Page 29 of An Angel’s Share (The Greystone Family: Greystone Brothers #1)

Jonno

I spill my guts to my sister on the plane over to Ireland. There is no point lying to her, no point in beating around any bushes. By the time she gets to Ireland she’ll know the score and hassle me there. I might as well come clean now, save myself the prolonged pain and torture.

I confess to her about my night in CAshO.

How Aoife made me feel. How I’d never felt that sort of pull towards any woman ever.

How she’d played on my mind so much, I’d decided I was going to contact them next time I was there to try and get her details.

I also confessed about the condom breaking.

And our agreement about the morning after pill.

If I hadn’t had so much on with her and the baby and then Marshall and his thief, I would have gone earlier.

She gasps at the condom story, but sits through the rest grinning like a Cheshire cat, the smuggest look on her face.

“I knew someone would catch you eventually. Someone somewhere had to be as crazy as you. Your perfect match. I am so happy for you. I love you, Jonno.” I nearly choke up at that, but then she completely blitzes me.

“You’re too beautiful a man inside and out to be on your own forever, baby bro.

I knew we’d have to share you sooner or later.

Someone else would spot how amazing you are. ”

The look of love she gives me has me speechless.

Tears appear in both our eyes. I wholeheartedly love my sister, my partner in every crime when we were young.

She’s put up with so much from me over the years.

All the following her around, the surveillance—she never moaned about it.

She knew I needed her safe. I needed her to be there for me. As she always had been.

“Whoa Kitten, please don’t cry, I’m not leaving you all.”

She gifts me a wide smile. “No chance, we’ll all follow you anyway.

No escape for you. You thought it was you following us all these years.

Wrong, Jonno.” She prods at my chest. “We’ve just kept you close.

At times a bit close for comfort, but on the whole, close enough.

Have you told her how you feel?” She’s so matter of fact.

As if pronouncements of love are an everyday occurrence.

I tell her about my declarations, the kitchen, the coffee shop, the clearing, the stables, and finally in her bed. Her jaw is getting slacker and slacker.

“I leave you alone for a couple of weeks, and this is what you do? Jonno Greystone, you are officially insane.” She has the back of her hand to her forehead in a fake fainting move, laughing at me.

“Well look, that’s the good bits. The next bit is not so much.” I blow out a breath. What the fuck am I going to do? I’ve never been this conflicted. Ruthless and calculated, yes. Conflicted and unsure? Not a chance.

My phone pings with an email attachment from the Isle of Man. I close my eyes and pray it won’t say what I know it will .

“Is this to do with the stuff James was talking to you about? The dodgy companies in America and the Caymans?”

I nod at her, hitting ‘open’ on the attachment. My heart sinks to my boots and my breath stutters in my chest as I stare in dismay at the paperwork that’s open in front of me. The can of worms that have crawled out of that fucking company.

“Fuuuck,” I scrub my hand down my face and turn the phone towards Evie, showing her the printed name at the bottom of the application for the business. The only signatory: Aoife O’Clery.

“Shit. Are you sure it’s her signature? Loads of people set up companies in other people’s names.

” She starts flapping her hands trying to recall some information to prove it.

“Look at that issue Nic the forensic accountant had last year. Twelve businesses opened in under a week, all in one of his client’s names.

Nobody could stop it. It happens, Jonno.

” Her voice is getting desperate as she tries to shift some blame.

“I know. And I’m trying to find reasons why it isn’t her.

If it was anyone else, I would be all over them, eagerly relieving them of the money.

But I’m so desperate for it not to be her, we’ve left it alone to see if she does move it.

It’s been there for over three years. Five hundred fucking million in that account alone, accumulating nicely.

All been syphoned off from O’Clerys , no one any the wiser, while the origin company is sinking in Ireland.

Yet all the profits have sat, happily waiting to be moved into the sun, for a holiday in the Caymans. ”

Evie takes the phone and studies the signature and the name printed underneath, her breath coming in pants. I don’t want her to get upset. She’s pregnant again. I don’t want to dump my crap on her, but I can’t help it. I’m helpless.

A. N O’Clery.

The name might as well be in neon lights. Flashing and playing a loud annoying tune.

Evie, always the one with the million dollar question, asks, “Do you still want to be with her, if she is the thief? Will you tell her to put it back? Or ignore it?” Her voice is quiet, and I can see she’s starting to think through the consequences.

“I keep going backwards and forwards on it. I know Marshall and Seamus will say leave it alone. They might not even do anything. Ask me to plug the holes and leave it. Or they might tell her to stop the thieving and let’s all move on. But can you imagine the hurt in either of those scenarios?”

Evie gets tears in her eyes thinking about how upset Marshall is going to be over his niece. He adores her. Even I can’t contemplate that one.

“Are you sure, Jonno? What if she’s been set up? She’s been doing her doctorate. This signature could be forged.” My sister is even trying to find reasons why it can’t be her. And I know it is all for me, and Marshall. To save us from pain.

“It’s that fucking cask company. She said outright she had gone to see it in California.

If she had not told that fucking story, I might agree a bit with you.

It’s all a bit basic and obvious, isn’t it.

Her name on everything. Even the Cayman accounts.

If she was really smart, she would have opened them through trusts and subsidiaries.

Bit like you Evie, with your property companies when we were hiding you from Kell.

Your name was nowhere near anything. No names, no accountability.

Just innominate corporations, anonymous companies, and unspecified trusts. ”

“Exactly, it’s easy to do. If she’s so smart to embezzle five hundred mil, surely you would hide it a bit. Not print your fucking name at the bottom of the page.” She’s incredulous.

“Maybe that’s the ploy. Be so fucking obvious no one thinks anything about it.

Hiding in plain sight. It’s a good idea.

Had we not been looking for it, we wouldn’t have noticed a company set up by a family member.

I would have assumed it was legit, for the benefit of all.

Very inconspicuous. Trades in and out of O’Clerys. ”

“Or maybe someone else has run out of ideas. Used her name, forged her signature. Again, easy to do.” She’s trying to slow my brain down. Keep countering. It isn’t working.

“Why say you’ve been to that fucking company then, when it doesn’t exist? Neither does the other one in New York. Unless you’re trying to throw people off the scent.”

My mind is spinning. I want her, I want our baby, my stomach is in knots thinking around the problems. But I know myself. I won’t be able to leave her alone. Thief schmief.

“I want her regardless. Thief or not, I’m all in, Evie. Too far gone to be rational. I’ll sleep with one eye open. Padlock my fucking wallet. Story of my life.”

She grins at that. “Penance for all your dirty work, like following me around. But seriously, Jonno, do you think you can get past it? I Know you’re a morally grey man, but you try not to be.

And you keep us all safe. You do the hard yards, get your hands dirty so we don’t have to. Jackson is the same.”

“Morally grey. Really? That’s how you think of me?” I’m gobsmacked, but she nods, almost laughing.

“One hundred percent, and I love and thank God that you are. I did not say I was pure as fresh snow. I’m not, none of us are.

And if you look at my press, in some quarters I’m morally bankrupt.

” She rolls her eyes at me. “Look at Jackson, what he did in the forces, what he does for a living now. We do what needs to be done. Family above all. We keep each other safe. And if that includes you loving a thief, then so be it. If that is us protecting a thief in the family from jail, then okay. Dr A.N. O’Clery. ”

I sit, considering her words. Morally grey. Well my name is Greystone.

“Have I shocked you, brother? If I was bothered I would not have handed my sons over to you to train in the dark arts. All these little ones will come to you and you will do the same for them. All of them. I love who you are, Jonno. And I’m sure Aoife has seen that person.

Maybe that’s what drew her in. Maybe that is what enticed you in.

Kindred souls. An immoral pairing. A thief and a scoundrel.

A match made in heaven. No, sorry, CAshO.

” She’s fully laughing now. “I can’t wait to meet her.

The red-headed thief. Or was it black-haired?

” She’s switching her palms up and down.

“Stole the cash and your heart. Typical Jonno Greystone. Never straight forward.”

I’m laughing with her. And it’s not even funny.

“I can’t wait for you to meet her. I’ll be very interested in what you think about her.

” I sit back, happy to divest myself of all my feelings.

“I’m in love, Evie. For the first time in my life, I am in love.

And typical, the woman is wild, crazy, and a thief.

She’s maybe not as feral as you, but not far off. ” I grin at her.

“Feral. I’m not feral. I’m a steady and calm person, sedate and serene.”

We start to cry with laughter. Tears are running down my face. She is as far from serene and calm as any person can get .

The twins come staggering over with Tommy, who is looking very frazzled.

Valentina, the nanny, brings baby Rio to be fed.

I take the twins for a story, leaving Evie chatting away to Valentina.

My mind needs to shut off, and these two little beauties demand your attention so much you can’t focus on anything else.

“Are you sure these two kids are Kell’s? They’re a bit good looking, even for him.”

She peers at me from under her brows. “Don’t start that up again. I don’t think I’ve ever gotten over it. And you might be a lot of things, but blind you’re not.”

I grin at that, tweaking the noses of the mini replicas of Kellen Russell sitting on my knees.

“But at least there’s no one doubting this little girl. You’re beautiful, just like your Papa.” She beams a smile full of love at the baby who is gurgling away. The boys drop to the floor, dragging the books with them.

“She is a gorgeous little girl. You’re a cherub.”

I kiss the baby and feel a pull on my leg as the boys want my attention. Grinning, I take up the story again, and am going again for the third time as we descend into Dublin.