“He did,” he interrupts me. “And if he loves you enough, he’ll come here and pay for what he did.”
“This is insane, you’re a nutter,” I stammer, “you’re wrong about this, I know it.”
Alec stands and stretches. “Spend your time hoping your father isn’t a cowardly bastard as well as a thief and a murderer.” He leaves the room, shutting the door behind him.
He canna kill Da. But I know my father too well; he’ll come blazing down here from Glasgow to save me. Fighting the cuffs again, I look around for something… anything to help get me loose. Can I scoot over to the wall and bash the chair against it? If I can just get one hand free…
“Now, who are you?”
A woman is standing in the doorway. She’s very pretty; blonde, tall, and elegantly dressed in a cashmere sweater set and slacks. She has that sort of perfect grooming and style that means she could be anywhere from her forties to her sixties. “My son doesn’t usually bring his work home with him.”
“Alec is your son? Ma’am, he kidnapped me. I’m Alastair’s wife, and he-”
The blood drains from her face. “I recognize you. You’re a MacTavish. Sorcha, yes?”
“Yes!” I say, struggling against the cuffs again. “Alec took me hostage to draw my father here, he says he’s going to kill him.”
“Oh, no.” Her voice is so small. She looks lost for a moment and then lifts her head. “I need to find him.”
“Wait! Ma’am, could you please-”
She’s gone before I can ask her to get the cuffs off of me.
“Damn it all straight to hell!”
***
A flight from our private airfield near Glasgow to where we are takes less than an hour and a half.
Da could be here any minute. I hope he didn’t listen to Alec. I hope he called Cormac. They’re likely exhausted and bloody from their battle with the Chun Triad, but they’ll never forgive themselves if something happens to our father.
Alastair.
My heart sinks. I know his love and loyalty for Alec is unquestionable. Will he hate me if my Da or one of my brothers kills Alec? Do I have the courage to kill him if I get the chance? There’s nothing in Alec to appeal to. His hatred for my family is never going to fade away, I know it.
The thought of the look of horror and disgust my husband will give me if I do manage to stop Alec makes me feel shaky and ill. I canna let my father die. He must know that. I start thrashing against the cuffs again.
***
Alastair…
I’m going to kill him.
I knew Alec seemed off tonight, but kidnapping my wife? Jamming my foot on the accelerator, I ignore the corresponding painful bite from the knife wound in my thigh.
Eileen said Alec took Sorcha about two hours ago. He must have gone to my place right after demolishing the Zhang warehouses. I know he’ll be at his townhouse in Knightsbridge. Alec isn’t one to hide.
Pulling up to the gate, I glare at the guard as he nervously nods at me and opens it.
I leave the motor running and the car door open as I bolt through the front door.
“Alec! This is not the time to fuck with me,” I shout.
There’s an irritable sigh, then, “I’m in the study. Do come in, we’re having a family reunion.”
The odd tableau makes me stop in the doorway.
Sorcha is sitting on the couch by the fireplace, next to an older man who’s angrily looking over the red marks on her wrists. I recognize him immediately, Cormac MacTavish Senior. He’s tall, silver-haired, and expensively dressed. But his tie is loose and his hair looks like he’s run his fingers through it for the last hour.
