Total pages in book: 80
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 76782 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 384(@200wpm)___ 307(@250wpm)___ 256(@300wpm)
Finn chuckled, not at all put out. “I prefer boss. And the only place you’ll see me domesticated is with my wife.”
“Some of the men call you OG,” Niall stated with a straight face, glancing at me with a wink. “Old Goat, I believe.”
“Feck off,” Finn muttered. “Original Gangster. Which I am not.”
Sully slid his arm around my shoulders, pulling me close. “I’m not a mobster, lass. I’ve explained that.”
Niall leaned back, cocking his head. “No. He’s right. No mobster would be caught dead making origami flowers.”
Sully glared at him, then smiled smugly. “My flowers show how dexterous my fingers really are. Autumn here has no complaints on that end, do you, mo fhiadh beag?”
The girls squealed at his term of endearment and wanted to know how he’d decided on it.
“The first time I saw her, she was terrified of me. With her tawny hair and dark eyes, she looked like a scared little fawn. It stuck.”
We fell into a conversation about nicknames and other things. We had just finished coffee when Finn asked the big question. “So, when are you heading back, Sully?”
“Soon,” he said shortly. “I need to figure that out with Autumn.”
“And you, Autumn? When will you join him?”
My throat felt thick as I answered. “As soon as I am able.”
Finn nodded. “Whatever you need, you tell us. We’ll make sure it happens.”
I glanced out the window at the lights that twinkled in the darkness. The city was vast, spread out before us in the night. And without Sully around, it was going to feel scarier.
Sully tucked me closer to his side. He was thinking the same thing.
The next day, Sully took me to Lynn’s. “I can have this cleaned out and moved to the other side of the building in a couple of hours. We can deliver your boxes from the storage unit there, and you can—”
I cut him off by touching my finger to his mouth. “I will let you move the big items. The rest, I will donate or sell. The funds can go into her account here for haircuts and incidentals. Since this unit is on the third floor, it will be easier to come and go than up on the tenth.”
“Give it all away, and I’ll replace it.”
“Sully, I still have to wait until she is in here and settled.” Impatience filled my tone, and I flung up my arms. “I can’t leave her, you must understand that. She is my priority. I’m not a millionaire able to do whatever I want whenever I want. Toss out perfectly good items so I can run off and have hot sex with an Irishman because he’s impatient. I have responsibilities I have to see through. I have to sort out my life here. My job. I can’t just leave!” By the end of my tirade, I was almost yelling. Sully lifted his eyebrows in surprise.
“Well, lass,” he began, “that was quite the tongue-lashing.”
I crossed my arms, tapping my foot in agitation.
He sighed and stepped closer. “And I deserved it. I’m sorry. You’re right. I’m an impatient bastard. I hate the thought of leaving you here—even if it’s only for a month. I know you have responsibilities. I want to make this easier on you—not harder. So tell me what you want, and I’ll do it. Tell me to shut up, and I will.”
“And if I tell you to leave?”
“No. That I can’t do, mo fhiadh beag. That’s not what you want either, is it?”
“No.” I let myself rest my head on his chest. “Just help. Stop trying to do everything. Arrange to move the furniture for me. Order me some boxes. When you leave, I am going to stay here.”
“I’d prefer you at the hotel.”
“But if I’m here, I can work on my sorting anytime I want.”
He frowned.
“There is a locked front door. And there’ve been no sightings of Alan. I’m sure he’s lost interest. You told me that happened before.”
“Davey will drive you wherever you want to go. Stay with you when you’re out. I’ll not be swayed on that.”
“Fine. I need to ask Georgia for the okay to stay here.”
“I’ll handle that. It’s as good as done.”
“What did you say to her to get her to be so cooperative?”
He grinned. “She and her husband are the majority owners of this place, so she can bend the rules.”
“I know, but she usually doesn’t.”
“They love to gamble. Finn says they’re regulars. I happened to mention he is my cousin, and he’d be happy to treat them to a weekend in the VIP suite. Perhaps the same in Niagara Falls—he’ll call in a favor there. I also mentioned front-row spots to see Una sing. She was almost salivating. I think you’ll find her much more agreeable to many things.”
I rolled my eyes. “Poor Finn.”
“Don’t be daft. He was too happy to do it. Don’t you get it, Autumn? You’re not alone now. You have all of us.” His eyes crinkled as he held back a laugh. “A trio of Irish mobsters to ease your life.”