Chapter Twenty-One
Charlie did her best not to clutch Aiden’s arm as they walked up the steps to the hotel where Carrigan and James were holding their fundraiser.
The last twenty-four hours had been a whirlwind of activity, and though Charlie had fully expected not to see Aiden for most of it, he checked in with her several times throughout the day.
He covered her hand with his. “We don’t have to do this if you don’t feel up to it.”
“I’m fine.” She felt like she’d been hit by a car, and her arms ached fiercely, but it was the truth.
Plus, she got the feeling that he was just as off-center about the night as she was.
Allied or not, his relationship with Carrigan was problematic at best. They obviously loved each other, and just as obviously had been close once, but Aiden had been genuinely surprised by the invitation to tonight’s charity dinner.
She’d have to be way more banged up to be the reason he skipped it.
Charlie squeezed his arm. “Everything will be fine.”
“I know.” He held the door open for her, and they checked their coats. Aiden stopped and grinned. “Bright eyes, you’ve outdone yourself.”
“This old thing?” Charlie smoothed her hands down the deep purple dress she’d chosen for tonight.
Really, it was the only option, since it had long sleeves, which would cover her arm bandages.
But she loved it all the same. The high neckline cut across her collarbone and created sharp points off her shoulders, and the back dipped all the way down to the base of her spine.
He circled her, his green eyes intense. “If we make it through the night without my dragging you to a room upstairs, it will be a goddamn miracle.”
She licked her lips. Under his gaze, her body flashed hot, as if he’d reached out and touched her. “How much time do we have?”
“There you are!”
Aiden’s expression shuttered. “Not enough, apparently.” He moved to her side and pressed his hand to the small of her bare back as they turned to face Carrigan.
She looked absolutely stunning. She wore a black dress with long sleeves, though hers left her shoulders bare. It hugged every curve and was just shy of being too short for respectable company, even with her black tights. Paired with her wild dark hair and berry lipstick and she was a showstopper.
Carrigan came in and gave Charlie’s cheek an air-kiss. She raised her eyebrows. “Look at us, practically twins.”
“Carrigan.”
She ignored the warning in Aiden’s tone and carefully looped her arm through Charlie’s. “Since we’re friends now, I think it’s best we pretend all of that nasty business with my calling you a gold-digging whore never happened.”
“How charitable.”
She laughed. “Yes, well, James had some strong words about the whole situation, as I’m sure you can imagine.”
“Aiden and I had the same…talk.” She glanced over her shoulder to find him a few steps back.
He didn’t look particularly happy to be there, but even as she watched, his expression smoothed out and a practiced smile took the place of irritation.
If Charlie hadn’t been paying such close attention, she would have missed the transition entirely.
Carrigan led the way to a circular table near the front of the room. “This is a plated dinner, so you don’t have to deal with any of the silent auction nonsense that we sometimes do.”
When Aiden mentioned that his sister was married to James Halloran, Charlie had pictured a life…well, a life more like she imagined Dmitri or Aiden had. Out of the spotlight and in the shadows.
Apparently, she couldn’t have been more wrong.
There were people in this room who populated both the local and national news cycles, and even a handful of major celebrities. She turned to Carrigan with renewed interest. “What is the money from this dinner going to?”
“Aiden didn’t tell you?” Some of the sharpness bled out of the way she held herself, and her smile turned downright soft.
“This money goes to fund housing, education, and various needs of women and children who were victims of sex trafficking. If they don’t have a home to go back to, or don’t want to go back, we do our best to give them the tools they need to support themselves and have what passes for a well-adjusted life. ”
Charlie considered her. “You do other things to combat sex trafficking, don’t you?” Illegal things.
“I could tell you, but…you know.” Carrigan raised a finger to her lips, her green eyes amused. “Don’t get it into your head that we’re superheroes or any of that bullshit. I just hate the fuckers who deal in the flesh trade, and I’ll do whatever it takes to see their businesses ground to dust.”
Sex trafficking was one of the biggest world trades, and modern times hadn’t slowed down the numbers any.
It was also one of the most frustrating elements of working for law enforcement—as soon as they arrested one sex-trafficking cell, two more popped up, and the original cell often ended up maneuvering out of the charges.
It was a lesson in insanity and frustration, made worse by the fact that innocent women and children were suffering as a result.
Charlie stopped next to the chair with her name on it.
“Do you think we could talk frankly about it at some point?” She wanted to know what, exactly, Carrigan and James were doing, and what kind of difference they might be making without the red tape of the law holding them back.
The possibilities sent a thrill of excitement through her.
“Sure. I’ve got some free time next week if you want to talk the down and dirty planning of it. I can’t show you everything, of course, but I can speak in broad strokes.”
“I’d like that.”
“Carrigan.”
Charlie jumped, having been so focused on Carrigan that she temporarily forgot Aiden was behind them. She slid out of the woman’s grasp and moved to his side, offering him silent support. The siblings faced off, and the light disappeared from Carrigan’s eyes. She gave him a mocking smile. “Aiden.”
“Don’t do that.” He stepped closer and kept his voice low enough that the people milling around wouldn’t be able to hear without actively trying to eavesdrop.
Charlie had every intention of giving them their privacy, but Aiden’s hand against her back kept her in place. The tension in his fingers wasn’t apparent in the rest of his body, which just went to show how locked down he had himself.
He pressed his lips together and then sighed. “I’m sorry.”
“You’ll have to be more specific.”
“I’m sorry that I made the call I did about Romanov. It was fucked, and I was wrong.”
From the shock on Carrigan’s face, this was the first time Aiden had said any of this. She recovered quickly, though. “You know, it’s funny.”
“What’s that?”
“I really did you a favor by telling you and Seamus to fuck off. The balance of power in Boston is stable for the first time in a few generations.”
“I know.”
She did a double take. “What?”
“Did you know Seamus ordered me to drag your ass back to the house about a week after he changed his mind about letting you go?” Aiden shook his head.
“I told him no. I might not like that big blond bastard of yours, but the fact remains that you two have changed the Hallorans—and our relationship with them. Devlin would have been proud.”
The “blond bastard” in question appeared behind Carrigan as if by magic. He wrapped an arm around her waist, which was when Charlie realized Carrigan was shaking. Damn it, I should have noticed before. Though it wasn’t as if Carrigan would have allowed her to offer comfort.
James shot them a look that wasn’t entirely friendly. “I think you should leave.”
“No, it’s okay.” Carrigan leaned back against him. “It’s just family business—mending fences and all that. Can’t fix things without reopening a wound or two.”
“Bullshit.”
She lightly smacked his arm. “You’re being overprotective, and I think my injuries must have gone to my head, because I’m actually enjoying it.
” She turned her attention back to Aiden and Charlie.
“Enjoy dinner. And…Aiden.” She hesitated.
“I hear what you’re saying. I’m not going to pretend either of us can wave a magic wand and fix shit, but I’m willing to try if you are. ”
Charlie didn’t think he breathed for a full ten seconds. “I’d like that.”
“Good.” She nodded. “And if you’re really serious about mending fences, this is your chance to do it right.”
She followed Carrigan’s gaze and found Teague and Callista moving through the crowd toward them. Things are about to get interesting.
* * *
It felt like a fucking ambush. Aiden had come here tonight intending to start to set things right with Carrigan.
No one had said a goddamn thing about Teague being here.
When Callie latched on to Charlie and switched seats so that he was next to his brother and the women were occupied, he knew it for a fact. “You planned this shit.”
Teague set down the beer he’d carried over. “You’ve been dodging my calls.”
“I’ve been busy.” He hadn’t been ready to pull the figurative trigger when it came to dealing with his brother’s betrayal. But it had to be done, and thanks to his slip a year ago, Teague knew that Aiden knew. They’d been circling each other ever since.
“That’s bullshit, and you know it.” Teague’s body language was relaxed and his face open, so anyone watching them would have no idea the intensity of their conversation.
When had his little brother learned to lie so well?
Aiden cast a glance around. Most people were starting to move to their seats, but the rest of their table was empty for the time being. There was no avoiding this confrontation any longer, even though the last place he wanted to deal with it was here in the middle of such a public place.
Maybe it’s for the best. I’m not as likely to punch him in the fucking face.
At least in theory.
“You want to do this here.”
Teague nodded. “I never pegged you for a coward, Aiden. Let’s get this out and done with so we can move on.”