Chapter 17
Meet the Uncles
Brooklyn
Two months later …
I haven’t been back here since my first visit. Logan has been missing. All my focus has been on finding my brother.
I get the feeling all of this is happening because of me. Now that we know for sure that Logan is lost in some prison in Ireland, I know it has something to do with my grandfather. I almost didn’t come here, but the McDougal name has come up, and I didn’t like my father’s response when it did.
I hopped on a flight to check in on DJ, and because I now have more questions about her uncles. My da was adamant that he deal with the McDougal clan himself in place of Logan.
Something was off about it. I’ve taken over everything else in Logan’s absence. Why the fuck did Da freak out when I mentioned Scotland and this family?
“We’re about to find out,” I mutter, pulling into the courtyard of the McDougal Castle.
It reminds me of the Black Castle. I’m not surprised, as both families go way back. Old money, older roots.
I pull to a stop in the courtyard and park. A smile comes to my face as DJ appears with two large older men. I wasn’t expecting to find her here.
I swallow hard as I take her in. She’s in a pair of those tight leggings again. However, this time she has on a bra top.
I groan and pull a hand down my face. I’ve come for answers, not to claim my woman. I’ll be chanting those words in my head this entire visit.
Stepping from the car, I move to the front of it and rest my ass against the hood. I note the moment DJ sees me and her eyes light up. I open my arms for her, and she comes rushing forward.
I stand up straight and step away from the car. I chuckle when she yelps in surprise as I lift her thick ass onto my waist. As she wraps her legs around me, I take her lips in a kiss.
She cups my face and gives back the passion I’m giving to her. I groan into the kiss, missing her sweet mouth. Before we get carried away, I allow her body to slide down my front.
“Aye, love, I missed ya too, baby,” I say against her lips before pecking them once more.
“Why didn’t ya tell me ya were coming?”
“I wanted to surprise ya.”
“What are ya doing here though? Why didn’t ya go to the cottage? How did ya know I was here?”
“I didn’t know ya would be here. I came to see yer uncles,” I reply.
Her smile falls and she takes a few steps back from me. That distrustful look fills her eyes. I thought we had worked past that.
“Cole, why would ya be here to see me uncles?” Her accent comes out thicker than ever.
The last thing I want to do is argue with her. I had hoped I could come here and have a conversation with the McDougal brothers and after I planned to stop in to see her at her gran’s.
“You’re Cole O’Brien. Aren’t ya?” One of the two men says.
“Aye, that’s me.”
“Come, ye shouldn’t be out here in plain sight. If ye want to talk, we should do so inside. Ye don’t belong here.”
My hackles go up. I’m not fond of anyone telling me where I should and shouldn’t be. The guy who spoke frowns.
“Dinna fash yersel. What he means is ye shouldn’t be seen with our niece. If it gets back to the wrong ears, that could be a problem,” the other guy says.
“Deja has been safe because we keep her that way and she hasn’t been a threat to Oland since she’s been here. He’s left her alone. Come, come inside before someone sees ye,” the first one who spoke says.
“Uncle Ken, what the hell are ye two talking about? Oland? As in Oland O’Brien? What does he have to do with anything?” Deja says, sounding confused.
“Inside,” the one she called Uncle Ken snaps.
I reach for her hand and lace my fingers with hers as we both follow the two men into the house. That ever-present connection is still there, no matter how much I can feel her trying to fight it.
Pulling my key for the car, I push the button to lock it. Then I look down at DJ, searching her face. She glances up at me, anger clearly written on her face. Giving her a wink, I then squeeze her hand. A mix of lust and confusion crosses her face.
Once we’re fully inside the house, she shakes her head as if to clear it. I take in the house and note some of the similarities to the Black Castle. The house where she lives with her great-grandmother is way more modest from what I could tell.
I can’t help wondering why they don’t stay here. I shrug the thought off as everyone takes a seat in the drawing room. Deja tries to pull away to take one of the seats across from me, but I tug her into the seat beside me.
Then I wrap my arm around her shoulders and lean into her ear. “It’s been two months since I last saw ya. Stop trying to run from me. I’ve missed ya. I want ya close.”
She blows out a frustrated breath, but begins to squirm a little beside me. I grin and plant a kiss against her temple. She smells like sweat and that delicious scent of hers.
Something like peaches and champagne. It’s so intoxicating. If beauty has a scent, it would be named Deja and I would clear every store out of it.
I want to bask in her body, her flavor, her scent, and the sight of her. I didn’t know how much I had been missing her until now. I don’t wish her grandmother any harm, but there has to be something I can do to get Deja back home with me.
“We need to be quick. The longer ye are here, the greater the risk we’re taking,” Ken says.
“What brings ye here now? Last I heard, Oland was still up to his old tricks. Deja will for sure be on his radar if he finds out ye’ve been here.
“Your granda isn’t eejit enough to step foot on this land for a hunch or rumors he can’t trust. However, mention of ye could change everything he’s willing to risk. Our conditions remain the same.”
“Uncle Ewan, what are ya talking about?”
“Dinna fash yersel. We mean to keep to our word more than ever. Ye are safe here with us,” the one she called Ewan says.
“Ewan, we’ve said enough,” Ken says.
“Ye have said nothing,” Deja bites out.
“That is for ye own good. Trust us.”
Deja jumps to her feet. “I trust no one but myself. This is starting to feel like a problem. Ye guys have never kept secrets from me. Why now?
“And ya, ya show up and bring trouble with ya. Go back to where ya came from. I don’t need ya or want ya here.”
I stand and tower over her. She takes a step back and glares up at me. I smile back at her.
“I doubt ya don’t want me here. As for needing me, I’m sure ya’re wrong about that too. I have a few questions I want to ask yer uncles alone—”
“Fine, ya go on and have at it. I’m leaving,” she hisses and shoves by me to leave.
I stumble back a bit, to my surprise. Moving quickly, I grab ahold of her arm and halt her. She turns to glare down at my hand wrapped around her wrist.
“If ya want to remain the owner of that hand, ya will get it off me. I mean it, Cole,” she growls.
I hold my hands up in the air, still grinning down at her. I love the fire in her eyes. If I didn’t have questions for her uncles, I would follow after her so we can sort this all out.
However, the mention of my granda and Deja’s confusion has a number of questions running through my mind. I have no idea what I just walked into, but it’s starting to smell and sound like the Alliance.
I grit and bare my teeth as I turn to reclaim my seat. Both uncles are watching me closely. I sit back in my seat as if I own the place.
“What am I missing here?” I ask.
“If ye don’t know, it’s not our place to tell ye. Where’s yer brother? We’ll talk to him or the Italian. Preferably yer brother,” Ken says.
“Aye, Deja will remain with us until our terms are met or when those who sent her here come for her,” Ewan adds.
“We’ve just learned my brother is being held in an Irish prison thanks to dear oul Oland. The Italian. You’re speaking of LaSalle, I take it.”
“Aye, that’s all we’re willing to say to ye,” Ewan says.
“Ye should go. Don’t come back here. It isn’t safe for ye or Deja.”
“Ach, I’d like to see who plans to make it unsafe for me. I’ll respect your request because of her and only because of her.”
“Och, yer not going to listen to a word we say. I can see it in yer eyes. Yer as hotheaded and stubborn as Ian was.
“I hope ye have his heart too. Yer going to need it. Ye’ve walked right into the lion’s den,” Ken scoffs.
“Remember, lad. Don’t be fooled by Oland when he says he’ll never work with anyone who’s not Irish. He’s not so much against Deja because of what she is. It has more to do with who she is and what that means to all the things he’s trying to prevent—”
“Ewan,” Ken bites out.
“Aye.” Ewan nods.
I grind my teeth in frustration. These two seem to have all the answers I need, but they’re not willing to share. I have a problem with that, but for now I’ll have to suck it up.
Ken looks me over then locks eyes with me as I guess he finds whatever he’s looking for. “I will give ye one final warning. Oland has eyes and ears everywhere.
“We McDougals want to keep the peace on our land. Tread lightly when yer around Deja. She’s important to this family and Oland will use that in any way he can.”
“What does my brother have to do with all of this?” I ask tightly.
“Ye need to wait for him to tell ye. Until our terms are met, none of this is our business. We promised to keep her safe; that’s our only task in this until we get answers. Ye should head back to the states,” Ken says.
“Och, as if he’s going to follow that advice. Look at him,” Ewan snorts. “I feel like I’m looking at Ian Black in the flesh. He aims to rock the boat. I have a mind to send the lass away.”
“You do that, I will find her,” I bite out.
“Aye, we know. Ye should take a step back and think about what yer doing. What happens when ye cause Oland to raise his head?” Ken says, narrowing his eyes at me.
“You sound like you’re afraid of the oul bastard. I did some digging. I know who you are. Why not just kill the oul piece of shit and be done with it?”
Ewan snorts. “Ye think we’ve been who we are by charging into every battle headfirst. Yer a young lad, so I’ll give ye a pass.