Chapter 12 Ramsay
My alarm went off on my watch, alerting me to the fact that I only had twenty minutes to get across to Leth Sholas before the tide washed over the causeway. I stepped back from the dresser I was working on, analyzing my work so far.
I’d studied the images I’d asked Cammie for. Silver had a very specific design in mind for the Welsh dresser–inspired piece to pay homage to her grandmother. Since it was one of the few problems in Silver’s life I could solve, I’d spent a few hours on it this morning.
Last night I returned to Stòr, and Akiva and I grabbed a quick bite to eat before I lost myself in my research.
Hours later, I hadn’t found a single thing that would account for the threats against Tierney Silver.
It occurred to me it might be her ex, so I looked into Hugh, the man she’d blocked on her phone.
Hugh Inchcolm. Heir to a car manufacturing fortune. He and Silver had dated for around two years before rumors circulated about their breakup before she left for Scotland.
He didn’t fit the MO. Threats from ex-lovers and stalkers fit a certain pattern and this wasn’t it. Still, he was worth looking into, so I had a contact doing a deep dive on his background.
Quinn and everyone else (because, of course, one of the lads on-site told someone so the dove and worm stories had spread through Leth Sholas like wildfire) thought someone was pranking Silver.
People were looking to anyone who had shown a dislike toward the American or been vocal in their opposition to her buying the guesthouse.
There were only a few people on that list, and what Silver didn’t realize was that the community here wouldn’t put up with that kind of behavior.
Neighbor would turn on neighbor to get to the bottom of it.
She and I both knew this had nothing to do with our community.
Someone believed Silver was threatening the peace and that if she didn’t stop, they’d kill her. That was the message in those threats.
And she was afraid. She was alone and afraid.
My gut knotted.
I’d spoken to Aodhan who owned the flat Silver rented and asked him to beef up the locks on the outer and inner doors. He was dismayed I felt it necessary, but he’d agreed.
For now, I’d gotten permission to leave my boat in the harbor, pointing directly at Silver’s building. I’d mounted an onboard camera, so all I had to do was click onto the app on my phone to make sure all was okay outside her flat.
The app had remained open all night, and I kept shooting glances to make sure there was no movement on Main Street outside her door.
I didn’t know why I was suddenly so obsessed with Silver’s safety. I only knew that if something happened to her when I was around to prevent it, it would fuck with my head.
There were no answers online to my questions. She didn’t trust me to confide her secrets. Until she did, there was nothing any of us could do but be vigilant.
Tired from lack of sleep, I quickly returned to the house to pour more coffee into my flask. I grabbed everything I needed for myself and Akiva. “You’re going to help out today,” I told my dog as we jumped into my Defender. “You’re going to stay with Silver.”
My dog’s ears twitched and her tongue suddenly folded out in an excited pant, like she recognized Silver’s name. I chuckled as I drove out of the clearing in the woods. “Miss Plays It Cool doesn’t know how to with Tierney Silver, eh?”
Akiva cocked her head at me, ears twitching again at Silver’s name.
“Silver.”
She panted happily.
I groaned. “You keep acting like that, she’s going to know you like her.”
“Silver!” I called her name as soon as I jumped out of the Defender with Akiva. She was standing outside the B and B with Quinn. I was relieved to see an electrician installing security cameras on the outside of the building. The equipment arrived earlier than expected.
Silver turned at my call as Akiva bounded over to her. I watched as she crouched to greet my dog with just as much enthusiasm.
“Can you watch her today?” I asked without preamble.
Surprise rounded her eyes. “Akiva?”
“Aye. Annie can’t today.”
A quick glance at Quinn and the knowing smirk on his face told me my friend understood my motive. Akiva had never harmed a human being in her life, but that was mostly because she was trained. I knew without a doubt if someone attacked me, Akiva would jump into protect me.
She’d bonded to Silver and she’d protect this woman too.
“Oh. Well, of course.” Silver looked at Akiva. “Are we hanging out today, beautiful girl?”
Akiva swiped her tongue up Silver’s cheek and she laughed, tilting her head back out of the way. The sound was so fucking pure, I felt as ensnared by it as I did any time I looked into those big, hazel eyes.
Quinn cleared his throat, and I dragged my gaze off Silver and my dog.
My mate grinned at me in a way I knew I was in for it.
I glowered, silently threatening to maim him if he verbally suggested what his grin already hinted at.
“Thanks,” I told Silver gruffly as I handed over some dog poo bags and treats. “Just in case.”
She took them without meeting my gaze, keeping all her attention on Akiva.
Irritation zinged in my blood, but I told myself Silver putting an emotional wall between us was a good thing. Without another word, I strode into the building to get on with my work.
Quinn found me a few minutes later.
“Want to talk about it?” If he attempted to keep the smirking tone out of the question, he failed.
“Any suspicious packages arrive or anything strange, I want to know first.”
At my gravity, he nodded. “You’re worried?”
“These aren’t pranks. I don’t know what they are, but it’s serious. I feel it in my gut.”
Concern wrinkled his brow. “Okay. I’ll make sure the lads know.”
Quinn trusted my instincts. “Thanks.”
About an hour later, I was up on a platform fitting moldings to the dining room ceiling to give the edges the swan neck cornicing that was reminiscent of the building’s original Victorian grandeur.
Someone whistled, and I turned to look down.
Quinn.
He wore a grim expression. “Andy brought this to me.” He held up an envelope. “Again, no name or address on it.”
I muttered a curse under my breath and climbed down. Since the package didn’t have a name or address on it, I didn’t feel bad about opening it. Peering inside, I saw what looked like a single photograph.
“We got any gloves lying around?” I muttered to Quinn.
“Just work ones and they won’t do.”
I moved over to my tools and pulled out a pair of slim pliers. As delicately as possible, I clipped the very edge of the photograph and slipped it out.
Quinn hovered at my side as we peered at the image.
It was of an unfamiliar but attractive redhead. A candid shot of her on a busy city street. A swoosh of red paint or lipstick circled her head.
Flipping the photo over, I froze.
Across the back were the words:
THEN MAYBE THIS WILL STOP YOU.
“Well, fuck,” Quinn bit out. “Who do you think that is, then?”
“My bet is she’s someone our Ms. Silver loves very dearly.” With that I brushed past him. “Where is she?”
“Last I saw her, she was out in the garden playing with Akiva … Ramsay, don’t bully her!”
I whirled back around. “What the fuck does that mean?”
He grimaced. “You come across like you’re pissed off at her about this. That’ll just make her clam up more. You saw her this morning. That is a woman who is mad at you. Trust me”—his eyes darkened—“I recognize the signs.”
Considering his words and Silver’s reaction this morning, I nodded grimly. “I’ll be … nice.”
Quinn’s lips twitched. “I doubt it but at least try to be kind.”
TIERNEY
The air was a little damp, but the sun was trying to peek through the clouds above, and since a bit of drizzle didn’t seem to bother Akiva, I kept her outside in the garden close to the house so Quinn could find me if he needed me.
Quinn hadn’t said anything about not taking photos of Akiva for social media, so I’d snapped a few beautiful shots of her against the backdrop of the water to upload later.
Now we were playing with a thick twig, Akiva proving she had jaws of steel as she clamped down and tugged me around the garden.
I’d just tripped over a divot in the grass and Akiva had come bounding over trying to swipe my face with that pink tongue.
Laughing as I tried to avoid the doggy kiss, gratitude swelled inside me and I found myself burying my face in her furry neck.
Ramsay had some balls treating me like I was a threat to Leth Sholas and then expecting me to look after his damn dog! But for Akiva, I would do it because she was the only thing right now that could bring a smile to my face.
That was how he found us.
My jeans dirty and grass stained because I was kneeling in the garden, hugging his dog like she was my life raft.
“You all right?”
I jerked back from Akiva to find Ramsay blocking out the sun, a towering shadow of masculinity above us.
Akiva gave a happy bark and lunged onto her hind legs, pressing her forelegs to Ramsay’s torso as she greeted him.
He rubbed her down with one hand. “Hiya, sweetheart,” he murmured gruffly. “Down, Akiva. Down. Good girl.”
I stood, moving to the side so I could see Ramsay better. He petted the top of Akiva’s head as his stare pierced mine. Awareness scored through me like always. “What?”
Ramsay slowly raised his free hand, and something flickered between the clamp of a pair of pliers. “Take it by the handle,” he commanded but in a much softer tone than usual.
Curious, I did as he asked and brought what I realized was a photograph to my face.
I froze at the candid shot of London about to get into a cab in New York. There was a bright red circle around her head.
“Turn it over.”
Almost afraid to, I slowly flipped it.
Nausea rose and I swallowed back the sensation, not knowing what to feel more. Terror or fury.
“It arrived in an envelope with no name or address. Do you know what it means?”
Ramsay’s tone was so gentle. Coaxing. Not demanding.