Epilogue
ARRO
“Ithink it would be better to have a partition wall that was also our bedhead and then behind the bed, a walk-in closet and then behind that, a spacious bathroom,” I said as Mac and I stood over Thane’s shoulders while he drew on his computer.
Drew us our dream house, that is.
“What do you think?” I asked Mac.
He shrugged. “I think I like whatever you like.”
Thane chuckled. “You always were very wise, Galbraith.”
They shared a laugh, and I gently shoved Mac, my engagement ring flashing in the light. Mackennon had wasted no time proposing after my ordeal with Guy, and Lachlan couldn’t argue it was too fast because he’d married Robyn within only a year of knowing her.
“I’m serious,” I huffed. “This is your house too.”
“Darlin’, I got my gym and I’ve designed the security. Those are really my only points of interest other than how big our bed is.”
“That’s enough,” Thane cut in. “No one needs to hear any more about my sister’s bed.”
I rolled my eyes. “Your wee sister has sex. Whoop-de-doo.”
Mac shot me a disgruntled look. “There’s a bit more to it than a whoop-de-doo.”
Lips twitching, I agreed. “Last night there were several whoop-dees and multiple doos.”
“Fuck this.” Thane pushed back from the computer, and Mac and I had to scatter out of the way.
I grabbed at my brother’s arm, laughing. “I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’ll stop.”
Cutting us a dark look of warning, Thane replied, “Regan and I need everyone in the living room, anyway. We’ll return to planning your sexless dream home afterward.”
“I guess it’s too late to mention the red room of pain, then?” Mac teased.
Thane looked at him in horror. “How the fuck do you know about the red room of pain?”
“How do you know?”
My brother scowled. “Regan made me watch the films.”
Mac raised an eyebrow. “Made you? Oh, aye, I’m sure that was hard for you.”
“Fuck off.” Thane stalked out of the room.
“I know it was hard for me when Arro made me watch them,” he called after him.
“You’re a bastard,” my brother answered back.
Laughing, I fell against Mac as we followed him out of Thane’s office. “That was cruel.”
“But so worth it.” Mac snorted.
We were still laughing like schoolchildren when we wandered into the living room to find everyone—Robyn, Lachlan, Arran, Eredine, Thane, Regan, and Eilidh and Lewis—settled around.
Robyn made a face at us. “You two are so sickeningly adorable.”
“Adorable.” Mac tugged playfully on her ponytail. “I’ve never been called adorable in my life.”
“Well, you are.” Robyn grinned at him, so much love in her eyes. I knew she was happy for her dad because she’d told me several times it overjoyed her to see him so content.
“So, what’s going on?” Arran asked. “Not to be rude, but we’re waiting on a call from the solicitors to let us know our payment’s gone through.”
He referred to their payment for the purchase of the Gloaming.
It had been weeks of checks and surveys and back-and-forth with Gordon’s solicitors, but they’d finally agreed on a price, and the contracts had all been signed.
By the end of today, my brothers would be the proud new owners of one of Ardnoch’s most beloved haunts.
It was much talked about around the village because, of course, Gordon was also beloved by our community.
Some felt like the Adairs owning such an important business was only an invitation for us to buy up more and more, while others seemed to think it was fitting that Gordon passed the reins to my brothers since he and his wife had no children of their own.
Again, the Adairs were giving Ardnoch much to discuss.
Word had spread quickly about Guy’s attack, and since it had been right on the back of Mac’s, we were all anyone was talking about.
Members at Lachlan’s club who ventured into the village during their stay had confessed it was one of the joys of Ardnoch that the villagers gossiped more among themselves than about the Hollywood stars living only a few miles from them.
Not fun for us, really. People gawked at me for weeks after Guy’s attack.
But I was feeling much calmer about the incident months later, even proud of how I’d fought back.
It hadn’t taken long for the trial against Guy to go ahead.
Thankfully, because of the cameras I’d forgotten were installed in our modular cabin to protect our computers from theft, there was no question about Guy’s intent that day.
Moreover, the disturbing items—several knifes, ropes, and heavy-duty cleaning products—discovered in his car that day only served as further evidence.
It hadn’t been easy to watch that footage from the cabin.
I think it affected Mac worse than anyone.
But it was footage we needed. While Guy was sentenced to fifteen years for attempted murder, I was cleared of all charges.
Guy, from prison, had filed a civil suit against me for hitting him with my car, if you could believe it.
My solicitor wasn’t worried a damn bit, so I wasn’t either.
I was just relieved that Guy’s criminal charges meant he would likely never be allowed to set foot in Scotland again.
His creepy cousin Duncan was fired and charged with harassment (for leaving the notes) and theft (for stealing Marcello’s phone).
He’d probably end up with a slap on the wrist but I really only cared he was out of my life.
As for Lee Kilmany, he awaited trial for suspicion of murder on multiple counts and attempted murder.
Roisin Bankman awaited a separate trial for conspiracy to commit murder and for attempted murder.
There was no doubt in any of our minds that they’d see the inside of a prison cell and stay there for quite some time.
As Mac wanted, we moved on with our lives without letting the shadows of the past hang over us.
Thane sat down beside Regan, who had the kids snuggled beside her. Eilidh’s excited bouncing in her seat drew my attention to the purpose of our gathering. What was going on that made Eilidh look ready to burst? Her bright blue eyes met mine, dancing with delight, the secret trembling on her lips.
“Someone better tell us why we’re here, or Eils is going to do it,” I warned, laughing.
“Can I?” Eilidh turned to Regan and Thane. “Please?”
The couple shared a look, and then Regan gave Eilidh a dimpled smile and a nod.
In an instant, Eilidh jumped off the couch, arms and legs stretched like a sea star, and announced with an excited shriek, “Mum and Dad are getting married, and I get to be a flower girl again!”
The room erupted in joyful shouts of congratulations and tearful hugs of joy.
As I hugged Regan, she whispered, “I hope this doesn’t seem like it’s stepping on your toes.”
“Not at all.” I pulled away to tug at the hand she’d been hiding from everyone.
Her engagement ring was stunning and as perfect for her as mine was for me.
While mine was a solitaire with a simple platinum band and pear-shaped diamond in a prong setting, Regan’s was a little flashier.
Thane had chosen an emerald-cut ruby with a diamond halo and diamond band.
“Do you love it?” I asked, staring at it, a little in awe.
“Um, yeah.” She gaped at it like it was her first time seeing it. “He nailed it. And the stones are ethically sourced, so I can feel good about that.”
“I think you can feel good about a whole lot,” I said, looking around at our family, watching Eilidh regale Robyn about being a flower girl twice over.
“Hey, this is just a thought.” Regan’s words brought my gaze back to her. “And we totally understand if you don’t want to, but Thane and I want to have a simple wedding, nothing over the top … and we thought maybe that sounded right up your alley too.”
“What are you saying?”
“Do you want to have a double wedding? I kinda like the idea of it being this big family thing, you know. Of sharing that with you. But,” she rushed to say, “I totally get it if you want the day to yourself. You and Mac have waited a long time.”
We had waited a long time.
But the thought of sharing my wedding day with my brother actually made me emotional. Tears stung my nose. “I’ll talk to Mackennon, but I love the idea.”
MAC
We’d barely gotten home and through the front door when Arro jumped me.
She’d been eyeing me in the car all the way from Thane’s, and I knew that look.
We’d celebrated Thane and Regan’s engagement with a family dinner, ordering takeout and calling Brodan on FaceTime to fill him in.
He was finishing up filming and promised to be home soon.
I wouldn’t hold him to it. Brodan Adair had gone from being the biggest homebody I’d ever known to a man who acted like he was being chased from Ardnoch by the devil himself.
At least his uncharacteristic bar brawling had stopped.
He seemed happy enough for his brother, though, and when we hung up, we fell into chaotic conversation, juggling several subjects at once in a way I’d grown used to as part of this family.
The joy of the evening had aroused Arro.
She’d caught my eye across Thane’s dining table, and I knew that heated expression and what I had to look forward to when we got home.
Nothing quite prepared me for Arro’s impatience, however, and before I knew it, I was sprawled on the hallway floor, still fully dressed, being ridden hard.
“Fuck,” I gritted out between clenched teeth as Arro ground down on me, her hands on my shoulders for purchase. I gripped her hips to feel the motion of her frantic undulations. Jesus Christ, this woman would be the death of me. And what a way to go. “Take off your top,” I commanded harshly.
Her expression said she was reluctant to slow down, but Arro quickly threw off her light jacket, top, and bra, and I sat up to take a hard nipple in my mouth.
Arro gasped at the movement, arching into me as I sucked and laved, taking turns on each perfect breast. She began to move on me again, and I growled around her nipple with pleasure.