TWO DAYS LATER, on the morning of Kinnon MacMillan’s funeral, a somber Payton sat next to Brodie in the large SUV. Kade, Sam, Connall, and Pepper were with Alasdair in the car in front of them, and Payton was relieved to be alone with her mate. She took the comfort Brodie offered, his fingers linked with hers, as Karl drove them to the site. Brodie gave her hand a gentle squeeze and she smiled grimly.
“Are you sure you want to be there?” he asked. “We don’t have to go. Niall gave you the option to stay away.”
“I know.” Payton nodded. “But he’s as close as a brother… closer, really. I don’t mind being there, I’m just sad for him.”
“I understand.” Brodie kissed her palm. She leaned her cheek against his shoulder and sighed. “Thanks.”
As they approached the parking lot, Payton saw Niall talking on the phone, rubbing the bridge of his nose, indicating he wasn’t happy about whatever was being said. “That’s not a good look,” she murmured.
Niall glanced up and then slipped his phone into his pocket.
Payton didn’t have time to appreciate the view as she climbed out of the car and wrapped her arms around Niall’s waist, hugging him tightly. “I’m so sorry, Nye,” Payton whispered.
“Thank you for coming.” Niall released Payton and gave Brodie a quick man-hug. “All of you.”
Brodie nodded. “Of course.”
“Where’s Max?” Connall asked.
“He’s already down by the water,” Niall said, and greeted the rest of the family before leading everyone to where Max waited. Max nodded in greeting, his hands clasped so tightly in front of him, they were almost white. Pepper slid her hand into his arm, but didn’t attempt any other contact.
Kinnon MacMillan would be given a traditional Viking funeral. The group headed somberly toward the bank of the Loch. Kinnon had been laid out on a wooden raft, dressed in ornamental Icelandic clothing, his hands folded over his chest. After a few words, Max and Niall pushed the glorified casket away from the bank and waited until it was further out before the men shot lit arrows out to it. If this had been a happier occasion, Payton might have commented on how incredibly good they all were with a bow and arrow.
Niall grasped Payton’s hand, but stood stoically as tears slipped down his cheeks. Max’s expression was blank as the raft burst into flames and Kinnon’s body was devoured by the fire, finding his final resting place in the water.
When there was nothing left to see, Payton hugged Niall, but kept a safe distance from Max, who appeared to want no one near him. Connall, however, slipped an arm around his shoulders and gave him a quick hug. Max nodded, his expression unchanging as he followed the group back to the cars.
“You’re both welcome to come back to the house,” Kade said. “You can stay with Sam and me until you have to go back out on the road… or longer if you need to.”
Max shook his head.
“We’re back on the road in a few days, so I think we’ll hang out at Max’s place until then,” Niall said. “Thank you for the offer, though.”
“Do you want me to come back with you?” Payton asked. “I can cook for you.”
Niall smiled. “No. It’s okay, Pay. Max’s housekeeper can cook for us. I think it would be best that we be alone right now, but I may call you later, if that’s okay.”
“Of course it is,” she said, hugging him again. “If you need anything, we’ll drop what we’re doing and come.” She cupped his face. “Anything. Got it?”
Niall nodded. “Aye, lass. Got it.” He leaned down and gave her a chaste kiss on the cheek and then climbed into Max’s Mercedes.
Payton waited for Niall and Max to drive away before she got back into the car. Brodie stood with her, his arm firmly around her waist until she was ready to go. They made their way home, and when they were informed Heather and Abela had taken advantage of the clear day to explore the property, Payton curled up next to Brodie on the sofa, bursting into tears and finally allowing her pain for Niall to come. Brodie held her close without speaking, and Payton drew on his strength. She didn’t know Kinnon well, and the parts of him she had known weren’t flattering, but Niall’s tears had made her ridiculously sad. He never cried. Ever.
“Do you think he was ever kind?” she asked after several minutes of silence.
“Who? Kinnon?”
She nodded, accepting yet another handkerchief from Brodie. She’d already cried through two.
“No.”
She glanced up at him and frowned. “Really?”
“Really.” He squeezed her hand. “He was a little younger than me when we landed in Scotland, and I remember him being a nasty wee lad. He was cruel to animals and girls, anyone weaker than him, actually. Even back then. Always something off with him, you know?”
Payton sat up on her knees, facing Brodie. “How well did you know them back then?”
He cocked his head. “Did Niall not tell you?”
She shook her head. “He doesn’t talk about any of his family… except Max of course. The only time Kinnon really came into conversation was in relation to rehab and stuff, and when I ran into him at the grocery store a few years ago.”
Brodie stiffened. “Ran into him where, exactly?”
“In town. At Salut.” She picked at the linen in her hands. “It was ages ago. While you were away.”
“What did Niall say?”
Payton narrowed her eyes. “Why do I feel like this conversation is going somewhere I hadn’t expected?”
“Tell me what happened.”
“Nothing to tell. Bronwen and I stopped in at Salut to pick up a few things for dinner. It was right before I started working for Duncan. Bronwen had just gotten a new flat and I was staying there for the weekend.”
“Was anyone with you?”
She frowned. “Other than Bronwen?”
“Security, Payton. Was anyone with you?” he demanded.
“No, well, not that I was aware of.” She sighed as light dawned. “Oh, my word, I’m slow sometimes. Alasdair just happened to show up shortly after Kinnon and I started chatting. I thought he was there on an errand for Fiona.”
Brodie visibly relaxed.
“You did that, didn’t you?” Payton deduced. “Had me watched.”
He shrugged. “Of course I did.”
“Well, I suppose I should be grateful I didn’t know about it at the time.”
“That was the point. I wanted you safe, and I knew if you figured out you had a detail, you wouldn’t have liked me very much.” Brodie slipped a wayward lock of hair behind her ear. “How was Kinnon when you “accidentally” ran into him? Lucid?”
She nodded. “Kinnon seemed fine when we were speaking, totally lucid. Not like I’ve seen since, actually. He did make an impression on Bronwen, but not in a good way.”
“How come?”
“I don’t know. She just said he was rude to her, but it was when I stepped away to grab a bottle of wine, and she didn’t go into detail. I remember asking Niall about Kinnon after the fact, but he just passed Kinnon off as the black sheep of the family and wouldn’t talk about him. I found that a bit odd, considering I’ve met Max on more than one occasion. I always thought he was the black sheep.”
Brodie chuckled. “Max is different. But remember, he saw everything. Niall’s almost sixteen years younger than him, although, you wouldn’t know it by their looks.”
“Right. The sister was born between them, and Kinnon was the baby, right?”
Brodie nodded. “Aye. Max and Moira were very close, in age and relationship, and he was witness to the deterioration of his parents after she died. He blames himself.”
Payton gasped. “Seriously? Why?”
“Because he had taken it upon himself to be by her side at all times. Moira was never to be left alone, especially with Kinnon and any of the deviants he ran with.”
“How did Niall feel about that? Did he agree? He’s never said a harsh word about Kinnon.”
“Oh, he agreed wholeheartedly, so they’d set up a schedule of sorts. She loved horses almost as much as Max did, and Connall had promised to show her the new Arabians Kade had purchased.” He laid his hand on Payton’s again, effectively putting a stop to her shredding his handkerchief. “After the Christmas ball in 1879, the “young” people were invited to stay overnight. Con thought that would be a great time for him and Max to take Moira down to the stables. She rarely got to visit the castle, as her parents were very protective.”
“Niall did mention that. That’s the night she died, right?”
“Aye,” Brodie said. “They’d given her permission to stay because Max had promised to watch over her, as did Niall. I remember that Niall and I checked on her before heading down to… well, never mind. You don’t really need to hear all that.”
She frowned. “I’m assuming you were with girls and did things you probably shouldn’t have, so maybe you’re right.”
“We didn’t do anything nefarious, sweetheart. We just took two pretty girls on a very chaste walk.”
“Oh, I’m sure it was so very innocent.”
Brodie smiled, but his expression sobered when he went back to the story. “We returned to the castle just after midnight to complete chaos. Moira was missing, Max was frantic, Kinnon and a friend of his were nowhere to be found, and we were swept up in a frantic search. Max and Connall found her. She’d been ra—ah, killed in a horrible way and left in the small carriage house next to the stables. From what I understand, it was a gruesome scene.”
Payton bit her lip, her eyes filling with tears. “Did Niall see her like that too?”
“No, thank God.” Brodie shook his head. “However, he and I weren’t far behind them. When we arrived, Max had Moira cradled in his arms and he was talking to her, begging her to wake up. He was trying to heal her, but she was already gone. Connall said later that Max had fixed her gown so she wouldn’t be seen in such a compromising way, and we all had to drag Max from her so that Alasdair could attempt to gather evidence. It was only made worse when Kinnon arrived thirty minutes later, high on something—we think opium—and drunk.” Brodie sneered. “He was with Abbot Martin, and nothing ever good happens when one of the Martin boys are involved.”
“Why does Max think Kinnon had anything to do with her death? Wasn’t someone hung for it back then?”
Brodie nodded. “Aye. One of the locals copped to the murder at the time, and gave enough information to make everyone believe he knew more than he should, but it never sat well with Kade.”
“How come?”
He shrugged. “Not sure. Kade knew the man who confessed and said he wasn’t right in the head, but he wasn’t a bad man.”
“But the man confessed?”
“Yes. The town wanted justice and he confessed, so he was hung and everyone went on with their lives. The Kinnon connection is something that’s only come up somewhat recently. A conversation Max and Connall had a few years ago. I have always figured if Max knew anything different and wanted to take it to Kade, he would. Especially after the attack on Pepper. And he may have. I don’t know all the particulars, and I don’t really think it’s any of my business, so I don’t pry.”
“Probably true,” she said. “This puts Max in a different light.”
Brodie nodded. “Max has never gotten over it. Niall deals with guilt now and then, but he’s much more philosophical than Max, and able to deal with stress better, so he seems to have been able to put it behind him. Max, though, not so much.”
Payton settled back against Brodie, wrapping an arm around his waist. “No wonder their parents lost hope at the end.”
Brodie gave her a gentle squeeze. “I guess so.” She stroked his chest. “It’s just so sad. Max and Niall might have been adults, but they still needed their parents. I don’t think that really ever changes.”
Brodie kissed her head. “I wouldn’t know.”
“No, I suppose you wouldn’t. You may be the exception. Although, I think it’s nice that you get to know your real mum. She might heal some old hurts or answer some burning questions for you.” She smiled up at him. “Either way, you’ve turned out perfectly, in my opinion.”
“You might be a bit biased.”
She snuggled closer to him. “Nope. I’m fully objective and totally right. I dare someone to argue.”
He chuckled.
“Your Highness?” Erin spoke from the doorway.
“Yes, Erin,” he said.
“Sorry to interrupt. What time would you like dinner, sir?”
“Have Heather and Abela returned?”
“Not yet, sir.”
Brodie glanced at his watch. “Let’s plan on six, then.”
“Very good sir.” She curtsied and left the room.
Payton’s stomach grumbled and she groaned. “I don’t want to move, but I should probably eat something.”
“I’ll ring for some food.”
“No, don’t.” She smiled and peeled herself from his body. “We’re quite capable of walking to the kitchen and finding something to eat.”
“My staff won’t know what to do with you if you keep doing all their work.”
“Don’t be so melodramatic.” She smiled. “Throwing together a quick snack is not doing all their work, Brodie.”
“I suppose you have a point.” Brodie rose to his feet and pulled her up beside him. “Come on then. Feed your man.”
Payton laughed. “Oh, are you hungry too, love? How remiss of me not to notice.”
“You’ll learn.”
“Oh, I’m to be trained, am I?” she retorted.
“Of course you are. I chose you because of certain skills I was assured you had.”
“Brodie Gunnach, did you do a background check on me?” she asked in mock admonishment.
“And a frontground check and sideground check,” he said as he leaned down to kiss her. “All possible sides have been thoroughly observed and approved of.”
She gripped his shirt. “Good Lord, you can make the most bizarre things sound sexy.”
He grinned and kissed her again before dragging her into the kitchen.