“Erika kissed you!”
“We were fourteen, Chevelle. It was her birthday. Her father—”
“Is a McFarland. Perfect for your family,” I snap.
“Ya know what? Mam always offered to take ye to Scotland when we were kids. She asked for a letter ahunnertimes. Would've got it notarized to take ye on thefeckin’plane. She asked yer mam—”
“Not my—” I bite my tongue. “I know, baby. But I had no idea there was an Erika until . . .” Until I had fifty-five pounds of baby weight all over my body. “Leith, you kept her from me. Then I found out the two of you shared a kiss.”
“It was nae big deal. Afeckin’peck! I felt sorry for her, and stop looking at me like that, Chevelle! I told ye that she knew about ya from day one. Ye thought of me every second, when I was away, well Ifeckin’talked 'bout ya until I saw yer gorgeous face again. So, by the time I came home, I dinna think about Erika. I thought about my hen.”
“Your hen,” my voice fades. Why am I tormenting my husband? I'm sure Erika fell in love with him when they were children. She has eyes, and I have an Eros, Phalia, Ludus, Agape, Mania—definitely a manic love for my husband. I huff. “You're supposed to be mine, Leith.”
“My word stands, Chevelle. Ye’re mine.” Frustrated, Leith clasps my shoulders. The restrained strength, the determination in his eyes begs me to give him a chance.
All I want to do is cave, love him hard, per the usual. Coldness creeps into my heart. I tell myself to use his connection to Erika as my sole reason to guard my heart. “Whatever, Leith. I’m not discussing this in the presence of your parents.”
I stalk out of the sitting room. The towering ceilings make every word echo as I tell Leith, “Go away so I can think!”
“Wit’sthe matter with the two of ye?” Nan asks. Damn, she’s following us.
Leith and I shout contradictory words. While he’s hot on my heels, his mother’s pursuing the two of us.
I’ve made it to the row of guest rooms on the opposite side of the living room.
Leith stops. “Mam, I’ll handle this.”
I open the door to the guest room across the way, twisting the knob’s lock. I slam the door right in Leith’s face.
“Leave me alone!” I shout.Great. Childish antics. Now, I’m the one locked in a room.
Chapter 46
Leith
“Chevelle!”I shout, slapping an open palm against the wood. After a few beats, I lean against the door and mumble a silent apology. There’s nary a peep on the opposite side of the door. I head off toward my fifteen-year-oldbrathair’s, Jamie, room.
Camdyn is standing in the hallway, leaning against the door. He’s running the flame of a lighter along the length of a joint.
“Thefeckare ye doing?”
“Open your eyes, bro. Can’t you see I need some chill?” He sniffs. “I’m preparing it for later if you want in. This ain’t cheap shit.”
I roll my shoulders, unable to deny the truth in his logic.
“By the way, Dad hates us?”
“Da hates me. Ye, not so much. Give him time to cool down.”
“Nah, I acknowledge my faults. Same goes for you. Except in your case, it’s called being noble. Andthat shithas gotten us intothisshit.”
“Och,feckin’philosophy from my weebrathair.”
“I can’t stand that wordwee. Ain’t nothingweeabout me. Need references? Ask all the cute bitches at my school,” he says as I open the door to Jamie’s room.
“Bitches. I can’t stand that word,” I counter, closing Jamie’s door in his face, or perhaps not. Cam’s already walking away.
On the edge of the bed, Mia lies on her stomach, propped up on her elbows. Cartoons have replaced her tears with a sloppy smile. My youngestbrathair, Jake, laughs with her. Thirteen-year-old Lachlan looks up gloomily.