Total pages in book: 89
Estimated words: 105065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 525(@200wpm)___ 420(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 105065 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 525(@200wpm)___ 420(@250wpm)___ 350(@300wpm)
I swallow the pain of my logic and putter to the kitchen, walking a little bit like a cowboy.
Rummaging through the cupboards doesn’t turn up much as usual. Ronan did some grocery shopping, but the man has no taste for anything with sugar in it.
Cornflakes it is, then.
I grab a bowl and sit down at the table across from Ronan, who is already scowling at me for some unknown reason. He’s in fine form this morning.
“Where’s Lach?” I ask.
“He had business to tend.”
“He hardly got any sleep,” I mumble around a mouthful of cereal.
“Welcome to his life,” Ronan answers dryly.
He continues to watch me eat, his eyes narrowed and the wheels in his eerily quiet head turning. By the time my spoon clatters into the empty bowl, I’m about ready to throw it at him.
“You got something you want to say, Ronan?”
I don’t actually expect him to answer. The majority of the time I’m lucky to get a grunt out of him.
“What did Sean say to ye last night?” he asks.
His voice is calm and quiet, but his body is even stiffer than usual. I can just imagine why. Somehow I doubt Lachlan would approve of this conversation.
“The usual,” I answer honestly. “Lach’s a manwhore, he’ll tire of me quickly, there’s a rat… oh and the Armenian’s stole money from the club. The Russians, I believe.”
Ronan stares at me but doesn’t make a peep. I can’t tell what’s going on in that noggin of his, but I know it probably isn’t good. I’m not supposed to know these things. But Sean told them to me for a reason, and I’m curious to find out why.
“He also said Lachlan’s men don’t trust him,” I add.
Ronan slams his fist on the table, and I actually flinch in surprise. He’s one of those scarily calm dudes, the kind that sort of looks like a serial killer or a professor, I can’t decide which. Though he’s always a little broody, I’ve never really seen him angry. Right now though, he looks like he’s about to have a hulk sized meltdown.
“That’s a load’a horse shite,” he snarls. “Those lads aren’t just loyal to the syndicate, they are loyal to Crow.”
“Alright, Ronan,” I tell him. “Just slow your roll. No need to have a coronary over it.”
He glowers, and I continue.
“I know Lach’s men are loyal, you don’t have to tell me. Loyalty is a big thing where I come from too.”
On instinct, my fingers move to touch my necklace, but it isn’t there. My heart jumps into my throat as I feel around my neck with panicked hands.
“What is it?” Ronan asks.
“My necklace!” I shove my chair backwards and bolt to my feet. “It’s not here.”
I can’t help the very raw and real reaction to finding it absent. It’s the only thing that ever meant anything to her. The last connection to Talia. I race back down the hall and start tearing Lachlan’s room apart, searching for it. I’m breathing hard and fast when someone comes in behind me.
“Mack?” Lachlan calls out.
“My necklace,” I choke out. “I can’t find my necklace!”
“I have it right here,” he says.
I wheel around and stare at him in disbelief. Sure enough, the silver chain is dangling between his fingers.
“I had Conor take it to get cleaned this morning,” he says. “It looked like it could do with one.”
“That wasn’t your call!” I snatch the necklace back from him and clench it with a shaking hand.
He’s staring at me like I’m a frigging lunatic, and I know there are tears leaking down my face. I don’t care. Let him think me weak. When my eyes move to the heart-shaped pendant in my hand I want to scream out my frustration. It doesn’t look the same. It’s not the same. It’s all shiny and clean and new looking, but that wasn’t how Talia left it.
“You shouldn’t have done this!” I yell. “If it’s not broke, don’t try to fix it. Hasn’t anyone told you that?”
I don’t know what I expect when he stalks towards me, but when he pulls me into his arms and presses me against his chest, it isn’t that. He’s rubbing my back, holding me close… and comforting me. It’s too surreal to believe.
“Come, sweetheart.”
He pulls me onto the bed and lets me curl up in his lap. I’m still sniffling against him, and I’m embarrassed. God, I can’t believe how badly I just let my emotions show. Lachlan’s kissing away my tears and being unexpectedly sweet and gentle with me.
“It won’t happen again,” he says. “I thought I was doing something good for ye.”
Part of me feels guilty for the tension in his voice. It was a kind gesture, but he doesn’t understand what this necklace means to me. It’s like now there’s nothing left of Talia. All the old has been stripped away, and I didn’t want that. She wasn’t shiny and perfect. She was tarnished just like me. But I can’t blame Lachlan for not knowing that.
“I’m sorry,” I tell him.
Lach wipes my tears away and shakes his head. “Grab yourself a shower, sweetheart,” he says. “I’m taking ye out today.”
Chapter Twenty-Six
Mackenzie
Some men take their women to the movies, shopping, or out to dinner. Mine? He takes me to a boxing gym. And I grin like a lunatic when we step inside.
“You going to spar with me?” I ask.
He laughs. “If that’s what ye want, sweetheart.”
“What about your cuts?”
He gives me a look, and a couple of the guys around us chuckle too.
“Don’t insult me, Mack.”
I smile and shake my head. I know he’s taking time out of his schedule to do this. Time he probably doesn’t have, considering the Armenians are still breathing down his neck, and all the problems back at the club. So when I look up at him, I’m overcome by a wave of emotion. I reach up on my toes and plant a kiss right on his lips, in front of all the other guys. Lachlan likes this of course.
“Go and get changed.” He hands me the bag I packed and points to the back. With a slap on the ass I’m on my way.