Page 144 of The Protective Gryphen

“On the land line?”

“Aye, I have to get him away from Gryphen so he can get into a kilt.”

“I’m sorry, pardon? Did you just say our Marine was going to be wearing a kilt?”

In the background, Graham heard it.

Chris was laughing beside him.

“Oh, he’s got it bad. Gryphen is stupid in love,” Chris admitted.

Callen understood that. He’d wear roadkill dangling off his dick if his wife said that was her new kink.

And who was Chris kidding?

He would too.

Graham explained.

“Yes. They both purchased them, and he wants to surprise Ian. Thus, why I need a distraction that can buy the man some time.”

Callen was amused.

“I imagine Gryphen is a HUGE distraction in a kilt. All that Marine with tats and the attitude to match. You won’t be able to get Ian away from him once he sees that.”

He would bet he was right.

“Aye, I am sure. If you can, send me a single Marine, Mr. James, that would make my day. This one is madly in love, and has no need for a slightly dinged up soldier. He’s found his joy.”

Callen knew what Graham had been through. Saint had clued him in.

His body and heart had been beat to hell and back, and the one person who should have loved and protected him bailed when he needed him most.

“I’ll work on it. We have some Marines lying around. While I have you on the phone, how are things going related to the castle?” he asked.

He shared what he knew.

“Well, construction is on hold for permits still, but I will say that Mr. Patterson has found a little bit of a mystery that needs to be solved.”

Callen was intrigued.

He had him at mystery.

That was their jam.

“What kind of a mystery?” he asked. “That’s something right up our alley.”

Graham explained.

“He found some of the journal belonging to the Granndach family. Now, he’s currently on the hunt for some answers. They found the crypts, and the question that Ian is working on is why is Duncan’s ex-wife, and mother of his child, not buried there with her husband, and who is in the unmarked crypt.”

Oh, boy.

“That is always a valid question, I guess. Let’s not let my wife know there are bodies in the basement. When she finds out that the B and B plans are off, and we’re making it a private home, I’m a dead duck.”

Chris wasn’t laughing now.

“Oh, she can’t find out about that,” he said in the background.

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