Page 20 of Stilettos & Secrets on the 7 Seas

I looked up at him. “I know we can go back next moon cycle, but the clipping. He suffered a horrible death. Why didn’t I save him?”

“Aye, he suffered, and ah dinnae ken why this happened. Marco is telling ye it did, and now the WTF can send a defender back to change the timeline. It weel be as if it never happened.”

I blinked away the tears. “I’m going back. I left him in the past, alone.”

“Ye didnae leave him. Marco chose to stay. And yer no going back there.”

I got up and marched into the den and to the bar cart, poured another shot of bourbon, and downed it. The burn that slid from tongue to stomach made my eyes water. It was followed by the imprisoned tears I’d held back earlier.

Caiyan joined me. “Jen.” My name, a whisper off his tongue. He hated it when I cried.

“What if I can’t save him?” The tears made a jailbreak, the damn burst into gut-wrenching, rib-expanding, snot-producing sobs.

“We have time.” Caiyan wrapped his arms around me. His warmth cuddled and calmed me like a soft blanket on a stormy night. After a few hiccups, I was all cried out. He nuzzled my neck. “Feel better?”

“Yeah,” I croaked. “Better.”

“I’ll naugh let Marco die.”

“Promise?” I blinked away blurry eyes and focused on his green ones. They were soft now. An emerald green that had made me a weak pile of lust from the moment I first saw him. I willed myself to tuck away the anger, the hurt, and the questions. They could wait until tomorrow if he’d stay with me tonight and dull my memory of Marco standing on a moonlit beach waving good-bye.

“Promise me, if Jake won’t send me back, that you’ll go. That you won’t let Marco die.” I held his gaze, felt his truth run between us.

“I promise. Now, let me take ye upstairs, run ye a hot bath.”

The words sounded like heaven. After three days in 1718, with only one lukewarm water bath, I needed a shampoo, shave, and soak in a tub filled with my Lollia bubble bath. Hopefully, there would be a night filled with Caiyan following the bath.

“Are you staying tonight?”

“Aye, if ye like.”

Oh yeah. I like.

Eight

Iwoke the next morning to the smell of buttermilk pancakes, bacon, and fresh coffee, but without Caiyan’s arms wrapped around me. I didn’t have to roll over to know his side of the bed was empty. And I didn’t have to get up to know he was gone.

My right ring finger felt heavy. I squinted at the ruby ring Caiyan had given me. A promise that there was more than a night of lust-filled, multiple orgasm, mind-blowing sex to our relationship. I gave a sigh of relief that he’d slid it onto my right hand before he did his disappearing act, and not my left. We were not ready for a walk down the aisle, not even close.

I glanced at the clock—eight a.m. Caiyan didn’t waste any time hightailing it out of here. He was the unofficial spokesperson for the Wham Bam Thank You Ma’am club. I couldn’t blame him for not waiting for Jake to arrest him, but a simplesee ye later, lassiewould have been nice.

My cell rang on the nightstand. I checked the screen and groaned. Jake. Did the guy have ESP?

“Good morning.” I tried to sound chipper, but my tone wasn’t convincing even to me.

“Is McGregor gone?” Jake didn’t beat around the proverbial bush.

“I’m feeling much better, thanks for asking.” I huffed the words into the phone.

“Sorry, is he gone?”

“Yeah, he’s gone. Why are you calling and not here trying to slap cuffs on him?”

My emphasis on the word trying made Jake grumble. “I’ve got my reasons. Aaaand, Angel says hi.”

I smug-smiled at the phone and wished Jake could see it. He wouldn’t waste a warm bed and a snuggle with Angel to arrest Caiyan. The WTF didn’t know who or what Caiyan was searching for, but Jake knew it was important.

“You’d rather follow him on the travel screen and hope he leads you to something valuable than have him in custody.” I knew the WTF could see Caiyan’s initial jump, but I’d heard from Al that the cagey Scot removed his key shortly after arrival, so they had no idea if he was double jumping.

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