Chapter 11
Alina
Istraighten a row of organic cotton sweaters hand-knit by artisans living in some tiny fishing village at the edge of Ireland.
Beneath them are boots made by a bunch of hiking-obsessed hippies out of Oregon.
I clean up the box of handcrafted sterling silver jewelry from Australia and run my hands over a stack of luxurious merino wool leggings.
“You look like you’re petting that stuff,” Kira calls from the register. She’s meticulously folding some new shirts we got in that are dyed in these incredible new washed styles from India. “Seriously, I think you love this stuff more than you love me.”
“The clothes never call me out.” I sigh and rub my face against the wool legging. “So soft. So beautiful.”
“Creepy!”
“The leggings never call me creepy.”
“Sometimes I worry about you, Alina.”
I laugh and continue my circuit of Sistine.
The boutique’s been open for an hour and so far foot traffic’s been pretty light.
That’s normal for this time of day. We’ll get more shoppers midday and after work, and there are a few private slots reserved for high-end clients after we shut the doors at six-thirty.
Kira handles those unless I’m specifically requested, which is less often these days.
When I first opened Sistine, I figured it would be a fun distraction. I didn’t really take it seriously. I mean, I’m just some random girl, right? I didn’t know anything about operating a successful retail space.
But I got obsessed. That happens sometimes.
The numbers aspect of the job made sense, and Kira’s always been really good at marketing.
Together, we built a really good stock of rare and hard-to-find brands and started to build a reputation for cutting-edge style.
I try to keep prices as reasonable as possible, and Sistine has still managed to pull in a profit year after year, growing every single quarter.
I love it. I know I’m a lucky nepo baby and this never would’ve happened without my family’s money, but still. I got my start and I ran with it, and now Sistine is my everything.
“You know nothing’s changed since you last touched everything, right?” Kira gives me a look as I join her up front. I pull up our accounting software on the computer and start going through the numbers.
“I’m aware of that, thank you.”
“How’s life with the husband? Do you fold his underwear yet?”
I glare at her. “I don’t touch his clothes.”
“That’s shocking. I honestly can’t imagine you living with someone else and not constantly organizing all their stuff.”
I steadfastly stare at my screen. “We don’t live together.”
“You don’t? I thought that was happening?”
“It’s coming, but we haven’t exactly agreed on the logistics.”
She looks like she wants to answer, but the door opens and the bell chimes. A man enters, walking in with a slight swagger and confidence, and it takes me a moment before I recognize him.
Finn Whelan. Seamus’s younger brother. He’s handsome and charming. We’ve spoken a few times but only at the wedding. I don’t actually know him at all, and I have no idea what he’s doing here.
“Hello, newest member of my family,” he says as he walks over. The guy oozes confidence. I’m actually kind of jealous. “How’s business today?”
“Everything’s doing great. Uh, is everything okay with Seamus?”
Finn waves a hand. “Who knows? Who cares? I’m here to check out the shop. Mind if I browse?”
“Please, go ahead.” I share a look with Kira. Her eyebrows are straight up to her hairline.
Who is the hottie? she mouths.
I nudge her with my elbow.
Finn whistles as he moves through the store. Once he’s around the corner in the smaller men’s section, I lean in and whisper, “That’s my brother-in-law. Remember him?”
Kira shakes her head. “Wedding’s a blur, honestly, on account of the murder and the general weird vibes.”
“That’s fair. His name’s Finn.”
“Know anything about him? Like is he single and looking for a pretty young girlfriend to spoil?”
“Please don’t hit on him.”
“I wouldn’t dream of it.”
I glare at her. “Kira. I’m serious.”
She puts a hand over her heart. “You wound me, madam. How dare you cast aspersions on my honesty.”
I narrow my eyes. “Kira. I’m serious!”
“Good day to you.” She turns her back on me. “I will be helping the young gentleman shortly.”
“I know you’re lying when you start doing your weird Victorian England impression!”
“Balderdash!!” She glides away after Finn, and I’m left alone up front groaning to myself.
This can’t be good. Seamus’s family has never come to my boutique before, and no part of me thinks Finn’s here just to get to know me. That means something’s going on, and now I have to wait for the axe to drop.
Kira stays with Finn for a little while, and I do my best to ignore them as she gives him a tour around the store.
I glare at the numbers, pissed at them for not calming me down like they normally do.
Eventually, Kira chooses a bunch of clothes for Finn to try on, and I swear she’s about to invite herself into the dressing room with him.
It doesn’t come to that.
“I like him,” she says with a deep sigh. “Tall. Handsome. Very Irish.”
“Criminal,” I mutter.
“Aren’t we all criminals underneath the thin veneer of civil society?”
“It’s amazing how philosophic you get when it comes to thirsting after a hot guy.”
“To thirst or not to thirst—that is not really a question because I am parched.”
“Seriously. Kira. What’s he doing here?”
“I really don’t know,” she admits, sitting down on a stool and leaning her elbows on her knees. “Maybe he just needs a new wardrobe?”
“Highly doubt it.”
“Why not go ask him?”
I consider it. That’s probably the easiest thing to do. Except a part of me doesn’t feel like playing this game. I want Seamus to be simple and straightforward for once instead of making everything difficult.
“He’ll come to me eventually,” I say, turning back to the accounting software.
“I see you’re leaning into the stubbornness,” Kira whispers.
Finn appears around the corner a few moments later. He’s in a pair of Italian loafers, artisan-crafted chinos, and a slubby denim button-down. He looks like a hipster leatherworker, and I hate to admit that it really works.
“How’s this, ladies?” He beams, boyish and good-looking, and does a little spin. I catch Kira’s jaw drop open as she looks at his ass.
“You look fantastic,” she croons, coming around the counter. “Very handsome and masculine. That outfit’s stylish without being overwhelming.”
“I am all about being subtle.” He glances at me. “Do you agree with her, sister-in-law?”
“Sure, whatever Kira says about fashion is the gospel,” I mutter, not returning his smile.
“Come on, I have other ideas.” Kira leads him away.
For the next hour, he keeps trying on clothes.
Eventually, Kira loses interest, which actually took longer than I expected, but Finn’s still hanging around.
He keeps wandering, picking things up, pretending to care about them, looking out the front window, wandering some more, and generally being the most conspicuous person imaginable.
He glares death at the few shoppers we get.
One of them is just some regular guy, but Finn treats him like a straight-up criminal and follows him around the whole time, at least until he gets scared off.
The few women that show up are shadowed by him, though one doesn’t seem to mind.
I’m pretty sure she propositions him at some point before leaving in a disappointed huff.
Another hour passes that way. Even Kira starts to get frustrated. She approaches where he’s leaning near the front door, his little pretense at shopping basically dropped. Her arms are crossed over her chest.
“What’s your deal? Why are you lurking like a stalker?”
Finn only gives her a charming smile. “Stalkers don’t lurk out in the open. Trust me, I’d know. Have you ever noticed me around your house before?”
Her mouth drops open. “Uh, no?”
“Exactly.” He brushes a hand down his sleeves. “My stalking is very subtle.”
Kira instantly retreats back behind the counter. “He’s terrifying,” she whispers furiously. “And really hot. He can stalk me anytime.”
“Stop it,” I hiss, doing my best to pretend like my brother-in-law isn’t acting like a total creep.
After hour three, I finally lose it. I don’t know how he’s pretending like this is normal. When Kira leaves for her lunch break, I approach him, heart hammering in my chest.
“Why are you here, Finn?”
His eyebrows raise in surprise. “We’re actually doing this?”
“You’ve been hanging around my store all morning. What the hell is going on?”
“I figured you were just ignoring me.”
“Seriously. Either tell me what’s up or I’m calling Seamus.”
He squirms slightly, looking uncomfortable. “I thought he told you.”
“Told me what?” I ask, exasperated.
“He means well, okay? If it were me, I would’ve just told you by now. You know, healthy communication is the bedrock of every marriage?”
“Why are you parroting relationship clichés at me?”
“Seamus sent me here. He told me to keep an eye on you.”
That settles in my stomach like a lead ball. I stare at him, heart racing. Seamus needs his own brother to watch me? During my work hours?
Anger flares, and I struggle to keep it contained.
“Why would he do that?” I ask, jaw flexing.
“Oh, man. You’re pissed.”
“I’m not angry. I’m just trying to understand.”
He points at my face. “There’s a vein.” He squints, leaning in. “Right there on your forehead. It’s pulsing. You’re livid.”
“Stop that.” I swat at his finger, and he pulls it back like I’m a venomous snake. “Why did he send you to stare at me and flirt with my friend?”
“The flirting was my idea. She’s really cute. What’s her deal?”
“Stop avoiding the question.”
“He’s just worried, that’s all. Seamus has been the captain of our family’s street operations for years now, and that’s made him even more paranoid than the rest of us. I think the murders sent his worry into overdrive.”
That surprises me. I look away, frowning to myself. “I didn’t know Seamus was capable of worry.”
“He comes off like nothing matters, but it’s all a defense mechanism.”
“Okay, so you’re, what, my personal guard?”
“For today.”
“And you don’t have anything better to do?”
“Apparently not. I’m doing him a favor.”
“Well, cut it out. Go somewhere else.”
He shakes his head. “Can’t do that.”
“I’m not asking.”
“You’re going to learn this eventually, so I might as well spell it out.” He crosses his arms, his maddening smile getting bigger. “You married into a family of the most honest criminals known to man.”
“There’s no such thing as an honest criminal,” I say sharply and look away at the floor. “Trust me. I’d know.”
“You’re wrong there.” He puts on a stern-sounding voice. “Remember, boys, you are nothing without your word. Whelans do what they say they’ll do. Dad was really annoying about it, but the lesson stuck.”
“You’re going to stand around and scare away all my customers because you promised my husband to keep an eye on me? For some insane reason?”
He spreads his hands apologetically. “That about sums it up.”
I stare at him, struggling to maintain my composure. I barely know Finn, and I don’t want to take this out on him, but he’s really pissing me off.
Honestly, this whole marriage is driving me insane.
I knew it wouldn’t be easy. No part of hitching my life to a total stranger sounded simple.
But this is way worse than I imagined.
There’s a new complication at every turn. We’re struggling to agree on where we’ll live. Seamus is a paranoid crazy person and won’t leave me alone. And now his brother’s ruining my business, which is basically the only thing I really care about in this world.
With a deep, heavy sigh, I stare right into Finn’s face and step a little closer. His smile falters.
“I have one question, and I hope you’re as honest as you’re pretending.”
“Well, we do what we say we’ll do, but that doesn’t—”
I hold up a hand and cut him off. “I don’t care. Just answer one question.”
He shifts foot to foot. “What’s that?”
I lean in closer and lower my voice.
“Where the heck is my husband right about now?”