Such a tease. His office fireplace is a grand thing, elaborate two-hundred-year-old tile with an iron surround. It’s empty, and dark. A waste, that is.
Uncle Cormac is the embodiment of all that is MacTavish, tall, sharp green eyes, and a firm jaw. Fortunately for Scarlett, he can leave off the stern demeanor when he likes, and he’s capable of making people feel at ease.
“Scarlett Banner,” he shakes her hand gently. “I did business with your father once or twice when we moved our operations into Boston. He was a good man.”
“He was a good father, too,” she says. “It’s nice to hear people speak well of him.”
I exchange glances with Uncle Cormac. Kyle and Marlena have been bad-mouthing her late father, trying to put the blame of the failing family fortunes on him. They’re wasting their time, the crime world knows exactly who’s responsible for the chain of feck-ups and disasters that are bleeding the Banner Syndicate dry.
“Have a seat,” he says. “I know my nephew will be wanting a whisky. What can I get ye, lass?”
“Just water, please.”
Clever girl. She’s keeping her head about her, too cautious to drink. The image of what she mightlook like after a couple of glasses of wine invades my imagination. Her pale skin flushed, blue eyes brilliant. She might be a giggler. Would she be passionate in bed, or more like a pillow princess? I enjoy both sorts.
And now I’m sporting a stonner like a spotty teenage boy who canna control himself.
Discreetly crossing my legs, I take the glass from Uncle Cormac. There’s a bit of a smile on his bearded face, damn him.
“Ye had a tumultuous twenty-four hours, Scarlett,” he says, settling himself in one of the big leather armchairs across from us.
I’m sitting on the couch with her. In case she needs me. Uncle Cormac is certainly no threat, but I can feel every muscle tighten, alert, ready for trouble.
What in the hell is wrong with me?
“Yeah, talk about being in the wrong place at the wrong time,” she chuckles weakly. “Though I appreciate Wallace risking his life to come back and get me out.”
He looks at me, brow raised. “I’ve seen enough of your work to know there’s no ‘going back in.’ Ye took a tremendous risk.”
I dinnae mention that the chain of misfortune started whenhesuddenly needed those files downloaded, knocking me off schedule.
“A MacTavish never hurts an innocent,” I say. “Scarlett shouldn’t have been there, cleaning the office building like a servant. The night watchman alerted me.”
“That’s what the family’s been making ye do?” He frowns.
“They’re not my family,” she says sharply. “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to snap at you. They took on my last name, but it doesn’t make us family. I may not know much about the business, but I know they’re running it into the ground.”
“Tell me why ye stayed after your father passed.” He’s leaning back, swirling his drink and, deceptively casual.
Scarlett’s full lips press together, like she’s trying to block the words wanting to come out of her mouth. “Because…” She rubs her hands on her thighs. “Because it was still my home. I had nowhere to go.”
“Two and a half years since the accident. Ye spent three weeks in the hospital. Your injuries were severe. Your arsehole stepbrothers call ye Scar.” He sounds utterly calm, like he’s reciting statistics from that paperwork on the desk.
She flushes pink. “How do you- never mind, it doesn’t matter. And it doesn’t matter why I stayed. Can I ask where this is going?”
He leans forward. “We dinnae have a spy inyour house, if ye were concerned. When you’re not working like a servant at home or the office building, you’re searching for something, aren’t ye?”
Scarlett stands up, and I put my hand on her wrist. “Do ye need some time to think it over?” I remind her of our conversation in the car.
“Yes,” she smiles at me gratefully. “Could we please not have this discussion right now?”
“Of course,” Uncle Cormac rises, seeing her to the door. “I need to speak with Wallace for a moment, there’s a comfortable seating space by Miss Kevin’s desk.”
“Of course, thank you.” She looks over her shoulder at me, like she dinnae want to be separated and it warms me.
She wants to be with ye because you’re all she has right now.
“Ye gave her an out,” Uncle Cormac sits down again. “Why?”
