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“You’re welcome.” She strokes my arm, hinting once again how she wants me.
I’m a man. I know the tone, the look, the hair twirling.
But she’s my daughter’s nanny. I’m not crossing that line.
Plus, I’m still married, even if I don’t bother wearing the ring anymore. Even if I’ve not had sex in three years and am ready to explode.
“My brother is in trouble.” I shift so Olivia’s not touching me. “I have to fly to Vegas.”
Panic creeps into my throat, realizing I’ll likely need to bring Cormac back here, and somehow be present to take my daughter to a birthday party in twelve hours.
I don’t even know what kind of shape he’s in, or if it’s safe for him to be around my daughter.
Sophie comes first, always has.
Where else can Cormac go, though? I can’t call Kieran. He’ll send his jet and put Cormac on lockdown. He’ll go fucking nuts. Do and say shit to wipe out his relationship with the rest of our family. Cormac messed up, but I can’t let him burn those bridges.
Yes, I’m a fucking enabler.
This is my fault. I should have done more to prevent his downfall. We’re twins. We look out for each other. He’s my responsibility.
“Do you have plans tomorrow, Olivia?” I scroll on my phone and find the app to book a private jet.
A captain, a co-pilot, and a crew to fly to Vegas last minute, who will then wait in a private hanger while I go grab Cormac, will cost me a fortune.
All on a Friday. The busiest travel day to Sin City.
“I actually do have plans,” Olivia says. “Thanksgiving is coming up. I go shopping with my mother, and we prepare the house for relatives.”
While Sophie and I carve pumpkins, eat turkey, make Christmas cookies, and color Easter eggs, it’s only her and me for every holiday.
I could fly home and spend them with my massive family back East. But my brothers will pressure me to be a backroom butcher, stitching up knife wounds and digging bullets out of bloody flesh.
My adamant refusal to work for them has kept my daughter from a truckload of uncles. And a few aunts, now that my brothers are racking up wives.
Christ, two of them are married, last I heard when I checked in months ago.
At my mother’s insistence, I flew back home over the summer when Riordan was in the hospital after running into a burning building that collapsed on top of him. I also wanted to check on my ma, who’s sick with MS.
Since returning, I've pushed away the longing to be surrounded with family, but it's tearing me up inside. When my brothers were in their early twenties, they were hooligans, terrorizing the streets of Astoria for my da. I didn’t think I was missing anything.
Times have changed, and I wonder if I should consider going home to Astoria, too.
I have to deal with Cormac first. He’ll never go back home on his own. Kieran will lock him up with guards until he gets his act together. He’s the weak link with a drug problem and a big mouth that can bring their world crashing down.
He’ll hate me for dragging his ass back here, but I have to fix this.
My daughter skips into the dining room with her iPad.
“Sophie, honey, come here.” I breathe in relief when I get the confirmation that a jet is ready for me.
“Yeah, Daddy?”
“Uncle Cormac’s been in a car accident in Las Vegas.” My words tumble out, and I can’t believe I just said that.
“Oh, no!”
“He’s okay. But I have to fly down there and…” I won’t tell Sophie her favorite uncle’s been arrested. “He needs my help.”
