Leather & Lark

Lachlan Kane is one of the novel’s protagonists and first-person narrators, and he is Lark’s love interest. Lachlan is an assassin who works as part of a “clean up crew” for his boss, Leander, and he desperately wants to retire from this violent occupation. He first met Lark when he was tasked with cleaning up after one of her kills, which he assumed to be a car accident at the time. Disgusted by what he perceived to be Lark’s carelessness and lack of remorse over causing the car crash, he shoved her roughly into the trunk of his car, unknowingly triggering her claustrophobia. Because Lark is connected to the Covaci crime family through her stepfather, Damian, Lachlan’s actions ruin all chances of a contract between the Covaci family and Leander. Furious over this mistake, Leander will not let Lachlan retire until he makes amends. Lachlan is brooding and dark, but his real passion is leatherworking in his studio. Lachlan’s primary motivation early in the novel is to protect his brothers, Fionn and Rowan. Lark discovers that her mother and stepfather suspect Lachlan of murdering their associates and are intent on killing both Lachlan and Rowan. Ultimately, Lachlan only agrees to Lark’s marriage proposal in order to protect Rowan from harm.

However, as he gets to know Lark, he realizes that he gravely misjudged her when they first met, and he becomes determined to earn Lark’s forgiveness. Inevitably, he also falls in love with her. In the past, Lachlan remained in the dark, convinced that he did not deserve love, but Lark brings light into his life despite having her own share of darkness. Lachlan’s skills as a killer allow him to understand the darkness in Lark and perceive her authentic self, and he eventually helps her to reach self-acceptance. Through Lark’s love for him, Lachlan begins to believe that he also deserves happiness. His growth as a character is most strongly shown when he offers Lark divorce papers in order to give her a choice of whether or not to remain married to him. This action goes against Lachlan’s self-preservation, but it also shows that he loves Lark more than he loves himself and will do anything to ensure her happiness.

Abe Mead is the antagonist of the novel, and Brynne Weaver includes several chapters from his point of view. His initial actions within the novel drive the plot forward as he stalks Lachlan and lark and circles closer to the protagonists long before they realize the danger, thereby raising the tension in the novel. Abe Mead goes by several names throughout the novel including “the Phantom,” Abe Midus, and Steve. Abe Mead is extremely religious and believes that he hears God speaking to him and telling him how to murder others. He hates his father but is devoted to the memory of his dead mother.

Throughout the novel, Abe Mead is motivated to avenge the death of his brother, Harvey Mead, a serial killer whom Rowan and Sloane murdered during the events of Butcher & Blackbird. In order to frame Lachlan Kane, Abe kills people who are associated with Lark Montague’s mother and stepfather, and his actions culminate in his murder of Lark’s Aunt Ethel just before the climax of the novel. Abe’s actions early in the novel cause Lark to marry Lachlan in order to protect him, thereby protecting Rowan and Sloane by proxy. Abe Mead is finally killed by Lachlan and Lark’s friend Rose during the fight to save Lark at the climax of the novel.

Lark’s great aunt Ethel is an important secondary character within the novel. Lark visits her in an assisted living facility several times throughout the novel. Ethel is underestimated by everyone except Lark because many family members believe that she has lost her mind as her body deteriorates. In reality, Ethel is a ruthless strategist who is dedicated to ensuring Lark’s happiness. Ethel arranges for Lark to learn of her parents’ plans to have Lachlan and Rowan Kane killed due to their suspicions that Lachlan is involved in the murders of their associates.

Ethel then guides Lark to the solution to this problem, which is for Lark to marry Lachlan. (Lark’s parents would never risk hurting Lark’s husband.) Ethel ensures that the lie is believable when she attends the wedding, gives Lark her engagement ring, and facilitates the conversation between Lark and her family. Ethel is dying, but she is still shown as logical and strong, even at the end of her life. When the Phantom finally comes to kill Ethel, the woman meets her end with poise and defiance, infuriating the Phantom with her taunts. Her last words are a threat that if the Phantom hurts Lark, Lachlan will kill him.

Sloane and Rowan Kane are integral secondary characters who were the primary protagonists of Butcher & Blackbird, the first novel in the Ruinous Love Trilogy. Sloane is Lark’s best friend. She is also a serial killer known as the Orb Weaver. Sloane first began killing when she murdered a teacher who was sexually abusing the teenage Lark. Now, Sloane kills other serial killers and cuts out their eyes; this is how she met her husband, Rowan. Sloane has always been open about her serial killing with Lark, and she suspects that Lark has dark urges as well. Lark’s loyalty to Sloane causes her to suggest the marriage of convenience to Lachlan.

Lachlan’s younger brother, Rowan, is “the Boston Butcher”; he is a serial killer who also kills serial killers. He and his wife, Sloane, are integral to the plot of Leather & Lark because the killer who threatens Lachlan and Lark is motivated by the need to gain revenge over the fact that Sloane and Rowan killed his brother in Butcher & Blackbird. Lachlan is extremely protective of his brothers, and he agrees to marry Lark only because Rowan’s life is threatened.