Here With Me (Adair Family 1)

She loved her studio too.

Someone had violated her space.

The rage he’d felt when he heard of Mac’s attack came burning back.

Why was this fucker going after everyone he cared about?

The coward needed to come at Lachlan so he could end him.

Lachlan was more than aware of the shredded yoga mats, the damaged walls, the broken windows, and the spray-painted words across the cracked mirrors, but his priority was Eredine. She sat with her back to the wall, knees drawn to her chest, not looking at anyone.

“She won’t let us near her.” Jock fell into stride with him as he crossed the room.

Lachlan warned him off with just a gesture.

“Eredine, it’s all right.” He lowered to his haunches and tentatively touched her knee.

Large, haunted eyes looked up at him, and he cursed this stalking bastard to hell all over again. Guilt suffused him. “I’m so sorry, sweetheart. But this isn’t about you. You know that, don’t you?”

Arrochar and Eredine were close, so she’d confided in the skittish young yoga instructor early on about the threatening messages they’d found around the estate, knowing Ery could be trusted. As such, she’d been aware of the situation well before now. Lachlan hadn’t sensed she was frightened beyond her concern for him and Mac.

But now her fear was obvious.

“Come here,” Lachlan whispered hoarsely, pulling her into his arms.

Thankfully, she came willingly, clinging to him. She trembled in his embrace.

“Nothing is going to happen to you.”

“I’m worried about you,” she whispered. “Look what happened to Mac.”

“I’ll be fine. Mac is fine. We’re going to figure this out. Can you tell me what happened?”

She shook harder. “I just … I found it like this. M-my afternoon classes are s-supposed to start a-a-at three thirty.”

“We’ll take care of that.” He looked up at Jock. They needed to take photos, deal with members, and call the police. However, he didn’t want Eredine to be alone. Arrochar was a forest engineer, currently on site at Blairnie Forest, and probably unreachable. The only person on the estate Eredine liked and trusted was Lucy. “Get Ms. Wainwright.”

He sat with Eredine, just holding her, staring at the threatening message spray-painted across the mirrors as they waited for Lucy.

Lucy’s eyes widened as she stepped into the studio and saw the destruction—and the message. Her expression darkened with anger and then softened with sympathy when she saw Lachlan holding Eredine.

“Eredine.” Lachlan cupped her pretty face in his hands, swiping her tears away with his thumbs. “Luce is going to take you to one of the empty cabins.” He’d built the extra accommodation along the loch. “I’m sending a security member with you, but he’ll stay outside.”

“Come on, angel.” Lucy held out her arms. “I’ll make you a strong cup of tea and keep you company for a while.”

Relief moved through him as Eredine melted into Lucy’s embrace. She was almost as tall as Lucy, but she still somehow managed to look small and fragile in her arms.

As soon as they were gone, Lachlan studied the message.

“Cameras?” he asked, referring to the security cameras placed outside the studio. “Eredine had classes this morning, so this had to have happened between noon and three.”

Jock scowled. “Cameras are wiped.”

“This is bloody ridiculous. I take it the cameras into the security room have been wiped too?”

“Aye, sir.”

“From now on, only you, Pete, and Kyle, and whoever you absolutely trust, have access to the security booth. If that means paying overtime, I’ll do it. Understood?”

He nodded grimly. “Understood.”

Exasperated, he gestured to the mess. “Just … call the police.”

A murmur sounded from Jock’s earpiece. He turned to his boss. “Mac’s daughter is here. And apparently Mac just called from the hospital to say we’re to allow Ms. Penhaligon access to his office and his laptop.”

Understanding dawned. Mac kept copies of all the evidence and his notes on his laptop. He wanted her in on this investigation.

Christ Almighty.

The mere thought of Robyn poking her nose into his life and estate exhausted him.

But he wouldn’t defy Mac’s wishes.

“Hold off on calling the police.” He gestured to the message. “Not until Ms. Penhaligon has had a look. Get one of your boys to escort her here.”

Not ten minutes later, Robyn walked into the room. She had a large camera draped around her neck that looked like something a professional reporter used. How did that get past security?

Mac, he realized.

To Lachlan’s increasing irritation, he couldn’t tear his eyes off Mac’s daughter. He would have felt her presence even if he hadn’t been watching the door.

She had an undefinable energy. Robyn wasn’t a typical beauty, but something Lachlan couldn’t quite put his finger on made a person look at her. In Hollywood, an actor didn’t have to be physically perfect to be successful. They just needed to have that thing. Charisma. It couldn’t be taught. Years ago, his agent had tried to talk Mac into auditioning for work as an actor. Because he had it.