43. Murray
The night before “the mission,” I was trying my hardest not to let my worries show. Kelly didn’t know anything about it and there was no way I ever wanted her to. It was bad enough London and I still had the Nick situation hanging over us. Ramsay was waiting for an update from his contacts.
Kelly had gone to bed, and London and I were sitting in the music room, playing one of my old Runrig records at low volume.
London was trying to make her way through my catalogue of artists she wasn’t familiar with.
The Scottish Celtic rock band had been the soundtrack to my youth because Mum had loved them and played them constantly.
It didn’t surprise me that London enjoyed the music. She had an eclectic taste like me.
My wife was curled up on the sofa, resting against my side as I trailed my fingers over the bare skin of her arm. I’d let my mind shift away from my worries to enjoy this moment with her.
I knew London was terrified about tomorrow too, but she was doing her best to forget.
It was with an unwelcome jolt that her phone disturbed our peace. The mobile vibrated on the coffee table and my heart did a thump at the sight of Ramsay’s name on the screen.
London lunged for it as I used the remote to mute the record player.
“Ramsay?”
His voice crackled through the speakerphone. “I have an update on Nick and I’d thought you’d want to know right away.”
“Hit me with it.” London’s obvious anxiety made me want to cross the continent to throttle that bastard with my bare hands.
“What I couldn’t tell you before is that Nick and his father, as well as other members of the Huston family and ‘organization,’ were being investigated by the feds.
They’ve been building a case against them for a few years.
Today they were indicted on charges of extortion, labor racketeering, and… murder.”
Horror filled me at that word.
My wife had been living with a fucking murderer?
London paled, her golden freckles stark against her pallor. “Murder?” Clearly her thoughts had gone where my thoughts had gone.
Ramsay let out a rough curse. “Someone tipped Nick off and removed his ankle bracelet. The officers on guard were found shot at his property. Nick’s missing.
And apparently, he didn’t bother to take the time to tip off the rest of the Hustons, including his father, because they’ve all been arrested. ”
“But Nick’s missing?”
“Aye. I’m going to find him.” Ramsay’s tone was hard, determined.
I knew he felt partially to blame for London’s attack in Glasgow and while I didn’t hold him responsible, I also realized there would be no reassuring him otherwise. Finding Nick just made it to the top of his priority list.
“I’m not the only one looking for him. The feds are going to pull out all the stops. We’ll get him. For now, it’s important you keep alert. No going anywhere alone.”
Fear flashed through me. “I’m gone from the island tomorrow for maybe two days.”
“It’s happening tomorrow?” I knew what he referred to.
“Aye.”
“Okay, so there’s no changing those plans, then,” Ramsay murmured. “Fine, Silver and I will keep London and Kelly company. I’ll pick up Kelly and London tomorrow, drop Kelly off at school, and take London to the B and B with me.”
“If I’m going to the B and B on my day off, I might as well be there early enough to do some work,” London spoke, her tone dry. “Just reminding you I’m here while you plan my day for me.”
Ramsay ignored her sarcasm. “Silver can handle breakfast. You’re coming to the B and B so we can keep an eye on you. We’ll pick Kelly up from school and Emmy can watch the B and B while the four of us hang out at the house for the rest of the evening. We’ll stay over.”
“Is that necessary? I don’t want to stress Nee out right now. And how do we explain it to Kelly?”
“We’ll let the hour grow late enough you’re required to invite us to stay and we’ll say yes. I doubt Kelly will think it’s strange, considering she knows we live on Stòr. As for Silver, she’s more stressed when she’s not got you in her sights. You know how protective she is of you.”
London sighed. “Fine. Activate overprotective mode. You can distract me from worrying about my husband every second until he comes home.”
Damn it.
I hated this.
Hated that I was making her life harder and not easier right now. Even if it wasn’t exactly my fault.
Ramsay hung up after the plans were solidified.
“Murder?” I whispered.
“I knew that,” she admitted quietly. “I didn’t want to believe it. But Nick would say things when he threatened me, and it was why I was so terrified to leave him.”
“He won’t get near you,” I vowed.
London snuggled closer on the couch. “I doubt very much I’m even in his plans. I think that’s why he tried to take me out on that stairwell. Tying up loose ends. But now he’s got bigger problems. He’s trying to disappear. I’m more worried about you.”
I pulled her tight to my side. “I’m coming home to you, a ghràidh. To you and Kelly. No man has ever had more motivation to come home. Don’t ever doubt it.”
“I love you.” Her voice cracked on the words.
I tipped her chin up, her watery gaze meeting mine. “Tha gaol agam ort.”
She chuckled, blinking back her tears. “You really should speak Gaelic more often. It does things to me.”
Smiling, I pressed a tender kiss to her lips. “I only know how to say I love you, a few endearments, and everyday phrases.”
“That’s enough,” she promised, nodding enthusiastically. “Trust me.”
Fuck, I adored this woman so much. Even in all this darkness, she’d brought so much light to my life.
“What you just said is ‘I love you’ in Gaelic?”
“It is.”
“Will you teach me?”
“Of course. Tha. Gaol. Agam. Ort.”
“Ha gill ackam orsht?” she pronounced it exactly as she heard it.
“Perfect. You’re a natural.”
“Tha gaol agam ort, Murray Shaw.”
That reminded me … “Speaking of the Shaw name … would you consider it?”
“Consider what?”
“Taking my name.” I held my breath, hoping I wasn’t pushing too hard too fast.
London bit her lip against a wide grin and my heart turned over in my chest.
“Is that a yes?”
“That’s an aye.” She beamed. “The only use I ever had for my surname was Nee calling me Spoon. But since I can’t call her Silver anymore without turning her on—long story—I think fair is fair.”
Bemused, I let out a low laugh. “Why can’t you call her Silver without—oh wait.” Suddenly I understood. Ramsay called Tierney Silver instead of her first name. “Bloody hell, I didn’t need to know that.”
London snorted. “Sorry.”
“No wonder she’s pregnant.”
“God, I know. Stop!” She lightly smacked my chest. “Back to us. I would be delighted to become a Shaw. I’ll start the paperwork.”
“Fantastic,” I murmured, holding her warm gaze. “That way if we add to our family, we’ll all share the same name …”
Her lips parted and I held my breath, because I really was pushing things tonight. But knowing what lay ahead of me tomorrow, I wanted to think only of our future beyond it.
Little splotches of red crested her cheeks.
“For the longest time, I was so sure I didn’t want to be a mom.
But now I know it was just because I was afraid I’d be a terrible parent because I didn’t have the greatest example to follow.
You and Kelly have made me realize that I am not my parents.
I could never be like them… and I’d very much like to add to our family one day. ”
I let out the breath I was holding, anticipation cutting through all the fears. “I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you, a ghràidh.”
“I can’t wait to spend the rest of my life with you, handsome.” She leaned up to press a kiss to my lips and then winced. “And I cannot wait for my bruises to heal and my period to end so I can jump you.”
Laughing, I pressed another hard kiss to her mouth and then settled back, enjoying the peace and quiet with my wife before tomorrow came to pull me away.