All that I understand, but it’s his animosity for Michie that’s ludicrous, which hinges in part on Leith’s ability to hold a grudge and part on his unbridled jealously. Leith felt that, as the owner, Michie should have protected me. But Michie knew I could handle myself. I wish Leith felt that way, or at least, understood. It also doesn’t help that Michie’s an attractive, older man and an aggressive flirt.
My bottom lip trembles in defiance. Though Leith doesn’t know it, there is more to this fight than family handouts, a horny, drunk barfly, and a suggestive boss. My mother depended exclusively on my father. Look how that turned out—both dead. So, I can’t shut my mouth.
Arms folded, I retort, “I won’t work for Michie because it’s almost forty-five minutes away.” Tentatively, I run a hand over my forearm. “So, I checked in with a few bars along the beach.”
“Without telling me?” The muscles in his jaw contract.
“Relax, you weren’t gonna come home from a week in Silicon Valley with Mia making a pb&j on the floor while I was down the street mixing drinks. During a few evenings out with Justice,” I say, mentioning a friend of mine, “I asked around.”
“Withappened?”
“Well, Detective Leith, you’ll be happy to know that, after introducing myself, all the bar managers asked why not work for Nan MacKenzie. Babe, stop looking at me like that. Leith, I shouldn’t have told them I was a MacKenzie. It’s either people are afraid to hire me or curious as to why I want to work at all. Anyway, I guess it doesn’t matter. You’re the one always flying off the handle.” I give him a knowing look, referring to theeejitwith the broken legs.
Leith nods, his handsome face contorted in a wicked smile.“Ye better be glad he canskedaddle affnow. I could’ve left ‘em arse up in a ditch.”
We can match each other thrust for thrust in the bed or cuss for cuss out of it. But my alphatrieshis dominant sometimes. I snap. “Oh, doubling down on the threats. Fine. If you’re not gonna keep promises, and you wanna do bad shit, I’m bartending again. How does that sound?”
“We’ll see ‘bout that.”
Throat thick with emotion, I bite my tongue. While some married couples can’t share one bank account, all of our accounts are linked, even an additional one markedChevelle’s pub. Leith’s added more funds in it each month than I could add in an entire year. But that’s the problem, Leith making all the moves. I’m not allowed to contribute to the family income at all. Not even to the account that will fundmydream. Same as my father once did for my mom.
He huffs. “Ye’re restless? Take the credit card, Chevelle, buy yerself something pretty!”
Something in me shifts at his words. Leith almost sounds like my dad. My husband stares at me like I’m a foreign object. From the little about my parents I’ve shared, I didn’t include the outs-and-ins. Like how petrified I am of becoming like them. My father loved the lavish life, yet his most prized trinket was my mother.
Chevelle, he’s doing this for you and Mia.I tell myself our daughter deserves the best. My husband always said angels coated the warm brown of her cheeks and button nose with cinnamon kisses. He’d say that I made our daughter so beautiful that he could never repay me enough. When he’s not crabby about my desire to work, he’s the most tender, loving man in the world.
Though I wanted to marry him at first sight, it wasn’t until Mia was in my stomach that we had a backyard wedding. I opened myself up to a world of vulnerability. But we’re married now. There shouldn’t be any hesitation on my end. I have to let go of my parents for good because we aren’tthem. Leith’s the good guy my father once resembled, but he’d never leave me broken like Dad left Momma.
Chapter 5
Leith
As Chevelle tremblesin my arms, all I feel is the voracious rage I had for the man who touched what belonged to me. Touched her while my wee bairn was in her belly. And her mentioning Michie, thebawbag, doesn’t help. I’m then contemplating Mr. Jiang. How easy it would have been to bypass the attempt to reason with him and bloodyfeckin’snap.
I hold my wife tighter, praying our vows outweigh the innate craving of violence born into me as a MacKenzie. She’s asking me if we can stop arguing, hugging me with all her might.
“Leith, you made a beautiful home for us. I’m grateful, but since the beginning of the year, you’resobusy.”
“I know.” The muscles in my jaw twist at the thought of today. I should redirect the conversation. I should bloody give in. I shouldn’t have murdered thateejittoday.
She stares at me questioningly. “Leith, we were looking at houses in the Valley in May after the weather wasn’t so gloomy.”
By June, I’d found us a new house near work. A beautiful place Chevelle could make her own. It wasn’t as impressive as this one. But we’d have had funds left over to put down on a business, a few blocks away. It was a coffee shop. The owner was a downright good lad, ready to sell. I would’ve taken her to the rundown shop first, blindfolded, of course. Tell her all the things she could do with the place once we bought it. Remove the canvas photos of coffee beans, toss around shinyshite. Make it her pub. Then I would’ve told her that I’m noeejit,of course, we’re moving here. Once she made that pub a success, we would upgrade to a more prime location. And my sweet hen, always humble, would’ve thanked me in every way I taught her.
But I stop contemplating the feel of her soft body cupped in my hands. I still have moreshiteI should say. Like how I’ll have a MacKenzie or one of our associates watching Chevelle, keeping her and my wee one safe while I’m away. That there will be no pub in her near future. That we’re not moving to Silicon Valley. Then the lass will have questions to which I have no answers.
“How will I run a bar if you refuse to let me work, Leith?” Chevelle asks.
“Easy. I’m picking thearseholeson yer team.”They’ll all be clan loyal and capable of keepingyesafe.
“Yeah, that’s not happening.” She huffs. “If you’re so worried about me bartending, why don’t we downgrade the house. We could save that way.”
“Dinnaconcern yerself.”
“Don’t be concerned?” She chortles. “Leith, love, we can move back into our old house. It would save money in two ways. One, no mortgage, and two, you could quit Infinity Corp and freelance again, no commuting. The apps you created before working at Infinity were amazing. You enjoyed it. Plus, more time at home.” My hen slowly walks her fingers up my chest.
In five, four, three, two, one, I drop a bomb, saying, “Erika lives there.”