Page 1 of An Angel's Share
PROLOGUE
Jonno
Los Angeles,5 months ago
“Why are you here? She’s so close to having the baby, why would you leave now?” My older brother Jackson is glaring at me. “You wanted to be her baby birthing partner. Why abandon her now? Have you been winding those two up again? Have they thrown you out? Xander won’t put up with it, and if he gets pissed at you, Kellen will bust a gut.”
His eyebrows are getting nearer and nearer his hairline with each question and accusation. He always gets in a flap about our sister, Evie. Since he’s been living out in California, and we’re mainly in England, his paranoia has gone into overdrive. Add in the fact she’s pregnant and near her due date, he’s a total wreck.
“Chill, brother. She and the baby are fine. I’m only here for a few days. Then I’m back to Scotland for the birth of our niece.” I pat him on the back. “And of course I’ve been winding those two idiots up. It’s my purpose in life. I’ve even set myself goals.” I grin mischievously at himas he shakes his head. “They’re so fucking easy, it’s ridiculous. Kell is always blowing a gasket. He never learns. I love it.”
“Anyone would think you didn’t like them.” He laughs, walking into his open plan kitchen to grab us some drinks.
“They love our sister. And I love our sister. I like them while they’re loving her and our nephews. They drive me insane at times. Pull crazy stunts.” I shrug as I take the bottle of beer from him. “They’re part of our family. So whilst I can say and do what I want to them, no one else is allowed to. Greystone rules apply.” We clink bottles and take a drink to that mantra.
My brothers-in-law. Yep, two of them. My sister is certainly a go big or go home girl. Two men, one relationship, both rockstars. Yep, she went really big.
“So why are you here? Not that I’m not happy to see you. Christmas was shit without you all. And as much as I love it here, and the business is going nuts”—he wafts his hand around his new house—“it’s hard when I’m used to family around me all the time. I even had to settle for Kasey Becker’s party at New Year.” He blows a breath out at that, shaking his head. Clearly the party was a bit wild. “That man is as ridiculous as Kellen and Xander used to be. Women, drugs, drink. Younger women at that. He never learns either. Partying like it’s still 1984. The life of a celebrity Hollywood actor.” He sounds resigned, and tired of it all.
“You got him sorted with the security now?” I try to pull him back before he starts begging me to move to LA.
“Naw, his baby momma talked him into another firm.” He shrugs. “Nowhere near as good as ours, but cheaper definitely. More money for her to spend on herself rather than the son.” He rolls his eyes. “But I did get talking to Carter Maywood. He wants to meet for a coffee chat.” Hisface perks up at the thought of new business. “To see what I can do for him. Security wise,” he adds quickly as I raise my eyebrows and grin at him.
Carter is another huge Hollywood A lister—probably the biggest. And a massive flirt. Male, female, non-binary, flirting is his first priority. He has no filter, and no boundaries.
“Well that’d be a coup. He’s bigger than Kasey in star status. You sure it’s just business?” I side eye him. “He flirts as an olympic sport. Have had to tell him no myself a few times.”
“Fuck off, Jonno. I’m a professional. I’ve done my proposal, you want to see it?”
I point my finger at him in warning. “I trust you, brother, but I don’t trust him, so watch yourself.” Getting too close to Carter could be complicated—for anyone—if you didn’t have a professional game plan to deal with him. The man eats machiavellian strategies for breakfast.
He looks over at me like I’m deranged. “You do remember I am the older brother. And I was in the army, ran covert ops, and…other things. I think I can handle a coffee chat at the Daisy Café with Carter fucking Maywood. And stop changing the subject. You still haven’t said why the fuck you’re here.” He plonks himself down onto a settee, looking at me expectantly.
“Marshall’s whiskey company.O’Clerys.Something isn’t right. I went in the summer backwards and forwards to Ireland, as you know, after Marshall’s brother Seamus took ill. His other brother Dermot’s oldest son, Patrick, has stepped up and is running the show along with a couple friends of his. There’s a cousin, Seamus’s girl, who spends her time at university on the East Coast here in America. But she’s juggling the whole of the American operation byherself as well.” I take another swig of my beer. “Dermot’s younger son is fine, good actually, switched on. Unfortunately for us—or them, should I say—he’s still at uni. But Patrick, fucking hell. He’s an imbecile, who unfortunately thinks he’s a genius.” I roll my eyes.
“Dangerous then.” Jackson cocks his head at me. We both know the sort.
“Yep, the worst sort of dangerous. Thinks he’s in charge. Thinks his ideas are fucking brilliant. For the last ten years, he’s been getting more involved, digging his claws in deeper. And the company accounts are littered with his fuck ups. The costs and losses are astronomical. It made my fucking eyes water. I can’t believe Seamus hasn’t called a halt before now.”
“That’s definitely not good. Any idea why he hasn’t pulled him?”
I take another swig of my beer. “I suppose it’s because he’s Dermot’s oldest, being groomed by Dermot to take over. But he’s just not up to it. A number two, yes. He can certainly rally the troops. A great speaker, for sure. But business decisions? Cold, hard, business? Not a fucking chance. They’ll all be bankrupt in the next five years if this carries on.”
My voice is so dejected as I think about all the hard work Marshall and his brothers have put into the business over the years. How much Marshall cares about the company that has been going since the late seventeen hundreds. It’s nearly gone under loads, most recently with Marshall's mother rescuing it from near collapse and turning it into a powerhouse. A name known around the world. Putting this part of Ireland, and the whiskey, on the map. And now it’s come to this.
“Incompetence is not a crime, Jonno. Neither is nepotism,” he reminds me sagely.
“No, but theft and fraud are. I’ve tracked things back with the help of that forensic accountant mate of yours, and it all seems to stem from here. America. Things start to get squirrely as soon as the American expansion starts. So I’m here to go look at a company who invoices them regularly for casks and storage.”
“California for casks? Really?” Jacksons face is the picture of confusion.
“Exactly. If they’d have chosen Kentucky or something, the more normal geographical location for cask sourcing, I might not have thought anything about it. But something about this one… Well anyway, I’m going to the place later today to have a poke around. They also use the place for storage of the casks. Very expensive storage.” I knock back my beer, contemplating the issues ahead.
“Do you expect me to feed you?” He’s grinning at me.
“Of course. We can go out if you want,” I say innocently, looking up at him through my lashes.
“Oh Jesus, I don’t go to that club anymore. Only when you come, you know.” He’s trying to look nervous. He’s failing.
