Nolan (Dangerous Doms 3)

Lachlan continues. “Maybe talk to her brother. Find out what you can.”

I nod. “Aye. And I’ll get in touch with Tully, too. Have you told anyone else?”

“Not yet.”

“Good. Don’t.”

“Aye,” he says. “But you can’t keep it from Keenan for long.”

“I know it. I’ll wait until I’ve had a chance to talk with her brother, though.”

Lachlan leaves. Sheena’s watching me curiously. How am I going to tell her what I know? Tiernan watches us as well, and for the first time since I’ve met him, I think he looks a little guilty.

He and I will have a word. Sheena, too. Did she know about this? Did she willingly bring a runner for the O’Gregors into our home?

I don’t know if I’ve made a mistake, bringing her here, bringing them all here. It’s complicated things.

But bloody hell, what’s life if it isn’t complicated? If you don’t take risks now and then? Where’s the pay-off in what’s easy to do? If there’s anything I’ve learned in my family, it’s that life and love are complicated. You have to face what comes at you, and choose to either bow to the demands of the world or let them strengthen you.

Sheena puts the baby in a pram Caitlin’s brought out to lend her, and he waves his chubby fists excitedly. Fiona takes the handle of the pram and offers to push it. “Go on, you walk with yer man,” she says to Sheena, giving us a coy look.

Yer man. I stifle a snort.

“Oh for pity’s sake, Fiona,” Sheena mutters.

I beckon to her. “Come here, now, lass. Yer man wants you.”

Tiernan watches us apprehensively. I suspect I know why he does. He wants to know his sister’s safe with me. What the lad needs to know himself is that I won’t allow him to endanger her either, by his own stupidity.

We walk down the path that leads us from the house, past the garden and out to the main road, the ocean behind us as we head into town.

Fiona chatters on about Aileen teaching her to plait her own hair, Caitlin showing her how to play patty-cake with the baby, and mam letting her help in the garden.

“You’re a lucky man, Nolan McCarthy,” Fiona says. “You’ve got an amazing family here. One most of us only dream about.” She flushes as soon as she says it, and looks to Sheena. “Oh, God, Sheena, I don’t mean it like that. It’s just—”

“Relax, Fiona,” Sheena says gently. Her siblings bring out the softer side of her. I like it. “I know what you mean, sweetheart. It’s okay.” She looks to me and her eyes grow a bit wistful. “I’ve thought the same myself, at times.”

Tiernan kicks a rock, his face sullen. He isn’t buying any of this. Fiona walks ahead when the baby spies a gull, and I intentionally keep Sheena back so Fiona can’t hear.

“We need a word with Tiernan,” I tell her.

“Oh?”

“Aye.” I tell her what Lachlan told me, simply and straightforward.

“You sure?”

“Aye, and I suspect he’ll tell us the truth when we ask.”

I watch her go from curious to angry. Her beautiful eyes harden, and her jaw firms.

“Mother of God,” she mutters. “Of all the—”

I squeeze her hand. “Sheena.”

When I say her name firmly, she responds to my sharp tone. She pauses, clenching her jaw, but stops talking.

“I know you’re angry, lass. What I need to know is the truth from you before we speak to him. Can’t let your temper cloud your judgment either. Did you know he worked with them?”

“No,” she says. “Nolan, I would’ve kicked his arse myself. I knew he had jobs, that he did various things, and he was earning money, that much I’ll admit. I knew that whatever he did was likely illegal, but I didn’t ask questions because I didn’t want to know the answers.”

She brings her hand to her brow and blows out a breath. “God, this is fucked up.”

I shrug. “Eh, nothing we haven’t dealt with before. The Clan, I mean. And we’ll deal with it again.”

Up ahead, the baby turns to us and waves his little dimpled fist. I grin, and wave back. When I look back at her, she’s watching me.

“Nolan, I know our relationship is… unconventional, one might say. I mean, I didn’t come here on a date. But I…” she pauses. “Do you know how hard it is for me to talk about my… feelings and crap like that?”

I squeeze her hand and can’t help but laugh. “Aye, lass. I do. And it’s one of the things I like best about you.”

“What’s that?” she says in a whisper, as if she’s afraid if she speaks too loudly her voice will crack.

“How brave you are. I see the real you. The one whose heart bleeds for those children, the ones you love.”

“You’re too good, Nolan McCarthy,” she whispers.