Chapter 3
Three
FYFE
Two years ago
Suffice it to say I’d had my fill of drama, and that was only spectating from the sidelines.
The past month I’d watched Lewis and Callie fight and clash, come to a tentative truce, only to discover they were pregnant from their one night together in London.
Lewis was handling this news better than I would have.
The thought of being responsible for a child filled me with abject terror.
I never planned to have kids. But it didn’t surprise me Lewis took it in stride, and though he might not admit it out loud, I think he was ecstatic he and Callie were now tied together for life.
Callie had even agreed to start dating him.
Their drama seemed to be over (other than the infant cooking in Cal’s belly), and I was glad because the whole thing had been a whirlwind of secondhand emotions.
Eilidh and I had kept in touch almost every day and had been sharing our commentary over the situation like we were on the TV show Gogglebox.
Now, however, I was hoping for calm.
When I opened my door that morning, I realized fate wasn’t ready for me to have my calm.
Standing outside next to a small Nissan parked on my driveway was the woman I hadn’t seen or heard from in nearly a decade.
“What are you doing here?” I bit out.
My mum blanched, shifting her weight nervously. The past nine years had been kind to her. Her skin looked healthier. And her hair fuller, shinier. She’d put on a bit of weight and was dressed in a fitted shirt tucked into jeans.
She looked … sober.
“Hiya, son.”
I flinched. “Don’t call me that.”
Mum nodded, biting her lip. “Can I … can I come in?”
Blood whooshed in my ears. “I’m on my way to work.”
“I won’t be long. Please.”
With an abrupt nod, I turned and strode into the open-plan living and kitchen area.
A construction company Thane recommended was coming in a few weeks to take down the wall between the entrance and the rest of this floor so it was all open.
It involved expensive beam work, but I thought it would be worth it to be able to walk into the house and see all the way to the floor-to-ceiling windows at the other side and out to the view.
My mind stuck on thoughts about the demo because it was easier to think about that than to think about the woman behind me.
I heard Mum close the door and follow me in. My mind raced with confusion, hurt, and questions. A hundred fucking questions.
Arms crossed over my chest, I leaned against the kitchen island. Tried to look unaffected by her sudden appearance.
“Wow, you’ve done well for yourself.” Mum gestured to the house. “You’ve got a beautiful home, Fyfe.”
I jerked my chin. “So what do you want? I’m not in the mood for a family reunion.”
“I deserve that.” She nodded shakily. “That and so much more.”
“Are you back in Ardnoch?”
“No.” She smoothed a hand over her hair and that’s when I noticed the wedding ring. “I live in Glasgow.”
My jaw clenched and it took me a second to choke out. “With a husband?”
Mum followed my gaze to her hand. She brought it up, looking at the ring with affection. “With my wife, actually.”
Shock rooted me to the spot. Never, not once, had I ever seen my mother with another woman.
She gave me a sad smile. “I used alcohol and drugs to deny a lot of things about myself, Fyfe.”
“Do you think I would have cared?”
“No, of course not. I … it’s a long story, but my father once caught me kissing a girl when I was fourteen. He always lifted his hands to me, but that night he beat me so badly, Mum finally kicked him out.”
What the fuck?
I threw my hands up. “So you disappear for years, after years of saying fuck all to me about anything, and suddenly, in the space of a minute, you’re here, you’re gay, and you grew up with an abusive father?”
“Why do you think I was the way I was? Why do you think I did my mum’s bidding and came home and had you? I owed her. She saved my life that night, and she got rid of the man she loved to protect me.”
My chest felt tight. “I can’t … I can’t believe this shit.”
“Fyfe … I was so afraid of turning into my father. That’s why I left. To protect you.”
After years of neglecting me? She thought abandoning her son was protecting me?
I narrowed my eyes, suspicious of her motives. “How long have you been sober?”
Mum swallowed hard. “Six years.”
“Married?”
“Five.”
All that time, she’d been better … and she never thought to come find me? Until now.
“Why has it taken you this long to show your face?”
“I didn’t think you’d want to see me.”
“Then why the change of heart?”
“I … uh … I read about you. There was an article online about the work you’ve done for Ardnoch Estate. About how successful you’ve become. Cybersecurity. I always knew you’d do well.”
“And you … wanted to come congratulate me?”
She flinched at the sneer in my voice.
“I … uh … I wanted to know what happened to the cottage. My mum’s house.”
Cold shivered through me and then a splintering pain scored across my upper torso. I didn’t know it was possible for this woman to hurt me any more than she had.
But here she was. Doing just that.
“You want the cottage.”
She swallowed hard. “I … my wife, Jay, has a daughter from her previous marriage. We want to give her a good life, and finances are a bit tight right now.”
“Are you fucking kidding me?” I whispered hoarsely.
“Fyfe—”
“Since I was three years old, you left me in that house on my own.”
Her eyes filled with tears, but I felt nothing but resentment and anger toward her.
“Deirdra next door fed me more times than not because you fucking forgot to. And from age twelve on, I paid the bills from the money I made online. Do you know the debt that was on that house for missed council tax payments? Do you know what that amounted to? And I paid that debt off. My solicitors attempted to find you and could not.”
“I … I changed my name.”
“When? My solicitors couldn’t find you.”
“I—”
“Never mind. The house belongs to me. It’s now a holiday rental and source of income.
And there’s nothing you can do about it.
It’s called a Benjamin order. When we couldn’t locate you, your mother’s estate went to me.
Now you can fight me in court for your share, but you’ll have a helluva time convincing a judge to give you back that house.
” I took spiteful satisfaction in the way she paled.
“Fyfe …” She gestured around. “Look at all you have. What do you need the extra money for?”
“I don’t. The cottage is a reminder of all the valuable lessons you’ve taught me about independence.” I took a step toward her. “How dare you come here asking me for money for your new family after you neglected, abused, stole from, and abandoned me.”
“I was a different person then!”
I stayed calm, even though the rage threatened to choke me alive. “Really? Because you still seem like the same self-centered narcissist I remember. Only you don’t have the excuse of being drunk. Fuck off, Innes.” My tone was calm as I used her first name. “And don’t ever darken my doorstep again.”
She lifted her chin, eyes flashing. “I’ll take you to court.”
“You do that,” I called her bluff. She wouldn’t want her past dragged out through the courts for all to see. All her sins laid bare.
Innes’s expression fell. “I didn’t mean to hurt you by coming here.”
“Maybe not. But you’re intelligent. You knew it could happen. You cared more about getting what you wanted than you cared about my feelings. Nothing new there. I expect nothing less from you.”
“Fyfe, please—”
“Get out of my house and get the fuck out of Ardnoch. I won’t ask again.”
She burst into tears and whirled, hurrying from me.
It took me more than a few minutes to calm the agony swirling inside. Then, like always, I distracted myself from the pain with action.
Pulling out my phone, I tapped on the app for my home security system.
I found the feed from the driveway and zoomed in on the registration plate on Innes’s Nissan.
I screenshot it and sent it to Lore, an employee who did legal work for me.
But Lore was also one of the best hackers in the country and did freelance less-than-legal work on the side.
I had no intention of tracking Innes down. But information was power, and I wanted to have tabs on her so I could make sure she stayed gone.
If she’d ever cared even a bit for me, she would have stayed gone forever. Today was more proof that she couldn’t give a damn about me. Never had. Never would.
Agata was five ten, all legs, long blond hair, and a charming Polish accent.
Any other night, this woman would have my undivided attention.
Especially because I was in desperate need of distraction after my mother’s appearance this morning.
The truth was we both knew what tonight was.
Agata lived in Inverness. We’d met on a hookup app.
Dinner was just a nod to civility, but we both knew the date would end in her bed.
That’s what I thought I needed when I drove to Inverness to meet up with her.
Then as we walked into the restaurant, my phone binged. It was Eilidh.
I leave for Romania tomorrow. Wish I was coming home instead.
Unsettled by the thought of leaving Eils hanging, I apologized to Agata and told her I needed to respond to my text.
Where are you now?
We sat at the table and my phone sounded with Eilidh’s reply.
At my flat. Jasper asked me to party tonight, but I’m not in the mood.
I felt relief at that. I didn’t want her out partying and hooking up with random arseholes.
Agata cleared her throat as my thumbs flew over my phone screen. “Sorry,” I muttered to her, knowing I was being a rude bastard and somehow unable to help myself.
You should put something on the telly. Distract yourself.
The waiter took our drinks order, and I’d just asked Agata what she did for a living when my phone vibrated on the table.
My date scowled at my phone and then at me as if daring me to look at it.
I winced. “Look, I’m sorry. I’ve got a friend who needs me right now. Let me check it.”
Her lips parted in disbelief, but I was already picking up my phone.
I don’t suppose you’re around for a chat?
Fuck.
I glanced over at Agata who appeared ready to murder me if I didn’t turn off my phone. I could … I could tell Eilidh I was busy, switch it off, have some food, and get laid.
“I’m sorry.” I stood, pulling out my wallet to lay some cash on the table. “Something has come up and I have to go. I’m sorry.”
“Are you joking with me?” My date’s eyes almost popped out of her head.
“Sorry. Really sorry.” I hurried from the restaurant and texted Eilidh back.
Give me two minutes.