Fight for You – MacKenzie Scottish Crime Family Read Online Amarie Avant

Categories Genre: Alpha Male, Crime, Dark, Mafia, Suspense Tags Authors:
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Total pages in book: 91
Estimated words: 86177 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 431(@200wpm)___ 345(@250wpm)___ 287(@300wpm)
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“Jamie, we’ll handle him.” She patted my shoulder, her voice soft—too soft. It was that strange tone she reserved for me when I was six years old instead of over six feet tall.

Oh, c’mon. I stiffened. She was still using a different tone of voice with me than with my brothers. I remembered a time before the abuse. This wasn’t the voice of my mother.

Although my abduction and disappearance later from the clan after Devi’s death caused her intense grief, my mom needed to understand I’d grown. The structure of black-ops missions helped me grow, helped me focus. She needed to see that.

As I stared at Mam, something in her shifted. She held my gaze, and for a moment, I saw it. A flicker in her eyes. Like she knew. Like she remembered all the times she’d talked to me like I was breakable. Contaminated. Something to pity.

Like a placenta.

Aye. That.

A sigh escaped her thin lips, long and weary. “I’m sorry, Jamie.”

The words cracked something open in me, and deeper than that, cracked something true.

A memory from my wrecked childhood.

Who came for ye, Jamie?” Nolan’s voice had gotten slick and raspy. “Not yer mam, yer da. ME. Uncle Nolan loves you. I love you …

I’d believed him.

I had. That twisted bastard had sunk his claws in and rewired my grief into loyalty. Made himself the savior of my story. And I’d let him. Let the lie burrow into my soul and poison the love I had for my clan.

Leith had been right. Jordyn too. I hadn’t just distanced myself. I turned my back on them. Hated them in my heart because of the King of Mind Games.

No point in pointing fingers now. I’d played my part. Let the lies take root. Grow. So, I owned it. “Mam, I’m sorry too,” I replied, voice rough. “For disappearing. For what happened in Da’s study. For—” My hand raked through my hair, trying to tame the mess that clanged inside. “I’ve gotta a lot to apologize for.”

She smiled. Soft. Real. The pressure lifted from her shoulders as if she’d finally allowed herself to forgive—not just me, but herself too.

“You were a Marine Raider, I was told?” she gently asked, pride glimmering in her eyes.

“Yes. If you want to see pictures, hear stories, I’d be glad too. Later.” I was still a man on a mission, after all. “Let’s call Nolan.”

“I’ll get him on the phone.” Mam nodded. “Albeit, I won’t be in charge of my response, which is why I’d rather not call him and tip him off.”

That was my mother. Not the coddling woman that tragedy created.

“Fine by me. Let’s finish breakfast first.”

My request seemed to somber the mood for breakfast, but it had to be done. I was ready for tomorrow to come, whether that meant going after Aleksandr one more time or⁠—

A buzz brought my attention to my cell phone next to my glass of OJ. Dad. I answered on the first ring. “How’s Reb?”

“After a horrible night in the waiting room moaning the whole time, the doctor took her in around sunrise. She’s still somewhat sedated. The vet cleaned her wound again. This new antibiotic is more potent than your supply from Los Angeles. Just left Redlands. On the 210.”

That was one issue resolved. “Be careful once you start coming up the 330.”

“Me son’s giving me advice?” I heard a faint chuckle before Dad terminated the call.

I relayed our chat with everyone and how the forty-minute commute would double because of safe drivers, scary drivers, and snow.

Brody stared out the sliding glass door. “With the way the snow’s coming, they’ll be an hour. Maybe more. Well, glad to hear your dog’s still got some bark in her. You ready to make that call?”

“Yeah.” I looked at Mam.

As she removed the phone from her culottes, Jordyn sprang to her feet. “I’ll start washing dishes.”

“Later.” I placed a hand over hers as she reached for my dish. “I’ll help.”

“Nah. Hearing that man’s voice will just remind me of how bitter I used to be. Not trying to fall into that trap. Besides, I’m with your mom. I’m liable to say something crazy. And then I’d be hotter than fish grease because I can’t back up what I say. He’s a cop.”

Didn’t mean Nolan was above the law. Jordyn buzzed around the table, stacking plates that didn’t have a scrap of food left on them. Man, I didn’t know her pain. But I was about to give the sole reason why she and the others stayed in captivity.

Uncle Nolan let children be⁠—

The second she walked away, Mam made the call.

The phone rang once, twice. He answered. “Nan, what do I owe the pleasure of hearing your pretty voice?”

“Cut the crap, Nolan.”

“Och, c’mon lassie. I had a thing for you in primary school. Long before Big Brody entered the picture. The bawbag wasn’t all that big then, either.”


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