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 lunged toward me, teeth bared, like he might hit me.
“Do it,” I hissed. “I dare you.”
Cameron caught himself, his expression blanking. He glanced around to see if anyone was watching. Then he leaned in and vowed quietly, “This isn’t over, you little bitch.”
“You’re right. It won’t be over until you’re out of Ardnoch.”
“Problem here?”
I looked to my right to find Walker standing outside the bakery. He was parked in the no-parking zone, his piercing eyes fixed on Cameron. When he looked at me, whatever he saw on my face had him striding forward to stand at my back.
“Hi, Walker. Cameron, have you met my sister-in-law’s father? Ex-Royal Marine Commando, head of security at the estate. Walker, I was just telling the new doctor here that maybe it’s best he find a job elsewhere. As in not in Ardnoch or anywhere near us.”
“Oh aye, your dad called me this morning. So this is the prick?”
“Excuse me?” Cameron straightened his shoulders, appearing affronted. “I don’t know what she’s told—”
“He just threatened to call social services on Fyfe so they’ll take Millie from him unless I agreed to date him,” I told Walker with a casualness I didn’t feel.
The atmosphere instantly turned ice cold as Walker took a step toward Cameron, towering over him at six and a half feet. “Oh, I think it’s definitely time you moved on from Ardnoch, Doctor. Or I might just have to investigate you. I’m sure there are a few skeletons in your closet just rattling to get out and destroy your life as you know it.”
“I see threats are a common currency in this village.” Cameron glowered.
“Uh, pot meet kettle.”
His eyes narrowed on me. “You think I’m afraid of you? After this, you should be afraid of me, Eilidh. I don’t take kindly to threats.”
Walker stepped right into Cameron’s space, not touching him, but his menacing expression was clear. “Neither do I. Don’t even think about breathing in her direction because the next time you do … by the time me, her father, and her uncles are done with you, there won’t be a body to find.”
This time Cameron was smart enough to show a little fear. Without another word or glance in my direction, he strode off.
Walker and I watched him until he’d turned the corner out of sight. Then Callie’s dad looked at me, concern written all over him. “I’m tired of making that threat. Hopefully, that’s the last time I have to. But I don’t think that problem is over. Until me and your dad finish this, you go nowhere alone. I’ll walk you and Millie back to your car.”
“Do you think that’s necessary?”
“Aye. I’ve dealt with enough abusive narcissists to recognize one when I see him.”
“Bloody hell,” I muttered under my breath as I turned the stroller toward the car park. “A few weeks. That’s how long I’ve known the arsehole. How did it escalate to this?”
“With people like him, a fixation can happen almost instantly.”
“Wonderful.” I had a mystery stalker planting cameras in my old apartment and now a new one who wanted to make my life a misery because I had the audacity to say no to him. “You know, coming home was supposed to be about slowing down.”
“This is Ardnoch. We were due a wee bit of danger,” Walker replied dryly.
Twenty-Seven
FYFE
It had been a brutal night.
Millie had woken up wailing and when I went to check on her, I discovered she was roasting hot. When I took her temperature, it told me she had a fever. Of course, I went into panic mode and drove to the out-of-hours at the small hospital in Thurso. After waiting for an hour, they checked Millie over and found she had an ear infection. They assured me Millie was fine and that the ear infection would clear up on its own. We were only to see the doctor if she was still in pain after three days. They prescribed pain medicine and saw us on our way.
My daughter slept fitfully, waking up every few hours to cry. It broke my fucking heart. I’d never felt like such a failure in my life, not being able to stop her pain. Finally, I just ended up on the couch, the TV on low, while Millie slept on my chest. I drifted in and out until she woke me again to change her nappy.
At the crack of dawn, I gave her some formula, made myself a coffee, and settled back on the couch. Her fever had come down a little with the meds the docs gave us. Millie rested her chubby wee cheek against my bare chest and fell asleep.
I rubbed my eyes beneath my glasses, staring at the TV screen, feeling like I’d been awake for days instead of hours. Flicking through the apps, I switched over to a well-known streaming platform and the first thing advertised on it was Young Adult.