KADE LET HIMSELF into his flat and dropped his keys on the foyer table. Almost nine o’clock. Today had been a long day, filled with revelations. Ones he wished had stayed hidden. Loosening his tie, he made his way to the bank of windows overlooking the university. The weight of leadership was heavy today and he felt isolated.
His brothers were of no help, and now his only sister was adding to the burden. He wanted to rail at her and drive home her stupidity for putting herself in danger, but he had to admit, she was doing something that might help her cause. If they could find out what happened several hundred years ago, maybe they could find out why she was in danger.
His phone rang, interrupting his brooding. “Hello.”
“Kade, it’s Duncan.”
“How’d it go with the new doctor?”
“Outside of the fact that the woman is afraid of her own shadow and doesn’t speak?”
“She doesn’t need to speak, Duncan. She just needs to find a cure.”
“True.” Duncan sighed. “She is quite pretty, in an American way. What do they call it? Girl next door?”
Kade chuckled. “As long as she does her job, she can be the female equivalent of Rowan Atkinson.”
Duncan laughed. “Well, she’s safely stowed at the Balmoral and my job is done. Payton’s picking her up on Monday and will bring her to your office. You can show her the lab and try to force a conversation out of her.”
“I’ve given that responsibility to Anna.”
Duncan laughed again. “Coward.”
Kade nodded. “Maybe. Could also be that I don’t have time to babysit and make small talk.”
“Don’t blame ye.”
“Thanks for your help.”
“I’ll see you next week.”
Kade hung up just as his doorbell pealed.
Great. Fiona.
Pulling open the door, he stepped back with a quiet sigh. “Darling sister. To what do I owe the pleasure?”
“I hated the way we left things.” Fiona brushed past him, followed by Angus.
Kade closed the door. “You could have called.”
Fiona gave Angus some kind of silent request and Kade rolled his eyes.
“I’ll just grab meself something to drink.” Angus started toward the kitchen.
Kade raised an eyebrow. “Should I sit down?”
She smiled. “It might be a good idea.”
He sat in his favorite chair and waited for his sister to sit on the sofa. “Will I need a hanky?”
Fiona shrugged. “I have a couple if you need one.”
“Are we going to discuss any further visits to the library?”
“No. We’re going to discuss you.”
“Bloody hell,” Kade grumbled.
“We need to discuss Shannon.”
Kade pushed to his feet. “I’m not doing this with you, Fiona.”
“She’s in love with you.”
He ran his hands through his hair. “No, she’s not. She’s jockeying for position, and I’ll not be a part of it.”
Fiona burst into tears and Kade sighed and sat down again, leaning over to give her hand a gentle squeeze. “Och, love, don’t cry.”
“You need to bind someone, Kade. I don’t want to wait anymore.”
“Fi, I can’t bind someone if she’s not my true mate.”
She pulled her hand away and stood. “But you could still marry!”
He noticed Angus hovering in the corner, his hands fisted at his sides. Kade knew that if he wasn’t chieftain, Angus would more than likely lay him flat on the floor. Males didn’t take kindly to their mates being upset.
“Fiona,” Kade whispered. “You’re upsetting your fiancé.”
Fiona stomped her foot and let out a series of creative swear words. “My goal in this bloody futile exercise is to upset you! I can’t be bound until you are settled, and you seem hell-bent on shoving every eligible female to the curb.”
“So, if I’m hearing you correctly—”
“Kade!” Angus warned.
“I thought you were getting a drink,” Kade pointed out.
Angus crossed his arms.
“Forget it.” Fiona rubbed her forehead and flopped back onto the sofa. “This is important to me, but if you’re going to stand there and tease me, then I won’t waste my breath.”
Kade took a deep breath and his emotions calmed suddenly.
Odd.
He shook off the phenomenon and focused on his sister again. “I’m sorry, Fi. I know this is difficult for you, but I won’t marry someone who, at the very least, doesn’t have our best interests at heart. And I haven’t found my true mate, so binding’s not an option. Shannon is not the right woman, and I think you know that.”
Angus made his way to Fiona and sat next to her. “He’s right, sweetheart.”
Fiona groaned. “Then you should bind me anyway. Screw the covenant.”
Angus hissed and Kade watched his sister fold.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it,” she backpedaled.
Angus lifted her chin. “That’s treason, Fiona, and I’ll not be party to it, no matter how much I love you. Hear me on this now. Yes?”
Tears slipped down her face as she nodded.
Angus wrapped an arm around her and pulled her close. “If anyone else had heard that, you know what could happen.”
“I know. I’m just frustrated.”
Kade settled his ankle over his knee and watched her. “I’m thinking in less than five minutes, we’re going to have some company, so I’d suggest you calm yourself, sister.”
The familial bond meant that they could feel extreme distress or happiness, and this certainly fell under distress for Fiona.
She nodded. “I’m sorry.”
“I know this is difficult, but I plan to keep my promise to you,” Kade said.
“I just don’t understand why you keep finding something wrong with every woman you meet,” Fiona complained. “It’s not like you don’t have choices! Just pick one already.”
The door opened and Connall came in, looking haggard and concerned.
“Come on in, Con… no, really, no need to knock,” Kade said as Connall settled himself on the sofa.
“What’s wrong?” Connall asked Fiona.
Kade didn’t hear Fiona’s response as he studied his phone. He was sure Brodie would call any second, with Fiona’s frustration radiating amongst the brothers.
His own frustration was starting to get the better of him when the call came.
“Hi, Brodie.”
“What’s wrong?”
Kade sighed. “We’re simply having a difference of opinion, but all will be well.”
“Who are you arguing with?”
“Fi.” Kade frowned. Why didn’t Brodie know that? Maybe he really was as distracted as Fiona accused. “Where are you?”
“Nowhere,” Brodie said, his voice clipped.
“Blonde or brunette?” Kade asked.
“Neither.”
“Ah, so it’s Heather.”
Brodie evaded his comment. “If you don’t need me, I’ll talk to you tomorrow.”
Kade chuckled. “I don’t need you. And wait a little while to call Fi. We have a few things to discuss.”
“Be nice, brother.”
“I’m always nice,” Kade said, and hung up. He lowered himself into his favorite chair and smiled. He loved his family, even if they drove him crazy. Connall’s ability to calm Fiona was something he appreciated. She was now leaning back against Angus, laughing at something Connall had just said, the tears quickly drying as she talked to her favorite brother.
“Better?” Connall asked.
Fiona nodded.
“Good,” he said and then faced Kade. “So, not Shannon?”
Kade laughed and Fiona smacked Con’s leg.
“Definitely not Shannon,” Kade said.
“Excellent. She’s a vulture.”
“Connall, she is not,” Fiona said.
“Of course she is,” he pressed. “She doesn’t care about Kade. She simply wants the highest place in the clan. You must be able to see that, Fi. If you can’t, you’re blind.”
Fiona sighed. “I guess I can see it. I just think vulture’s a little harsh. She’s so nice.”
“To you,” Connall said. “She’s nasty to anyone she doesn’t think can get her closer to Kade.”
“Have you seen this?” Kade asked him.
Connall shrugged. “Once or twice… certainly not on purpose. She’s on her best behavior in front of me, but I’ve walked in on a few tense situations when she’s speaking with others, and she’s obviously had to backtrack. She’s got everyone so on edge, no one will speak against her.”
“I didn’t realize it was that bad.”
“It’s probably worse.”
Kade considered this information. Connall was sensitive and perceptive. An empath. He could read people quickly and accurately, and Kade always brought him in on meetings with new people. Connall could weed out the ones who could potentially harm the clan or the business. Shannon Fraser, however, was not one he could easily weed out. She was the daughter of one of the oldest and most respected families within their clan, not to mention the sister of someone Kade considered an ally. She could, however, be watched.
“Before you ask,” Angus piped in, “Hamish knows what his sister’s like, but you know he’ll never speak ill about her.”
Kade nodded.
As it should be.
“Fi?” Kade leaned forward. “I promise that if I meet someone who is a good fit for me and the clan, I won’t wait, all right? Even if she’s not my mate.”
Connall frowned at his sister.
Fiona grimaced. “I can’t ask you to make that promise, Kade.”
“No, you can’t,” Connall said, and faced Kade. “And you shouldn’t be making a promise like that.”
“The promise is mine to make, Con.”
“Aye,” Connall agreed. “Just don’t sell yourself short.”
Angus rose to his feet and pulled Fiona with him. “I think I should get your sister home. She needs to sleep.”
Fiona gathered her purse and coat. Kade walked them to the door, hugging his sister, even though he knew she was still mad at him. She wanted to be settled with Angus. He understood that. But his job was not to please her, not this time. He had to do what was best for his people.
He closed the door and made his way back to the living room. Connall was on the couch, holding a couple of beers he’d retrieved while Kade said his good-byes.
“You read my mind,” Kade said as he took the one Connall offered.
“I do that.”
Kade chuckled. “You don’t need to hang around if you’ve got somewhere to be.”
Connall shrugged. “Here works.”
Kade grinned and took a swig of his beer. He liked that answer.
* * *
Samantha collected her messages from the front desk and found a note from Cole. She called his room and agreed to join him for dinner Sunday night… reluctantly. He pointed out that she needed to eat anyway, and since she’d already bowed out of drinks the night before, she didn’t feel she could blow him off again, especially since he’d saved her sanity on the flight.
They decided on Hadrian’s, which was the Balmoral’s casual restaurant of choice. Sam took care with her appearance, dressing a little nicer than she may have needed to, but her mother always told her it was better to be overdressed than under. Plus, Cole was cute. Even if he didn’t make her heart race, he made her feel comfortable, and that was a big deal in her book.
She arrived at the restaurant a few minutes early, to find Cole waiting for her. He wore dark jeans, a black shirt, sleeves rolled to the elbow, and a vest. He looked more like a rock star than a cop. She smiled, and he made his way over to her, leaning down to give her a chaste kiss on the cheek. “Hi,” he said. “You look beautiful.”
“Thanks. You look nice as well.”
“Our table is ready if you are.”
Samantha nodded. “Definitely. I’m starving.”
They followed the hostess to their table and Cole held Sam’s chair while she made herself comfortable. He sat down and picked up the wine list.
Within seconds, he laid it down and patted the top of the leather menu. “I don’t know why I’m looking at this. I don’t know anything about what goes with what. Give me a beer list any day. Beer goes with everything.”
“Do you even like wine?” she asked.
“Sometimes.”
“I’ll just plan on ordering a glass of something with the meal then,” she said.
“Are you a wine connoisseur?”
She smiled. “Kind of.”
“In that case perhaps a bottle might be better.” Cole leaned his arms on the table. “Can I trust you not to order the four-thousand-dollar 1865 merlot?”
Sam gasped. “There’s an 1865 Merlot? Do you know how rare that is?”
“I guessed… based on the price tag.”
“Right.” Sam felt her cheeks heat and she stared back down at the wine list, fighting the urge to run.
Cole laid his hand over hers and she glanced up at him. “I’d appreciate it if you’d order a bottle. If I don’t like it, you can drink it all.”
Sam pulled her hand from his and slipped it into her lap. “Plying me with wine so soon?”
He chuckled. “Am I that transparent?”
Sam had never been good at flirting, but she’d promised herself she’d try to make some changes. She supposed this was as good a time as any.
The waiter arrived and took their drink orders. Cole decided on a local ale and Sam went with water in order to save herself for the wine. After discussing options, she decided on a relatively new Pinot Noir their server suggested, hoping she wouldn’t be disappointed. She hated bad wine even more than bad food.
When the server arrived with Cole’s pint, Sam wished she’d ordered one. Cole pointed to the glass and smiled. “Want to try?”
Sam shook her head. “I have a rule never to mix alcohol. I’d have a wicked headache tomorrow, and that’s just not a good idea, especially starting a new job.”
“Better to be safe than sorry.” He grinned as he took a sip. “It is good, though.”
Sam groaned. “Thanks for rubbing it in.”
“Next time, we’ll stick to beer.”
“Next time, huh?”
He smiled. “Well, I suppose it depends.”
“On?”
“The answer to my next question.”
Sam grinned. “Ask away.”
“We’ve determined you know your early ’80s television, but do you like football?”
“I love football.”
“Good answer. If tonight goes well, football and beer are on me.”
Sam wrinkled her nose. “What if it doesn’t go well?”
“You’re on your own, sister.”
“Great. Now I’ll be dreaming about pizza, beer, and the 49ers,” she grumbled.
Cole choked on his drink. “49ers? I was not expecting that! How did a southern girl become a fan of a California team?”
“My best friend. She’s a football fanatic… and from California. She kind of rubbed off on me. Of course, she threatened me with bodily harm if I continued to root for the Cowboys.”
“Why were you rooting for the Cowboys?” he asked.
“Don’t laugh.”
He raised an eyebrow. “I’ll try not to.”
“My second favorite color is blue, and I thought red and gold was a weird color combo.”
“What’s your first favorite color?”
“Green.”
“So why not root for the Packers?”
Sam snorted. “Ew. Ugly Green and puke yellow are way worse together.”
Cole laughed, albeit quietly.
She jabbed a finger toward him. “Hey, I was twelve and making an attempt to like something she liked. In the end, I didn’t really care, so I switched to the ’Niners. Now, they’re a habit.”
“Well, that’s a great reason to root for a team,” he deadpanned.
“Okay, mister expert, are you going to tell me you like the Patriots or Steelers, or something even more impressive?”
Cole tapped his fingers on the table. “I’m a diehard Lions fan.”
“Detroit Lions?”
“Hell, yeah.”
“What are you? The patron saint of lost causes?”
Cole grinned. “You’re funny.”
The server arrived with their meal and, once Sam approved of the wine, poured them each a glass. He left them and Sam felt compelled to find out more about Cole Drake.
“So, tell me, why the Lions?”
“Born and raised in Detroit,” he said.
“Detroit, Detroit, or the outskirts?”
Cole chuckled. “Detroit, Detroit.”
“Wow. I can honestly say I’ve never actually met anyone from Detroit. I thought once the car factories dried up, everyone got out.”
“That’s true to an extent. But my lineage isn’t an auto one… it’s law enforcement. We were lucky.”
“It can’t have been easy to watch friends suffer, though.” A shadow crossed Cole’s face and Sam figured she’d probably pushed a button with that comment. She was also a little surprised she’d made such a personal observation. “How do you like the wine?” she asked, in an effort to change the subject.
“It’s very good. I’ll be sure to defer to you in the future for all my wine choices.”
“You can tell your friends you have your very own sommelier on speed dial.”
“In my crew, that’ll make me somewhat unpopular. But it can be our secret.”
Sam smiled. “So, does the university typically fly their guest lecturers first class?”
Cole’s eyes widened and then he smiled. “No. They waited too long to book my flight and only had first class available.”
Sam hummed. “Lucky you.”
The rest of dinner was much the same. Easy and comfortable conversation. Sam was pleasantly surprised by how much she connected with Cole. When the check arrived, he insisted on paying, even after her strenuous argument. He was gallant to the end, walking her to the elevator and kissing her cheek again. She’d felt comfortable enough to exchange phone numbers with him, but was glad he didn’t ask to walk her to her room. She wanted to keep a few boundaries with him and honor her father’s request to keep her wits about her, which he’d followed with several instructions on staying safe.
She headed back to her room and checked to see if Pepper was online. She wasn’t, so Samantha got ready for bed and proceeded to not sleep.
* * *
The next morning, Samantha’s new cell phone rang and she answered it to Payton McFadden, Duncan’s assistant, letting her know she awaited her in the lobby.
“I’ll be right down,” Sam said.
After checking her appearance in the mirror, Sam grabbed her satchel and purse and headed to the elevators. Stepping into the lobby, she was surprised by how busy it was.
“Dr. Moore?”
Sam turned to the pretty, young woman and smiled. “Yes, I’m Samantha Moore.”
“I’m Payton.”
“Hello. It’s nice to meet you.”
Sam shook Payton’s hand and took in her appearance. She had dark red hair that she’d pulled into a tight bun at the base of her neck and she wore thick-rimmed glasses. She didn’t wear a stitch of make-up, and looked a bit like a stern teacher, but her light blue eyes crinkled at the corners, softening her appearance. When she smiled, Sam felt like she was with an old friend.
“It’s nice to meet you as well. I have a car waiting for us out front. Dr. Gunnach is expecting us, so we should go. Have you had breakfast?”
“No. I don’t usually eat until lunchtime.”
Payton tsked. “That will never do. Dr. Gunnach is quite the stickler on eating at regular hours. We’ll grab something on the way to the office.”
“Okay.”
Sam tried to keep the irritation from her voice. She’d become an expert at hiding her opinion about overbearing men; however, she’d been subject to many of Pepper’s tirades on the subject.
They found the car waiting for them. Gobber the Belch nodded as Sam slid into the backseat.
“Dr. Moore needs to eat, Alasdair, so if we could stop somewhere quick, that would be great.”
“We better,” Alasdair said. “The boss doesn’t like people skipping meals.”
Sam had a vision of Genghis Khan sitting at a large desk, waving pastries in the air as he ran Gunnach Pharmaceutical.
“There’s a Starbucks close by,” Payton said.
“Please don’t go to any trouble,” she argued.
“In that case, Alasdair, we’ll just stop at the café in the building,” Payton instructed. “Will that work, Dr. Moore?”
“Sounds great,” Sam said.
Alasdair pulled away from the curb. Before Sam could get her bearings, he brought the car to a stop.
“We’re here?” Sam asked.
“Close, eh?” Payton said.
Sam nodded. “We could have walked.”
Payton groaned. “Not me. I don’t walk anywhere I don’t have to. I prefer to be driven.”
Sam couldn’t stop a laugh. “You sound like my best friend.”
Payton slid out of the car and Sam followed. “Dr. Gunnach will meet with you for a few minutes, and then his assistant, Anna, will show you to your office and give you a tour of the lab.”
Payton led Sam to the café on the bottom floor of the building, and she chose a small muffin and a large coffee. Her heart started to race again as she took the last bite, and she took a minute to attempt to calm herself. She’d been having these minor panic attacks since she’d arrived. Friday night’s had been the worst, but this one had the potential to be just as bad.
What the heck is going on?