I’ve warned him to be careful, but he says he knows what he’s doing.
He says that the plan’s going exactly as he hoped, and he’s preparing to make his move. It’d better. I won’t let the Aitkens get the upper hand.
Silence lingers between us, as he works his jaw and looks over my shoulder. I pick up the ax again and line up another log to split.
“I’m sorry, Leith.”
I pause mid-swing and turn to look at him. “Why’s that?”
“I was an arse,” he mutters. “Didn’t respect you. Didn’t think it fair you took Tavish’s role, if I’m honest.”
I stare at him, as a cool breeze stings my sweat-slicked back. Finally, I shrug. “No need to apologize. You needed me to prove myself.” I lift the ax and swing it hard, relishing the heft of the blade.
“Aye,” he says, then he chuckles. “See, you’re doing it even now.”
“Doing what?”
“Being all fucking humble. It’s how I got over myself.” He sighs. “I realized you weren’t in it for the power or prestige. I suppose I reckoned you would be, with so many of us looking up to you as our leader. But I see now that isn’t it for you.”
I move the split logs to the pile and place another one on the chopping block. “Mac, I do what I have to for my family. If I could, I’d shrug this all off, let someone else lead.” I sigh. “But that’s not my choice.”
“No, Leith, it isn’t. And I know that now.”
He stands and smiles, stretching. “I want you to know you’re not alone. Tate and I’ve been talking, we think you make a cracking good Captain.” He scowls, though briefly. “Better than Dad ever was.”
He meets my eyes. “And I promise you, I’m going to make this work.”
I nod. “I know you will. We’re family, Mac. None of us does this alone.”
And from that day on, we’re on each other’s sides, as we should’ve been from day one. No man is a fucking island. We need each other.
One day, Cairstina comes back from Gran’s to find me lying on the sofa, finishing the first in the romance book series she and the other girls go on about.
“You didn’t,” she says with a smile. Though she still texts or writes from time to time, she’s becoming more comfortable with speech. She chooses her words carefully, though.
I fold the book and place it on the little end table. “Och, aye. I did.”
She giggles. I love that sound, almost as much as I love the sound of her voice, but not quite as much as I love the sounds she makes when we make love.
“Not so sure I think real men behave likethat,” I say with a frown. “But it was a fun read.”
She giggles again.
“Leith, do you mind if I go into town with your sisters? The next in the series is out tomorrow, and we were hoping to get it.”
“Can’t you read the e-book version?” I ask with a frown. I don’t like them going into town. Though we haven’t had a word from the Aitkens, I don’t trust them. Rumor has it their mother took a stroke, and her recovery’s been difficult. So just because they haven’t done anything recently doesn’t mean they’re not biding their time.
“We could,” she says with a wink. “But… well, we’re hoping we can somehow spy the author.”
“Spy the author?”
“Aye,” she says. “We fancy she may keep herself hidden but there’s a good chance she’ll stop by. And we’re determined to find out who it is.”
I frown at her. “And who’s going with you?”
“Islan, Paisley, yer mum, Fran.”
“When?”
