THAT EVENING, PAYTON sat in the front room of her family home and tried to talk her teenage sister down off the ledge, so to speak. Amy was in love… again. And her love was unrequited… again.
“Amy,” Payton said with a sigh. “You’re seventeen. You’re too young to know if you’re in love.”
“I am not,” Amy insisted. “You were in love at my age.”
“Okay, fair enough. But you are too young to know who your mate is. Don’t you want to wait for him, instead of wasting time on these other boys?”
“You don’t understand, Pay. You never will! You’ve been stuck on Brodie Gunnach since you were fourteen.” Amy wiped her face. “What happens if you find out that he’s not your mate? You’ll wish you’d had a little fun in between.”
Well, there is that, Payton thought.
“I’ve only got a couple of weeks until my birthday,” Payton said. “It’s a little late for me to sow my wild oats now, I think.”
“Don’t be a daft bampot, Amy,” Aidan said from the doorway.
“How long have you been eavesdropping, ya big jobby?” Amy retorted.
“Long enough to confirm you’re being an idiot.”
“Okay, enough, you two,” Payton snapped.
Aidan held his hands up in surrender. “Tea’s almost ready.”
“Thanks. How about you go back to whatever you were doing?” Payton suggested.
“Gladly.” Aidan turned and left them alone again.
“Amy, you’ll find your true mate before you know it. Have a little faith.”
“Forget it. You’ll never understand,” Amy whined as she stood. “I’ll just go to my room and die alone.” She flounced out of the room.
“Try and make it quick this time,” Payton mumbled to herself.
She stood and headed for the kitchen. The stress in the McFadden home was overwhelming and not just because Amy was melting down. The Council had made its decision, and Baldvin and Annis were being exiled to Micronesia. They were being held outside of the city until the transfer could be made, and Payton’s mother was inconsolable, still trying to find a way to let Annis stay in Scotland. Payton heard her mother arguing with her father as she drew closer to the kitchen. She wasn’t prepared for the words her mother was spewing, however.
“Payton has the power to change this, Stuart,” her mother said. “She could use her influence with Brodie.”
Payton had tried to talk to Brodie about her sister, hoping he’d grant clemency, but he refused to budge on the decision. Something she’d told her mother.
“Are you forgetting Payton was attacked?” her father asked.
“She’s fine. Brodie arrived in time. If she asked him, he could speak to the king.”
“I’ve spoken with Kade, love, and he’s in agreement with his brothers,” her father said. “Brodie is out for blood. Baldvin attacked his mate.”
“But she’s fine, and now my baby girl will die in some God-forsaken country without her family around her!”
“Phyllis…”
Payton couldn’t listen to the rest. She couldn’t believe her mother felt she had any say over what happened to her sister. Annis had always been the clear favorite, but even though Annis had done something horrible, she was still far above Payton.
Her phone buzzed in her pocket and she pulled it out to find a text from Brodie.
*What’s wrong?*
*Nothing. I’m okay.*
*I’m at your door, love.*
She sighed and made her way to the front door. She opened it to find Brodie holding a bouquet of yellow roses. Her favorite. He smiled and her heart stuttered.
“Hi,” she said.
“Hi.” He handed her the flowers. “Am I going to have to stand here all night, or are you going to invite me in?”
“Hmmm.” She grinned. “I’m not sure.”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Fine.” She stepped back. “Come in.”
He followed her inside and closed the door, leaning down to kiss her quickly. “Now tell me what’s wrong.”
Payton forced a smile. “Nothing major. Honestly. My parents just can’t seem to agree with the Council’s decision.”
His expression changed to one of irritation, but he didn’t elaborate.
“Did I miss something?”
Brodie shook his head. “Not at all. Why do you ask?”
“It’s just that I left you two hours ago. Not to mention the fact that we’ll be bound in less than two weeks. Does Kade need me for something?”
“No, love. I couldn’t drive you home myself, and I seem to have this innate desire to see your beautiful face before I go to sleep.” He smiled and kissed her palm. “And for the record, I miss you even when we’re in different rooms.”
“I kind of miss you, too.” She smiled. “So what’s up?”
“I want to take you somewhere.”
“Now?” Payton asked, checking her watch.
“Aye,” Brodie said.
“Where?”
He smiled. “It’s a surprise, but I promise, I’ll have you home well before midnight.”
“I don’t know. Mum’s just finishing up tea. We’ll be sitting down in less than half an hour.”
“I’m happy to take you out,” he said.
“Brodie. It’s a bit last minute, don’t you think?” She lowered her voice to a near whisper. “You know what she’s like if her plans are upset.”
“Payton!” her mother called from the kitchen. “Who’s at the door? Tell them it’s suppertime and to give you a ring in the morning.”
Before Payton could respond, her mother walked down the hall and caught sight of Brodie. She immediately curtsied. “Oh, Your Highness. Forgive me.”
“Mrs. McFadden.” Brodie smiled and gave her a regal nod. “Good evening. I apologize if I’ve interrupted your meal.”
“Not at all. You’re always welcome here. What lovely flowers, Payton,” her mother said. “You really should get them into some water.”
“Yes,” Payton said. “I was just going—”
“We’re getting ready to eat, Your Highness, would you care to join us?” her mother asked Brodie, cutting Payton off.
“Thank you, Mrs. McFadden, but I’m here to see if Payton is available to go out,” Brodie said.
“Of course,” her mother said after a few seconds of delay. “You really should get those flowers in water, Payton.”
“Yes, Mum.”
“Now, Payton,” her mother instructed.
“Soon, Mum,” Payton said, standing her ground and trying to keep the irritation from her voice.
Her mother turned and walked away, and Payton led Brodie to the kitchen, unsurprised to see the room vacant. Her father must have made his escape when her mother came to find her.
“She does realize you’re not a child, right?” Brodie complained.
“Not sure,” Payton admitted as she located a vase and set it under the tap. “At least she’s not still trying to bottle-feed me.”
Brodie chuckled. He stood at the entrance of the large room, leaning against the doorjamb and looking ridiculously gorgeous.
Once the vase was filled, Payton set the flowers in it and placed it on the counter. “The flowers really are beautiful, Brodie,” she said, breaking the silence. “Thank you.”
“What happened earlier, Payton?” he asked.
She stared at the ground, feeling the heat on her cheeks.
“You might as well tell me, love. I’ve got all night.”
She took a deep breath and met his eyes, although her stomach churned in protest. She filled him in on what she’d overheard and instantly regretted it when she studied his murderous expression.
“Where’s your father?” he demanded.
“I don’t know.” She squeezed his hand. “Brodie, it’s fine. My mother’s losing her daughter. She’s upset.”
“So she’s going to throw you under the bus?”
Payton rubbed her forehead. “She’s not doing that.”
“Like hell she’s not.”
“Okay, maybe she is. But I don’t think she means to.”
He raised his eyebrow. “Is your father in his office?”
Payton sighed. “Probably.”
Brodie stalked out of the room and Payton sank into one of the kitchen chairs. She was there for several minutes before Phyllis rushed into the room. “What did you tell him?” her mother demanded.
Payton frowned. “Who?”
“Brodie,” her mother whispered. “You really do want to get rid of your sister, don’t you?”
“What? Not at all.”
“You’ve always been selfish,” Phyllis accused.
Before Payton could comment, Brodie and her father walked into the room.
“Selfish?” Brodie scowled at her mother. “You can’t really be serious.”
Her mother lowered her head and pressed her lips into a thin line.
“I want you to pack a bag, love,” Brodie said. “You’re coming with me.”
“What?” Payton stood and gripped the back of the chair. “Why?”
“I’ll explain in the car.”
Payton frowned. “Daddy?”
“I’ll allow it, lass,” he said. “Brodie will explain.”
Payton escaped to her bedroom and packed what she could into her suitcase. She met Brodie in the foyer, his expression of rage directed at her mother painfully evident. Without a further word to her parents, Brodie took her bag and pushed Payton out the front door.
“What’s going on?” Payton asked.
“Give me a minute, love.” He threw her bag into the boot and then opened the passenger side door for her.
She slid inside, buckled up, and waited while he climbed in and started the car. She gripped the door handle as he peeled out of the driveway. She could feel his anger pouring off him as he slammed his foot down on the clutch and changed gears.
Payton wished they were bound. If they were, she could read his mind and know exactly what was going on. Now would not be a good time to ask, but the suspense was killing her. Since her visions often confused her more, she tended to dismiss them. She laid her hand on his leg and knew he was calmer when he linked his fingers with hers.
“Thank you,” he said.
“Maybe you should pull over so we can talk,” she suggested as she gripped the door handle harder.
“I think I should wait until we’re back at the flat.” Brodie guided the car into the private parking lot and set the brake. He didn’t say anything as he exited the car, opened the door for Payton, and then retrieved her bag.
“Where’s the security detail?” Payton asked.
“I lost them.”
“Brodie,” she admonished.
“Not now, Pay.”
They rode the elevator up in silence, and when they entered the apartment, Brodie dropped Payton’s suitcase on the bed in the main bedroom and then dragged his hands down his face.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Other than wanting to kill your mother, I’m fine.”
Payton bit her lip. “What else happened back at the house?”
He took a deep breath. “It started when she tried to blame the Council’s decision on the fact that you didn’t try to fight for your sister.”
“What?” Payton was stunned. “Did she really?”
“Aye.”
“You didn’t tell her the truth, did you?”
“I had to, Payton!” he snapped. “She needs to know who your sister truly is. Not that it mattered—she didn’t believe me.”
“Did you expect otherwise? She’ll never believe Annis knew about the attack before it happened.” Payton sighed. “No mother wants to believe the worst of her daughter.”
“You’re her daughter, too,” he ground out.
“True.”
He grimaced. “There’s more.”
“Okay. What?”
“Annis is not your father’s daughter.”
“What?” Payton frowned. “What do you mean?”
“She’s the only child from your mother’s bond.”
Payton gasped, lowering herself onto the mattress. “I thought she and her mate didn’t have any children.”
“I know you did.”
“She never said a word. Neither did Annis. Does my sister even know?”
Brodie nodded as he sat beside her and took her hand. “Aye. She’s known for a while.”
“Well, I guess all of this makes sense, then. Annis is the daughter from her bond, and that means she trumps me.”
Brodie swore. “Don’t say that, Payton. There is no excuse for what she did. Annis allowed her mate to hurt you. She could have told someone and chose not to.”
“Chosen may be a bit harsh, Brodie.” Payton rubbed her forehead. “I just can’t imagine my sister wanting to hurt me like that.”
“At the very least, your mother should recognize right from wrong. She should stand firmly with you instead of trying to blame you for any part of it.”
Brodie had endured a horrific childhood, abuse raining down on him from both his parents, but the hatred from his mother was the worst. She never had a kind word to say about Brodie, and he’d buried his hurt deep, although, not deep enough for Payton not to feel it.
“Brodie.” Payton grasped his hand. “My mother doesn’t mean to say the things she does. She’s just an idiot.” She could sense his anger abate a bit. “I know you see much of this through your own filter, but it’s not quite the same. My mother and I don’t mesh, but I believe she loves me. She’s just… well… kind of broken. And she knows you’d never allow anything bad to happen to me. I’m not entirely sure she feels the same way about Baldvin. He and Annis have a, ah, well, different kind of relationship.”
“I don’t like seeing you hurt.”
She smiled. “I know. But you can’t always control that.”
“I can try,” he said, and then wrapped his arms around her and kissed her. Breaking the kiss, he stroked her face.
Payton hugged him. “I love that you do everything within your power to make me happy. It makes loving you so much easier… most of the time, anyway.”
“Good to know.” He grinned. “For now, we’re staying here for a few days, and we’ll go from there.”
“Was this where you were going to take me?”
“No. I had something different in mind, but will you let me give you a surprise in a day or so, or force me to tell you now?”
She raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know, Brod. You know how much I hate surprises.”
“I do know that. But I promise it’ll be a good surprise.” He kissed her palm. “So?”
She sighed. “You can keep your surprise… for now.”
Brodie chuckled. “Thank you, love. You won’t be disappointed.”
* * *
The next day, Brodie joined Kade and Connall to pick Dalton Moore up at the Gunnach airstrip. Brodie leaned back against the car as Kade’s private plane came to a complete stop and the door was opened. “Are you okay with this, Con?” Brodie asked.
Connall paced a few feet away, his face pinched with irritation. “I have no bloody choice to be anything other than okay with it. Dalton’s the best chance of getting this degenerate.”
Dalton and Pepper had dated several years before, and he’d admitted he’d been in love with her for as long as he could remember. The admission had caused some tension between him and Connall, but in order to keep Pepper safe, they would have to put that aside. Dalton had saved Pepper from Jet years before, and he might be the only one who could save her from him now.
Dalton appeared in the doorway of the plane.
“Bloody hell.” Connall groaned. “Damn Americans.”
Dalton’s dark brown hair was long and swept away from his face. He wore a knitted turtleneck, tailored trousers, and black boots. With a black wool peacoat over the stylish garb, the ex-FBI agent looked more like a Polo model than a lawman. Brodie chuckled. He half expected him to jump onto the back of a horse and ride off into the sunset.
“What the hell is so funny?” Connall asked.
Brodie raised his hands. “Nothin’, brother.”
“She’s bonded to you, Con,” Kade said. “Remember that.”
Connall nodded, and the brothers made their way to greet Dalton. Connall stayed behind Kade and Brodie, but did manage to shake Dalton’s hand with some level of graciousness.
“So how did he get away?” Dalton asked as they slid into the car. “And don’t give me some bullshit story. I want the truth. Y’all are holding quite a bit back, and I can’t do my job if you keep doing that.”
“We might want to table this conversation until we get back to Kade’s flat,” Brodie said. “Sam and Pepper have asked that they be there when we fill you in. Cole will be there as well.”
Dalton sank into the seat and nodded.
The group arrived back at the apartment building a few minutes later. Kade led everyone upstairs and the door to the flat opened before they reached it.
Sam threw herself into her brother’s arms, simultaneously giving him a piece of her mind about keeping his secret. “You are a big fat jerk, Dalton Moore.”
“It’s good to see you too, sis.” Dalton kissed her cheek. “I couldn’t tell you, Sam. I was sworn to secrecy, and by the time I was released from my gag order and told Alasdair, all this shit with Jet started and it just slipped my mind. Forgive me?”
Sam sighed. “If I have to.”
Dalton grinned, caught sight of Pepper, and opened his arms to her. She slid into his embrace, her eyes filling with tears as she did. “Hi, Dalt.”
“Hey, we’re gonna get him,” Dalton said.
“I know.” Pepper returned to Connall and linked her fingers with his. “I just hate that he has any freedom at all.”
Connall kissed her hand. “He won’t for long.”
Cole greeted Dalton, his expression one of triumph. Cole had been trying to get Dalton back to Scotland in order to work for him, but Dalton had been stalling.
“Shut it, Cole,” Dalton retorted.
“What? I said nothing.” Cole grinned and slapped Dalton on the back.
“Let’s go inside and talk,” Sam said, and led everyone into the flat.
“Where’s Payton?” Brodie asked.
“She’s on her way,” Kade said. “She had to run an errand, I believe.”
“That was this morning,” Brodie snapped.
“That’s my fault, brother. I needed her to look at some numbers for me, so she left the office a little later than expected.”
Brodie frowned. “How many did Alasdair send with her?”
“At least two.”
“Damn it,” he said. “I could have gone with her this afternoon.”
“I didn’t realize,” Kade said. “Sorry. I’m sure she’ll be fine. Ali made sure he sent his best guys with her, if that helps.”
Brodie gave a reluctant nod. He pulled out his phone, stepped back into the hallway, and texted Payton.
*Are you okay?*
He stared at his phone, willing Payton to respond quickly. She did.
*Fine, Brodie. I’m with security.*
*You were supposed to be with me.*
His phone buzzed and he answered it. “So?”
“So,” Payton said. “You signed off on my errand, love. I know the timing got changed, but I had to do a couple of things before the shops closed. I couldn’t wait for you. I have the K’s with me. I’m safe.”
“The K’s?”
“Kevin and Karl.”
“Where are you?” he asked.
“Princes Street,” she said. “Jenners’, to be exact. I’m just about to leave.”
“I’ll meet you.”
“Brodie,” she admonished. “Don’t you have a meeting?”
“Not if you need me.”
“I have two big burly men with me. I’m fine, love. They’re going to take me home.”
“Have them bring you to Kade’s,” he demanded. “I’ll take you home.”
“I’m closer to home than I am to Kade’s, Brodie.”
“I’ll come and get you, then.”
“No, don’t.” Payton sighed. “I’ll come to the flat.”
Brodie smiled. “Thank you. Twenty minutes.”
“Oh, I’m to come right now?”
“Payton,” he droned.
“I’m on my way.” She giggled. “I love you.”
“I love you too.” Brodie hung up and called Karl with some specific instructions before walking into Kade’s apartment.
“Everything okay?” Kade asked.
Brodie nodded and sat in one of the chairs next to Kade. “It will be.”
“What do we know?” Dalton asked, nodding his thanks to Sam as she handed him a beer. “How did Jet get away in the first place?” He scowled at Cole. “I thought you said the place was secure.”
“I thought it was,” Cole grumbled.
“He got hold of a paralytic drug and managed to incapacitate the guards,” Kade said.
“That’s kind of vague. Do you mean Ketamine?” Dalton asked.
Samantha shook her head. “Sort of. Ketamine makes you pass out. This drug keeps you fully alert, just unable to move, and it only works on certain people.”
Dalton studied his sister. “Who?”
“Us. We are of an ancient race,” Kade explained. “Cauld Ane’s are susceptible to things that hu—ah, you aren’t.”
“What kind of race? Like Jewish or something like that?”
“Oh, for the love and glory be!” Pepper snapped. “The Cauld Ane aren’t human. They’re immortal, Dalt. They… we… can’t survive in temperatures over sixty-eight degrees, and almonds and this flower thing called Red Fang can hurt us. Red Fang is a paralytic drug that’s essentially tasteless and without odor, but can render us immobile.”
“Wait. Back the truck up… immortal? Are we talking vampires here? Can’t go out in the sun stuff?” Dalton chuckled. “I thought vampires only existed in those ridiculous romance novels you read, Pepper.”
“Suck it, Dalton.” Pepper retorted.
He laughed.
“Not vampires. Nothing like that, actually,” Samantha explained. “We live for several hundred years, and until we begin to age rapidly, meaning one year for every ten human years or so, we won’t see the end coming. Many of us don’t start to age that quickly until well into our eight-hundreds.”
“Us?” Dalton stood and began to pace. “How is it you’re including yourself in this?” He turned to Cole. “And why aren’t you totally freaking out right now? Have you known this the whole time you’ve been here?”
Cole shook his head. “Alasdair read me in when I approached him about working for Kade.”
“I don’t understand.” Dalton crossed his arms.
“I know you don’t. But in answer to your question about ‘us,’ yes, I’m including Pepper and me in that.” Samantha smiled. “I am bound to Kade, and Pepper’s bound to Connall. We are given one mate, and once we’re bound, through a ceremony… and, well, other stuff… we are able to speak to each other telepathically, heal one another, and a few other things that are really cool.”
“You can heal each other?” Dalton asked.
Samantha nodded.
Dalton pulled out his knife, handing it to Kade. “Prove it.”
“No, just trust me—” Before she could say anything further, Kade had dragged the knife across his palm and blood seeped through the open cut. Sam let out a frightened squeal and gripped his wrist. The wound began to close and was completely gone within seconds. The only evidence Kade had been hurt was the blood that still stained his hand.
“Holy shit!” Dalton said.
Samantha punched Kade’s shoulder. “Don’t ever do that again!”
Kade chuckled. “I could have healed it if you hadn’t.”
“Not the point,” she admonished.
“Can you do that to me?” Dalton asked.
“I don’t know,” Samantha said. “We don’t have a lot of information about what happens with humans once they’re bound. I don’t know how much of our sibling connection is still intact now that I’m fully Cauld Ane.”
“Let’s try,” Dalton suggested.
“No, Dalt. If you’re hurt and I can’t heal you, it’ll be bad.”
Dalton took his knife from Kade and pricked his finger.
“Dalton!” Sam snapped and grabbed his hand. The group gathered around Dalton, stunned that his finger healed immediately.
“Holy shit,” Pepper said. “You did it! How cool is that?”
“What else can you do?” Dalton asked.
“One thing we don’t have to do is brush our teeth,” Pepper informed him.
“Seriously?”
Pepper nodded and gave him a toothy grin. “Perfectly white, no bad breath. It’s awesome.”
“How old are you?” Dalton asked.
Kade glanced at Samantha and then back at Dalton. “I was born in 1410.”
“You’re more than six-hundred years old?” Dalton exclaimed.
“Aye,” Kade said.
“What happens when people start to ask about why you never age?”
“Yeah, that’s getting harder with all the media these days,” Kade admitted. “We often tell people we’re in our mid-twenties, and avoid folks we meet after about twenty years, but we don’t have many close human friends, so that hasn’t been a problem. It’s getting a little sticky with Queen Elizabeth at the moment, because she may outlive her family. We only met her ten years ago, or so, and she thinks we’re in our early thirties now, but the longer we hold English titles, the harder it will be. We’re still figuring all of that out and how to handle it going forward.”
Brodie’s phone buzzed and he glanced at the screen, half-listening to the conversation.
*Can’t find the K’s. Feels off. In Jenners’ loo… ladies section.*
“Damn it,” he snapped as he dialed Payton’s number, his heart racing as he felt her fear. She didn’t answer.
*Can’t talk. Someone coming,*
“What’s going on, Brodie?” Kade asked.
“Payton’s in trouble.”
Alasdair grabbed his phone and left the room.
Brodie texted Payton as he stood and gathered his keys. *Stay where you are.*
Alasdair returned to the room and followed Brodie from the apartment. Brodie jumped in his car, while Alasdair took one of the SUVs. Speeding toward Princes Street, Brodie tried to calm his fear. He had to stay focused. He parked illegally and made a run for the building, running into Kevin on the way in. “Where the hell have you been?”
Kevin rubbed the back of his neck. “I’m so sorry, Your Highness, I don’t know what happened. I just came to and I can’t find Karl… or Miss McFadden.”
“Shite.”
Using the app he’d loaded onto Payton’s cell, Brodie pulled out his phone and tracked her. She was moving, which didn’t really make him feel any better, since he’d told her to stay where she was. *STOP moving, Pay!*
He watched the little blue dot stop and then start again. “Damn it!”
“She’s in the store, Brodie,” Alasdair said. “She can’t go far.”
“Not the point,” he snapped, distractedly watching the screen. “I don’t know what the hell she’s running from.”
The crackle of the overhead speakers permeated the space. “Good evening shoppers. Jenners’ will be closing in ten minutes. Please make your final purchases, and thank you for shopping with us today.”
*I’m near street exit* he texted, watching the blue dot continue to move.
After a few tense minutes, he heard pounding footsteps.
“Brodie!” Payton called.
He followed the sound of Payton’s voice and made a run for her, wrapping her in a protective embrace while Alasdair grilled Kevin.
“What happened?” Brodie asked, finally taking a moment to study her. Her lip was bleeding and she was out of breath.
“I don’t know. I just got a weird feeling when I was at the counter, and when I turned around, the K’s weren’t with me.” Brodie grabbed a handkerchief and gently dabbed at her lip as she rushed to explain. “I walked as quickly as I could to the ladies and a woman followed me in. I didn’t think anything of it until she attacked me.”
Brodie swore. “Where is she?”
“I don’t know. I fought back and got away.” Payton took a deep breath, grimacing when Brodie pressed the linen to her lip again.
“Sorry, love,” he said.
“I’m okay, Brodie.” She gripped his shirt. “Let’s just go. I want out of this bloody shop.”
“We’ll take it from here,” Alasdair said. “Take Payton home and I’ll fill you in when we know something.”
Brodie nodded and guided Payton out of the building and to his car, relieved to find it hadn’t been towed or ticketed. Once she was settled, he climbed in and faced her. “Let’s see if I can’t help that cut, eh?” He cupped her cheek and closed his eyes, opening them again to find the cut healed. He smiled. “Better?”
She nodded and lifted her shirt. “Can you take care of this as well?” A large, ugly bruise appeared over the right side of her ribs.
“Payton, why didn’t you tell me?” He laid his palm gently on her side to heal the bruise.
“I just wanted out.” She let out a deep sigh. “Thank you. I’m fine now, love.”
“I’m taking you back to the flat, and you can walk me through what happened.”
Payton nodded, and leaned her head against the seat back, closing her eyes. Brodie drove as quickly as he could back to Kade’s building and walked her up to the apartment. Unlocking the door, he stepped back and Payton preceded him into the room. As soon as he closed the door, she burst into tears and slid into his arms.
“Shhh, love. I’ve got you.”
“I’ve never been so afraid in my life,” she rasped, gripping his shirt. “She had a syringe, Brodie.”
He rubbed her back. “What did she look like?”
“Black hair, green eyes, and she had a scar on her right cheek. I couldn’t tell how long her hair was… it was in a bun.”
“You’re amazing, sweetheart.”
Payton frowned up at him. “What’s that supposed to mean?”
He wiped the tears from her cheeks. “You managed to get all of that detail even though you were frightened. It’s remarkable.”
She snorted. “I wouldn’t call it amazing or remarkable. More like determined not to get hit with Red Fang again. I went into survival mode.”
“You’re safe now. You’ll stay with me until we find out what’s going on.”
“Bloody hell… I left everything at the shop. I was supposed to return those jeans and pick up mum’s vase.” She flopped onto the sofa and dragged her hands through her hair. “I don’t even know where my purse is.”
“I’ll call Ali,” Brodie said. “We’ll have some replacement things sent over, and he can look for your purse.”
She nodded. “The vase was Fiona’s birthday present, but I suppose I can find something else if I need to.”
“We’ll get another one.”
She smiled. “You make everything sound so easy.”
“Problem solving is my forte.” He kissed her quickly. “Why don’t you pour some wine and I’ll call Alasdair.”
“Okay.” Payton headed to the kitchen, and Brodie made his way to the master bedroom.