“Bulletproof, I assume?” I ask dryly.
“Aye,” he grins at me shamelessly. “There’s no worse time to be taking a bullet than when you’re fucking your woman.”
“You say that like it’s happened and no, I don’t want the details,” I groan, swinging my feet over and holding still as the room swims around me.
“Your impressive performance with my 50 Year Macallan aside, a MacTavish wife canna be a drunk. I don’t think that’s your usual Friday night, aye?”
“No,” I moan, “but it felt right. It’s not every day you get married at gunpoint.” Giving up on my noble plan to go to the bathroom, I scooch up against the pillows again. They’re heavenly, fluffy clouds with linens as soft as an angel’s wing. “Your bed is amazing.”
Shifting uneasily, I remember that Lachlan owns several sex clubs and is a man whore. “You’ve changed the sheets since the last time you entertained, right? I can almost hear the moans of countless women embedded in this mattress.”
And he has the audacity to look offended.
“I haven’t, as you say,entertainedin this bedroom. I just finished remodeling it and moved in a few weeks ago. I did most of my fucking at the club, but as a married man,” he holds up his left hand, showing off his black wedding ring, “those days are behind me.”
“Oh god, this is real, isn’t it?” I moan, burying my face in my hands. “How am I going to face my brother and sister?”
“I clean up well,” he says, a little defensively. “Families love me. I do have a plan for Zed and Elana. We will call and give them the happy news together.” He patiently peels my hands away from my face. “We will invite them here for a more appropriate MacTavish wedding celebration. Your uncle is dead, but they could still be in danger.”
“How so?” I ask sharply.
“Because you don’t know who Uncle Bastard brought over to his side in the King Syndicate. There may be backup plans, aye? They’re safer here until we can establish who you can trust.”
“Let me make this clear,” I snarl, climbing clumsily off the bed, “the MacTavish Mafia is not taking over my family’s business! We may be married but you have no part-”
“Calm yourself.” Lachlan’s tone is suddenly crisp and cold, like biting into an ice cube. He stalks over to me, an enormous God of Chaos. Even in jeans and a t-shirt, he’s intimidating as hell. “Aside from the part where I married you because I want you, this is like any alliance marriage. The MacTavish Clan are allies for your family, as you are for us. The King Syndicate was doin’ fine under your Da, and once we weed out all the disloyal fecks, Zed can take over as you always planned. For now, though, you don’t know who to trust, aye?”
The fact that Lachlan is correct offends me on almost a spiritual level. The guard he’d killed - Jonathan - was a deeply trusted member of my father’s inner circle. He should have been guarding Zed. If Uncle Bastard got to him, who else could be compromised?
My head starts to throb again and I silently urge the painkillers I’d just taken to hurry up and do their job.
“Everyone will be expecting a lavish funeral for Uncle Bastard, the entire King family flying to Scotland could not be worse timing.” I protest.
A devious smile spreads across his unacceptably attractive face. “Joy before sorrow, my bride. Uncle Bastard keeps cool on his slab until we’re ready to mourn the old dobber. I’ll send my jet over-”
“We have a jet,” I interrupt him. “Two, in fact.”
“Aye, but we know my jet won’t be tampered with,” he says, “and I’ll send some of my most trusted men along. Your security will glare at my security, but everyone arrives safely.”
“Send your older, married men,” I say absently, “Elana’s a terrible flirt.”
I want to smack that grin right off his face because I realize I just agreed to everything he wanted.
Damn it!
The worst part? Lachlan’s right. If Uncle Bastard turned Jonathan, who else is working against us now?
Chapter Ten
In which Aria ‘relaxes’ the hard way.
Lachlan…
Aria is looking at her phone like it just sprouted legs and started kicking her.
“You have to call them,” I say sympathetically. “Awkward as shite for a moment but once they’re past the surprise-”
“The shock and horror,” she mumbles.
