“Does it have something to do with your sister?”
“Yes,” he said.
“Someone killed her and took her ear, is that close?”
He grimaced as he nodded.
“I’m so sorry,” she said. “But I’m a really good listener if you want to talk about it.”
“Let’s just say that Max had information about Moira’s death that he kept from me. It has put a serious damper on my ability to trust him.”
“Moira’s such a pretty name.”
Niall smiled sadly. “She was a beautiful young woman, and even sweeter than she was beautiful.”
“When did she die?”
“A very long time ago. 1876.”
“I thought you said you were immortal.”
“We are, sort of. We will eventually die, we just aren’t easy to kill.” Niall frowned. “Moira was murdered, and my brother and I couldn’t save her.”
Charlotte bit her lip. “I’m sorry.”
Niall shrugged. “It is what it is, unfortunately. If I could change it, I would.”
“You’ll work it out with Max, though, right? ’Cause if you and I really are supposed to be together forever, then you’re going to have to get used to spending every holiday with Gracie. It’s a given, especially if she’s going to officially be my sister. Might be a bit weird if Max isn’t there too.”
Niall sighed. “I hadn’t thought that far into the future.”
“Well, you feel free to wallow for a while.” Charlotte sat back and smiled. “Grace will have to come here, anyway, which means you have a little while before we’ll have to see them.”
“I’d hoped to take you home soon, love.”
“Not gonna happen. Unless you drug me and carry me onto some form of a metal tube-like deathtrap.” She took a bite of bacon. “But I’m not so easy to trick, so...”
He smiled. “Says the woman I just rescued from a similar fate.”
She threw a piece of bacon at him with a chuckle.
“Sorry.” He laughed. “But you kind of just put it out there... I couldn’t ignore it.”
“Well, you could. But truth be told, I wouldn’t have either.” She studied him for several seconds and then shook her head. “I have a confession to make. Well, not a confession, per se, because I’m not doing anything wrong, but it’s something you should probably know.”
“Okay.”
“I’m actually kind of seeing someone.”
Niall gripped the arms of the chair in an effort to control his sudden rage. He’d heard her on the phone making the date, but didn’t realize the man was competition. “Grace didn’t mention that,” he said, trying for calm.
“She probably didn’t think I’d want you to know.”
Or she was trying to punish me.
“Punish you for what?” Charlotte asked.
“Nothing, lass.”
Charlotte pressed her lips into a thin line. “Anyway, it’s really new, but we have a date on Tuesday and, well, I don’t want to string you along. I think you and I should just be friends.” She buried her face in her hands. “I can’t believe I’m saying this.”
Niall didn’t trust himself to speak, so he bit the inside of his cheek, the pain reminding him to stay focused and stamp down his anger.
She lifted her head and bit her lip. “I’m sorry, Niall, but I think you should go home. Don’t waste your time waiting around for me to figure out what the hell I’m doing.”
“Charlotte,” he said, and took a breath. “I’m all in, love. All I’m asking is for you to give me as much of a chance as the other guy.”
“I can’t.”
“Why not?”
“Because you’re Niall MacMillan, that’s why not. Good lord, I’ve been in love with you since I was twelve years old. People like me don’t get chances with people like you.” She threw her napkin on the table and stood. “I’m sorry, but I have to go.”
Before Niall could respond, Charlotte’s purse buzzed. She pulled out her phone, and Niall took a minute to study her as she took her phone call. He resisted the urge to pull her into his arms and kiss her senseless, feeling as though it might confuse her even more. He had to admit, he was a little overwhelmed by the beauty he’d been given. Tall and curvy in all the right places, she was more than he could have dreamed of. He’d always been partial to blondes, but never wanted to focus on any one attribute, in case his mate was something entirely different.
“Vandi. Slow down, sissy. What’s going on?” Charlotte asked. “Okay, so dump his ass. Babe, he’s obviously a jerk... not to mention, way too old for you. Just walk out the door and go home. I can’t believe Mom approved this guy. Hmm-mmm. No. Wait, if she approved group dates, then why are you alone with him?” Charlotte rubbed her forehead. “Vandi. Yes, of course I’ll come and get you. Give me twenty minutes. Okay. ’Bye.” She hung up and gave Niall an apologetic smile. “Sorry. Sister drama. I need to go.”
“I’m happy to drive you wherever you need go,” Niall offered.
“I have my car.”
“Bruce will drop your car by your home later. Or I’ll bring you back here.”
“You don’t need to do that.” She bit her lip and asked hopefully, “Unless you want to? No, forget I asked. It’s okay.”
“Charlotte.” He chuckled, “I want to.”
“No.” She shook her head and wiped her palms on her jeans. “No. I can’t. It’s fine. Thank you anyway.” She grabbed her shoes and sat down to put them on.
Niall hunkered down beside her, lifting her chin, and smiling. “I will drive you wherever you want, lass. There is absolutely no reason why we can’t be friends, eh?”
She let out a quiet snort. “People like you aren’t friends with people like me.”
“People like me?”
“Very pretty, sexy, rich, Scottish... immortal... you know. Out of bounds.”
He smiled. “I happen to know lots of Scots who are friends with Americans.”
She giggled, then seemed to think better of it and went back to her shoes.
“Will you let me take you to your sister, Charlotte?”
She paused for a few seconds before nodding and rising to her feet.
“Let’s go, eh?” he said as he stood as well.
Niall sent a quick text to Bruce and then ushered Charlotte from the room.
BRUCE MET THE couple by the front doors of the hotel and held the car door open for them. Niall waited for Charlotte to climb inside before following her.
“Where are we taking you, lass?” Niall asked.
“Oh, right.” Charlotte checked her phone. “SE Salmon and Sixth. It’s the industrial area of Portland. Vandi says you can’t miss it. Some kind of auto shop, and the building has Russian writing on the side of it.”
Bruce entered the information into the GPS and pulled away from the curb. Niall faced Charlotte as much as he could, strapped into the seatbelt. “What’s going on with your sister?”
Charlotte rolled her eyes. “She’s gotten herself involved with this guy who’s twenty-two, and for whatever reason, my mother has sanctioned it.” She shook her head. “Something else is off, though... more than the age difference. I just can’t quite pinpoint what it is.”
“Sixteen-year-olds can be impetuous.”
“And stupid,” she added.
Niall felt the temperature in the car drop and he frowned before taking her hand. As he felt her emotions calm, the temperature returned to normal. Strange. “We’ll find her and see if we can talk some sense into her, eh?”
“Thank you.” Charlotte let out a sigh of relief and squeezed his hand. “Sometimes I feel as though I’m the only sane one in my family.”
Niall chuckled. “Been there.”
Bruce pulled into the parking lot of the building and Charlotte released her seatbelt.
“No, love. You stay here,” Niall instructed. “Bruce and I will get your sister.”
“What? Why?”
“We don’t know who these people are
or what they’re capable of. I’d rather not put you in their crosshairs.”
Charlotte let out a derisive snort and pushed open her door. “It’s Portland... not Oakland or Compton. These people don’t scare me.”
Niall shook his head and followed her. He managed to grasp her hand and pull her slightly behind him, but didn’t miss her quiet growl under her breath. Bruce led them to the building and nodded that it was safe to enter before stepping aside and letting Niall precede Charlotte through the door.
“Charlie!”
A flurry of blonde rushed into her sister’s arms, and Niall took a minute to take in the surroundings. The room looked like a typical reception area you might find in a body shop, with one difference. A very blatant lack of customers or body work happening behind the glass door leading to the garage. In fact, there was a blatant lack of people, period. He pulled out his phone and snapped a few pictures, forwarding them to Oliver.
“What’s going on?” Charlotte asked her sister.
“Nikolai told me to wait here, but he’s been gone a long time,” Vandi said.
“How long?”
Vandi checked her watch. “Almost two hours.”
“Alone?” Niall asked.
“Yes.”
Charlotte frowned. “Okay, let’s get you home.”
Vandi stared up at Niall. “Who are you?”
“Oh, sorry,” Charlotte said. “Van, this is Niall.”
Niall shook her hand. “It’s nice to meet you, lass.”
Vandi narrowed her eyes. “You look familiar.”
“He’s a musician.” Charlotte tugged her sister toward the car.
“Are you guys dating?”
“Friends,” Charlotte said quickly.
“Aye... friends,” Niall said.
Charlotte smiled and followed Vandi into the car. Charlotte sat in the middle which Niall liked very, very much. It meant he could rest his arm behind her, keeping closer contact. Once everyone was secure, Bruce pulled away from the building and out of Portland.
Vandi’s phone rang just as they reached the freeway and she answered it with a clipped tone. “What? Well, you left me there alone, Nikolai. Without any way to leave. My sister and her... friend.” Vandi turned away from Charlotte and lowered her voice in an obvious effort to get some privacy. “Well, excuse me. I expect to be treated better than those other girls who fall at your feet. No. No. I gotta go.” She hung up.
“Do you want to tell me what happened?” Charlotte asked.
Vandi glanced at Niall and shook her head. “Not right now.”
“Did he have some form of a reason or excuse for why he left you there?”
“Later, Charlie.”
Charlotte frowned.
Let her tell you alone, love.
She’s acting like an idiot.
I don’t disagree. Get his phone number if you can. I’ll do some checking.
Charlotte nodded. She better not try to defend this ass-hat.
Niall chuckled and Vandi turned to him. “What’s so funny?”
“Sorry, lass. Charlotte elbowed me,” he improvised.
“I did?” Charlotte asked, digging her elbow in his side. “So sorry about that.”
Careful, love. You’ll no’ win this game. Niall grinned, pulling her back against him.
“How long have you known each other?” Vandi asked. “Is he one of your online dates?”
Charlotte shook her head. “He’s actually Grace’s brother-in-law.”
“Oh! Niall MacMillan, right? Fallen Crown?”
“Aye, lass,” Niall said.
“Holy crap, Charlie. Did you tell him you totally worship him?”
“No!” Charlotte snapped. “And I don’t worship him.”
Vandi leaned forward and smiled at Niall. “She had your posters all over her wall up until she moved to Cali. Did she tell you that?”
“No. I don’t recall her mentioning that,” Niall said.
Charlotte shook her head. “That’s because I didn’t... mention it or have posters all over my wall.”
“Yes, you did.” Vandi focused on Niall again. “I think she had... what was it? Forty-two of your band, and—”
“Vandi, shut up,” Charlotte warned.
“Just sayin’. You were obsessed with them.”
“I was not ‘obsessed.’”
“You were so.” Vandi gave an evil smile. “She had you guys and U2, and what was the other band you loved? Oh, right, Bon Jovi.”
“Mom loved the Jovi, Van.”
“Okay, fine. I’ll give you that. But you used to grab chopsticks and pretend to drum along with Fallen Crown. Admit it.”
Did you?
Charlotte covered her face with her hands and groaned.
I’m quite flattered, love. Niall chuckled and ran his fingers through her hair.
“You will pay for this, sissy,” Charlotte said.
“Bring it.” Vandi giggled. “It was worth it.”
“You’re the devil.”
Vandi gave a mock bow. “And my job is done. Thank you.”
I’m sorry. Ignore her.
Why? I love that you’re a fan.
Okay, we can go with fan. That makes me sound better than obsessed stalker.
“Are you dropping me home?” Vandi asked.
“As opposed to...?” Charlotte said.
“You coming in and babysitting me.”
“Van, we have to talk about this guy.”
Vandi crossed her arms and sank into the seat. “No, we really don’t.”
Don’t push her. It’ll only drive her away.
Charlotte stiffened beside him.
Not that I’m trying to tell you what to do with your sister.
She relaxed again as she pulled out her phone and sent a text to her mother. “You can talk to Mom, then.”
“What did you just do?” Vandi squealed.
“I texted Mom.” Charlotte glanced back at her phone. “She’s meeting us at home.”
“Why did you have to go and do that? She doesn’t need to be involved.”
“Yes, she does,” Charlotte argued. “You’re sixteen and she’s your mother.”
“Oh, my god, Charlie. She’s totally going to ground me.”
Charlotte nodded. “I hope she does!”
“You’re not the boss of me!”
“And I praise God every day for that,” Charlotte said. “Look, I may not be your parent, Van, but I do care about you, and if you’re safe and mad at me, it’s better than you being in a situation you can’t get out of. You and Mom can sort this mess out.”
“I hate you.” Vandi crossed her arms with a huff and scowled at her sister.
“That’s okay, sissy. I still love you.”
Niall pulled Charlotte back against his chest.
Thank you.
For?
For everything. She squeezed his knee. You kind of rode in like a knight in shining armor, just when I needed one.
Well, that’s just what I was going for.
Do you do that for all your friends?
He ran a finger across the nape of her neck. Only the pretty ones.
She smiled at him over her shoulder and he didn’t miss the pink in her cheeks.
You really are stunning, love.
Charlotte snorted. And you’re apparently blind, with a terrible sense of smell. I need a shower.
“What are you snorting for?” Vandi asked. “Are you sick?”
“No, Van. Just a little stuffy.”
“Because Maggie was just a little stuffy too.”
Grace’s sister, Maggie’s initial leukemia symptoms had appeared to be nothing more serious than a common cold.
Charlotte smiled gently. “I’m not sick, Van. Don’t worry.”
“I still hate you.”
Charlotte nodded. “I know, sissy.”
* * *
Once Vandi was delivered into the confused arms of their mother, Charlotte headed back out to the car where
Niall waited. He was on the phone, but hung up as she approached.
“I don’t mean to interrupt,” she said.
“You didn’t. I was finished.” He smiled. “Everything go okay with your sister?”
Charlotte shrugged. “I have no idea. But Mom’s on it.”
“Are you interested in joining me for dinner?”
“I don’t think I should.”
“Why not?” Niall frowned, but then quickly softened his expression. “No pressure, love.”
She bit her lip. “Dinner as friends?”
He smiled. “Aye, lass. As friends.”
“Okay, but after I shower and make myself look less like the hag under the bridge.”
Niall laughed. “Sweetheart, you don’t look like the hag under the bridge.”
Charlotte’s heart raced at the endearment, and she found herself biting her lip to keep from sighing. “Well, I’d at least like to look a little less like a homeless person.”
“Still not seeing it,” he said. “I need to run a few things over to Grace’s family. Shall I pick you up at six?”
Charlotte checked her watch. “Six would be perfect. What should I wear?”
“A little birdie told me you had an affection for Serratto.”
“It’s only my favorite restaurant on the planet.”
Niall smiled. “Excellent. I made reservations for six thirty.”
Charlotte raised an eyebrow. “What if I’d said no?”
“I figured I’d take Maggie instead.”
For whatever reason, that answer caused jealousy to well up, but she forced it down. “If you want to take Maggie instead, I’d totally understand.”
“Well, that’s very big of you... friend.” Niall crossed his arms and leaned against the car. “But I only saw Maggie a short time ago, and I’d really like a chance to get to know you.”
Charlotte couldn’t stop a smile. “If you’re sure.”
“I’m sure.” Niall leaned down and kissed her cheek, whispering, “I will take you there every night if it will make you smile like that.”
Charlotte sighed. “You really are too much, Niall MacMillan.”
He chuckled. “I’ll leave you now. If I don’t, I’ll be tempted to throw you into the car and drive you back to Scotland.”
Charlotte nodded, slipping her hands in her pockets in an effort to keep herself from grabbing onto him and never letting go. She watched him drive away before running back into the house and up to her room. She needed to find the perfect outfit, which meant unpacking another box she’d procrastinated with.
Bound by Dreams (Cauld Ane Series, #5) Page 8
