“Wheesht!” He tells his wife, slamming a hand on her thigh.
Leith speaks up. “Da, I’m afeckin’man. I’ll admit, This is all my—”
A cold glare descends on Leith. My husband’s broad shoulders fall, and inside my chest, my heart caves to the same extent. Sighing, he runs a hand over his face.
Stay.I warn myself.Don’t go to him. Don’t comfort him.
“Well,” the cop says, “my men will examine the scene awhile. This is a respectable neighborhood ya live in, MacKenzie. We’ll give the illusion that we’re conducting a thorough investigation. Nevertheless, if ye or yer sons fail at apprehending the culprit. . . .”
Teeth gritted, Big Brody says, “I will fix this.Not them. Ye have my word. I will personally handle this.”
The suit nods. “With all due respect, if this were an election year, my hands would be tied. Ye have seventy-two hours to provide an update. Good day to ye all.”
He stands and addresses Leith’s mom in a sincere tone. “Nan. My men will be on yer lot for a few hours, securing the scene. We have an image to uphold. I apologize for the unnecessary trouble.”
Nan assumes her position of power by letting him take her hand. “Aye. Yer support is greatly appreciated.”
The detective heads out of the room as another of Leith’s cousins asks, “How’s Erika?”
Forking my bottom lip through my teeth, I wait for an answer. I’ve got a niggling feeling that I should push past the jealousy. She did throw herself on me during a shootout.
Nan glances at her phone and shakes her head.
“I’ll heid to the hospital,” Blythe says. “Someone should be there. Unless ye have other orders for me, Nan.”
“Nae. Go sit, twiddle yerfeckin’fingers.” Big Brody clicks his tongue. “Take these twoeejitswith ye.” He points to Little Brody and Leith. “Because I’ll be fixing this myself. Get nae peace!”
Two?I glance around. When had Camdyn disappeared?
“Perfect idea, Blythe.” Nan claps him into a hug. “We’ll be needing to display a show of loyalty to the McFarlands. Ewan’s very own daughter is my clan, too. I’ll need to be updated periodically. Dinna send word to Erika’s da. Not until she’s stable.Och, Lord, let the wee girl be stable.”
Like a mother hen, Nan comes toward me to pull me into a hug.
The past few days return, and I flinch.
“Ye’re a wee bit frightened, Chevelle.”
“I’m sorry, Nan.” A weak, appreciative smile flits past my face. “I truly hope Erika’s alright. I’m gonna head out . . . Mia and I.”
“Och, ye’re my heart, Chevelle. Ye and Mia. Ye’re safe here.” Nan sighs. “Ifye feel obliged to go, go. But for safety purposes, allow me to send someone just to keep watch.”
I’ve always told myself that the life the MacKenzies led would be the reason I didn’t get too close to them. The ebb and flow of my emotions and my love for them all probably makes me seem like a bitch. But this very moment is what I’ve always been afraid of.
I smile at the woman who taught me more than Lady, who knew me longer than my own momma and gave me more hugs too. Throat tight, I can hardly get the words out. “Whatever just happened, Mia and I are not a part of it. I’m sorry, Nan. But I need to figure out a few things. Clearly, there’s a crisis here, too. So, we should go.”
“I made a mistake, Chevelle!” Leith collects me up, embracing me tightly. His warmth threatens the chill that’s crept into my heart. In an even, smooth tone, he adds, “All I’ve done was to try to protectye. I made a bloody mistake.”
My stomach tightens. The concern weighing at the pit of my stomach for Erika frays. “This mistake. Does Erika know all about it?” As the words exit my mouth, I’m kicking myself on the inside.Really? Is that important right now, Chevelle?
“Not much, hen.”
Leith’s response hits me like a tsunami. He trustedherover me. Justice cautioned me against falling so deep with the man I already married. Over a decade and a half, and I’m staring at an alluring mask. “Yup. Not your best friend, I guess. Feel like denying it again, huh?”
“Chevelle—”
“No! Every year, while you were in Scotland for summers and the holiday seasons, I would be at home with mymom.” I grit my teeth on the unnecessary title. “I spent every single second waiting for you. Low and behold, you had your second best friend, a second girlfr—”
“Och,shite.” Leith grits his teeth, muttering in Gaelic.