The way her beautiful eyes say everything her lips can’t…
Suddenly, Cairstina smacks my leg. It startles me so much, I jerk the wheel and the car skids. I look sharply to her, and she’s pointing out a window, shaking her fist to get my attention.
“Think she sees something,” Mac says with a snicker.
“Shut it.”
There’s nowhere else on this road for miles, so I slow down and look to where she’s pointing. I don’t see anything, though, but when the car comes to a full stop, she yanks on the handle to the car door and shoves it open.
“Hey! What the bloody hell are you doing?” I ask, leaving the car myself and chasing after her. There’s nothing but snow-covered grass that leads to trees. Back in the day, this must’ve been a sheep pasture or something like it, but now it’s a blank canvas as far as I can see. “Cairstina! Wait!”
But she doesn’t listen. She’s smaller than I am, and lithe, so she runs quickly through the snow. Bloody hell, how is she runningso fast in those goddamn heels? I nearly trip over them. She’s kicked them off? My God, is she crazy?
Then I see what she sees. There’s a dirt road here, hidden among the trees.
“Cairstina, you’ll catch yer fuckin’ death of cold,” I scold, but still she goes on, pointing. I nearly chuckle. “Aye, I see it, too. It isn’t a wee figment of your imagination.”
I look over my shoulder and the others are far behind. Tate shouts, but we can’t hear him from where we are.
“You’re crazy, woman,” I tell her when I reach her, reaching for her hand. I look at the address and name. This is it. Down this road’s a string of houses nearly hidden in the trees and dark, each one mankier than the first. Paisley, what are you doing?
I hear voices inside, but can’t make out any that I recognize, and not the one I hope to hear.
Is she even here? I look for a bell but find none, so I give a good, sharp rap. The voices inside cease, but footsteps approach.
“Who’s there?”
“We’re looking for Paisley.”
Silence, then the sound of a doorknob turning. Someone opens it, but keeps it latched. I can’t see them through the darkness.
“And who the feck are you?”
I stand up to my full height, ready to knock his fucking teeth in. “Her brother.”
“She went home. And you should, too.” The door slams in my face.
Well, then. Seems he doesn’t know who her family is, and that’s a good thing. Unfortunately, he soon will.
I draw in a steadying breath, and when I look to Cairstina, she’s frowning at the door, shaking her head. She points to it insistently.
“I know, I know, I agree.”
I knock again, louder this time.
“Go away!”
If I have to bloody break this door down, I will.
“Got something to ask you,” I say in a tight voice, trying to sound pleasant but failing miserably.
The door opens, and this time he’s unfastened the latch, probably so he can intimidate me. He’s a good-sized bloke, but even if I wasn’t bigger and stronger than he is, I’ve got enough adrenaline pumping through my veins to fucking murder him.
“Just need to ask you some questions,” I say genially, and when he relaxes a hair, I shove the door open, push my way inside, and hear shouts. He’s not alone. The sofa’s filled with guys that look like footballers, four of them. They get to their feet and come toward me.
“Who’s this fuckin’ prick?” one asks, cracking his knuckles. I hold up my hands. Even though I want to beat his arse, I don’t want to have a fight. I want to get Paisley, and I want to get home.
“Said she went home,” the guy says, his eyes narrow. “Now get the fuck out before I call the police. If you’re not out in three seconds, that’s exactly what I’m going to do.”
