Beautiful Ruin (Nolan Brothers #1)

by Amy Olle

  Chapter Thirty-Two

  The pub reeked of beer and grease, and music blared from the speakers to rattle around inside Noah’s skull. His mind was a mess, and he couldn’t make sense of anything, which was the only thing that might explain how he wound up at Shea’s family fucking dinner.

  A shot of Jägermeister beckoned to him.

  He needed to forget her.

  “She isn’t worth it.”

  The voice was unfamiliar. Deep and throaty. He turned his head as the woman slid onto the barstool next to him. She was beautiful. Tall and long-limbed, with a porn-star chest.

  He shook his head to clear it. “Who?”

  She laughed, a husky sound that somehow managed to irritate. “You’re right, let’s not talk about her.” One hand touched his forearm. “What shall we talk about instead?”

  She smiled a smile any man would recognize.

  Noah looked pointedly at her hand on his arm before dragging his gaze back to her face. Like so many others, she looked familiar, but he couldn’t place her. Truth is, he didn’t care.

  “Who the fuck are you and what the fuck do you want?” he demanded.

  Shrewd calculation swirled in her dark eyes. “The best sex of your life and to make you forget all about Mina Winslow.”

  For one brief moment, he was tempted. If he kept his eyes closed, he might be able to imagine a face with a smaller, straighter nose. A mouth that was plump and sensual, not wide and thin.

  After a while, it might not matter that her eyes weren’t the deepest of blues or filled with a grave lucidity that caused his heart to constrict.

  He clutched the shot glass. How could he go on like this? He couldn’t exist outside her heart and her heat and the sound of her voice.

  “Tsk, tsk. You let her get to you, too.” She spoke near his ear while her hand moved to his thigh.

  It inched higher, and he clamped down hard on her fingers.

  Her eyes flashed with the unmistakable light of arousal.

  Noah didn’t bother to repress his frustrated sigh. Great. She was a pain junky.

  He arranged his features into an expression of bored disinterest. “Sorry, this is not gonna happen for you.”

  The hand explored beneath his, squeezing and massaging. “I’m offering you the best sex of your life, no strings attached. Anything goes. It’s what every man wants and most never get. And for you, I bring the added pleasure of knowing you got back at the little bitch.”

  Her scent, thick and sweet, enveloped him. Cloying. His stomach rolled. He was starting to lose patience.

  Music blared overhead and he leaned close. “Contrary to popular belief, not every man wants meaningless sex with easy women.”

  The hand stilled, and this time the spark in her eyes was edged with annoyance.

  She pulled her hand from his grip and repositioned herself fully on her barstool. “You’re not the only man she left unsatisfied.”

  Noah studied her pointy face. Realization struck. “You were the one fucking the fiancé.”

  Annoyance hardened to something almost like fury. “You make it sound so naughty,” she cooed.

  “I was thinking desperate,” he mused.

  Definitely fury.

  “Now, don’t misunderstand me,” he went on. “I’m glad you did it. That little prick didn’t deserve her.”

  “You can’t steal a man who isn’t willing to be stolen.”

  “Can we really call Drew Alexander a man? I thought testicles were required for that.”

  “Convinced you she’s a saint, has she? Well, let me save you the suspense. She’s not. You just don’t know her well enough.”

  Funny, Mina had tried to tell him the same thing.

  “She’s a spoiled brat who’s never had to work for anything.”

  The spoiled brat was one of the hardest workers he knew. “Obsessed much?”

  Her eyes narrowed to slits. “She has no idea what it’s like for people like us.”

  “People like us?”

  “People who aren’t given everything. If we want it, we have to go out and get it.”

  “Oh, that’s a relief. For a minute there, I thought you were lumping me in with trailer-park trash.”

  By the flare in her eyes, he gathered his shot was well placed.

  “Just wait,” she said. “She’ll get what’s coming to her.”

  Noah struggled to keep the mask of boredom in place when the alarm bells began to sound in his head. “Sounds ominous. Are you going to write a naughty word on her locker between classes?”

  Her lips twisted into a predatory smirk.

  The rage that’d been building inside him the last weeks suddenly seared white hot through his veins. “You know something.”

  She stood abruptly and turned.

  Noah swiveled on the barstool and trapped her between his thighs. “Talk.”

  She reached up and stroked his cheek while he sat frozen. The urge to slap her hand away nearly won out, but her clear desire to incite his passion stayed him.

  “We could be so good together.” She trailed her fingers down his neck and chest to his stomach. “Let me prove it to you. Afterwards, we’ll talk.”

  He lifted her hand away from his body and raked his fingernails across the sensitive flesh of her palm. “Tell me now.”

  One perfect brow arched and the smile turned triumphant. “Your body for my cooperation? How kinky.”

  Noah shrugged. “Won’t your boyfriend have a problem with that?”

  She lifted one small shoulder. “Fidelity isn’t essential between us.”

  Noah bared his teeth. “How convenient for you.”

  “And you.”

  A particularly boisterous song kicked on overhead. He lifted a lock of her hair from her shoulder and rubbed the dark strands between two fingers. The color appeared dull and dreary, lacking the variations of browns and reds in Mina’s hair.

  Her breathing hitched higher. “I don’t have to do anything. She’ll do it to herself. It’s called karma.”

  “You hate her.”

  Her smile vanished. “She’s a stuck-up bitch who thinks she’s better than everyone else.”

  He dropped the hank of her hair and leaned close. “You try too hard. She’s everything you’re not, and that makes you sick with envy. Unfortunately for you, you’ll never compare to her. No matter how many of her boyfriends you fuck.”

  He angled himself on the barstool so she could step out from between his legs. Pure hatred contorted her face and sent a jolt of satisfaction shooting through him. It was dulled and muted, shallow and mean.

  And short-lived.

  She turned to leave, and a viper’s smile curved her lips.

  Noah twisted around to see what caused it.

  Mina stood watching them with large, round eyes.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Mina’s heart clamped like a vise and she couldn’t stem the gasp of pain. Unable to overhear the words they spoke, her eyes fastened on each point of contact—his hand clasping her wrist, his mouth a whisper from her ear, his thighs pressed against hers.

  You did this. You sent him away. Did you think he would wait for you?

  She clutched Shea’s ledgers to her chest, a useless shield. The knife lodged in her heart felt like betrayal, but that didn’t make sense. Noah hadn’t betrayed her. He’d moved on.

  Just as she’d told him to.

  It was inevitable that there’d be other women. Another woman. She’d resigned herself to that fact when she’d sent him away. Even though the thought of him with someone else turned her stomach, she’d known it would happen. Eventually.

  But not this soon.

  Not with her.

  Mina saw they were watching her, awaiting her reaction. What was she supposed to say? She couldn’t speak anyway, with her heart lodged in her throat. She couldn’t hide the fact that, while he carried on, she was falling apart inside.

  Her gaze slid from Phoebe to Noah. Unshaven, he appeared
tired, ragged even. She didn’t want to contemplate why he wasn’t getting enough sleep. “I need to talk to you,” she said.

  “Your timing is incredible,” Phoebe drawled.

  “And yours is predictable,” Mina said.

  Phoebe’s hand slid up Noah’s thigh, and she dipped her head, as though she would kiss him.

  Mina had to look away.

  Phoebe slithered by a moment later, and she nicked Mina with her shoulder as she passed.

  Then Noah’s dark eyes captured hers. “It’s not what you think.”

  She was afraid if she tried to talk about Noah and Phoebe, she’d break wide open. “You don’t owe me any explanations.”

  His face hardened. “Well, that’s a relief.”

  He pushed off his barstool and stalked around the bar, where he snatched a shot glass off the bar top and tossed its contents into the sink basin. He overturned a coffee mug and reached for the coffeepot.

  Luke slipped onto the barstool Noah had vacated. “Hey, kids. What’s happening?”

  Noah stirred a heaping spoonful of sugar into the black liquid. A lock of his dark hair fell across his forehead, and he pushed it back.

  He didn’t so much as spare a glance at Mina.

  Her face crumpled. She turned blindly to flee but ran into a broad chest. The man’s drink sloshed over the rim of his glass and soaked her shirtsleeve. The stench of whiskey burned her nostrils.

  Drew frowned down at her. The last thing she needed was a lecture, so she pushed past him.

  As she careened toward the exit, she caught sight of Emily slipping in through the back door. Relief swamped Mina at the sight of her cousin’s familiar face. She changed direction, zigzagging between tables to reach Emily.

  Fingers bit into Mina’s arm and yanked her around. She reared back when she glimpsed his face, flushed red and contorted with rage.

  “How could you do this to me?” he seethed.

  “Drew, that hurts. Let me go.”

  His hold on her arm tightened. “All you had to do was keep your mouth shut, but you couldn’t do it.”

  “What are you talking about?” Her fingers worked over his large hand, trying to loosen his painful grip.

  “You think you’re the only one he hurt?” He released her with a hard shove.

  “Drew, people are looking.”

  “So what? I’m ruined because of you.”

  His arm shot out with pointed accusation just as she tried to step around him, and the back of his hand caught her left cheek.

  Pain exploded behind her eyes. She stumbled back.

  “Oh, shit. Oh, shit. Mina, I’m sorry.” Over Drew’s sputtering, she heard a savage cry.

  People seated nearby scattered in all directions.

  Drew’s eyes grew wide, and then Noah burst into view and slammed Drew against the wall. His hand closed around Drew’s throat.

  Luke was at Noah’s side, trying to pry him off a gasping Drew. Over the roaring in her ears, Luke grunted. “Well, that escalated quickly.”

  “Let me go,” Noah hissed. “I’m going to kill him.”

  “I think you made your point.” Luke wrested Noah’s hand from Drew’s throat.

  Racked by choking coughs, Drew collapsed against the wall. “I didn’t mean to hit her.”

  Noah ignored him and rounded on Mina. His dark eyes singed like hot coals.

  Mina inhaled an aching breath.

  Then he was in motion.

  Mina stumbled back, a step for every one of his, until her back came up hard against the wall and a whoosh of air was knocked from her lungs. He pursued her to the last.

  He peered down into her face. Then he touched her chin and tilted her face toward the light with a gentleness that grabbed at her insides. His fingertips floated across her stinging cheek.

  His face darkened. “Luke!”

  At his roar, she jolted.

  “Right here,” came Luke’s dry reply.

  Noah glowered back at his brother. “I want Drew Alexander arrested.”

  Mina grasped his wrist. “Noah—”

  His head whipped back around. “He hit you.”

  “I didn’t mean it,” Drew said.

  “Arrest him,” Noah said to Luke. “Before I kill him.”

  “That’s a little caveman, don’t you think?” Luke said.

  Mina tried again. “Noah—”

  Noah’s head whipped around. “What?”

  “I’m okay,” she soothed. “He’s drunk and—”

  “He hit you,” Noah ground out.

  Luke unwrapped the red ball of a sucker and it disappeared between his lips. “Let the woman speak, Noah.”

  Mina tugged on her shirtsleeve to pull the wet fabric away from her skin. “He was upset.”

  “Why is that?” The white stick of the sucker bobbed with Luke’s question.

  “He thinks I exposed his affair.”

  A small gasp slipped from Emily.

  “Did you?” Luke said.

  Mina shook her head. “No.”

  Luke removed the sucker from his mouth. “I take it he didn’t believe you?”

  “He didn’t give me a chance to say anything. He’s drunk and... it was an accident.”

  “Told you.” Drew’s tone dripped with petulance.

  “He was careless,” Mina added.

  “Who’s she?” Luke jerked his head to one side.

  Mina followed his movement to Phoebe, hovering at the edges of the group. “One of the women Drew is having an affair with.”

  “Ah, the other woman.” Luke waved at Phoebe. “You care to weigh in on any of this?”

  The color leached from Phoebe’s face. Her eyes blazing, she squared her shoulders but then merely turned and marched through the back door.

  Luke twisted back around in time to catch Mina sneaking a glimpse of Noah.

  “Anything else?” His knowing gaze plucked at the fresh wound on her heart.

  Her cheeks grew hot and she shook her head.

  Mercifully, his gaze swung to Noah. He quirked an eyebrow.

  Fury radiated off Noah. “Whether she did or did not do something to incite his anger is irrelevant. Assault is assault, no matter its motivation.”

  “Don’t you think one lawyer in the family is enough?” Luke turned his scowl on Emily. “What about you?”

  Emily balked. “What about me?”

  “You fit in to this soap opera somehow?”

  Emily shook her head. “I’m a nobody.”

  Luke pulled the sucker from his mouth, which painted his lips red. “The nobodies are the ones you have to keep your eye on.”

  Emily’s fists clenched at her sides and her pale skin flushed bright red.

  An insolent smile curved Luke’s red, pouty mouth.

  Noah shuffled with impatience. “I don’t care what affront the mayor thinks was done to him,” he said. “He’s dangerous, and I don’t want him near her.”

  A harsh laugh ripped from Drew. “You think you’re her boyfriend or something?”

  Noah’s muscles bunched.

  Drew staggered forward and narrowed the distance between him and Noah to mere inches. “Get a clue, Nolan. She doesn’t want you.”

  Mina stepped between the two men. “You’re wrong,” she said. “I’m in love with him.”

  Drew’s glassy-eyed gaze struggled to find her face. “That’s a joke, right?” He swayed on his feet a moment and then stumbled back and dropped into a chair at the closest table.

  “No. Drew, you have to stop. You’re self-destructing.”

  He regarded her with wild, troubled eyes. “What the fuck do you know about it?”

  “I know you,” she said.

  “And that gives you a right to ruin my life?”

  “I’m not the one ruining your life.”

  Several seconds ticked by while he tried to stare her down with unfocused eyes. The time that he’d been good to her seemed so long ago.

  “Stop it.” His tone cut with a le
thal edge. “Stop looking at me like I’m him.”

  Her heart slammed against her rib cage.

  “I’m not him!” His words bounded at her like a snarling dog.

  “I know you’re not,” she whispered.

  Anguish contorted his face. “I tried to stop him.”

  Her lungs spasmed and she struggled to draw breath. “I know you did.”

  Behind her, Noah said her name.

  She squeezed her eyes shut.

  “He was my best friend.”

  “Drew, please...”

  “I should’ve killed him myself.”

  “Don’t say that.” Mina dropped to her knees at his feet. “You were the only one who tried to help me. I’ll always be grateful to you for that.”

  He blinked at her with bloodshot eyes.

  “You’re hurting people, Drew, and I know that’s not what you want.”

  He wiped his nose with his sleeve and sat back. “I didn’t mean to hit you.”

  He dragged a hand over his face, and his demeanor changed, as though he’d pulled a mask into place.

  He craned his neck and pinpointed Luke. “Are you going to arrest me?”

  Mina climbed to her feet.

  “I don’t think that’s necessary,” Luke said. “Do you?”

  Drew shook his head. “I could use a ride home, though. I’m wasted.”

  “In that case, I’d be honored to escort you, Mr. Mayor.”

  Drew hoisted himself to his feet and shuffled toward the door. “You’re a real smooth guy, Officer Nolan.”

  Luke fell in step behind him. “I try.”

  A hiccupping laugh escaped Drew. He pulled up. “I’m looking for a new campaign manager—”

  Luke slapped a hand on Drew’s shoulder to keep him moving toward the door. “With all due respect, there’s not a chance in hell I’m interested.”

  As Drew disappeared through the door, Luke turned. His intense green gaze fixed on Emily.

  “Come,” he said. “I’ll walk you out.”

  Hectic color whipped into Emily’s cheeks. “I’m good on m-m-my own.”

  Luke’s boyish dimples popped out, though he didn’t smile. “Oh, but I insist,” he said softly.

  With her shoulders held high and tight, Emily disappeared through the back door with Luke.

  The haze of horrified panic eased somewhat, and by slow increments, Mina became more fully aware of her surroundings. An energetic Irish tune played overhead, and patrons milled about the pub.