Page 31 of Sadie's Highlander (Highland Protector 1)

Before Alec could respond with an argument that he knew in his heart would do him no good, Esme and Sadie entered the kitchen, so engaged in animated conversation that neither of them noticed anyone else in the room.

“He’sthatafraid of spiders?” Esme snorted out a sound that fell somewhere between amusement and amazement at the idiocy of the subject of their conversation.

Sadie plopped down in the chair Alec held out for her, not taking her attention from Esme. “Hates all bugs. Taggart ‘The Mountain’ Teason squeals like a six-year-old girl if a ladybug lands on his arm.”

“Who is this Taggart ‘The Mountain’ Teason?” Alec asked, jealousy setting fire to his blood as he stiffly returned to his seat.

Both Esme and Sadie looked at him as though he’d just asked who his own mother was.

“Taggart ‘The Mountain’ Teason?” Esme repeated, saying the name louder, enunciating each syllable slowly as though she thought him either deaf or diminished betwixt his ears. “The leader of the zombie hunters inDead or Deader?”

“Zombie hunters,” Alec repeated with a disgusted huff. Now he kent what they were talking about. That disgusting waste of time he had made the mistake of watching with Esme not so long ago. “Why do ye watch such things? I’ve half a mind to have that television removed from yer room.”

“You’ve got half a mind all right if you think you’re getting my TV.” Esme flounced back in her chair, fixing Alec with such a dark look he should’ve been incinerated on the spot.

“Tha’s no’ an appropriate way to speak to yer elders!” Alec thumped his fist so hard on the table that everyone’s silverware rattled.

Sadie cleared her throat and pinged her butter knife against her water glass to get Alec’s attention. “It’s actually not that bad of a show. Kind of a good-overcoming-evil sort of trope. She could be watching worse.”

“If I remove the television, she’ll no’ be watchin’ anythin’ a’tall and have a great deal more time to concentrate on her studies.” Alec leaned forward, pinning Esme with a stern gaze. “I saw yer report card. Ye got aBin algebra. That is unacceptable.”

Sadie laid a calming hand on Esme before she could return fire, then clamped her other hand around Alec’s wrist and squeezed. “Enough. I know I’m not a member of this family, but I know a thing or two about the struggles of a teenage girl.” She released Alec’s arm and shook a finger at him. “You need to lighten up. ABis not a bad grade—especially not in freakin’ algebra. Which—I might add—I have never used and I survived two semesters of that senseless torture.” She jabbed the accusing finger at him again. “And you don’t scold a child and start listing the issues you have with her in front of other people. It’s humiliating. How would you like it if your mother did that to you?”

“She does do it. All the damn time.” Alec tightened his fists ’til his knuckles popped. What a fine mess. This day had gotten off to a roaring start.

Grant, Ramsay, and Ross rose from their chairs, each of them grinning like a cat who’d just cleaned up every drop of cream from the larder pans.

“Yer on yer own, brother,” Grant said with a sly wink as he followed Ramsay and Ross to the staircase. Their deep, rumbling chuckles echoed back into the kitchen as they descended to the main landing and headed off to start their day.

“I leave ye to the care of yer brother, Esme.” Sarinda smiled at her scowling daughter. “Dinna be too hard on him.” She scooped up her journal, then politely nodded at Sadie. “I’d be most appreciative if ye could see that these two dinna kill each other today.”

Sadie nodded, then gave Sarinda a smile that fanned Alec’s irritation even more. The woman was struggling to keep from laughing. She thought this situation amusing? She’d soon discover what an unreasonable, caterwauling little vixen Esme could be.

Alec turned his attention back to Esme, struggling against the urge to either tan the child’s arse or lock her in her room—without the damnable television. “Yer comin’ with us today. Finish yer breakfast, then go put on something warmer—and presentable,” he added. He ground a knuckle against his temple, massaging it in a slow circular motion. Dealin’ with Esme of late always made his head pound.

“What if I don’t want to?” Esme snarled.

“I didna ask yer druthers, ye vicious wee—”

“Enough!” Sadie clapped her hands. “Both of you. Back to your corners.” She turned to Alec first. “Ask her. Don’t order.” At the sound of Esme’s victorious snicker, she whirled in her seat and faced the young girl. “And you need to stop poking the bear. Haven’t you ever heard that you catch more flies with honey?”

Alec bit down on the side of his cheek to keep from laughing aloud. He’d not seen such a wide-eyed look of disbelief on Esme’s face since she’d reached the dreaded teenage years. Sadie had managed the impossible. She’d rendered the sharp-tongued teenager speechless.

Sadie took in a deep breath and slowly blew it out as she reached out and lightly touched Esme’s shoulder. “You’ll get ahead in this world a lot easier if you workwithpeople instead of trying to force them. You know your brothers are stubborn. Making them do anything they don’t want to do is like trying to push a wet noodle up a wall.”

“They’re wet noodles all right,” Esme huffed. “They never want to let me do anything.”

“It’s because they love you and you know it.” Sadie leaned closer to Esme, her voice dropping so low Alec could barely make out her words. “You’re very lucky to have such a caring family. Not everyone does.”

She belongs here.Alec swallowed hard as the realization settled over him.What a mother she’d be to our children.Children. He’d ne’er really thought about fathering children before. He sucked in a deep breath. Perhaps his earlier thoughtlessness about the condoms was his inner soul’s way of pointing him to that path. And judging by Sadie’s reaction when he’d attempted to make amends, he’d muddled it badly. Dinner last night had been frustratingly strained. She’d hardly said a word to him, pointedly ignoring him as she and Esme chattered away like reunited friends.

Alec silently counted backwards in Gaelic, willing himself to calm down to tactical planning mode. He had some fences to mend and perhaps wee Esme could help, since it was quite obvious that Sadie liked the girl. He leaned forward, gentling his tone as he held out a hand to his sister. “I give ye m’word. I’ll do m’best to start treating ye like a young adult rather than a child.”

Esme just glared down at Alec’s extended hand, her lower lip sticking out even farther.

“Esme.” Sadie nudged the young girl’s arm. “Come on. You’ve got to meet him halfway. That’s what adults do.”

“Fine.” Esme gripped Alec’s hand and pumped it up and down. “I’ll do my best to behave as long as you stop acting like a pompous addle-pated numpty.”

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