Page 20 of Mending Fate

“Lumen!”

I turned at the sound of my name, wondering who was calling me. I knew the voice, but it didn’t belong here. It wasn’t this here and now. It was the other. But I knew it all the same.

“Lumen!”

Who was–

“What?” I sat up too fast, and my head spun.

Someone was knocking on my door and shouting my name. My brain was clear enough for me to know that I recognized the voice, but I wasn’t quite awake enough yet to put a name to it.

By the time I stumbled over, I remembered, but it didn’t stop me from opening the door.

“Alec.”

Twelve

Alec

No warrant.No help. Nothing but moreI’m sorry, we can’texcuses. Nothing but reasons why this wasn’t considered anything more serious than a custody issue when we all knew that if the situation had been reversed and I had been the one to take our daughter while Keli’d had custody, a warrant would have already been out for my arrest on charges of kidnapping.

I’d gone straight from the police station to meet Percival Scarpa, where he’d agreed with my scathing opinion regarding how the issue was being handled. He’d also agreed that maybe it was time to play to the press.

When I asked him, however, about how I should go about doing just that, he’d asked if I had a public relations person. He had been able to give me legal advice but recommended that I speak to a PR person regarding what, exactly, should be said.

After leaving his office, I’d reached out to the firm that handled all of the public relations for my family. Of course, they’d been able to see me, but our meeting had been brief. They hadn’t needed much from me, and I’d asked them to reach out to Theresa for the person I wanted to be the face for the media.

I should have been grateful that had gone so well, but now all I had to look forward to was a night of worrying and pacing, with nothing to distract me. Eoin was still out checking various car rental places, but I didn’t have anything else to do. The money trail I’d been sent to investigate didn’t exist. Keli hadn’t been using any of the credit cards that my money manager had access to, and without a warrant, nothing in her name could be tracked.

Fortunately for me, Brody was waiting in my living room when I arrived home.

And he’d brought alcohol.

“I have a new batch of whiskey I thought might be useful here.” He poured two fingers of rich-looking amber liquid and handed me the glass. “Mind helping me test it?”

“Aye.” I took the glass. “I hope you brought plenty.”

* * *

Brody had indeed broughtplenty of his newest whiskey, and it was excellent. I probably would have drunk just as much if it hadn’t been of good quality, but I wouldn’t have enjoyed it as much. I’d most likely regret it in the morning, but I was tired of constantly planning and looking ahead, especially since it no longer appeared that I could better control outcomes no matter what I did.

“A wee nip more.” I held out my glass.

“You dinnae need more,” Brody cautioned.

“Pog mo thon.” I scowled at him.

“Gaelic? Really, Alec?” Brody stood. “I’m going to the bathroom, and then I’ll be making us both some coffee.”

I flipped up my middle finger. “That American enough for you?”

He rolled his eyes and headed for the hall.

I suddenly realized that I hadn’t checked my phone in hours, and I reached for it. My stomach churned unpleasantly when I saw that I’d missed a text from Lumen.

She wanted to know about Evanne.

I should have been pissed about that, but instead, all I could think about was how good it would feel to have her in my arms. How much better she was than even this fine whiskey. How I could lose myself in her more thoroughly than anything else.