t expect this to happen soon. You can anticipate a few months of planning to ensure everything falls into its proper place.”
“Won’t we be giving them time to recover from their loss and become stronger if we wait?”
“It takes years to train someone to lead an organization the size of The Order. They have no teacher. I have no fear of them gaining strength before we attack.”
I look around the room. “Other concerns?”
The discussions last nearly an hour, ending on a positive note. “You are our trusted leader and we will follow you to the death.”
I stand on the rostrum looking over my men spread throughout the pub. They’re punching their fists into the air while chanting, “To the death!”
My men are loyal, just as I expect. “Then I declare this meeting adjourned.”
Though the meeting is over, I can’t go home. Bleu is having her girls’ night in with her friends. I don’t want to ruin her fun.
I sit with Leith and Jamie in our usual spot but tonight Mitch has joined us.
“You did a fine job of getting the brothers fired up. I haven’t seen them that excited in years,” my brother says.
“It’s time their fires were stoked.”
“You killed Torrence Grieve. They have nothing but admiration for you. They’d follow you into hell if it’s where you led them.”
Greer doesn’t come by to take our order. She simply appears with our usuals. “Johnnie Walker Black Label. Ballantine’s. And two Guinnesses. Anything else I can get ye?”
“I think we’re all good here.”
Jamie waits until Greer walks away to ask why Lorna isn’t serving us.
“She asked off for the night,” Leith answers.
“None of your lasses are ever off during Fellowship meetings, especially your head barmaid. Your rule,” Jamie says.
Leith shrugs. “She had something she wanted to do tonight.”
“Did she suck your dick to get you to go along with that?” Mitch says.
Lorna once had a reputation for such things but she isn’t like that anymore. “Shut up, Mitch.”
I wait for Leith to come to her defense. I can’t say I’d be disappointed if he punches my brother in the face for a comment like that. “Yeah and she sucked me off good too. She’s the champion of deep-throating. You should have her do you sometime.”
I don’t understand why Leith is going along with Mitch’s arsholery where Lorna is concerned. “Fucking liar. Lorna didn’t suck anything. She’s one of my wife’s best mates. Bleu wanted her at their girls’ night. Leith couldn’t refuse the request of his leader’s wife even if Lorna is his head barmaid.”
Leith and Mitch have pissed me off. “You’re both dicks for talking about her that way. I’d make you apologize but then she’d know what you said. That would only accomplish hurting her and I won’t do that.”
“Damn, Sin. Are you on your period or what?” The two of them are laughing at me.
“Fuck both of you.”
“Don’t get pissed off. We were just bullshitting.” Leith didn’t sound like he was bullshitting to me.
“Actually, I thought you were serious about Lorna sucking you off,” Mitch says.
Jamie looks as disgusted as I am by their immaturity. “You’re both arseholes.”
Greer comes by to check on us. “Anyone need anything?”
Leith glides his hand up the back of Greer’s thigh until it’s beneath her skirt. “Not right now but maybe later.”
“Just let me know. I’m here to serve you.”
Leith watches her arse sway as she walks away. I’m reminded of the way he did the same with Bleu when she worked for him. It pisses me off all over again remembering the way he once put his hands on my wife.
“Do you fuck all your barmaids?” Jamie asks.
“I do if I feel like it.”
He’s full of shite. I know for a fact that he doesn’t shag Lorna.
Jamie changes the subject. I’m grateful. I don’t want to hear Leith’s and Mitch’s bullshit anymore. “What’s going on at your place tonight?”
“Lainie is leaving in a few days. I secured a place for her with The Guild. I thought tonight would be a good time for the lasses to get together before she goes.”
“If my sister is involved, they’re painting their nails and talking about sex. Guarantee it.”
If so, they’re doing those things while drinking plenty of alcohol. “They’re probably steamin’. I left four bottles of wine for them.”
“There are four single women, three of whom I’m not related to, drinking lots of alcohol at my brother’s place. They’re talking about the sex they aren’t having but would like to. That’s where we need to be. Not here talking about who is or isn’t sucking Leith off.” That’s probably the brightest thing Mitch has said all night.
“Think Bleu will mind us crashing her party?” I suspect Jamie is eager to see Ellison again. It’s been a while.
My drinking companions are eager to see Bleu’s friends. I shouldn’t stand in the way of potential matches
since that is part of my job as leader.
“I guess we can find out.”
* * *
One hour and many drinks later, I’m at home knocking on my own front door. The three numpties with me are drunk and looking for female companionship. I’m fairly certain they’ll be out of luck. I’m the only one who’ll find a playmate tonight.
Instead, make that a mate since very little playing has been going on for the last couple of months.
No answer at the door. “They probably can’t hear us if they’ve had all that wine I left for them.”
I beat on the door again.
“Why are you knocking?”
I have no idea. This is my flat. I should just walk in like I own the place. ’Cause I do.
I turn the knob but it’s locked. “I don’t have my keys.” I ring the bell. “You should know now I’m blaming all of you if Bleu gets pissed off about this.”
Ellison swings the door open and Bleu is standing beside her, gun in hand. “What the hell are you doing, Sin? Sounds like you’re trying to break down the door.”
“Sorry, Bonny. I forgot my keys.”
Ellison scans the crowd, her eyes stopping on Jamie. “What are y’all doing here? Crashing our party?”
“We hope to,” Jamie says.
She and Bleu turn, leaving the door open for us to come in.
“Look at that fit arse,” Leith whispers. “Those MacAllister sisters are well bred.”
“Shut up.” I punch Leith in the chest. “One of those MacAllister sisters is my wife. You’d be wise to remember that.”
“Never fear, mate. It isn’t possible for a one of us to forget that Bleu is your wife.”
We find the rest of the lasses in the living room doing mostly what we expected—painting nails and drinking wine.
Bleu points to the food. “Agnes made hors d’oeuvres. There’s plenty if anyone’s hungry.”
Mitch grabs a handful. “Men are always hungry. And horny.”
“We’ve drunk most of the wine already. Well, they have.” Bleu lifts her glass. “Sparkling white grape juice for me so I don’t liquor these babies up.”
“Aye. The twins.” I hear the sarcasm in Leith’s voice.
The Sin Trilogy Bundle: A Necessary Sin, the Next Sin, One Last Sin Page 76
