Complete Sin Box Set

by Georgia Cates

  “You have a beautiful legacy to pass on to your children.”

  “Our children.”

  “Yes, our children.”

  A naughty grin spreads on Leith’s face and he tugs on my hand, cueing me to get on top of him. “Get up here. I want you to ride me.”

  And I do. Twice.

  Epilogue

  Lorna Duncan

  Seven years later

  I stop in my tracks and stand tall, rolling my shoulders back and arching my spine. It’s an attempt—a rather poor attempt—to relieve the pressure in my lower back and pelvis.

  “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah. You remember how it is when you get this far along. Everything hurts.”

  “My last pregnancy was the worst. My doctor said it was because all of those ligaments supporting my womb had been stretched with the other pregnancies and there was less support,” Westlyn says.

  “My doctor told me the same thing,” Shaw says.

  “I can believe that.” This is number four for me and each pregnancy has gotten progressively harder.

  Bleu pats the back of the stool. “You need to get off of your feet.”

  “I don’t want to leave you girls with all of the cleaning.”

  “I think the four of us can manage without you.” Bleu pulls out the stool at the bar. “Sit. Now.”

  My girls. We always take care of each other.

  “Do you feel like you’ll have a girl this time?” Bleu is never going to give up on me having a girl.

  “I doubt it.” After three boys, I’ve come to accept that I’m probably never going to have a little girl that I can dress in ribbons and bows.

  “Does Leith want a girl this time or is he content with his house full of boys?”

  “He says he’ll be happy with whatever we get.”

  “I really need you to have that girl. Actually, two would be great if you could manage.”

  “I don’t know. I think we may be finished after this one.”

  “I thought you wanted a big family.”

  “Well, it’s one thing to say that and another to actually raise them.” I gave birth to our first son a few days after our first anniversary and I’ve continued to have a baby every two years. I’m tired.

  “Two kids are plenty for Jamie and me. No more buns are going in my oven.”

  Jamie and Ellison have two of the most beautiful little girls, both with black hair like their mother. The older girl is a comedienne like Elli, and the younger one is very bright, but quiet and contained, like Jamie. She listens more than she speaks. Both are so well behaved. Nothing like my trio of trouble. But I wouldn’t take anything in the world for my boys.

  “My baby factory is closed too. My hands are full with three.” Westlyn has given Kieran two brawny sons to one day take over The Order, and she has the little princess she always wanted. They’re a lovely family.

  “I thought we were finished at three but Mitch has caught baby fever again.”

  “You don’t want another?”

  “I would love to have another child, but you all know that my body doesn’t agree with being pregnant.” I can understand Shaw’s hesitancy. She’s had multiple complications with each baby.

  Bleu nods in sympathy. “It feels like such a betrayal when your heart wants a child and your body won’t cooperate.”

  Sin and Bleu have a beautiful family but her babies aren’t babies anymore. And she has wanted another child for years. She was so happy when she got pregnant by in vitro last year but then devastated when she lost the pregnancy. After the last transfer and losing some of the embryos to degradation, they’re down to their last three frozen embryos.

  “It’s been a year. I think you and Sin should go for it again.”

  Bleu stops loading the dishwasher and turns around. “We weren’t going to say anything until I made it to twelve weeks, but I can’t hold it in anymore.”

  Ellison squeals. “Shut. Up!”

  “Our London trip in July… it was to do another in vitro. And it worked.”

  Ellison drops the towel in her hand and goes to Bleu, wrapping her arms around her. “I can’t believe you didn’t tell me.”

  “We didn’t want to go through telling everyone about a miscarriage if we lost another one. Last time was brutal.”

  “I can understand that. How many babies are in there this time?”

  “Only one.”

  “I’m so happy for you.”

  “We all are.”

  “I tried to not allow myself to become too attached, just in case.” She touches her lower stomach. “But that’s been impossible.”

  Ellison places her hand next to Bleu’s. “Of course, it’s been impossible. Because you already love this baby.”

  “We haven’t told the kids yet. Just in case.” Wise choice.

  “How far along?”

  “Eleven weeks.” Almost to the beginning of that magical second trimester.

  “That’s why you canceled lunch with us twice this month. You were sick.” I thought it was odd for Bleu to not come.

  “God, yes. I’ve been so nauseated with this pregnancy. It was nothing like this with the boys.”

  “You’re having a girl. I know, after having two. Mark my words.”

  “Nothing would make Lourdes happier.”

  “She and the girls are more like sisters than cousins, but she still deserves a baby sister after eight years with Liam and Harrison and their antics,” Ellison says.

  “Well, Queen Lour has done a nice job of ruling over those two.”

  “She has. I’ll give her that.”

  Bleu’s daughter is strong and confident. She doesn’t allow her brothers or any other boys to steamroll her. That lass can brawl with the best of them. And I don’t find one bit of that surprising, considering who is raising her.

  Warm, rock-hard arms wrap around me from behind. “We told the sitter that we’d be back by eleven and it’s a quarter till.”

  “My fingers are crossed in hopes that she’ll still be there when we get home.”

  “Who’s keeping the boys?”

  “Sterling’s youngest daughter, Lilla. She does a really good job with them. I recommend her if you ever need a sitter.”

  “She’s kept the girls for Jamie and me several times. She’s great with them.”

  “Thank you for having us, Bleu. We enjoyed it.”

  “I’m so glad you felt like coming. And happy early birthday, Leith, in case I don’t see you tomorrow.”

  I lower the back of my seat after we get into the car.

  “Having pains?”

  “My back hurts.”

  “You had back pain when you went into labor with Colin.”

  “I remember.”

  “Do you think you’re starting to go into labor?”

  “Maybe. I guess we’ll have to wait and see if the pain gets stronger or peters out.”

  “I hope this is it. I’m ready to meet him.”

  “You’ll have the same birthday if he comes after midnight.”

  “I didn’t even think of that.” Leith chuckles. “He’ll be the best birthday present I’ve ever gotten.”

  While Leith gets the boys down for the night, I take a bath in hopes that the water will soothe my aching back. The warm water helps a little but not enough. This could really be the beginning.

  I climb into bed, lying on my side, and breathe. In and out, slow and deep. One breath. Two. Five. And then the pain goes away. Until it decides to return again.

  “How do you feel, mo muirnín?”

  “Like my back is going to break in half when I have a pain.”

  “Want me to rub it for you?”

  “Yes, please.”

  Leith kneads my lower back muscles every time I have a pain. It’s getting late, and I know he must be tired. He had a long day at the bar, but he doesn’t act as though he’d rather be doing anything besides comforting me.

  There is no end to how much I love this man. />
  I get up to walk, hoping it might relieve the pain in my back. It doesn’t. I try bending over the arm of the sofa, but the pain only becomes worse. And real. Very real.

  “Your contractions are getting closer.”

  “And stronger.” Definitely stronger. “We should probably call your mum to come over and stay with the boys until we can work something else out.”

  “I was pretty sure that tonight was going to be it, so I asked Lilla to stay over. She’s sleeping in the guest room.”

  “That was a good idea.” An excruciating pain begins in my back and I grasp the doorframe. “Because this bairn is ready to come.”

  I’m admitted to the hospital, and I quickly discover that this baby is coming a lot faster than the other three. There’s so much more pain, it’s excruciating, but at least I’m dilating fast.

  We’re at the hospital less than an hour when the nurse says that I’m ten centimeters and ready to push. Of course, I didn’t need her to tell me that. This baby is telling me that all by itself.

  “I’ve got… to push… right now.” I can’t control it. My body is doing it all on its own.

  Leith is at my side, holding my hand while they prep me for delivery. And everything happens so fast. Much faster than it did with Kendrew, Bowie, or Colin.

  Leith brings my hand to his mouth and kisses the top. “I love you so much, mo muirnín.”

  “Love you too.”

  The next few moments are an agonizing blur, and then I hear our baby’s first cry. That sound—there’s nothing in the world like it.

  “Look at what we have here.”

  My doctor turns our baby around, and Leith and I say it at the same time. “A girl.”

  “And the best birthday present ever.” Leith leans down and kisses the top of my head. “We have a daughter. Kendrew, Bowie, and Colin have a baby sister.”

  “We never chose a name for a girl.”

  “Well, we’ll be choosing one now.”

  Our daughter is placed on the center of my chest and tucked inside my gown so that we’re skin on skin. Her mouth forms an O and she presses it to the skin on my chest, lightly sucking. I scoot her closer to my right breast; my milk production is always nearly nonexistent on the left side.

  “A girl. I can’t believe it.” Leith lowers his face to our daughter’s. “Little lass, you don’t know it yet, but you have three older brothers, and they aren’t going to let a boy come near you. And neither am I.”

  Leith Duncan. I’ve known him my entire life. I’ve always loved him in one way or another, but never more than I do today. Just when I think that I can’t fall deeper in love with him, I’m proven wrong.

  He calls me his redemption, but it’s he who is mine. I have everything that I’ve ever wanted—a husband, a family, a house full of love—because of him.

  He and our children are my dream come true.

  The End

  Author Note

  It is my greatest hope that you enjoyed these books. I appreciate the time you invested in these stories… in my words… in a part of me.

  I would be honored and grateful if you choose to leave a review.

  Continue reading to enjoy an excerpt of Eighty-One Nights: Book 1 of 2 in the Beautiful Illusions Duet.

  Excerpt: Eighty-One Nights

  Beautiful Illusions Duet Book 1

  Beautiful, penniless American girl meets handsome, wealthy Scotsman.

  Sounds like the beginning of a fairy-tale romance?

  It’s not.

  This story begins with a contract.

  And an exchange of money.

  A lot of money.

  An angel perches nervously on one shoulder.

  A devil lounges smugly on my other.

  And even that dark little bastard is leery of what I’m doing.

  Maxwell Hutcheson wants the girlfriend experience.

  All of it.

  And I’m going to give it to him.

  I’m not supposed to enjoy being his whore.

  I’m also not supposed to fall in love with him.

  But I do. Both.

  When our contract expires, I will walk away.

  Because I have to.

  But he’ll always have a piece of me.

  I’ll mask my sorrow with a smile.

  I’ll hide my love with indifference

  … all while it’s killing me softly.

  A fairy-tale romance.

  It isn’t mine to have.

  And this man I’ve come to love so dearly isn’t my happily ever after.

  About Eighty-One Nights:

  While the characters from Eighty-One Nights are entirely new, their storyline is a combination of fresh material and carefully selected themes, scenes, and settings from The Beauty Series, The Sin Trilogy, Dear Agony, and Indulge. This is intentional. I chose some of my favorite elements from previous releases and interjected them into Hutch and Lou’s story. Let’s call it a “story fusion” between our old favorites and new material.

  This work was briefly released under a pen name and was titled The Girlfriend Experience.

  Chapter 1

  Caitriona Louden

  I hate math.

  Column one is my net income. Column two is my half of the rent, general expenses, tuition, etcetera, etcetera, etcetera. Column two exceeds column one. It exceeds it by a lot.

  Dammit, I’m going to have to unfasten an extra button on my blouse to get better tips at the bar.

  Rachel, my roommate and BFF, comes through the door, her arms weighted down by shopping bags. It’s not the first time this week. Hell, it’s not even the second time.

  “Another shopping spree?” My comment comes off a little bitchier than intended.

  She drops all of the shopping bags on the floor. “Ohhh, Cait. I have something grand to show you.”

  She rummages through the bags, removing a shoebox. She takes out a Christian Louboutin pump and holds it up. Wow, it’s the real deal. There’s no mistaking that with the signature red leather outsole. And the bottom is completely unscathed, meaning that these shoes didn’t come from a consignment shop or thrift store.

  “They’re to die for, aye?”

  Black paisley lace. Peep toe. Black leather trim. They could possibly be the most gorgeous shoes that I’ve ever seen. “They’re stunners for sure.”

  She slips her feet into them and stretches one leg outward, admiring the way it looks on her foot. “I’m so in love with them.”

  Christian Louboutin shoes today. Louis Vuitton handbag and Clive Christian perfume three days ago. Unless Rachel has a long-lost aunt who died and left her a fortune, she can’t possibly afford luxury brands like these. “How are you paying for all of these things you’re buying?”

  She stands tall and places her hands on her hips. “I have this month’s rent if that’s what you’re getting at.”

  I’ve clearly pissed her off, but I think that my concern is a legitimate one. “I’m not implying that you’d stiff me on the rent. It’s just that these shopping sprees are expensive. Very expensive. And I’m wondering how you’re paying for them.”

  “In case you forgot, I have a job.”

  We have the same job. I know how much money she makes. “Waitresses at The Last Drop can’t afford Christian Louboutin and Louis Vuitton and Clive Christian.”

  She takes off the shoes and stuffs them back into their box. “Don’t worry about how I’m paying. I’ve got it covered, and that’s all you need to know.”

  Rachel doesn’t talk to me like this. Ever. Not even when she’s angry with me. I don’t care for it at all.

  “I don’t want you to get yourself into financial trouble because you had a weak moment and charged some things you can’t afford.”

  “I didn’t charge anything.”

  None of this makes sense. “Some months we are literally scraping together every pound that we have to make rent.”

  “It’s okay. I got a second job.”

  She hasn’
t mentioned a word about another job. “Where at? And when do you go to this job?”

  Rachel inhales deeply and her cheeks expand when she exhales. “You can’t judge, and you can’t jump to conclusions when I tell you.”

  “I don’t like the sound of that at all.”

  “I’m serious, Cait. You know that you can be judgy.”

  Okay. I admit that I’m a little critical at times but only because Rachel has a spectacular talent for making really dumb decisions. “I won’t judge.” Maybe, depending upon how bad it is.

  “A fancy businesswoman came into The Last Drop a few months ago. When she got up to leave, she handed a small envelope to me. There was £200 inside along with a business card.”

  “Two hundred pounds?” Holy shit.

  “The card was for a business called Inamorata.”

  Inamorata. “I’ve never heard of that.”

  “Me either, but I called her because I was dying to know more. She refused to discuss anything over the phone, which I thought was a wee bit weird at the time, but I was too intrigued to question it.”

  I can see that. I’m sucked into the mystery of it right now.

  “We met for dinner in Old Town at a swanky restaurant by the castle. We had a few drinks, enough that I was feeling pretty damn good, and she began to explain what her company is about. She calls herself a chatelaine.”

  Maybe I’m just a dumbass American, but I’ve never heard of that. “What is a chatelaine?”

  “Sounds fancy, right? By definition, it’s a mistress of a household or large establishment. Cora’s organization, Inamorata, is a business that introduces women and men.”

  “Inamorata is a dating service?”