Chapter 21
Justice
The truth shatters around me. I’ve entangled myself with a man in a Scottish crime family. Dread, like veins of poison ivy, wrap around my stomach, wrenching it in half. When my hand falls away from his muscular bicep, Brody loops his arm around my waist.
In a harsh, low voice, he grits, “Ye better put a smile on that fecking gorgeous face. Now, ye know that ye’re free, lass, and I’ll not be forcing ye to feck me. I gave me word. Be grateful.”
The sinister smile on his face mars the threat and compliment.
Once we enter the restaurant, there’s tension among the MacKenzies. Some family members have settled at the white-linen tables. Others are still clustered about. When I arrived, they were welcoming. Each one willing to draw me into a chat, and everyone introduced themselves. Now, they are all closed off, talking amongst themselves.
In a wheelchair, Erika navigates to us, concealed in a flowy, floral dress.
“Hey, sugar.” She winks in my direction. Her attention is momentarily infectious until she glances Brody’s way. “I’d nae idea, Brody. I hardly told him an hour ago. I assumed he was on the way here for tomorrow morning.”
“Ye tell that to Leith?” he asks.
Damn it, Brody’s hardly engaging her in a conversation. What’s going on?
“Aye.” She shovels out a sigh. “I’ll talk to him.”
“Ye’re fecking asking me, lass?” He reaches down pats her cheek. “That’s yer da. But if he pisses ye off.”
At first, I thought Erika meant she’d talk to Leith about her father’s invisible invitation. But there’d been aversion in her tone when she’d said him.
I start to pull the pieces together. I’d heard a vastly different story from Chevelle about Erika. I knew she ran around with Brody. However, there’s nothing sexual in their touch. It’s a sibling connection, really. I also heard she wore leather, which seemed like she was the perfect candidate for an MC romance cover. The woman in front of me is definitely not an MC cover model. The flowery dress doesn’t even fit her.
I’m still questioning Chevelle’s account of Erika when I recall Brody disclosing how her father was abusive. I’d been so wrapped up in how I’d pay for Brody’s request that I’d never thought of anyone else. This whole situation is confusing. I feel like I’m missing a lot of pieces to a larger puzzle.
I glance across the room again. Ewan appears harmless. I’ve worked at countless bars across the nation, and my gut hates his type with a passion. Slimy bastards who hide their true colors.
I settle down a few seats away from Chevelle. Leith and Mia are on opposite sides of her. Mia and her uncle Jake, the youngest MacKenzie boy, entertain themselves with YouTube videos.
Brody loops an arm over my shoulder. Though his demeanor scared me, his touch settles some of the frayed nerves running through me.
Brody keeps his focus on me. A vivid antipasto salad is presented to the table. For the first time in my life, the term comfort food holds no significance.
As Leith stands, I notice Ewan arise from his chair simultaneously. While my friend’s husband glares at Ewan, Leith lifts his chin, signifying how the elder McFarland truly is the boss.
“Leith, I’ll be needing just a moment, son. When I learned of my daughter’s accident, for the first time in my life, I reflected on my lifelong relationship with Brody Boy here. Over the years, our comradery has come deid natural to me.”
While Ewan smiles, Big Brody and Little Brody are pillars of cement. I let my hand come to rest on Brody’s thigh beneath the table. The hunk of muscle is wound tighter than a fine-tuned viola. Firelight from the tea candles flickers across the stone angles of his hardened face.
Ewan mentions how Big Brody raised his sons in a volatile country while only Erika stiffly laughs it off. Ewan shows her the same courtesy a deadbeat father would when dodging child support.
“Leith, yer intentions saved me from the speech that I’d regrettably prepared for Nan and Brody Boy.”
Big Brody snarls at him. “So, ya changed yer mind about us associating, have ye?”
With my hand on Brody’s leg, I feel like I’m touching a lion who’s lining up his next meal.
Ewan ends his rant on a snarl. “As my daughter was the only person hurt during the incident.”
“I’m fine, Da!” Erika exclaims. “Big Brody nor Nan would ever let—”
“I’m not finished,” Ewan cuts in, acknowledging her for the first time, rubbing thoughtfully at his jaw.
“Wit’s more to say, Ewan? Ye’ll believe a frilly party has saved our relationship?”