by Nini Church
Conn huffed in a gob of air and let it out slowly. “’Tis the way it is. But, I have tae admit that when I saw her on that video with Reno, she’s so relaxed and enjoying herself. It forces me, it does, to see how cloistered her life’s been. She has no real sense of the world, but only because it’s not the nature of a clan to allow females freedom. Devil take it! Tis sad truly.”
“And,” Cal added for good measure, “a total waste of a fine female of complete worth.”
“Aye, ye say it well, lad.”
Jericho scrubbed a hand through his hair, feeling out of sorts – he was reaching for answers – any answers. “So, she’s not free to pick a mate of her choice. Is that it?”
“Nae, she can pick anyone she wants.”
“And then what?” Jericho waved his hands, exasperated.
“Then he meets Duke McFeerson, Aili’s Da.”
“Duke?” Cal eyed Conn.
“Short for Marmaduke.”
“Ah, of course.” Caleb snickered. Even he’d never have guessed that one.
Chapter 5
As Reno texted Aili – Call me – his cell rang. It was her, he just knew it. Heart palpitating like a teenager and crippled with confusion and not wanting to lose the text or the call, he fumbled, severing the call. Aili’s missed number flashed and he tapped it once. In seconds, her cell rang. “Hey...”
Heavy breathing, then loud nose blowing before Aili answered, “Sorry, I picked up a cold somewhere. Maybe too many time changes and its cold and damp here compared to the beautiful sunshine in Bellsville. It started as soon as we landed. It was raining hard too.” Aili knew she was babbling, but couldn’t help it.
Reno didn’t care, he loved the sound of her voice, needed a connection with her right now – it was the only thing calming him down. “You taking care of it?” Stupid question, Aili was a doctor. He was an idiot and well aware every bit of his male savvy – the true Hollywood – was in getting a female’s pants off and there was never much talking after that.
“Yes. Ma is here with me now.”
“So, you can’t talk?" Frustrated and without thinking, he plowed on. "Why’d you leave like that? Was it me and Conn fighting? I'm sorry about that. You didn't tell me you were leaving right away...”
Aili cut him off. “Yes, she’s right here keeping me company. I’ve just had some soup.”
Reno held the phone away. Shit, okay. “Can you call me later?”
“I will. I will take good care of myself. Thanks. Bye.”
Stymied, Reno wanted to reach out and punch the shit out of someone. With stinging finality, it settled over him that Aili wasn’t upstairs, wasn’t even on the same fucking continent!
Rage engorged, strangling him.
His mind flew over the details. Cagey at best, Aili faked their call, hiding it was him by never mentioning his name. What kind of life did she live? Was she a prisoner? Fuck, had he caused her trouble with a simple call?
Rage torqued through him as he stormed into the workout room – really fucking glad it was empty ‘cause he was likely to go at just about anyone.
In less than ten minutes, the heavy punching bag lay shredded, the insides spilling over his shit–kickers as it swayed precariously on the only remaining metal ring. Blood from his split knuckles dripped onto the mat.
He spun away.
Not enough, he needed more.
Feral blue eyes roamed for something else to destroy when Jericho called out to him. Reno glared at him, recalling he had let Aili leave with those three strange males. He hunched his shoulders as his rage swelled that Jericho didn’t tell him Aili was going home. He took one step towards Jericho and stopped, some of the fog of rage layering his mind receding.
"Reno, you don't wanna go there with me. You bring it the fuck back and get your shit, man." Jericho stayed in the doorway, deep blue eyes solid and steady. “Reno? Man, you gotta chill. You hearing me? There’s work to be done.”
“Work?”
“Yeah, work for Aili. While you were throwing your shit around in here, we’ve been discussing stuff. It’s been agreed that all of us would like Aili to return to the compound, as our doctor and to help Abe build her hospitals. I’m aware that you, most of all, want her to return. And, Reno, we’re gonna fucking make that happen. Right now, I need you to focus, man.”
Jericho’s brows were high on his forehead, black hair lashing his harsh features as he shook his head in wonder that Reno had fallen as hard and fast as he had.
Reno sensed somewhere in the far reaches of his brain that Aili’s return was bigger than him. Fuck he was an idiot. This wasn’t about him at all – it was about Aili coming back to the compound to be their resident physician and top dog consultant for the new hospital Abe envisioned. His seat was way in the back of the bus and the line for Aili’s attention was long.
All he wanted was to have her back, in his arms, in his life, any way he could.
Raged dumbed down for now, Reno knew he’d protect Aili with everything he had and he’d fucking stand tall and fucking proud against her family. A warrior of the First Blood, he was an unsurpassed male Jinn of the First Order – only one male had ever totally taken him down and that was his King, Jericho.
Yeah, Aili owned the Milky Way and he’d move it anywhere she wanted. Aili was his and nothing but. All his. No one was going to get in his way, not even her Da. “What you got, boss?”
“Good shit, man. Come on. As usual, Cal has a fantastic plan to get Aili here.”
Reno followed, further dumbing down his rage, realizing the opportunity to get his Aili back.
In the communication centre, Cal, Zulu and Conn all sat at the conference table.
Rad, the final member of Jericho’s elite team and just coming back from years of torture, stood in a corner, arms braced over his broad scarred chest. He’d do anything for Reno. So many times, he’d helped pull Rad back from the edge after years of torture. Both Reno and Jericho stood by his side without fail during the worst of it. Now, whatever he could do was Reno’s to name.
Reno refused to sit and set to pacing in an arc, a towel wrapping both hands stained red with his blood. Finally, he slumped in a chair and let out a big gusher sigh.
“Okay.” Jericho turned to Reno, seated beside him, and twitching in his chair. “Cal’s brilliant plan is to formally petition Duke McFeerson for Aili to be our resident doctor. He won’t be able to say no if we word it correctly. I’ve got a few ideas about that. Race rights and all. Now,” Jericho tapped the table to hold Reno’s attention. “We’ll all be on our best behavior as Aili will have to live here at the compound with us. Of course, we’ll also guarantee her safety. One hundred percent, man.” Jericho turned to the others. “Conn, any issues? Do you think they’ll accept our petition?”
“Aye. Tis possible Duke will consider it, but if he does agree, nae doubt, he’ll send clan members and several warriors along for her protection. If her Da asks her – will Aili want to come back?” Conn’s shaggy brows drew together in a furious line as his attention landed on Reno. Had the fecker gotten to Aili? Still, Conn wasn’t sure – Hollywood had such a fecking long history with so many females – there was no fecking denying he was a maurader.
Reno stayed silent.
Caleb watched Hollywood. With so much time on his hands, he often messed around with collages using images from the house cameras. Cal wanted to shout at Reno – Aili is all yours. Instead, he tapped his roid furiously and one wall screen switched images from the back hallway leading to the underground garage to an image of Aili openly admiring Reno during their late night walk about the house – all captured on vid.
Bright blue eyes glued to the screen, Reno absorbed every one of her images as Cal let another and another play over the monitor. It was precious time he had spent with Aili and they were irresistibly drawn to one another – her moth to his flame.
Cal didn’t turn around, but tersely asked Reno, “Enough?”
Lost for words, Reno growl
ed a warning. He wanted a copy of the vid to watch over and over again. His heart swelled – Aili wanted him. Aili was his. “If given the chance, she’ll return.”
Reno sucked in a deep breath, crossing his arms over his massive chest. “It won’t be because of me, Conn. Aili loves what she does. She can thrive in our kind of environment. Her expertise is invaluable to Abe, my Queen. I’m not even on the fucking list of reasons why Aili’ll return if they let her.”
A Cheshire smile broke out across Jericho’s face. No fucking way – Reno was the first and only reason for Aili to choose to return to the compound. He just had that feeling, an instinct, a gut reaction that the two were mates. Maybe they didn’t know it yet. True.
Back home, at Skye, Aili enjoyed the sea air and the view from her bed, but she was listless with no energy. It was her third sick day. She had never taken a sick day from work in her life. The cold was fading, her chest felt better and she wasn’t a snot bag any longer, thank god.
Reno hadn't called again and she accepted his first and only call was simply to make sure she was okay and to apologize.
Depressing didn't begin to describe her mood when facing how fast and deep her feelings had developed for Reno. Like a teenage girl – untried and untested – she was swamped in infatuation and assuming it was insta–love.
Yet, when she slept, her dreams were all about Reno and he was all hers. Simple wish fulfillment, but it took away the constant heartache especially when she considered she'd likely never see him again. More tears threatened and she closed her eyes, refusing everything else, but her dream world.
Quietly, Esme settled deeper into the chair beside her daughter’s bed, shocked to her toes watching Aili climb back in and pulling the covers over her head. She had come to warn her wee lass not to overdo it now that she had admitted to feeling much better.
Seemed her Aili was staying put. Right in her bed.
What on earth had happened across the pond?
Her Aili was changed. Not herself to be sure.
T’wasn't like her daughter to lay abed when she just admitted to feeling better. As expected, their Aili should be up and about, making plans for the clinic, checking in, asking after those left to staff it while she’d been away.
Nae.
Esme studied the lump under the quilt.
Nae a word nor peep from her wee daughter about the clinic she ran.
A soft snore from under the covers and Esme hustled out intent on finding Marmaduke. His loud, bloody cursing made it easy.
In his office, Duke McFeerson was storming around, thundering at the top of his lungs to three of his sons, Marm, Trevor and Sean along with his Chieftain, Treal. “I’ll nae agree, nae never. Aer Aili stays on the Fair Isle to see to the sick here. Feck, me daughter’s not one for a cushy practice tending to those fools.”
Esme tripped into the room, always the clumsiest of the lot. “Dear?”
Duke dove for her, catching her as she pitched forward. “Lovey, watch your step. How’s aer daughter?”
Esme glanced around the room, nodding once towards the door. That’s all it took as everyone cleared out, closing the big door to Duke’s office sharply behind them. “Aer Aili is back in her bed.”
Duke stared at his mate, a female of truth worth who’d given him five sons and the most beautiful daughter a Fither could wish for. Smart as a whip and a born healer. “Why?”
“Duke, there’s something wrong with Aili. Something’s different. And, I don’t know what, except she’s certainly no longer sick like a few days ago. She told me not an hour ago how much better she was feeling.”
“Aye, it’s comin’ together for me now. I won’t have it, of course. Seems our wee lass musta impressed the hell out of them. King and Queen of the Jinn have served a Formal Petition, requesting Aili lead their new medical team. Seems the Queen wants to build race hospitals, lots of them –” Feck! Duke buttoned his lip.
Esme’s incredible mocha eyes lit up like a chandelier. “Duke, show me the papers.” She read rapidly as bitterness welled on the back of her tongue.
Duke recognized the wheels turning in his mate’s mind – and was also well aware that his female could be more unpredictable than most.
“Are ye suggestin’ me daughter's not up to the task? She’s a natural with the sick and wounded. For god sake, Duke, we’ve watched her heal others all of her life. Ye built a wing here at Skye to house the animals she tended and our Aili wasn’t even nine summers old! Half the town had part time jobs helping her. Christ Jesus, Marmaduke, she inherited her gifts from yer sister Bethany.”
“Aye, I hear ye, lass. But, Es you know how we've always talked about our….”
“Nae, Duke, something has changed. I don’t know what, but me daughter is up in her bed.” Hands fisted on her hips, she glared at him. “Nae once has she asked about the clinic! Nae once!”
Tears threatened, but she held them back. “Duke, you manage our daughter’s life like one of your chess pieces, placing her about the board with never a spot of her own. It saddens me it does. She’s a wee beautiful lass with much to give.”
Esme couldn’t look at her mate – she blamed him – so sure, so strong, and so controlling. It was out of pure love for his family and nothing more. But, they’d smothered their daughter – she could be something or nothing at the wish of her Da.
It burned her hard, harder than ever before, that she had her say, but it was never the definitive decision – that belonged solely to Marmaduke as head of their clan.
"This is a wonderful chance for Aili. Don't take that away from her before ye examine it very closely, Duke."
Her heart heavy, she left the room, left the house – to walk the bluffs surrounding Skye, wrapping her favorite big blue silk scarf around her head – Duke had given it to her when their Aili was born – leaving the long, fringed ends trailing in the brisk wind.
Duke watched her from the windows in his office. He recognized the brilliant blue scarf Esme had chosen. His life, his breath, his everything and the Mither of his children. She’d raised them well with a strong hand right alongside him.
How had they gone wrong with Aili? To his mind, they hadn’t. Beautiful to the eye, a quick wit and ready laugh, she was smart and everything a Da could want in a daughter. To a brother, they took pride in her. Duke knew Aili was special, had known it when first craddling her in his arms but a few minutes after her birth.
Sadness sat over him. Es was unhappy and his wee Aili was still abed. He was thunderstruck, even though he tried to hide it from Esme, that their wee daughter had not spoken of the clinic.
The clinic was her life…
His heart only got heavier, watching the brilliant blue scarf billow around his mate, out on the bluffs, torturing herself about how they had gone wrong.
Duke knew King of the Jinn had put him in a tight spot using Aili’s natural born rights. So subtle, Duke mused, he almost missed it. Jericho Sullivan, a known crusader of race rights, laid it out in such a way implying no one could deny his daughter her own choice in the matter, not even her Fither. Sneaky fecking bastard, that Jinn King.
He had a sinking suspicion that his blunt refusal of the Formal Petition may carry no weight when it came to any decisions concerning Aili crossing the pond. Yet, even as he stuck to his decision and dug in, Duke felt the change – and not in any way he planned for or expected – come on so swiftly it caught at him – forcing him to let go in ways he didn’t know how.
This was about Aili living a healthy life, a fulfilled life that it seemed wouldn’t happen for her here on his Fair Isle.
Again, the brilliant blue scarf grabbed his attention when the wind curled and lashed the long ends around his beautiful mate as she turned to face Skye.
Their eyes met even over such a long distance – two halves of the same whole. She was a fierce opponent when it came to her children and, long ago, Duke had accepted his mate would never choose wrong for their daughter.
A hard fist cla
mped around his heart as a deep rumble of pain shot through him – Duke had to let Aili go to make her own way, her own choices and ultimately live the life she chose. It damn near drove him to his knees. Always, he’d assumed his daughter would only leave Skye when she mated a male of the clan’s choice.
Stoically, he briefly even considered refusing to allow Esme to make such bold decisions for his one wee lass.
Angry and pissed at such an unlikely turn of events as Aili going off on her own without a mate – Marmaduke McFeerson sensed it was all beyond his control. Once again, Es was right – they had to let their daughter live her own life.
Frustrated, Duke roared a few curses and then for good measure added a string of foul words – so loudly it brought two of his sons, Sean and Marm, on the run. When his office door slammed open, he barked, “Family meeting. We’ll start when yer Ma comes in.”
Duke’s eyes swept back to his mate, so alone out there on the bluffs of Skye, as she slowly unwound the brilliant blue scarf from around her head. He watched her raise her right hand, letting the long scarf swirl and flutter as the fierce winds whipped it around her.
When the winds snapped, Esme let go as the silk scarf crested high in the air before being swept away as her right hand dropped to fist over her heart.
Duke knew the gesture well – his Esme had just thrown down the gauntlet – she would have this for Aili.
Ah, feck. Nae need fer a family meeting.
At the compound, downstairs and alone, Reno paced so hard his ankles ached from rubbing against the steel plates lining his shit–kickers.
Fi called down to him again, demanding he come upstairs to eat.
Rolling his eyes and with no appetite at all, he stormed up the back stairs, intent on letting everyone know it.
Just through the doorway, a wailing Deos was thrust into his arms and he caught the delicious aroma of beef, onions and potatoes. It seemed Deos could smell it too – he was sobbing pitifully with his slobbery mouth sucking furiously. Unfortunately, he was gonna have to wait for mommy.