AllFreeNovel Stories worth discovering

A Very Irish Scandal

Page 80

by Anya London

“I think that’s my cue to go,” said Hayes. “Can’t miss my flight. Be careful. Your brother’s pissed off a lot of people.”

Hayes left as abruptly as he arrived.

They’d barely kept up with his strides to the door. When his car disappeared around the bend, Addison turned to Oliver. “Tell me. What are you keeping from me? How did your brother get that information on Kyle when we couldn’t?”

Stepping back inside the house, Oliver shut the door, but with the curtains open now, it no longer felt like a prison. “He must have checked in with his connections.”

Could the man be less specific? “His connections?”

His gaze softened as he traced a finger along her jaw. For a moment, she forgot her question.

“He used to work for the government. Still has a few contacts. I don’t want him tangled up in this. With Joy about to give birth, he needs to focus on his family. I can’t let this blow back on them.”

Oliver loved his family as much as she loved hers. She’d never ask for him to put his siblings in a bad situation. “I get that. But what was that look between you two? There’s something about Kyle that you’re keeping from me.”

She’d expected Oliver to hedge. After all, he’d spent days avoiding her questions about Kyle. His hand dropped away, as though he couldn’t handle touching her while discussing her brother, but he answered. “Your brother uses women for money.”

Uses women for money? She wouldn’t go that far. True, his type ran toward women who had their shit together, but using them? Unless… “Like sugar mamas?”

“And more. He uses their addresses, their credit cards, their accounts, cash they wire him. He has no footprint himself. A regular Lothario. He leaves them, they’re cash-poor and heartbroken, but no one’s reported him. There are no open investigations into him, no criminal charges. So he continues to do what he does best.”

Credit cards… accounts… criminal charges. Oliver was exaggerating. Except… Kyle did steal her money before he disappeared. He always dressed in nice clothes, drove that stupid fancy car, all while investing in his startup. Where did he get all that money?

As she looked at Oliver, she knew. He was telling the truth. Her brother swindled women.

Addison had never even considered the possibility. She’d never felt stupider. “I didn’t know. He likes women. Successful women. Like Caity. And they like him. I never thought much about it. Fucking hell.”

“The woman who came to our door? He stole a hundred thousand dollars from her.”

A hundred thousand dollars? No wonder she was hell-bent on finding him. “And you knew this when she was here?”

Oliver gave a terse nod. “I recognized her from the photos my investigator sent over. Though she had fake contacts and a new hair color and that stomach couldn’t have been real.”

“Kyle sucks women dry and then moves on?” It was a stupid question. She knew it. But somehow, she needed to hear him say it again. The truth she’d been too blind to see.

“Yep. And some will go farther than others to get their money and dignity back.”

Her little brother. A fraud. A cheat. A con artist. She’d thought he’d lost JB’s money in a crap investment. But that wasn’t it at all… His whole life, he robbed people. The ass.

She’d failed raising him, but she wouldn’t fail him now. He needed to be held responsible for it all, and she’d make sure he paid. “We’re going to Dublin, and who knows where from there—but I’m not coming back until I find my asshole of a brother.”

Chapter 42

For once, Oliver didn’t argue. Within twenty minutes, he was sliding both their suitcases into the trunk.

Addison paced back and forth next to him. “Where would we even start looking? My PI isn’t cheap, but he’s been useless. Think it’s because Kyle doesn’t use credit cards?”

“Likely.”

“Who’d keep him in Ireland when so many people want to find him? I bet it’s a woman… a really wealthy one.”

Walking to the passenger side, he held open her door. “Someone he’s met recently. He can’t chance it by leaving the country yet.”

Seat belt fastened, Addison pulled her cell phone out from her purse and tapped out a text. “I’m letting Roman know we’re heading his way.”

Oliver didn’t say much as they drove, but he exited way too soon.

Addison turned to him. “What are you doing?”