Unintended (The Sin Trilogy 5)

“You’ve already chosen a place, haven’t you?”

Mitch knows me well. “I have, and it’s very private. The perfect place to get to know one another without interruptions.” From my own experience, I’ve learned that interruptions aren’t great.

“I say let’s book it.”

It’s official. Ellison MacAllister is one of us. It wasn’t without pain and agony on my brother’s part. He still wears the proof of everything he endured for her, but Jamie has his mate. The woman he loved but thought he didn’t deserve is finally his.

Duncan’s is packed with Fellowship members and the Hendrys present to represent The Order. Our treaty is new, but I’m at ease just knowing that it’s in place. Not that I fully trust the treaty to make the monsters of The Order behave. I have more trust that Kieran’s sniping rampages have convinced them to think twice about violating the treaty or committing treason.

Kieran wraps his arms around me from behind, and I lean into him. He presses his mouth to my ear and whispers all the things he wants to do to me when we get home. He’s putting our physical connection on display for all to see, and that makes me even crazier for him.

I’m falling in love with Kieran. It happens a little more every day. I wonder if people can see that when they look at me and the way I melt against him.

My heart is in this, but his is not. Kieran isn’t falling in love with me. He’s in lust with me. His body craves mine. Big difference. But I’ll take it for now. There’s always room for love to grow.

“Speech, speech, speech,” the crowd chants and Jamie takes Ellison’s hand to lead her onto the stage.

Ellison speaks first. “I would like to start by thanking you for coming out tonight to celebrate my inception as a Fellowship member. I’m incredibly grateful for and overwhelmed by your acceptance. I look forward to getting to know you.”

Everyone cheers when she finishes, and my brother steps forward to take the spotlight. “There was a lot of interest in claiming Ellison. I feel it’s necessary to make it clear where she and I stand so there’s no confusion. I claimed her eleven days ago. I underwent endurance in her place three days later, hence the reason I’m limping and look like I’ve been hit by a train. She is mine. We have notified the district registrar of our intent to marry, and she will become my wife in eighteen days. But I left off one very important detail. I never properly asked her to be my wife.”

Oh my God. He’s going to properly propose, here, in front of everyone.

He drops to one knee, and Ellison covers her mouth with her hands. “Jamie.”

He removes a black velvet box from the inner pocket of his jacket and cracks it open. “Ellison Brooke MacAllister. We started out as acquaintances and then friends. I felt the change happening—the one where I was falling in love with you. It was a deep, profound, true love, but I tried to fight it. Deny it. I thought I wasn’t the right man for you. I was wrong. Our love was inevitable. Totally and utterly beyond our control. It knew what we needed before I did. I love you, Ellison. I want to be your husband. I want to be the father of your children. Will you marry me?”

My brother just told Ellison that he loves her in front of the entire brotherhood. I’m thrilled for them, ecstatic, but I envy the hell out of them. I want that—a man who will profess his love for me in front of his entire brotherhood.

Her smile says everything before the words come. “Yes. I will marry you.”

He slides the ring on her finger and brings it to his mouth for a kiss. He lowers his voice and says something I can’t hear. But I don’t need to. I already know what he’s saying to her. And I know what she’s saying to him.

“What did they just say to each other?”

“Into me, you see.”

“Is that significant?”

“Those are the most significant words one can ever speak to another. They’re the definition of true intimacy, the words shared between Fellowship members when they want to express how greatly they love each other. You get to say those words to one person during your entire lifetime.”

“It’s the Fellowship version of mo chroí.”

“I guess it’s similar.”

“I think it’s the same. Mo chroí is only said during the claiming and when you express your affection to your mate. I only have one heart and if you are it, no other woman can ever be my heart. Therefore, I can never say mo chroí to any other woman.”

I hadn’t realized that the meaning behind mo chroí was so similar to into me, you see. I’m the only woman in Kieran’s heart. I don’t doubt that, but I’m not his whole heart… yet. But I’m going to be one day though.

Mitch gains my attention before walking out the front door. Our cue. He will be waiting at the back door to grab Shaw. It’s my job to lure her there. “Okay, Mitch just walked out.”

“I hope this doesn’t backfire in our faces.” Kieran still has concerns about Shaw’s reaction.

“I wouldn’t dare to play a part in this plan if she hadn’t confessed her instant attraction to Mitch or her desire to be taken. Stop worrying, big brother. Your sister is going to be a very happy woman.” Just like I was. Just like I am.

“I trust your judgment.”

Shaw is suddenly wearing a frown, and I think her eyes may even be glassy. “Hey, what’s wrong?”

“Mitch left. He didn’t even talk to me.”

She’s disappointed. That’s a good sign. “I thought he was interested when we spoke a few days ago. He couldn’t stop looking at me or touching my hand. Was I wrong? Is that not a sign of interest?”

“I don’t think you were wrong. Mitch is on the council; he’s important. Probably just had to step out to handle some Fellowship duties. I wouldn’t worry if I were you. He’s already told you that he’s coming for you on Sunday.” I loop my arm through hers. “Let’s go to the stockroom and sneak a drink away from everyone else. I know where they keep the good stuff.”

“Lead the way.” My arm is still looped through hers as we walk to the back of the pub. “Your brother really loves Ellison. It’s crystal clear.”

“He does, with all of his heart.”

“That’s what I wanted. What I was fighting so hard for. To be with a man who loves me with all of his heart.” I hear sadness in Shaw’s voice. Regret.

“You can have that with Mitch. Maybe not today, but it can happen.”

“We didn’t choose each other.”

“Kieran and I didn’t choose each other either, but I already feel things happening between us.”

“My brother is different with you. Softer. Not the jackass he usually is with a woman, and I can’t believe it. I didn’t think it was possible, but things are working out between you. I see it happening right before my eyes.”

I release Shaw’s arm and open the back door.

“They keep the good stuff out here?”

Mitch comes out of the shadow and pulls Shaw against him, his arm around her lower back. “Yes, the best stuff.” His mouth comes down on hers before she can protest. She struggles against him for a moment and then gives in, her hands diving into the back of his hair.

I think I should leave.

Mitch stops kissing her and grasps her chin. “I’m here to take what’s mine, and you’re not going to tell me that I can’t. I’ve decided I want you now, and I’m not waiting anymore.” He hoists Shaw over his shoulder and carries her toward the black sedan waiting behind Duncan’s. She lifts her head and looks at me, smiling, and I know this was the right decision.

My plan is a success. “Have fun.”

I’m on my way back into the pub when I run into Lorna and Bleu in the hallway. It’s evident that Lorna’s been crying. “Hey, what’s going on?” Bleu motions for me to follow them into the stockroom. “Did Leith do something to her?” I will kill him if he has said something stupid like last time.

“He hasn’t done anything. I’m just upset because I haven’t been back to Duncan’s since that day.”

That

day. We all know that day refers to when Leith humiliated Lorna and broke her heart. That was over a year ago, and she’s still suffering. But Leith is too… which serves him right for everything he’s done to my friend.

“Do you need to go?”

“Ellison has become one of my best friends. I hate to not be here to celebrate her inception, but this place still hurts. Seeing him still hurts. I don’t think I can stay.”

“If you can’t, you can’t. Ellison will understand. We all will.” This place holds a lot of good memories and a lot of terrible ones.

Bleu wipes the falling tears from Lorna’s face. “I can call Sterling to come by and take you home.”

Lorna shakes her head. “Thanks, but I drove my car.”

I wrap my arms around my friend and caress her hair. I feel terrible for her and maybe a little guilty for not checking in on her lately. “I’m so sorry you’re hurting, Lolo.”

“I got myself into this. I deserve everything that happens to me after what I did.” Lorna is a self-loather who can’t forgive herself. She believes she’s a horrible person when that isn’t the case at all.

“Don’t say that.”

Lorna looks at Bleu. “I still don’t understand how you can be so kind to me. You or Ellison.”

“How many times must I tell you that it happened before Ellison or I came along. We can’t hate you for something you did with Sin and Jamie before we knew you or them.”

The door opens, and Leith stands in the doorway looking at us. “What’s going on in here?”

I’m certain that Lorna won’t want him to know that she’s in the stockroom crying over him, so I grab a bottle of whisky from the shelf. “Lorna was showing us where you keep the good stuff.” She used to be head barmaid here. That sounds like a good excuse for being in the stockroom, right?

“That’s not the good stuff.”

Shite. “Well, you walked in before she could show us.”

Lorna walks to the door and tries to push past Leith. “You can show them; I was just leaving.”

Leith grasps her wrist, and she stills. He leans close. His voice is barely more than a whisper, but I’m able to make out his words. “Please don’t go.”

She won’t even look at him. “I have to.”