Page 97 of Anywhere

I didn’t either. Nigel had been the most vocal about how he thought that my uncle Rayland should be taking over, but my uncle had no interest. My father had been the head of the family, which made me the next in line. My father’s other brother, Riddick, had been cast out of the family long ago when he chose to marry outside of the Faction before I was born. I didn’t even know what the man looked like other than for a few paintings on the walls of the castle.

“Aye, I agree wit ya, bu’ somethin’ seems off,” I said, as Lochlan walked into the kitchen.

“Fuck, I hate politics,” Lochlan grumbled as he wandered over to the pot of coffee. He’d chosen to spend a great deal of time overseas, and his accent sounded like Rook’s. “I just got off the phone with Faction Four. They are refusing to let us bring any supplies through their area, because they don’t want to look like they’re playing favourites. So that means we’ll have to deal with Faction Eleven to get food, or it will be rotten by the time it gets here. I double-checked with Falcon, who is on the mainland, and he says that the crops were poor this year. He can send some, but it won’t be enough for the whole island all winter.”

He grabbed a pastry off the counter and stuffed half of it in his mouth before continuing to talk. “We could fly the shit in, but that’s going to get costly to support the whole island, and we can only bring in small planes or the private jets.”

“Do I wanna know what Eleven is lookin’ for in return?” I asked.

“Ha! They want to fuck us up the arsehole, is what they want. Not only do they want a shit ton of money for their supplies, but they’re straight up dicks and demanding part of our area Twelve land.”

“Could da attacks be dem? They have a ton ta gain if we need ta use ‘em.”

Lochlan shrugged as Caleb watched the debate. “No fucking clue, but first order of business is finding these pieces of shit if they haven’t already left the island and fucking make an example of them. We need to show force. Cutting their heads off and shipping them back to their Faction would send a strong one.”

I blinked as I stared at him. “Yer not serious, are ya?”

“Of course, I’m serious. They need to die and painfully. No one takes from us without paying the ultimate price.” Lochlan stuffed the rest of the pastry in his mouth.

“What you’re suggestin’ could start a full-on war. Ya know dat, right? I’m all for punishment, and if we need ta execute dem, fine. But we need ta figure out if they be workin’ for da Faction or on dere own mission. We go jumpin’ da gun and sendin’ heads ta Faction council members, we be doin’ nothin’ but paintin’ a giant target on our backs.”

Caleb leaned back and draped his arm over the chair. “I’ma gonna ‘ave ta agree wit Rhys on dis. We no be needin’ to draw any more heat den necessary.”

Lochlan scoffed and picked up another pastry. “Of course, you’d side with him.”

Pain forgotten, I rose from the table and laid my hands on the thick wood. “What da fuck is dat supposed ta mean?” I asked, my own anger spiking.

“Come off it. We both know Caleb would suck your cock if you asked. In fact, I’m sure he’s dreamed of it a time or two. Of course, he’s gonna side with you. He always does. I wouldn’t have been surprised if, had he been given an R name, the two of you would’ve been paired.”

“Sure, keep talkin’ bout me like I’m no’ in da room. I be fine wit it,” Caleb mumbled, but I ignored him.

“Ya, it be called friendship and loyalty. Somethin’ ya family might need a lesson in learnin’,” I growled back, my power tingling in my fingertips with the heated emotion.

“Excuse me?” Lochlan said and glared. He pushed himself away from the counter to face me.

“Ya fuckin’ heard me. Dinnie tink I din’t notice dat Nigel be missin’ from da ritual or dat he has made it perfectly clear dat he no tink I’m capable ta run da McGregor family. Maybe yer startin’ ta tink da same way,” I said.

Lochlan took a step back, his face shocked. “You really think I’d fucking turn against you? I mean, we may not always agree, but the whole family turning on our alliance and the Faction? Are you crazy?” Lochlan pointed at me. “Besides that’s bull, I can’t believe you’d paint me with the same brush as my Uncle just because we share the same last name. Would you want your name associated with the shit Ronan does?”

“I dinnie hear ya sayin’ no, or dat you support me as head of da McGregor family,” I said.

The ritual and the words of the ancestors, spoken only to me, were fresh in my mind. Someone in the room was not a friend. Someone was the enemy, and I needed to figure out who that was. I needed to know who was trying to cut my legs out from under me—out from under the Faction as a whole.

Lochlan marched towards the table, and I prepared myself to fight.

“Whoa! Naw, guys, let’s no be fightin’ in me kitchen. We all be friends in ‘ere, and I just redecorated,” Caleb said and stood to put himself between us.

“Are you calling me a traitor?” Lochlan’s eyes were as angry as I’d ever seen them, which was the only thing that gave me pause. He and his family might have been the obvious choice, but the emotion in his eyes was real.

I lifted my shoulder and let it drop. “Naw, not now, but I was needin’ ta know fir sure,” I said and slowly sat back down, and once more cursed Rook as my cock rubbed the inside of my leg.

“You’re a prick,” Lochlan grumbled and crossed his arms over his chest.

“Aye, and I be takin’ bets dat yer goin’ ta be paired wit Leo. Yer temperaments are well suited. What are dey callin’ dat now? An enemies ta lovers romance,” I said, and his face went a violent shade of red.

Lochlan lowered his voice, his eyes snapping with anger. “Don’t you fucking dare jinx me. I hate that asswipe. I’d rather pluck out my eyes and cut off my cock before I shove it up his ass.”

I spit out the coffee I was swallowing back into the cup and laughed hard as Leo walked through the door.