Total pages in book: 103
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 98697 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 493(@200wpm)___ 395(@250wpm)___ 329(@300wpm)
“Aye, now ye two, allow me to do the talking. Oland is a tricky oul bastard. He’s not offering us anything out of the goodness of his own heart,” I hiss at my son and grandson.
“But McDougal promised there would be a reward for whatever it is he wants,” my son says.
“Ya think I trust Archie McDougal? His own da was seconds from putting a price on his head. What makes ya think he won’t make me kill him? Ach, we trust no one here but our own,” I say to Conor.
“I don’t see why I’m here,” my other grandson says, the spoiled brat.
“Yer presence was requested with ours, but I warn ya, lad, don’t say a word. Not a single one.”
“Aye, I hear ya. I have nothing to say. Let’s get this over with. We want to head down to the field.”
“Ach, I hope it’s to practice and play. Not to watch the cailíní,” Conor grumbles.
“The lads have an eye for the lasses, leave them be,” I chuckle.
“Not the lasses. They have their eyes on one cailín in particular. They have a glad eye for the same lass.”
“They’re healthy young lads. Ya leave me grandsons alone. They’re becoming big lads, they are.”
“Spoiled brats yer making them.”
I know he’s talking about his own son. Jameson has always been a good lad, Boyle, not so much. I ignore my son and climb from the car to head into the manor, where Oland O’Brien and Archie McDougal are waiting for us. The O’Brien clan has been in power for centuries. There was a time when the McTavish name was connected to the clan.
Oland and I are somehow distant cousins, not that he would own up to it. He looks down his nose at almost everyone not of his own blood. People say the man would have married himself if he could.
“Here ye are. We’ve been waiting,” Archie says as we’re led into the study by one of the staff.
“McDougal.” I nod.
“Och, why so formal? We’re all friends here. At least I’m sure we will be once this meeting is over.”
“Aye, whatever ya say. I’ve come and brought me son and grandson as ya asked. What’s this all about?”
“It’s been brought to my attention that yer young lad has a glad eye for McDougal’s young niece. The softball player. The two are around the same age.”
“Who?”
“They’re talking about Deja Walsh,” my grandson murmurs, earning a glare from me.
“Aye, he’s a horny young lad. Why did ya need to drag me here to tell me this?”
“Ach, she’s my great-niece. My da has decided to punish me for a misunderstanding and the little lassie will come into some of what should be mine,” Archie explains.
“If I’m right, yer lad isn’t the only one with a glad eye for the cailín. If she’s engaged to yer lad, there isn’t any way my grandson can have her. This will effectively teach him who runs everything here and in America.
“I will not be defied. Ya see, if ya do me this favor and agree to this arrangement, then the lass belongs to yer lad, and Archie will make sure some of those assets fall into the McTavish name and hands when the time comes. He will,” Oland says dryly.
“Och, trust me, when this is all over, your lad will be the lord of the McDougal clan. I’ll ensure it.”
I don’t like this. If this is the lass Conor referred to in the car, this is already a problem. Both of my grandsons like the cailín. Jameson is the quieter of the two. It would break his heart if I arranged this behind his back, and I would never do something like that to the lad. Especially not for Oland.
I snort. Besides, there is no way in hell Archie can pull off a promise like this. I have not lost my mind to go against Lennox McDougal, and as I said, Archie is a dead man walking.
“Ach, no—”
“He’ll do it,” Conor cuts off my refusal before I can finish it.
I turn to find him with stars in his eyes and my grandson nodding his head in agreement. I want to batter the two. They have just taken their own lives.
“Aye, it’s settled. I’ll give ya the heads-up when it’s safe for ya to woo the lass and get her to fall for ya. Cole’s absence will work in yer favor.”
“But will she be okay with this?”
“I will make it so,” Archie croons with an evil look in his eyes.
“I want ya to do one more thing for me. Keep her away from me granddaughter. Make sure their friendship ends.”
I grind my teeth to keep from growling as these two eejits nod. We have no business in the middle of this. The only reason Ian will forgive me for taking this meeting is because I told him first.