“He flew in fifty people from the MacTavish security team this morning. They’re going through the security protocol right now,” I say, looking out the window to see the new, unfamiliar faces walking the front lawn.
Gregor is examining the fence line and Marcus is trailing after him, chattering.
“I want ten thousand tough guys guarding the place, and I want ten thousand soft guys to make them look tougher. And here’s how I want them arranged: tough, tough, soft, tough, soft, soft, tough, soft, tough, and tough.”
Gregor is grimly trying to ignore him while Elana and I burst into laughter.
“That Gregor is like a burly mountain man,” she comments, “I can’t believe he hasn’t pushed Marcus over the cliff yet.”
“Tough as nails,” I agree. “I hear he once wrestled a bear. The bear’s in physical therapy for the rest it’s life…”
“...learning how to be a bear again,” she finishes. My heart twists a little. It’s so nice to see her smile at me again.
“Do you really think someone’s going to try another break-in?” she asks anxiously, and my heart hurts. She’s been through somuch since losing our parents and the specter of this appalling arranged marriage hanging over her head.
“Lachlan certainly does,” I sigh, “and I suspect he’s right. The house is too tempting as a target, especially if whoever these people think all our forces are focused on the funeral.”
Checking my phone, I rise from the desk. “I’m going to go change and practice my suitably mournful expression for the service.” She laughs, which was what I was hoping for. “I’ll see you at the car in thirty minutes.”
***
Attempting to look grave while hearing people extoll the virtues of Uncle Bastard is harder than I expected.
“...a good man, devoted to his family and their legacy…”
Oh, please. This asshole sold us out before our parent's bodies were even cold.
“...with a wonderful sense of humor, I remember the time he…”
Subtly checking Lachlan’s watch, I silently pray for this debacle to end.
Speaking of Lachlan… The man looks like a snack, wrapped in a beautifully fitted black Tom Ford suit and silver tie. He’s listening to the eulogy attentively and it’s hard to reconcile with the man who chased me through Level Seven of his sex club and then fucked me like a possessed demon.
As if he knows what I’m thinking, he takes my hand and rests it on his thick thigh. He shifts his legs slightly and I feel the steely movement of his musculature. The thighs that shoved mine apart when he…
Oh, my god. What kind of an animal gets turned on at a funeral? Me. I am that animal.
There’s an irritable throat-clearing to my left and I see that even though Zed’s gaze is firmly on the latest speaker trying to find something positive to say about Uncle Bastard, he’s flipping me off.
Message received. I don’t move my hand for the rest of the service, always feeling that low, thrumming awareness that Lachlan would take me into the back and have me right here if I gave him the slightest opportunity.
At least the church is beautiful, St. Mary’s Cathedral Basilica was where we were all baptized, where we came for Christmas and Easter services - though visits between those two holidays were few. There are giant stained-glass windows depicting the life of Christ, glorious colors that change and twist the sunlight streaming through the glass.
This has to be the longest funeral in history.
“Are you all right?” Lachlan asks as he helps me into the limo.
“Yes, I just want this day over, don’t you?” Looking at him, I see a weird sort of anticipation gleaming in his black eyes.
“You want this to happen, don’t you?” I accuse him, “You’re actually looking forward to someone attacking us?”
“Ach, I want this fecking thing over with. Someone will always be wantin’ what ya’ have, but this is too close. We have to clean up Uncle Bastard’s mess and I’m thinkin’ we’ll get some answers today.” Lachlan eyes my appalled expression and leans in to kiss me, sliding his tongue into my mouth. I give the faintest whimper, deeply grateful that Zed and Elana are in the other limo.
However, there is Marcus, glaring at us both. “If you didn’t bring enough to share with the rest of the class, you can’t have any either,” he says crossly.
Lachlan chuckles heartlessly as he pulls his lips from mine.
***
