The amount of self-control it took not to instantly react and claim Tamsin as her mate? Well, he certainly didn’t have that.
If it wasn’t for the fact that he’d promised not to reveal to Aisling that her secret slipped out, he’d call her straight away and order her to Idaho to talk to Tamsin.
However…
He checked the time and, while late in Idaho, he decided to call. He could use having missed today’s video call as his excuse. Everyone else had already retired upstairs to their rooms, so he went into his den and closed the door.
She answered almost immediately. “Hello, Dad! How are you?”
It nearly broke his heart how she said it almost exactly the way Maisie used to. “I’m fine, my child. I wanted to check in with you after tonight’s little…incident.”
She laughed, and the sound lightened his soul. “I’m quite well, now that I know Peyton’s safe.” She sighed. “Dewi told me what you’ve discovered about…her.”
Right. Perfect. That had slipped his mind as a potential excuse for this call. “I wished to follow up with you. I’m sorry for the late hour.”
“It’s quite all right. I was up with Maisie a little while ago and couldn’t sleep anyway.”
“Do you have any questions?”
“I have countless questions, but none of them will end in me wishing to see that woman yet, if ever.”
“I understand, love. I do have additional information, if you wish to hear it.”
She hesitated. “Perhaps I should, so I know everything.”
He told her what his contact had related about Frannie’s family. Tamsin went quiet for a moment. When she spoke, the growl in her voice sounded adorable, to him, but he was intelligent enough not to say so.
“So that bloody bastard not only stole her identity and murdered my siblings, but he destroyed her entire family—my family—as well?”
“It appears so.”
“Is it possible Donnel and the real Hyacinth are still alive here in the States?”
“Badger is researching it.”
“I don’t understand any of this. How one person can be so bloody…evil?”
He sighed. “I wish I had answers for you, love. I’m so terribly sorry.”
“May I ask something?”
“Anything,” Trevor said.
Another hesitation. “I understand that I will almost certainly not witness his execution in person, due to logistics. But if I cannot see his head in person, could you please send me video and pictures? I want proof he’s dead.”
On the one hand, it amused him that such a sweet, loving girl could be so bloodthirsty.
On the other, he despised that life’s circumstances had driven her to it.
“I will, love. There will be pictures and video.”
“Thank you.”
He grasped for a segue, then decided fuck it, just go for it. “Love, I haven’t said this to you before, but I truly want you to understand something. If you ever meet someone else and you feel a mate bond with them, please feel free to pursue it with our full love and support.”
She went quiet for a long moment. “I-I don’t know if that’s possible.”
“Why not?”
