They’ll all know by the end of the day who she is and why I’m keeping her under my protection and surveillance. My brothers are no fools.
“I’ll be right back.”
Leith rises. Mum’s eyes are on us, but only for a second. We walk out of the kitchen and into the vacant hallway.
“Got a call from Wales this morning,” Leith says.
I nod.
“Seems we’ve had a leak, brother.”
I curse under my breath. “What kind of a leak?”
“They know of our connections in Paris. They asked questions, Tate. Lots of questions.” He sighs. “They mentioned Dad’s failing health.”
I curse. “How did they find out?”
Leith shrugs. “Not sure. Clan doctor’s here, vowed to secrecy. But rumor has it I’m Clan Captain now… some may have put two and two together.”
Or, someone read the fucking Clan Chronicles and assumed fiction is truth.
“You any closer to finding out more about the author?” Leith shoots a pointed look at Fran.
“I told you I’d do it, and I need you to trust me.”
He knows. I don’t know how I thought I’d keep the truth from him, how I’d buy time. I could lie, but we never lie to each other.
Ever.
But asking one of my brothers to trust me is an iron-clad rule, one that we honor.
“Of course, Tate,” Leith says warmly. “Always. I trust you. Let me know if there’s anything you need.”
“Aye. And what do you want to do about Wales? What did they want?”
He grumbles. “Fucking everything.”
He doesn’t meet my eyes. What does he mean, everything?
It’s rare Leith’s evasive. He’s holding something back from me, I know it.
“What do they want?” I ask again, more demanding this time. He works his jaw, his body taut as he turns away from me.
I snap. I grab him by the shoulders and throw him against the wall, pinning him there in place before I remember who he is, before I remember my place.
“Tell me!”
He blinks, and I realize what I’m doing. Even as my brother, assault on the Clan Captain merits swift and merciless punishment.
At the moment, I don’t care. I don’t bloody care.
He meets my eyes, but there’s no anger. Only… resignation.
“Tell me, Leith,” I whisper, my grip on him loosening. I’ve already taken this too far, but if any of our Clan brothers see me threatening him, they’d have to attack.
He shakes his head from side to side, and I can tell something’s made him afraid. I haven’t seen fear in his eyes in so long, I almost didn't recognize it at first.
He spits the words out, tainted with hatred. “They want four million quid, or one of the girls in marriage.”
