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I’d told her so in her bed and I’d meant every word.
“I need to form a guard for Tobi at a meeting on Monday morning. I’m going regardless, but if I have the rest of ye there, I’ll feel a whole lot easier.”
Ben made a gruff sound. “Switching to a group call. We’re all available. Ask us all at once.”
My heart damn well ached. Jackson then Raphael linked up. In ten minutes, I had a strategy in place. We’d fly Mia and Tobi in and out of the meeting so there was no chance of being followed and provide a show of force like those fuckers never saw coming.
Then we were done, and I had to let them go as Leo was due to leave his dressing room and take to the stage.
“Ben?” I said after our colleagues had disconnected.
“Aye?”
“Thank ye.” Then I hung up on him and took Mia to bed.
She asked me to help her forget. I worshipped her body until she did. All night, I held her. The lass had a nightmare, and I hushed her, hugging her until it let her be. Then in the morning, I rose before Tobi could know where I’d slept.
Sunday passed with tense quiet. We took Tobi for a walk around the loch with Cameron’s lass, me testing my strength as much as anything. I needed to bring my A game tomorrow and I’d slacked off with all things fitness related. I spoke with the crew again who were preparing to come home, while Mia went to see Daisy and Ariel for coffee.
Then we were there.
Monday morning dawned bright and cold.
Ben had texted when Raphael had flown him home. They were the last to come back, so the crew were suited, booted, and ready to go.
Mia sat Tobi down on the couch. “We’re going on a little trip this morning to see some old friends.”
Tobi bounced on the seat. “Who?”
“Vanissa, Greg, and Simon. They want to say hi. Plus there might be a few others around, but it’s just the family we’re going to talk to.”
The little girl’s eyes brightened. “Greg promised me riding lessons at Christmas. Do you think I’ll get them?”
Pale, her ma touched her cheek. “I don’t know, baby. But we don’t expect gifts every time we meet people.”
My phone chimed. “The heli’s ready,” I told the lasses.
“We’re going by helicopter?” Tobi squeaked. She hopped up and ran to me.
Without thinking, I lifted her into my arms. “Aye. But if I get scared of heights, I might have to close my eyes so I don’t cry.”
She snickered and flung her arms around my neck. I caught Mia’s expression, half expecting her to tell me off for overstepping. When I’d taken care of Finn, I’d thought nothing of carrying the lad when he needed it. I’d seen my brother put him on his shoulders, and it felt normal to do. But Tobi was different. I didn’t have a role with her, aside from her mother’s friend. Yet Mia’s lips curved into a faint but perfect smile, and the band that had been around my chest for weeks tightened like a clamp.
I took a breath to dispel the odd feeling. I couldn’t lose focus on my priorities. “Ready?” I asked her.
“As I’ll ever be. Let’s go.”
At the airfield, Raphael loaded us into a helicopter with him and my brother in the front and me, Mia, and Tobi in the back. Jackson had already left, driving down country in convoy with Scarlet who was meeting her lawyers en route. Jackson would pick us up at the helipad and drive us the short distance to the hired hotel conference suite that was our neutral destination. Raphael would stay with the aircraft, giving us a fast getawayshould we need it. The rest of us would guard Mia and Tobi come hell or high water. As plans went, it was pretty slick.
Heaven help the fucker who tried anything today.
We lifted off. Tobi squeaked and clutched her ma then was all eyes for the view and jabbering questions and a rolling commentary over her headset. The trip seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Soon, we were touching down at Dundee’s tiny airstrip and loading into the big car Jackson had waiting. Conversation was sparse, even Tobi stopping her cute but endless chatter for a muted peering out of the windows.
“Are we going home?” she asked.
“No, we don’t live there anymore,” Mia answered.
“Good. I like our new cottage,” her daughter announced.
