“I’ve heard so much about you. It is a privilege to make your acquaintance.”
“Likewise,” I said, before adding, “I’d shake your hand, but touching me these days is a little dangerous.”
“I understand. Now, you have questions,” he said with a hint of mischievousness in his expression. “Let us find out if I can find you some answers.”
“Sounds good to me,” I said.
“We can talk in the library,” Kade offered.
“Perhaps the fire pit would be better,” Haddi replied. “And I think it would be wise to include Andi in our meeting.”
Kade nodded.
“I’ll have Winston start a fire,” Samantha said.
“No need,” Haddi said. “I’ll take care of that.”
“Okay. Then how about y’all join us back at the house for refreshments when you’re finished.”
“Sounds great, love,” Kade said.
“We’ll help,” Isla’s mother said to Samantha, pulling Isla to her side.
“Isla stays with me,” I growled, and she glared up at me. I softened my tone and met her eyes. “Please.”
Isla’s father moved to stand in front of me, so I was forced to look away from Isla and at him. “You’re treading on thin ice,” he warned.
I narrowed my eyes but again said nothing.
Isla pulled me away from her father and stalked toward the open doorway, so I followed.
“Listen to me carefully,” she scolded. “I decide when and where I come and go, so cool it with ordering me or my family around. Got it?”
All I wanted at that moment was to take Isla far away from her family and this place. To be someplace where only the two of us existed. To feel the kind of peace I felt when she touched me.
“I’m sorry,” I said, cupping her cheek. “I don’t know what’s going on with me. I’m so keyed up I could tear a tree out of the ground by its roots and the only time I feel relief is when your hands are on me. Why is that?”
“It’s because I’m your mate. I am the only one who can calm you. Well, until we have children.” I sighed. “Small mercies that you just want to tear a tree out of the ground. It’s an improvement from the first time we touched,” she said, her eyes softening. “You’re not the only one hoping for some answers tonight too, ya know?”
I nodded.
“AndI’m not the only one here trying to help you.” She motioned to the others in the room. “So, you need to stop being an asshat.”
I dragged my hand down my face. “I am really sorry about your father, and about everything else.”
“You need to tell him that,” Isla said.
“I know. I will,” I said. “I promise.”
“I hold people to their words,” she warned, but all I could think about was holding her.
“This has been a lot to take in. I’m a simple guy who, until very recently, was living a simple life.”
“It’s not all your fault, Arric,” she said. “I can’t imagine the shock this has all been to you, but you can’t take your frustration out on my family and expect me to be okay with it.”
“Okay, but what about them?” I challenged. “Alasdair, Dalton, your old man. Every time I turn around, one of them is in my face about something and most of the time I have no idea why. And now this Hadji guy is here, and just like everyone else, he says he has answers, but I feel like I’m about to fail a test I didn’t know I was supposed to study for.”
The sound of Isla’s laugh bridged the distance between us.
