Page 64 of Love Bomb

“You don’t have the right to do that,” Rona said. “I’m the owner.”

“Oh, we have the right to protect family heritage until this is settled in court,” her mother said with a haughty smile. “We ensured to run the plan past our lawyers first. I hear Benson Security are the best in the business. I’m assured the folly will be quite safe under their watchful eye.”

Bain didn’t believe for one second that Lake Benson would work for Rona’s parents. His wife, Kirsty, had treated Rona as a younger sister back in the day. And his mother-in-law, Margaret, looked on her like a daughter.

“Who did you contract the job with?” Bain asked the vultures.

George lifted his chin. “A strange man called Grunt, of all things, but he assures me he will take the job seriously.”

Well, that explained a lot. Grunt didn’t know any of the players involved in Invertary’s latest drama. The American hadn’t been around when Rona lived in town. And to be honest, he wasn’t great at following local gossip either. Grunt cared about exactly three things—his wife, his kids, and his work. In that order. A request to guard the folly wouldn’t have set off any alarms with him. In fact, Bain would have been surprised if Grunt even knew Invertary had a folly before the Dalglieshes contacted him.

“Darling,” Lorna said, oozing fake sincerity. “Stop this silliness before it gets out of hand. Do the sensible thing and relinquish the bequest. Your grandfather only left it to you because he was angry with your father. You must see that. He never intended for you to keep the folly. He knew we’d contest the will and win. All he wanted to do was inconvenience us to make a point.”

“He mentioned it on his death bed,” George added, with pity. “The bequest was a joke to him.”

Unsaid words rang in the air around them—you were a joke to him.

Bain tightened his arm around her. He was done waiting for Rona to get out of there. It was time to take charge.

“We’re finished here,” he told the vultures.

As he turned, he caught sight of Dougal standing at a table behind them. From the looks of it, he’d been there a while. His face was flushed with outrage and his eyes blazed.

Bain gave him a chin lift, letting him know that he’d look after Rona.

Dougal nodded his thanks as Bain turned Rona toward the doors leading up into the hotel.

“Rona,” Lorna called after her daughter. “We aren’t finished talking about this.”

Bain and Rona just carried on walking.

“We’ll resume this chat later.” George’s voice followed them. “Once your friend has gone home.”

Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen. Not if Bain could help it.

“They’re going to harass me all night,” Rona said to him as they pushed through the doors to the hotel stairs. “They won’t give up until I relinquish the bequest and save them a day in court. I can’t stay here.”

“No, you can’t. We’ll go pack up your cat. You’re both coming back to my place.”

It spoke volumes that she didn’t argue with him. Nor did she mention that his effort to cede control to her hadn’t lasted very long. Still, Bain wondered if he got points for trying.

They’d almost finished packing up her things when there was a knock at the door. Rona stilled and cast a worried glance his way.

“I’ll get it,” Bain said. “You carry on packing.”

She nodded gratefully.

To his relief, Dougal was on the other side.

“How is she?” he whispered.

“Quiet,” Bain said.

Dougal nodded knowingly. As a child, when Rona was hurting and didn’t know how to process things, she stopped talking. Seemed some things didn’t change.

Dougal handed him a large paper bag. “Your dinner. Seeing as you didn’t get a chance to eat.”

“Thanks.” Bain placed it on the desk beside him. “Rona’s checking out. I’m taking her to my house.”