Unchosen Ruler by Maggie Cole

14

Hailee

My sister has always beenthe wild child of our family, but she's taking it a bit too far. I don't understand her sudden attraction to felons or the over-the-top-look-at-me behavior. She's usually fun and outgoing like Kora, but there seems to be a recklessness about her. She's drinking more than I've ever seen her drink. Watching her in action with Liam's cousins only makes my skin crawl.

"Time to get off the table, lass," Killian orders.

Gemma sits on the corner of the pool table, with her legs crossed and cleavage hanging out. She's drunk way too much, and it's only eight o'clock.

"But Nolan hasn't said please yet." She shoots daggers at Nolan. He's not giving her the attention Killian, Declan, and Finn have. The more he doesn't respond to her, the more embarrassing she gets. It's not like Gemma to call out guys who don't give her the time of day. Then again, most guys drool over her, so maybe it's a first for her, and I just have never thought about it.

He steps next to her, leans down, and says something in her ear. I can't hear it, but she reaches for his shirt and fists a handful of material.

In a loud voice, Gemma slurs, "You don't know who you're messing with."

"Yeah? Who's that?"

I groan and turn to Liam. "Can we please take her out of here?"

"Your sister knows how to keep it interesting," Finn replies with an amused grin and finishes the rest of his beer.

I cover my face and lean my head against Liam's arm. "Please."

He slides his arm around me. "Do you—"

"What did you just say?" Nolan barks.

The hairs on my arms rise. I drop my hand and look at my sister. Nolan has a snarl on his face. Both of his hands are on the table next to my sister's hips, and his face hovers inches from hers. I've only met Nolan a few times, but I've never seen him angry before.

Killian and Declan's faces are both colorless. They gape at Gemma, and my gut drops.

I jump up. "Gemma. What did you say?"

Nolan doesn't tear his eyes off her, matching her glare, but I don't miss her lips quivering. In a low, menacing tone, he repeats, "Say it again."

The room becomes so quiet, the sound of my heart pounds in my ears. Gemma attempts to slide off the table, and Nolan grabs her by the throat and makes her look at him.

"Nolan! Let her go!" I yell.

"Nolan!" Liam growls and pulls at his arm. He glances at Killian and Declan. "What the fuck is wrong with you two? Why are you just standing there?"

The brothers seem to snap out of it. "Let her go," Declan barks.

Nolan releases her neck, steps back, and seethes, "Get out."

"Nolan! What has gotten into you?" Liam snaps.

I step between him and Gemma. She's trembling and trying to hold back tears. I reach for her. "Come on."

"You need to leave, too," Nolan fires out.

Liam tugs him back and slams him against the wall. He gets in his face. "What did you just say to my woman?"

"Liam!" I scream.

Finn pulls Liam away, and Killian and Declan step in front of Nolan. Each brother scowls.

"How could you bring them into our house?" Nolan seethes. His eyes look as crazed as Liam's. But hatred fills Killian and Declan's. I'm at a loss for words. What could Gemma have said that would create such a reaction?

"You better watch your mouth," Liam barks.

Nolan enunciates, "Get them out of here."

Liam moves toward him, but Finn grabs him. He orders, "Easy."

"What are you doing?" Liam asks Nolan.

He points to my sister and me. "Ask the Bailey sisters."

Bailey?

I glance at Gemma, and her tears fall. I'm so confused. Why would she tell Nolan our last name is Bailey? And why is Nolan so upset? I firmly say, "My sister is obviously drunk. Our last name is O'Hare."

"How long have you been spying on us?" Nolan barks.

"I swear to God, Nolan, if you don't stop these accusations, you're going to leave in a body bag," Liam hurls.

"It's true," Gemma whispers.

My insides shake harder. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm going—" She puts her hand over her mouth and runs out of the room.

I follow her through the pub, yelling her name. She gets to the bathroom, and as soon as she enters the stall, she throws up. I hold her hair, confused about everything that is happening and not understanding what any of this means.

When she finishes getting sick, she spins on her butt and leans against the stall. I hand her wet towels, and she wipes her mouth. New tears fall. "I'm sorry." Her face is red and sweat coats her skin.

I push her hair off her face. "Gemma, I'm so lost right now."

"I saw him," she whispers.

"Who?"

She sobs harder then gets back on her knees and gets sick again. "I'm sorry," she cries out and rolls back on her ass.

I help her clean up again then pull her to me and hug her. "Gemma, it's okay. Tell me what's going on."

"I-I'm not supposed to. I don't know why I did that out there. I...oh God! He's evil. I saw it in his eyes. And she's so cruel. How can our sister be so mean when we're blood?" she sobs.

"Shh," I say to calm her, even more frustrated over these things she's saying that I can't comprehend. When her chest returns to a more normal breathing pattern, I pull away. "Gemma, what did Ciara or Ella do that was cruel?"

She shakes her head. "Nothing. They don't know."

"Know what?"

She squeezes her eyes shut. Her lips tremble harder, and her voice cracks. "Who they are. Who we are."

"Gemma, who are they?" She loses it again, and I pull her close. I stroke her head until she calms and ask again, "Who are you talking about?"

She wipes her nose. "Our father. His other daughter."

I freeze. My insides quiver so hard, I swallow down bile. Everything she said spins in my head, including she saw his eyes. I try to gather my thoughts before I speak. "Where did you see him?"

"I didn't want to. She made me," she cries out.

"Gemma, this isn't making any sense. I need you to explain this."

"He said we have to take our roles in the family."

Dizziness hits me from the fear swirling in my bones. I hold my sister tighter. "What does that mean?"

"He's a Bailey. We're Baileys. Our time is running out."

I shake my head. "I don't understand what that means."

She puts her head on the stall wall, and pain crosses her face. "Our father is Rory Bailey. He has a few months until they release him from prison. Our sister is Orla Bailey. She's running the clan but can't have kids. Our father says we have to take our roles in the family. He has men lined up to marry us."

My stomach twists. "What are you talking about?"

Her green eyes widen. "It's true. She made me go with her to see him."

"When?"

"A month ago. She's...she follows me everywhere. She said she would kill Mom if I told anyone." She closes her eyes, but the tears never stop.

A chill digs into my bones. So many questions are flying at me. Flashbacks of my mother bloody and bruised, and me holding Gemma, Ciara, and Ella in a closet, trying to keep them quiet so my father wouldn't find us or hurt my mother worse, fill my mind. "We have to talk to Mom."

"We can't. I shouldn't have told you. You don't understand. The Baileys are..." Gemma swallows hard. "They're mob, Hailee. But none of them seem like the O'Malleys. Orla is the madame at their whorehouses. She took me there. If we don't marry who our father wants, he said he'd put us in there. They...oh God! We're them!" She breaks down, and I pull her as tightly to me as possible.

I don't understand this. How could our mother not tell us we were part of this? How did this Orla woman find Gemma?

Gemma wipes her face. "Liam will protect you. I-I need to find someone to protect me, too. Please. I don't want to ever see them again."

"Shhh." I do my best to calm her, but my hand is shaking as hard as she is. "We need to get out of here, Gemma. Let's go home."

"Where? She infested my building. It wasn't another tenant. She did it. I-I can't go to Mom's. It's too hard not to tell her," she sobs.

"Gemma, we have to talk to her."

Gemma grabs my arm. Fear fills her face. "You can't. Orla will kill her. She isn't like us, Hailee. Please! You can't tell anyone!"

I put my hand on her cheek. I've never seen her so upset. She may have drunk a lot, but she's never looked so scared or sounded so hysterical. "Okay. I won't. Let's go home. We can't stay here all night."

She slowly allows me to help her up. I'm about to open the door when she puts her hand on it, stopping me. "He wants to see you, Hailee."

My stomach churns so fast, I cover it. "I'm not—"

"Do you think Liam can kill them? Especially her. She's...Hailee, she's so horrible." She falls apart again.

I freeze. Blood pounds between my ears. Air becomes hard to take into my lungs. My mouth becomes dry. I open it, but nothing comes out.

Gemma's eyes are so scared, I get new chills. "She's everywhere. On my phone. In my building. At my work. Anywhere I go, she shows up. I'm going to go crazy."

I embrace her again. She sobs against me, and a puddle of her tears soak my shirt. I say the only thing that comes to mind. "Let's go. We'll talk to Liam about how to protect you."

She finally allows me to lead her out of the restroom, but a new reality meets us. Liam and his cousins are standing against the wall, waiting for us. They all have the same piercing gaze. New horror fills me. Betrayal and hatred swirl in their expressions, but Liam's feels the worst. And I finally understand this isn't just about Gemma and me.