Perfect Sinner by Maggie Cole

22

Nolan

A Few Days Later

My brothersand I decide Declan will fly to New York and speak with Tully. Bridget may have cut off our access to my nieces and nephews and changed their last names, but they're still O'Malleys. If something is going on between the O'Connors and Marinos, then we have a right to know.

Twice this week, we had my uncle Patrick give us a boxing workout. Gemma quickly picked up the form and looks like a pro. Most days, we fall back into our routine we previously had. We get up, drink a smoothie, and run.

After we shower, we get to work. I make progress on the algorithm. She continues creating some super-cool marketing assets for O'Malley Cybersecurity.

Saturday comes, and Tiernan drops off the burner phone I asked him to pick up. I hand it to Gemma. "Thought you might miss having a phone."

Guilt fills her face.

I squint. "Why are you looking at me like you did something wrong?"

She sighs, goes into her bedroom, then comes out with her phone. "I had it in my dresser. I called Hailee before we went to see the baby at the hospital."

I focus on the ceiling, counting to ten. It was part of the lies she told me. We already talked about it, and it's in the past, but her dishonesty still makes my skin crawl.

She wraps her arms around my waist. "Nolan. I'm sorry. I forgot it was in there. I haven't used it except for that one call, I swear."

I glance down into her blue eyes and can't stay mad. "Okay. Don't do it again. This phone needs to stay off."

"I promise I won't touch it again." She reaches up and pulls my face toward hers. She kisses me, and I fall into it, forgetting about the phone I wish I could blow up but don't. From time to time, I check if Orla is trying to contact her to see her latest threats.

She ends our kiss and smiles. "Thanks for getting me a new one."

"It's a burner, nothing fancy."

She shrugs. "I don't use my phone like I used to. I don't need all the extra bells and whistles. This is perfect. Thank you."

I tuck a lock of her hair behind her ear. "You're welcome. How much time do you need to get ready for Colin's party?"

"Maybe an hour."

I glance at the time. "You should get moving, then."

She turns to leave, and I spin her back into me. My heart pounds faster. She arches her eyebrow in question. I say, "Why is all your stuff still in the other room?"

"Where's it supposed to be?"

"You're in my bed every night," I state.

She tilts her head. "And?"

"I think we should move it in my room, so you aren't going back and forth all the time."

Her lips twitch. "Back and forth as in down the hall?"

"Yeah." My stomach flips with nerves, as if I'm a kid again and asking a girl out for the first time.

She chirps, "Well, you do have that nice vanity no one is using."

"Exactly. And I have plenty of room in my closet."

She drags her finger over my Celtic knot tattoos on my biceps. "What about your drawers? Do I get a few?"

"I can make that happen."

"And who sleeps on the couch if we get in a fight? You or me?"

I chuckle. "Don't you mean sleep in the spare room?"

"That's just a detail. So you or me?" she repeats.

I palm her ass. "Do you plan on fighting with me a lot?"

"No. Are you avoiding committing to an answer?"

"Nope. I'll sleep in the spare room, princess."

She smiles. "Okay. I'll move my stuff in this weekend, then."

I happily kiss her. "I'll clean my drawers out. And maybe you should wear one of those sexy little outfits you've got stashed in them."

She gasps. "Nolan O'Malley! Have you been snooping through my stuff?"

I put my hands in the air. "No! I saw them when I grabbed your stuff the morning Hailee came over."

She pauses for a moment then questions, "What color did you like?"

There's no hesitation. I've been obsessing over what she'd look like in it since I saw it. "The blue one that matches your eyes."

She cocks an eyebrow. "Maybe I'll wear it under my dress tonight."

I groan. "Now I'm going to be distracted all evening."

She pats my cheek. "Good. Think about that when you're telling Molly to find someone else to post on her social media accounts. See you in an hour." She walks away.

Annoyance takes over. I'm not looking forward to having a conversation with Molly or Colin, but I also want to get it over with. I go shower and put on black slacks and a sage-green button-up shirt.

My phone rings. I glance at it and answer, "Boris. Everything okay?"

His Russian accent is thicker than normal. He angrily states, "Bogden picked up someone you and I need to deal with."

The hairs on the back of my neck rise. "It's him?"

Boris seethes, "Yeah. He had the balls to take photos of Nora and me taking Shannon out of the penthouse."

"He's at your place?"

"Ready and waiting for us."

I glance at my watch. Eamon Lynch, the man who Rory promised Gemma to and who sent her the vile video describing how he was going to defile her, is a man I'm itching to inflict pain on. But I'm not letting him ruin our night. "Colin's surprise party is in less than an hour. Let him sit until tomorrow."

Boris sniffs hard. "Done. Probably best if I have a night to calm down."

"Nora and Shannon are okay, right?" I double-check.

"Of course."

Relief soars through me. "Give Shannon a kiss for me."

"Will do. See you tomorrow." Boris hangs up.

Gemma comes into my room and puts her hand on my back. "Everything okay?"

I spin, and she steals my breath. Gemma can be full of sweat or just waking up, and she's the prettiest woman I've ever seen. But I don't see her dressed up very often. She's stunning in a simple light-pink sweater dress and knee-high black boots. Long curls frame her face. Her makeup is simple, but her eyes and lips pop more than usual.

I wrap my arm around her waist and rest my palms on her ass. "You look gorgeous."

She puts her hands on my chest. "Thanks. So do you."

"I have some great news."

"Oh?"

"Bogden picked up Eamon Lynch."

She inhales sharply then swallows hard. "Where is he?"

"The Ivanovs have him. Bogden caught him taking photos of Nora and Shannon when they left the penthouse."

"What?" she cries out.

"It's okay. Nora and Shannon are safe. He's in a secure location. Tomorrow, Boris and I will take care of him," I assure her.

She nods then her unsure smile appears. "So one less threat to worry about?"

"Yes. We have something else to celebrate tonight. Tomorrow, I'll drop you off at Boris's. You can stay with Nora and Shannon."

She slides her hands around my neck. Worry fills her expression. "And you'll be safe?"

I confidently state, "We're in control of this situation. Nothing can go wrong."

She releases a nervous breath. "Okay."

I push the collar of her dress aside and peek at the light-blue lace. "You're going to distract me all night."

She softly laughs. "I didn't know you were into lingerie."

I move my head back. "What made you think that?"

She shrugs. "I don't know."

I lean into her ear and take a quick lick of her lobe. She inhales sharply, and I murmur, "I'm very, very into it, especially on your sexy little body."

She grazes her nails on my neck. "Maybe I'll have to go shopping."

I tug her ass into my growing hard-on. "Don't tease me, princess." I give her a playful swat and a chaste kiss. "We should go so we aren't late for the surprise." I lead her out of the house. One of her bodyguards and a driver are in the front. The second bodyguard is in the back seat of the black SUV. We get in. It takes less than a minute to get to Colin's mother's house.

I step out and reach inside for Gemma. She gets out and takes a deep breath. I ask, "Are you okay?"

She admits, "Yes. I'm normally not nervous about meeting new people. I'm just a bit anxious being on Molly's turf."

I firmly state, "You don't need to worry about her. And my brothers will be there, too. When I get a chance to talk to Molly and Colin, you stay with them, okay?"

"Sure."

I hesitate, not wanting to piss Gemma off, but feel it's necessary to say, "Molly can be a loose cannon at times. If she is anything but friendly, try to ignore it."

"I'll be the bigger person," Gemma claims.

"Good, because you are." I kiss her quickly, satisfied with her answer, then lead her into the house. The room is full. Colin's mom is standing next to Molly. I hug Molly like I usually would then do the same to his mom but add a kiss to her cheek. "Rose, this is Gemma."

"It's nice to meet you." Rose smiles kindly and hugs Gemma.

Molly glares at Gemma. "I didn't know you were coming."

I tug Gemma protectively into me. "Sorry. Since she's living with me, I thought you would assume that."

Molly's face hardens, and she looks away.

"It's fine. Gemma, please make yourself at home," Rose assures us.

"Thank you. You have a lovely home," Gemma replies.

Rose smiles and glances around. "I've lived here for forty years. It needs an update." She steps back. "Please, grab some food and drinks."

Killian and Declan are in the back of the room. I steer Gemma to them, and the lights flick on and off.

"He's down the street, everyone quiet!" Molly yells then steps outside with Rose. The door shuts, and whispers fill the room.

"When did you get back?" I ask Declan.

Declan shifts. "An hour ago. It's an alliance. Tully said things are getting a bit rocky in New York."

"What does that mean?" I ask.

"You know Tully. He wouldn't go into details. But he trusts Angelo."

"And Bridget and the kids?"

Declan crosses his arms. "He claimed there's nothing to worry about."

"Did you see them?" I ask.

Declan's face turns dark. "Bridget wouldn't let me. She told Tully she doesn't want to confuse the kids."

Killian spouts, "Confuse them? By letting them see their uncle? Bridget's the only one confused."

"They're coming," someone half-whispers, half shouts.

The room goes quiet, the door opens, and Colin steps in. A chorus of "Surprise!" fills the air.

Colin's eyes widen, and a big grin appears. I let him make his way through the crowd. Molly is attached to his hip the entire time.

"Where's the restroom?" Gemma asks.

"Down the hall. I'll take you, lass. I've gotta go, too," Killian states. He leads her away.

Colin finally steps in front of us. "Nolan! Declan!" We all slap hands and embrace.

Declan says, "Never thought you were coming back."

I take a step closer to Declan to attempt to avoid Molly practically standing on top of me. I focus on Colin. "How was Europe?"

Colin's arrogant and mischievous expression appears. "Fun. Exhausting. Over it and ready to go back at the same time."

"That makes no sense," Molly chirps.

He glances at her. "Guess you had to be there." His face turns serious. He motions to Declan and me. "Let's step out back for a minute and talk."

"Good idea," I agree.

We get to the back door, and he says, "Molly, you stay inside."

"Why?"

"I have business to discuss, and it's not any of yours."

Molly pouts. "You just got home and are already leaving me out of things."

"Don't be dramatic." He nods for us to go outside.

Molly lets out an exasperated sigh.

We step onto the deck. The air is warm for spring and a hint of daylight is still out. Colin shuts the door.

Declan inquires, "What's going on?"

Colin steps closer. He gazes around then says, "I've got a message for you from Phelan."

Phelan runs the O'Malley clan in Ireland. He's our cousin and took over when his father died a few years ago. I scratch my jaw. "What is it?"

"The Baileys are sending more thugs over to the States. He said to make sure you're all prepared. The line Darragh and him speak on is compromised."

Anxiety flares in my chest. "How many are they sending?"

"Phelan thinks one hundred, maybe two."

"Shit," Declan mutters.

Colin nods. He steps closer to me. His eyes turn to slits. "Now, there's something else I want to know."

My stomach flips. "What's that?"

His face hardens. "Something going on with you and my sister?"

I groan.

His face turns red. "What does that mean?"

Declan puts his hand on his chest. "Cool it."

He jerks his head at Declan. "It's my sister."

I cross my arms. "I'm glad you brought this up. I was going to tell you that your sister has some wrong ideas in her head."

"Oh? Why is that?" he snarls.

"Stop getting defensive about assumptions. I'm here with Gemma. She lives with me. I can assure you I'm not interested in Molly, nor have I ever been. I never even saw her social media page until a few days ago when Killian showed it to me. If I had known she had a crush, I would have set her straight," I assure him.

He studies me. "You look pretty cozy in some of those pictures."

"He's drunk at the pub in almost all of them. Put two and two together," Declan claims.

"Why was she at your house? You were cooking her breakfast, and she was in your T-shirt," Colin interrogates.

The more he accuses me of being with Molly, the more pissed I become. "Your sister was drunk. Your mom was gone, and she was throwing up. I had her sleep in my guest room so she didn't choke on her puke. As I said, I didn't know she was taking pictures of me and posting. She's also been showing up at my house unannounced lately and needs to stop."

"So nothing is going on?" Colin asks.

"No."

Declan backs me up. "He's not with your sister. I can assure you."

Colin takes a deep breath then nods. "Okay."

All these years, I didn't mind watching over his mother and Molly. But now it seems like a big inconvenience. I remind him, "All I've done is watch out for her and your mom like you asked me to. And I'm going to take her aside tonight and tell her she needs to remove me from her social media and understand it's not happening between us."

Colin shakes his head. "No. I'll talk to her. Tomorrow, when no one else is around. I'll go through her social media with her and make her delete everything."

I can't lie and say I'm not happy to let him be the one delivering the message to Molly. "Okay."

He pats me on the back. "Thanks for taking care of them. I'm sorry if my sister is giving you issues. I hoped as she aged, she'd start reading situations better, but it doesn't sound like it."

Declan adds, "She's a good lass and hard worker. She just needs to put her focus on someone else."

"Let's go inside. I want you to meet Gemma," I say.

He nods and opens the back door.

"What!" Gemma's voice cries out.

"For real?" Killian barks.

"Oops. Sorry," Molly says.

"That was on purpose," Killian states.

"No, it wasn't," Molly claims.

I push past Colin and into the kitchen. A wet, red stain covers the back of Gemma's dress and her hair. I step in front of Molly. "What the fuck did you do?"

Her lips tremble. "I-It was an accident."

I scowl at her then turn to Gemma. I grab a towel off the counter and dab at her dress. She glances up at me, and tiny breaths come out of her mouth.

"That was low, Molly," Killian reprimands.

"It was an accident!"

"No, it wasn't!"

Colin steps between Molly and Killian. "Hey. If my sister says it was an accident, then back off."

Killian points at Molly. "I saw her with my own eyes. She didn't slip or fall. She tossed her drink on her. I was behind both of them."

"You're accusing—"

"It's all over Gemma's hair. Her drink wouldn't be in the air," I growl then squeeze the freezing liquid out of her locks. I shake my head at Molly. "This is low. I expected more out of you."

"It was an accident!" she claims again.

I toss the towel on the counter. "Good to see you, Colin. Text me tomorrow after it's done." I put my arm around Gemma's waist. Her body is trembling. "Let's go."

"Nolan. Wait!" Colin demands.

I spin with Gemma.

He steps forward and kisses Gemma's cheek. "It's nice to meet you. I'm Colin. I'm sorry about my sister." He throws daggers at Molly.

Gemma smiles. "It's nice to meet you, too."

"Let's get together another time?" Colin asks.

Gemma answers for me. "Sure. That would be nice."

"Okay. I'm sorry again about your dress and hair."

"Not your fault," Gemma replies.

"I'll see you later," I fume, so pissed at Molly, I need to get out of here or I'm going to say something I regret. I guide Gemma out the door and text my driver. He's only down the street and pulls up quickly.

We get in the car. I turn to Gemma. "I'm sorry. I can't believe she did that."

Gemma takes a deep breath. "Colin seems nice."

I slide my arm around her. "I'm impressed with how you handled that."

Gemma's face hardens. "It only took her destroying my dress for everyone to see her true colors."

I sigh and tug her into me. "I'm sorry."

"I take it you didn't get to break her heart yet?" She raises her eyebrows.

"Colin is talking to her tomorrow. He'll make sure she removes all the pictures of me off her social media," I inform.

She turns to the window and mutters, "She's lucky I didn't punch her."

"Especially since you've been working out with Uncle Patrick," I tease, trying to lighten the mood.

She pins her blue gaze on mine. In a cold voice, she replies, "The next time she wants to mess with me, I can't guarantee you I'll remain calm."

The car stops. I don't respond to her comment. I can't blame her and don't think I would have remained quiet. I move her dress over her shoulder and trace the blue lace on her lingerie. "Since you were such a rock star tonight, I think I'm going to have to show you how proud of you I am."

"Oh?" She tilts her head and bites on her smile.

"As I've told you before, good girls get rewarded. And you were exceptional tonight."