Total pages in book: 107
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 102731 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 514(@200wpm)___ 411(@250wpm)___ 342(@300wpm)
Feeling like a boy of sixteen all over again, I ignored the sudden nervous gut churning and strode up the front walk. The door opened before I even reached it and Walker stepped out.
It shocked me to realize he didn’t seem so big and broad as I remembered, now that I’d caught up to him in height. Back in London, I’d taught tae kwon do classes and worked out every week at the gym. I’d filled out since Walker had last seen me.
But he was still an inch or so taller and the most intimidating bastard I’d ever met in my life.
And you want this guy to be your father-in-law one day?
Walker did not look like he wanted me to be his son-in-law. He looked like he wanted me anywhere but on his front stoop.
“She’s not here,” he said without preamble, slowly crossing his arms over his chest. His biceps flexed with the move, reminding me of his physical prowess. And I was certain it was deliberate.
“Nice to see you, too, Walker,” I dared.
His expression never changed. “I think that’s still Mr. Ironside to you.”
Right.
Trying to cover my agitation, I asked, “Do you know where Callie is?”
“I’m sure if she wanted you to know, you’d know.”
“Right. Well, thanks, anyway.” For nothing. I turned to go, but he spoke again.
“I don’t know what happened between you two all those years ago.”
I looked back over my shoulder.
Walker scowled. “I do know that if you’ve come back to Ardnoch to hurt my daughter again, I will end your life slowly and painfully. I don’t care who your family is, Adair.” Walker took a step toward me. “They can’t protect you from me if you hurt my family.”
Sensing the absolute honesty in his threat, I faced him again.
Fuck it.
“I love Callie. I loved her then and I love her now. And I came back for her. To stay. To win her back. And you can hate me and mistrust me all you want. You can threaten me with bodily harm and attempt to stand in my way. But it won’t stop me from trying to remind Callie that she and I belong together. And if by some miracle she decides to give me another chance, I will never leave her again.”
Callie’s stepdad studied me with that intimidating blank expression.
Then after what felt like an age of inspection, he merely nodded. “She’s at Fyfe’s this morning. He invited her over for breakfast.”
Fyfe’s?
Why didn’t my friend tell me?
Jealousy I knew I shouldn’t feel, but couldn’t help, coursed through me at this information.
“Thanks.”
Walker nodded again. “Oh, and if by some miracle you do convince Callie … if I see her on the back of that bike going at anything above forty … I’ll kill you. Make that a blanket statement—if you hurt her physically or emotionally or put her in harm’s way physically or emotionally, I will end you.” With that, he stepped inside, closing the door on me without another word.
His threat wasn’t unexpected, and he’d said similar on multiple occasions when I was a teenager. It had terrified me then, just not enough to stop dating Callie. Now? Well, since he hadn’t killed me yet, I wasn’t too concerned.
I did feel dejected, and a bit pissed off at Fyfe (which I knew wasn’t fair), as I strode toward my bike. However, as I was throwing my leg over it, my phone buzzed in my pocket. Slipping it out, I relaxed at the name on the text.
Fyfe:
She’ll probably kill me for this, but Callie’s here with Carianne. You should stop by.
Grinning, all resentment disappeared. Everyone should have a friend like Fyfe Moray. The mention of Carianne, Callie’s old friend and Fyfe’s ex from when we were kids, barely registered. All I could think about was seeing Callie. Since our night together, the memory of it had tortured me. The thought of never being able to experience being with her again was an agony I couldn’t shake. I was determined that this year would end with Callie Ironside in my bed for the rest of fucking eternity.
Fourteen
CALLIE
The houses on the development were spaced out across the large parcel of land so if Fyfe wanted to, he never had to talk to his neighbors. One of his new neighbors, I’d discovered, was Aunt Ally’s cousin-in-law, Sarah, and her husband. My mum was heading over there to help set up for their daughter Rose’s fourth birthday, so she’d dropped me off at Fyfe’s. I knew Sarah and Theo split their time between Gairloch and London, but it looked like they were putting more permanent roots down in Ardnoch too.
When we were younger, I used to tease Lewis that I had a crush on Sarah’s husband. He was outrageously good-looking with a sexy, plummy English accent, and it used to make Lewis adorably jealous whenever I waxed lyrical about him. When we were really young, Lewis used to blush around Allegra, so it was only fair. Not that it wasn’t understandable. Aunt Ally was beautiful and sweet and had an undeniable charisma. She was also married to the love of her life, Jared (Sarah’s cousin), who owned the farm Fyfe’s home sat on.