Page 79 of Anywhere

“Cheers,” I said as he sat down across from me.

He poured himself a glass and put the scotch down on the table before stretching out like a cat would. The room had been cleared of people, and I was so out of it that I hadn’t seen them leave.

“Are ya good? Ya don’t seem yerself,” Caleb said.

I stared into the swirling cup of scotch and thought about the question. “I dinnie know, Caleb. Ya know, I’ve been preparin’ me whole life for dis moment ta help take control and be in me own triad, but now dat it’s ‘ere…” I shook my head. “I just dinnie know if I’ma ready for all dis responsibility. I’ma makin’ decisions to save lives, but then dere be all the other stuff wit da actual triad.”

Caleb snorted. “Man, ya be more ready than all da rest of us combined. Ya’re who we all look up ta and want ta follow yer lead, so dinnie be tellin’ me ya din’t know. Of course, ya know, so what be chasin’ yer tail and makin’ ya feel unsure? Is it Rook? I hear he flew in ta da island. Does dat mean he wanna be part of da triad now?”

I took a sip of the scotch and let it roll around in my mouth as I savoured the bold flavours. “Aye, he says he does and be tryin’. It is intense between us.”

Caleb grinned over the top of his glass. “I bet it is. Helps that he cannie be a handful. I met ‘im once overseas, but he was stoned, so I dinnie tink he’d be rememberin’ me. Just as well, we kinda had a bit of a wild night.”

My anger flared white hot, and my eyes narrowed. Caleb immediately backed up in the seat as the air crackled around us. He held up his hand.

“Naw, I dinnie mean me and him had sex. We partied hard, is all.”

I relaxed into the seat and took a steadying breath. Rook and I were not strangers to sex or multiple partners, but the idea that one of my closest friends had been with Rook, my chosen, had instantly set my blood on fire. Volatile freaking emotions were driving me crazy. I couldn’t seem to keep them straight.

“Aye, he seems ta ‘ave his own way for sure.” I laughed, breaking the tension that had started to build. “But dat’s no’ the problem. Well, not entirely…I mean, I dinnie even have my triad sorted and we ‘ave dis mess wit another Faction. Not ta mention Mari,” I said.

Caleb was one of the few people I knew I could talk to openly about my feelings for Mari and it wouldn’t leave the room.

“Aye, the stunnin’ wee Adair lass ya fancy. Mari be a catch all right, but she no gonna be paired wit anyone. No’ wit dat black hair and no tattoo.” Caleb sipped his drink, then said the one thing I always wondered myself.

“Ya know da ting dat is confusin’ about Mari? She be one of da strongest women in da family, heck she be one of da strongest of us period, and yet she no gonna be paired. It seems odd ta me dat she was no’ born wit da hair or mark.”

I’d had the same thought for a long time. “Aye.”

I settled back into the chair and laid my head on the cushion. “Anyway, we spoke, and I spoke ta Rook about her and we came to an understandin, but I need ta be movin’. I’m finally goin’ home.”

“‘Bout fuckin’ time. Ronan is a douche and Riegan is no’ much better, although they both know how ta party. Point be, ya should be at Glentruan. It be where ya’ve always belonged.” Caleb took a sip of his drink and then stopped. “Wait, did ya say ya told Rook about Mari?” He smirked. “How did dat go?”

“Better den I taught it would. Do ya tink yer gonna be paired wit Crispin?” I asked, wanting to change the topic.

The red that spread across his cheeks told me all I needed to know about what he was hoping for. It was too bad that Crispin had never liked the idea of a triad and had never been into men. If they were paired together, there were going to be some real issues to work out.

“Ya know I’ve always had a ting for him, but he sees through me that same way as I see out my windy.” Caleb nodded his head toward the window with the glass panes open to allow in the cool night air.

“Aye, it no’ gonna be easy ta convince him ta pair, but da connection in da books just no do justice ta da strength of da pull. So dat will be in yer favour.”

“Aye, maybe.”

We sat quietly for a long time. “If ya had ta guess, what Faction do ya tink it be that is bitin’ at our heels?”

Caleb shrugged. “I dinnie know, but if me had to make a guess… I’ma gonna have to say Faction One. Da Ringolds, Quitars, and Bowen’s ‘ave never been our fans.”

“Yeah, I be tinkin’ dat, too,” I said.

Faction One really hated us. Our two sides had been fighting so long now that no one knew the real reason as to why, but the animosity was as strong and pure as the scotch I was drinking. They were also close enough to launch an attack, and they had the ability of wind and rain. They were able to travel with the weather like clouds, and they were pissed that we had three areas while they only had two.

“Ya wanna sleep in here?” Caleb asked.

I laughed. “Do I wanna sleep in a bed wet from come and wild sex all night long?” Caleb smirked. “Naw, I tink I’ll be takin’ a room on da other side of da castle, but tanks for the offer and da drink.” Downing the rest of the scotch, I stood and grabbed my duffel by the door.

“Rhys?”

“Aye,” I said, looking over my shoulder at Caleb.