“You’re pregnant?” Grace said with a gasp.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
CHARLOTTE HADN’T HEARD Grace come in. She slid from Niall’s arms and nodded. “Yep.”
“You’re sure?”
“Pretty sure. I haven’t peed on a stick yet, but I can feel her.”
“I’m so happy for you!” Grace rushed to her and pulled her in for a hug. “So, my brother-in-law has bionic sperm.”
Charlotte giggled. “It would seem so.”
“Do you want anyone else to know?”
“Not yet. Samantha just announced her happy news, and I think I’d like to keep mine to myself for a bit.”
Grace smiled. “Good plan. Come on. Pepper’s chef made a feast.”
Charlotte linked her arm with Grace’s and they followed Niall into the dining room. Connall was pouring wine for everyone, except for Payton and Samantha. Charlotte also refrained, which caused eyebrows to be raised.
“Do you not like wine?” Pepper asked.
“No, I love wine,” Charlotte said. “I just like to wait until after dinner.”
Pepper let out a mock sigh of relief. “Oh, good, I was wondering if I was going to have to disown you…and so soon after finding you! It would have been a shame.”
Charlotte giggled.
Niall distracted everyone by asking Connall a recording question. This brought the subject around to music, effectively changing the subject.
“Does anyone know what that smell is?” Grace asked.
“What smell, love?” Max asked.
She covered her mouth with her fingers. “It’s kind of sickly sweet. Rotting flowers, or like a spray trying to cover up garbage.” Grace leaned forward, sniffing her plate and then her glass. “It’s the wine.”
Those with wine sniffed their glasses.
“I just smell wine,” Connall said, and took a sip. His body went rigid and he fell from his chair, spilling the rest of the glass onto the table.
“Connall!” Pepper squeaked in fright, rushing to kneel beside him.
“Shite,” Kade snapped, and jumped from his chair. He grabbed what looked like an epi-pen from a side table and jabbed it into Connall’s thigh.
Connall groaned and began to cough. “Red Fang,” he rasped. “Don’t touch the wine.” He got up gingerly and took his seat again and within seconds, nine pairs of eyes focused on Grace.
“Baby, I think you can smell Red Fang,” Max said.
What’s Red Fang?
Sorry, lass. In all our talks, we never got around to that. It’s a flower native to Iceland that can paralyze us in varying amounts, depending on how much we’re given. We all carry the antidote with us. I will make sure you have one as well.
“Is it weird that I can smell it?” Grace asked, leaning forward again.
Max stood, his hand on Grace’s shoulder. “Careful, love.”
“It’s supposed to be odorless, lass,” Niall answered.
“Not to me. It’s disgusting is what it is,” she retorted.
Pepper stood and grabbed a bottle of their own wine, opening it and pouring some into a glass. “What do you smell?”
“Wine,” Grace said.
“See, I knew Ari was up to something,” Charlotte said.
“Yes,” Pepper agreed. “It’s really cool you have this new ability, Grace. We could have all been in a load of trouble.”
Before anyone could respond, the baby monitor began to crackle and the sound of a baby crying filled the room. Connall went to stand, but Pepper stopped him. “I’ll get Cody, babe. Drink a ton of water, okay?”
Connall nodded and sat back down, accepting a glass of water from Brodie, who’d removed the laced wine from the table.
Max was studying one of the corks, his hand wrapped around a napkin to protect him from inadvertently touching the poison. “There,” he said, and handed the cork to Kade. “You can see what looks like a needle mark.”
“Bloody hell,” Kade snapped. “Excuse me.” He squeezed Samantha’s shoulder and left the room. Sam watched him leave before closing her eyes.
Brodie and Connall rose to their feet and followed Kade. Niall and Max both grabbed their cell phones and left through the opposite door.
Where are you going?
To use my resources to find out what the hell is going on.
Do not disappear on me again.
I won’t, love. I’ll be back by your side in a few minutes.
Charlotte sighed and shared an eye roll with Grace.
Pepper returned with the baby and sat beside Charlotte just as Grace and Payton engaged in a conversation about one of Brodie’s nightclubs. Samantha continued to sit with her eyes closed, her hands running over her belly.
“Samantha’s listening to Kade’s conversation,” Pepper said. “He always forgets she can narrow in on him when he’s least expecting it.”
“Does that mean she’ll find out what they’re planning?” Charlotte asked as she smiled at Cody. The baby gurgled and grinned back at her.
Pepper nodded and then smiled. “Stick with me, kid. Our men ain’t got nothin’ on us.”
Nausea overwhelmed Charlotte and she blinked back tears. “Excuse me,” she said, and rose as gracefully as she could before rushing to the bathroom.
Take a deep breath, love.
Charlotte did as Niall suggested, and her nausea ended almost immediately.
A knock at the door brought her husband with a bottled water. He knelt beside her on the floor and laid his hand on her back. “I’m sorry, love.”
Charlotte attempted to smile and leaned against the tub. “It’s expected, right?” She took a sip of water. “I feel fine now.”
Niall closed the toilet lid and sat on it. Charlotte took another sip of water and smiled up at him. “Have you solved the world’s problems?”
He chuckled. “Only in so much as we’ve got Ari in custody.”
Charlotte gasped. “That quick?”
“Aye, lass. Kade doesn’t muck around with the safety of our people.”
“So, where is he? Has he said anything about my other sister?
Niall frowned. “Do you really want to know?”
“Um, yes.” She rolled her eyes. “Have you met me?”
“He is currently being transported to the holding facility in Edinburgh—”
“What holding facility?” she interrupted.
“A special Cauld Ane prison, if you will. It’s temperature controlled, and once the Council decides on his fate, he will be dealt with.”
Charlotte frowned. “Dealt with, how? And who are these Council people?”
“I’ll answer the second question first, eh?”
“Nye,” she ground out.
He smiled. “The Council is made up of elders of the Cauld Ane within not only our clan, but a few others in Scotland. The Gunnachs and I are on it, along with Max. Also, Fiona’s mate, Angus, and his father, Stuart, and ten others from five of the larger clans in the country. Individually, we deal with our personal clan business, however, when it comes to Cauld Ane issues, the Council comes together, and I make the ultimate decision.”
“You have your own clan?”
“Aye. After my father died, Max was laird back when those things mattered, but we are still part of the MacMillan clan within the Gunnach clan.”
She drank more water. “So, what will happen to Ari?”
“Do you really want to have this conversation in the loo?”
Charlotte shrugged. “I want answers, Niall. I don’t really care where they happen. What will they do to my father?”
He sighed. “That I don’t know, love.”
“Because the Council hasn’t met yet.”
“Aye.”
“What about this other sister?”
“Quite frankly, we’re not sure he’s telling the truth in regards to his intentions, but we’ll do everything we can to find her.”
“Why would he lie?”
“Why wouldn’t he?” Nia
ll challenged.
Another wave of nausea hit her, but Niall grasped her hand and it was gone.
“Let’s get you home, and we can discuss this in a more comfortable place, eh?”
Charlotte nodded and let him help her off the floor. “I need to call my parents.”
“Aye, lass, you do, but have you thought about how you will explain all of this?”
She shook her head. “I just figured I’d tell them what I know.”
He smiled and kissed her cheek. “That’s somewhere to start, at least.”
They walked out of the bathroom, to find Pepper and Grace hovering. “Are you okay?” Pepper asked.
“Yes. Sorry,” Charlotte said. “Just wasn’t feeling well.”
Pepper gave her a sympathetic smile. “The nausea goes away after about a month.”
“You told her?” Charlotte asked Grace.
“No! I would never,” Grace snapped, and stormed off.
Crap! Why do I keep doing that to her?
Niall laid his hand on her lower back, easing her guilt.
“I can feel your pregnancy, Charlotte,” Pepper said. “Grace never said a word.” She squeezed her arm. “I think for the most part, everyone in our immediate circle will probably have felt it. We’re all connected after all, but I won’t say anything if you don’t want me to.”
“I would appreciate that, Pepper. I just want to wait a little while. Now, if you’ll excuse me, please. I have to go grovel.”
Pepper grinned. “I have to do that with Sam all too often.”
“I guess we really are sisters, huh?”
“It would seem so.”
Charlotte followed Pepper back to the great room where Grace stood by the window, Max next to her, his arm firmly around her waist. Charlotte rushed to her friend and Max slipped away to afford them some privacy.
“I’m so sorry, Gracie.”
Grace crossed her arms and frowned at Charlotte. “You can’t keep doing that to me.”
“I know, buddy. I’m really sorry.”
“Can we be done with this mistrust, please?”
Charlotte nodded. “Absolutely. It will never happen again.”
Grace let out a quiet snort. “Yes it will.”
“Okay, maybe it will, but I promise I will try my best to think before I speak.”
Grace pulled her in for a hug. “Thank you. That’s all I need.”
“Everyone, I’ve had food brought in here for the time being,” Pepper announced. “Dinner was a bit of failure, but I for one am starving, so please feel free to eat while Kade and the others figure out what to do next.”
The men returned, and Charlotte smiled at Niall. “Have you guys decided on what’s happening?”
Kade and his brothers were with their wives, obviously finished with their business for the moment.
Niall shook his head. “Kade’s calling an emergency Council meeting, so that will happen tomorrow or the day after.”
“I should call my parents.”
“Aye, lass. We can do that now, if you like. I’m sure we can use Con’s office. But we should eat.”
She bit her lip. “Quickly, okay?”
He smiled. “Okay.”
Charlotte force-fed herself and then followed Niall into Connall’s office. Her heart raced as she sat facing the phone.
Niall leaned against the desk and crossed his arms. “We can wait, love.”
“No, we really shouldn’t. I need to do this. I just don’t know what to tell them, exactly.”
“You tell them what you know, and I’ll help field questions, okay?”
She nodded, gripping his hand as he dialed the numbers to facilitate a conference call.
“Matt Whitmore.”
“Hi Dad, it’s me…and Niall,” Charlotte said.
“Hey, Button. You okay?”
“Um, well, we have something to tell you, but we really need you and Mom on the line, so we’re going to conference her in, okay?”
“Ah, sure,” he said. “Go ahead.”
Niall dialed her mother’s number and once everyone was on the line, Charlotte took a deep breath. “So, I know this is all going to sound really weird, but there is some evidence to support that I may have been switched at the hospital.”
“What?” her mom squeaked.
“Why do you think that, sweetheart?” her father asked.
“Because something Mom said didn’t sit well with me, so I had a DNA test.”
“What didn’t sit well?” her father pressed.
“That she didn’t cheat on you,” Charlotte said. “I know that it’s probably none of my business, but even if she did cheat, I wasn’t the result of an affair, because our DNA doesn’t match. I can’t be either of yours.”
“I don’t understand.” Her mom began to cry. “You are mine. I know you’re mine.”
“Mom, I’m your daughter…you raised me and I love you. I’ll never feel any different about you, but when you said that Daddy was the only man you’d ever loved, I wanted to know if you were telling the truth, so I had it checked out.”
Great improvising, love.
Charlotte smiled. Thank you.
“Oh, God,” her father rasped.
“Niall is going to use his resources to look into what exactly happened, so you guys can just focus on talking things through and not have to worry about how it all happened. We’ll look into it from this side, okay?”
“That might take time and money, Button,” her father countered. “I can do it.”
“Mr. Whitmore,” Niall said. “I’m happy to work it from this end. I happen to have a few months off from touring and with my access to law enforcement, I think it might go faster from here.”
“Well, if you’re sure,” he said.
“Aye, sir. It would be my privilege to help,” Niall said.
“Mom, are you okay?” Charlotte asked, concerned that her mother hadn’t said anything for a while.
“I have to go,” her mother choked out, and hung up.
“Mom?”
“I’ll talk to your mom, sweetheart,” her father promised. “Let’s touch base next week, okay?”
“Thanks, Dad.”
“I love you, Button.”
“Love you too,” she said, and ended the call.
Niall hunkered down in front of the chair, facing her. “You okay?”
She shrugged. “My mom’s wrecked.”
“Aye, lass, she is. But at least they have a chance to heal some past hurts now.”
“I just hope they will.”
“I hope so too.” Niall stood and pulled her from the chair, kissing her quickly. “How about we head back to Max’s place and watch a movie. We’ll get an early night, and then I’ll take you out to see the family house tomorrow.”
“I’d love that,” she said.
After bidding everyone a good night, the MacMillan clan headed back home. Charlotte gave in and suffered through a “think piece,” before Niall walked her upstairs. Her phone rang just as they walked into the room.
“Vandi? You okay?”
“Yeah,” she said. “I just wanted to talk to my big sister.”
Charlotte bit her lip. Now would not be the time to tell her they weren’t technically sisters. “How’s counseling going?”
“Really well, actually. I’m having fewer nightmares.”
“You are? That’s great, Van.”
“I asked Mom if we could go back to church. Your church, actually. We went with the Wilsons on Sunday.”
Charlotte smiled. “Oh, honey, I’m so glad. That’ll help big time.”
“I hope so,” Vandi said. “Um, side note…what did you say to Mom and Dad?”
“What do you mean?”
“Dad’s here and I caught them kissing,” Vandi said.
“You did?”
“Yeah. Mom said she talked to you and she was crying super hard and then Dad got here and they started kissing. They went into Mom’s bedroom and locked the doo
r.”
Charlotte rubbed her forehead. “You’re not eavesdropping, are you?”
“Ew, no, gross. I’m downstairs.”
“They probably have a few things to hash out,” Charlotte said, evasively. “I wouldn’t worry about it.”
“Do you think they’ll get back together?”
“I don’t know, babe. Try not to get your hopes up, okay?”
“I won’t.” Vandi sighed. “I’m going to watch a movie now.”
“Okay. If you need me, I’m right here, okay?”
“Thanks. Love you, Charlie.”
“Love you too, sissy.”
Charlotte hung up and faced Niall, who stood before her in boxer briefs. “You’re not wearing those to bed, are you?”
Niall smiled. “Not if you don’t want me to.”
Charlotte set her phone on the nightstand and pulled her shirt over her head as she walked toward him. “I don’t want you to.”
He set his hands on his hips. “Keep going.”
She licked her lips, unzipping her jeans and sliding them from her body.
“More,” he demanded.
She unhooked her bra and let it fall to the floor. Unprepared for him to rush her, laughter bubbled out of her as he threw her gently on the bed. “Now that we’re on an even playing field, I’m going to make you forget all about today,” he said.
“Are you now?”
“Aye, love. We’ll start with removing these.”
She squeaked when Niall ripped her underwear from her body, but was soon making other noises as he made love to her. Niall kept his promise and she managed to fall asleep quite quickly, her worry falling away as held her through the night.
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
THE NEXT MORNING, Max surprised everyone by telling them that he and Grace would join them on their ride.
“Are you sure, brother?” Niall pressed.
Max nodded. “I figure I have to face the memories at some point, good and bad, and now that I have Grace, I feel I can.”
Grace smiled and kissed his cheek. “If you fall apart, baby, I’ll put you back together.”
“I appreciate that, lass.” Max grabbed a few apples and carrots from the fridge and put them in a paper bag. “I’ve asked Guaire to saddle four horses. He’s bringing them down for us.”
“Ooh, front door service,” Charlotte said.
Bound by Dreams (Cauld Ane Series) Page 26