I shivered and looked away. “I’m late for Eredine and Lucy.”

“I’ll walk you.”

“You don’t have to.”

“No, but I will.”

As we stepped outside, the sight of my SUV drew me up short. I’d forgotten I’d driven it to the gym. Something insane like disappointment filled me. “I guess I can drive.”

“Not to the studio, you can’t.” Adair reminded me that there was only a footpath to it. “Keys?” He held out his hand.

Perhaps it was because of what he’d just revealed of himself, but I handed them over.

“One of the men will drive it to the mews.” He started walking again, and I moved to keep pace with his long-legged strides.

“I’m sorry,” he blurted out.

“For what?”

Adair shot me a dark look. “For what just occurred in the gym. It should never have happened.”

“You made certain it won’t again. Not many people would have thrown him out, Adair, or offered to call the police.” There was an honorable, principled side to him.

It was annoyingly attractive.

I felt his eyes on my face, but I couldn’t look at him. Instead I kept my view on the castle as we walked up the road between it and the gym.

After a stretch of silence, he said, “Will you pop in to see Mac?”

“If I have time.” I had to force my shoulders not to hunch around my ears.

“That’s why I came to the gym. Jock told me you were here, but you’d gone straight there. Mac is asking for you. He’s worried … after yesterday.”

Hearing the question in his voice, I shook my head. “Well, I’m fine. Just wasn’t feeling great. Needed some air.”

He wrapped his hand around my upper arm and gently drew me to a stop. I reluctantly met his searching gaze. “You came here for Mac. Don’t shut him out now that you’re here.”

I tugged on my arm, and Adair released it immediately. Agitated by him in more ways than I could count, I snapped, “Why don’t you just stay out of my relationship with my father? Your interference has done enough over the years.” With that unfair comment stinging the air between us, I stalked off, calling over my shoulder, “I can see myself to the studio.”

This time, he didn’t argue or follow me.

15

Lachlan

Light rays spilled across the wooden floor in Mac’s suite, the first sign of sun for days in this part of the country.

Unfortunately, it didn’t seem to make a difference to Mac’s mood.

Like the weather, it, too, was foul.

“How much bloody longer do I have to stay in here?” he snarled.

Refusing to react to his friend’s tone, Lachlan calmly took another sip of coffee as he sat on the edge of the desk at the bay window.

Mac’s head whipped toward him. “Well?”

“You’re not trapped in here,” Lachlan reminded him. “We just went for a walk.”

Mac scoffed. “Around this floor and the one below.”

“Doctor says gentle exercise. You work your way up to more.”

“I’m perfectly capable of more. I’m not a slight wee thing that can be blown over by a stiff wind. I’m strong and recovering well, and being cooped up in here with Rob—” He cut off, shoulders bowing.

He knew what Mac was about to say.

This wasn’t just about being stuck in the castle for days on end. This was about Robyn.

Of course, Lachlan had told Mac what happened between her and Stone. He was always going to because he didn’t keep secrets from his friend, but if he hadn’t, the security team would have. The men had watched the footage of Robyn’s takedown of Stone from the security cameras, and it was clear they were all impressed by her. Curious, Lachlan watched it. Jock showed him the footage running up to the event with Robyn beating the shit out of a boxing bag with a power and energy he had to admit was sexy as fuck.

But the part with Stone got his blood boiling again.

He hated seeing Stone approach Robyn as he had. Even though she’d handled it, Lachlan could tell it had shaken her up. By allowing that bastard on his estate, he’d inadvertently allowed that to happen to her. And now he couldn’t help but worry Stone might have cornered female members of his staff in the past without his knowledge. Ones who might not have been able to fend him off.

After his warning to Stone, as Lachlan had known there would be, there was quiet on that front. However, thinking of the mistreatment his friends (of all genders) had faced at the hands of powerful men, Lachlan wasn’t satisfied with merely ending Stone’s membership.

He wanted to end the bastard’s power, power he wielded over women. His sense of power came from his fame. A few whispered words in the right ear, and work might just start drying up for Sebastian Stone.

“What are you thinking so hard on?” Mac asked.