The Buchanan's Redemption by Alexx Andria Read Free Book Online Page A

asked, annoyed with him and the horde of panty-throwing women conversation. “Don’t you have anything better to do?”
    “I can think of a few things,” Laird said, his voice lowering with suggestion and she grimaced. He shrugged. “Can’t fault a guy for trying. Unlike Vince, I prefer my women a little less prickly. Besides, you seem the type who has their legs screwed tight at the knee.”
    Her cheeks flared. “That was rude,” she said, lifting her chin. “And you seem the kind of man who will die of a raging STD before you’re thirty-five.”
    “I did catch gonorrhea once,” he admitted as if it were no big deal to admit such a thing when Emma would’ve been horrified and taken that information to her grave if it were her. “But that’s the beauty of doctors and their meds. Cleared it right up. I did learn a valuable lesson —   no glove, no love. And I stick to it.”
    “Hallelujah,” she retorted dryly. “Sexual education at its finest.”
    “Hey, better late than never.”
    “I suppose you never worry about getting someone pregnant?”
    At that he shrugged but the motion had lost some its signature jocularity as he said, “Shooting blanks. Bad motocross accident when I was kid. Killed my nuts.” The corner of his lips twisted in a brief smile as he said, “So, no little Lairds out there.”
    “Oh.” She wasn’t sure why but the need to apologize was strong. Why did she care if he couldn’t go out there and irresponsibly procreate? It wasn’t as if Laird Tiechert was made of great father material. The man was possibly as bad as his best friend, Vince. He had to be, if they were that close. Still, it seemed harsh, even for her, to not offer something. “That sucks.” There. Eloquent and to the point.
    Laird grunted something that sounded like “No big deal” and then started picking at her left over chicken. “Do you mind?” he asked as he took the entire chicken breast from her plate and started eating it. She shook her head, though seeing as he’d already eaten half of it, she doubted her answer would’ve mattered. “Damn, that’s good,” he murmured. “I bet he got this at that fancy Italian restaurant down the street. You don’t like chicken?”
    “I love chicken. I wasn’t about to let Vince Buchanan feed me like he would a pet. I am not his possession nor his responsibility. I tried to tell him that but he insists on keeping me here against my will.”
    “Yeah, he’s stubborn that way.”
    “Mr. Tiechert—“
    “Call me Laird…my father is Mr. Tiechert and he’s an asshole.”
    “Fine. Laird. Can you please help me get out of here?” she pleaded, hoping to appeal to a sliver of chivalry that might still be present. “My sister needs me. I can’t leave her alone for too long. Already it’s been too long.”
    “What’s wrong with your sister?” he asked.
    “She’s…well, she was injured about six months ago and she’s still recovering.”
    “What happened to her?” he asked, scooping up a spoonful of wild rice and shoveling it down.
    “I’d rather not say. It’s private,” she evaded. If Laird found out that Lana was the same girl who’d been injured in the club six months ago, he’d likely be just as adamant as Vince about keeping Emma around. “Please,” she said softly, daring to put her hand on his, her eyes filling with tears. “I’m all my sister has in the world. I can’t abandon her. She’s going to be so scared.”
    Laird seemed to struggle, clearly affected by her pleas and she sensed victory. “You know, I can appreciate Vince feeling responsible for my care but I really need to get home. It’s urgent.”
    “How about this…I will take you to your sister and then you can check on her and see that she’s okay as well as grab some clothes and then we can get back here before Vince returns none the wiser.”
    “No,” she disagreed sharply. “I don’t want to come back here. I want to go home.”
    “Sorry, I can’t do