Total pages in book: 115
Estimated words: 109783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 109783 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 549(@200wpm)___ 439(@250wpm)___ 366(@300wpm)
He nodded grimly. “Her flat in London. Her landlord called because they were doing an annual check on the smoke alarms. They found cameras in them.”
Fuck. Was she never to get any peace? “Has anyone contacted Eilidh with footage? Have you found any online?”
“Already got someone checking the dark web. Nothing on there. No one has reached out or blackmailed or threatened her.”
“Email me the serial numbers.”
“I can deal with it. You’ve got enough on your plate.”
The thought of someone violating Eilidh’s privacy made me want to punch a fist through my car window. “Send me those serial numbers, Walker. This is Eilidh.”
He clapped me on the back. “I’ll email them over now.”
As I got in the car, instead of driving toward Ardnoch for coffee like I’d planned, I headed home. The thought of some unknown person owning private, intimate footage of Eilidh was more than I could stand. Hadn’t she been through enough? And why hadn’t she told me?
I intended to find out.
Storming into the house, I found Eilidh on the couch watching morning television at a low volume. Millie was in her cot. I glanced in it as I passed, relieved to find her sleeping peacefully.
“What are you doing back?” Eilidh whispered.
Instead of answering, I placed the baby monitor by Millie’s cot and then gestured toward the stairs. “We need to talk,” I whispered back. “I have a monitor in my room.”
Eyes wide, she nodded and followed me.
I waited until we reached my bedroom, and I closed the door, my body vibrating with tension.
“What’s going on?” Eilidh crossed her arms over her chest.
“Were you ever going to tell me about the cameras someone planted in your flat?”
Her brows drew together. “Walker?”
“Aye, he thought I knew.”
“You had enough on your plate.” She gestured to the baby monitor.
“Or you didn’t tell me because of … because of e-everything,” I sputtered angrily. “But this is bigger than that, Eilidh. This is your safety we’re talking about and my area of fucking expertise.”
“Don’t swear at me.” She strode past with a huff and reached for the bedroom door.
I wrapped a hand around her biceps, hauling her closer. “I’m going to find out who did this.”
Eilidh licked her lips as she searched my face. “Walker is on it. You just focus on Millie.”
My grip on her tightened as she attempted to pull away. “Stop acting like this isn’t a big deal. Someone violated your private space.”
“I know,” she hissed, yanking out of my hold. “I am well aware of that fact.”
“Talk to me, Eilidh. I don’t want you dealing with this alone.”
“I’m not.” Her expression closed. “My parents know. Lewis and Callie know. Walker knows. I have support.”
“I want to support you too.” My tone was almost pleading. After everything she’d done for me …
Eilidh backed up toward the door. “I don’t need that kind of support from you.”
Wow.
That fucking hurt more than I could say.
“Eilidh—” But my phone buzzed in my pocket, cutting me off. Cursing under my breath I pulled it out just as Eilidh opened the door to escape. The notification on the screen had me cursing out loud.
Whatever she heard in my voice stopped her in her tracks. “What is it?”
I tapped on the email.
About five gazillion emotions hit me at once as I read it.
“Fyfe … Fyfe, what is it?” Eilidh’s concerned question penetrated those five gazillion emotions.
“She’s mine,” I wheezed, my knees giving out as I stumbled onto my arse on the bed. “Millie’s my daughter.” Tears clouded my vision and I covered my face, trying to mask the magnitude of my reaction.
The bed depressed and I felt Eilidh’s leg nudge mine, her arm sliding across my back. A sob rattled in my chest as I attempted to hold it inside.
“And … you don’t want her?” Eilidh whispered.
I made an angry noise of denial.
She pressed closer. “You’re relieved?”
I nodded.
Eilidh pulled my head to her chest. “I understand,” she whispered tearfully. “It’s okay, Fyfe. It’s okay. She’s yours. No one can take her from you. She belongs to you. Always.”
Twenty-One
EILIDH
More than once, I’d heard Fyfe say he’d never have kids, and even as I watched him cuddle and play with Harley—calling her that adorable nickname “Scooter”—I believed him. He wasn’t interested in being responsible for someone else or committing to a woman or child.
Yet, I’d understood with complete clarity why when, for the first time, I’d witnessed Fyfe cry, all because he was relieved Millie was his biological daughter.
He had no real family.
But now Millie was his.
No one could take that from him.
It was in his control to be a good father to her.
I knew he would be. I knew by the way Fyfe had taken to looking after his adorable baby daughter without complaint from the moment he’d found her on his doorstep. He didn’t complain about the lack of sleep or how his formerly pristine home was now a mess of baby things. Not once did he mention how his future had flipped on its head.