Chapter Sixteen
Alastair walked into the security room in the basement of the house. It had all the high-tech things money could buy.
“Hey, guys, what do you have to show me?” Alastair asked.
Graham waved him over. “Sit down and watch this.”
A video of the house came up on the screen.
“This was about a month ago,” Tony said.
Alastair watched as Freya came out of his bedroom. He’d never seen that expression on her face before.
“What the hell was she doing?”
“This was the time she carried in towels,” Tony said. “Did you see her expression?”
“Yeah, it looks like excitement,” Alastair said.
“I thought so, too,” Graham said.
“Now, this is from a few days ago in her room.”
Alastair watched Freya rush into her room, close the door, and cover her face with her hands. At first, he thought she was crying until her hands dropped, and he saw a look of loathing and rage unlike he’d ever seen before.
“What the fuck?” Alastair said.
“I know. It shocks us all,” Graham said. “Now watch this.”
Freya raised her fists in the air and shook them as she gritted her teeth like she was screaming without the sound.
“She doesn’t say anything?” Alastair asked.
Tony shook his head. “No, all we hear is her frantic breathing.”
Alastair watched as the woman started pacing almost frantically.
“Jesus,” Graham said.
Freya walked to an old-fashioned wardrobe he remembered had been there forever. He used to hide in it when he and his brothers and cousins played hide and seek.
She pushed on something just out of sight, and a drawer popped open.
“Hell, I didn’t know about that.”
Graham shook his head. “I didn’t either.”
She pulled out several things and set them in a line on a shelf.
“What is that?”
“Brace yourself,” Graham said. “It’s locks of hair.”
Tony dialed in and brought the image close.
“What the fuck.” Each chunk of hair was of different colors, blonde, black, and different shades of brown, and each had different ribbons around them except one. That chunk of hair was in a small box like a wedding ring would come in.
“This is fucking bizarre.”
Graham looked at him. “What should we do?”
“We need to get a meeting with the brothers and cousins tonight if possible. I want to talk to Drew, Ethan, and Gavin first. I want them to know about their mom.”
“I agree. This is going to shock the hell out of them,” Graham said.
“Is there any chance they know about her … issues?” Tony asked.
Alastair and Graham looked at each other for a second before shaking their heads.
“No, there’s no way,” they both said.
“Where is she right now?” Alastair asked.
Tony went through the rooms. “Fuck, she’s in your office. It looks like she’s about ready to take Beth somewhere.”
“Fuck.” He ran like he’d never done before, going upstairs three at a time with Graham on his heels and trying to get in touch with Ewen on the phone as they ran.
When they got to the first floor and sprinted through the house, he saw and heard his men race toward the office.
“Please, God, get me there in time,” he murmured.
There was a small group outside the office.
“Move,” Alastair growled, making everyone jump back. When he walked into the room, his worst fear had come true. Freya had Beth sitting up in a chair with a gun pointed to her head, and Ewen was standing off to the side with his hands up.
Alastair pulled his gaze from his woman’s white face and raised his hands. “Aunt Freya, what are you doing?” He tried to sound as shocked as possible. He had to concentrate on his aunt.
“She needs to go,” Freya said.
“Beth? Why?”
“She’s taking Angus from me.”
“No, she wouldn’t do that. She told me just today that she can see the love he has for you.”
“That’s right. He loves me above everyone. He always has.”
“Everyone knows that. We also know you love him. How would you feel if someone killed him, taking him away for you forever?”
“It would kill my soul.”
“Yes. If you take Beth from me, you’ll be killing my soul.”
He saw her waver, but her jaw tightened. “You can’t promise me you’ll keep her away from him.”
“But we can. We didn’t know it upset you that much. But I have to tell you there is no way in hell my dad would ever take Beth over you. You’ve always been the love of his life.”
“That’s true. Did you know it was supposed to be me that married Angus, but that slut of a sister I had got pregnant with his child, so they had to marry?”
“Wait, I wasn’t born until four years after they were married.”
“Yes, that’s because I helped her abort the first child,” Freya said.
Oh, sweet God. “How did you do that?”