Here With Me (Adair Family 1)

Sister?

Right. The half sister.

Lachlan had forgotten Robyn had a sister. Regan Penhaligon was the daughter of Robyn’s mum and stepfather. Something occurred to him. Something strange, considering she’d mentioned both her mother and Seth Penhaligon in previous conversations. “You haven’t talked about your sister.”

Robyn looked away, expression carefully blank. Had being a cop taught her to control her deeper emotions? Mac always hid his feelings when it mattered too. “Not a lot to talk about. Regan is a bit of a loose cannon. We were close when we were kids … not so much now.” She raised that arrogant, stubborn chin of hers. “I let her get on with her life, and she leaves me to get on with mine.”

Lachlan could relate and surprised himself by admitting, “I have one of those.”

“Oh?”

“Arran. My youngest brother. He’s second youngest after Arrochar.”

“I knew that, actually. He’s thirty-four, right?”

“Yes?” His tone was questioning. How did she know that?

Robyn met him stony stare for stony stare. “My father works for your family. I did my research.”

Fair enough.

“Didn’t find out much on Arran, though.”

“There’s not a lot to find. He took off years ago. Drops me an email now and then to let me know he’s okay. Stops by for Christmas every second year or so and leaves just as quickly.” Because Lachlan couldn’t help but lecture him about what he was doing with his life. His youngest brother was a hellion at school and a petty criminal as a teen. Lachlan had used his contacts to get Arran out of trouble more times than he could count, and after one explosive argument, Arran had left his family behind. Lachlan lived daily with the fear he’d receive a call that Arran was either in prison or dead.

While he was close to Arrochar, Thane, and his niece and nephew, Eilidh and Lewis, there was no denying Lachlan had failed Brodan and Arran. He just didn’t know how to bring them back into the fold without pushing them further away.

“Hey, you okay?” Robyn took a step toward him, her perfume lingering between them.

Lachlan retreated physically and emotionally. “I’m fine,” he clipped. “But I can’t stick around being interrogated by you all day, Ms. Penhaligon. I’m here to collect Mac.”

A coolness leaked into her expression. “Yeah, about that … that’s why I’m here. There’s no need for you to be here.”

Indignation fired his blood. “I’m Mac’s oldest friend. Who else would be here?”

“Uh … I don’t know. His daughter?”

“A familial label has to be earned, in my opinion.”

She cut him a dark look as she pushed past. “No one asked your opinion.”

He hurried after her. “My vehicle is bigger than yours. It will be more comfortable for him.”

“My car is comfy enough. And my company is far superior. I’m not leaving him stuck in a car with you for an hour.”

“Some people would pay good money to be in my company.”

“I don’t need to know how you paid for college.”

It took him a moment to understand the gibe. He growled at her back as she pushed into Mac’s private room.

“Inferring I was a whore. How mature.”

He was vaguely aware of Mac dressed and sitting on the bed, eyebrows raised to his hairline at their entrance. But Lachlan’s attention was captured by Robyn. Laughter danced on her lips, but her eyes filled with anger. “You just handed it to me.”

He seethed. Why was she so bloody aggravating? “Mac is coming with me.”

“With me.” Her hands flew to her hips, drawing his gaze there.

“You’ll take him back to his cottage.”

“That’s where he wants to go.”

“I don’t bloody care what he wants.”

“Of course you don’t, Mr. I Have to Control Everyone and the Universe.”

He bared his teeth. “Who will look after him if he goes back to the cottage, alone?”

Her mouth slammed shut, her lips pouting lushly.

Lachlan’s hands curled into fists at his sides.

Robyn turned to face Mac. “Who is going to look after you?”

Mac glanced between them, and something in his searching expression made Lachlan uncomfortable. “I’ll be fine.”

“No.” Robyn shook her head. “You won’t. The doc says you need to rest for a few weeks. Gentle exercise only. You’ll need taking care of. I could do it.”

Hearing the uncertainty in her voice, Lachlan stepped toward Mac. “No, if Mac will be reasonable, he’ll see that the best idea is to stay at the castle where staff and his security team can look after him.”

“Staff? No.” Robyn bit her lip, brows furrowed in thought. Finally, she said, “Family should take care of him.”

Something softened in Lachlan. “You can visit as often as you please, Ms. Penhaligon. But the staff at Ardnoch are Mac’s family.”

Just like that, her expressive face closed down. She again donned what Lachlan had come to think of as her cop face. “Fine.”

“Not fine.” Mac glared at Lachlan. “I told you, I’ll be okay.”