Page 49 of Saved By the Highland Beast
“I had hoped you missed me so much that you’d recognize my voice as soon as I spoke, my sweet.” He stepped a little closer, revealing his bright blonde hair, piercing blue eyes and boyish looks. He gave her a toothy grin, revealing a row of perfectly white teeth.
“I… I don’t know you.” She frowned up at him.
His eyes grew dark with anger as he glared at her for a second before he sighed and smiled again. “That’s all right, you’ve had a fall. Of course you wouldn’t recognize me,” he said in an oily voice that set her teeth on edge and made every nerve in her body stand on end.
The man seemed harmless enough as he spoke, but there was something about him that was off.
She quickly gained her feet and backed away from him in the snow.
“Let me refresh your memory,” he said, taking a step toward her and bowing. “My name is Luke Johnson, second son of the Earl of Montgomery. We met a few years ago at a ball, and I haven’t been able to keep my eyes off you ever since. You are all that occupies my mind, day and night,” he explained as the hunger grew in his eyes, giving him the look of a wild animal as his tongue snaked out and licked his lips.
“I’m afraid I don’t—” She stopped and frowned at him. “You are Johnny’s younger brother? I remember he danced with me at Lady Eldridge’s last ball.” She quickly realized her mistake when he advanced on her with a murderous look in his eyes.
“I am more than just Johnny’s younger brother!” Luke growled. “I am the man whom you will marry and live happily ever after with! Was my love not apparent to you with every note that I sent? Was it not enough to show you that I’m the one!?”
Sophia quickly realized that Luke Johnson wasn’t playing with a full deck of cards as he stopped to smooth back his hair and straighten his cuffs. Her mind sought an escape as her eyes darted around. She was surrounded by thick banks of snow on every side.
“Never mind that,” he muttered as he sniffed and straightened his back. “You’ve clearly hit your head, otherwise you would have recognized me.”
“Why did you come here?” she asked, attempting to keep him talking while she came up with a plan.
“Why?” He laughed in an unhinged manner that made the pit of her stomach tumble with fear. “I’m here to take you back to London with me so that we can get married.” He looked at her as if she were the one who was daft and not him. “I came all the way to Scotland to save you.”
“Luke…” she began, feeling sorry for the man, who was clearly not in the right frame of mind. “I’m sorry, but I can’t marry you. I don’t even know who you are.”
Luke paused and frowned at her. “But the notes? I must have sent you hundreds of notes declaring my love for you. Of course you know who I am.”
“Why didn’t you come and introduce yourself when we were all at the ball?” she asked in an attempt to understand him.
Luke shook his head and grinned at her. “I was far too awkward and shy. How could I approach someone as beautiful and elegant as you? It was only when you went to Scotland that I realized I had to make you mine officially so that you would never leave me again.” His eyes darkened again as he stared at her. “You were always mine, Sophia. I just have to make it official, and then you can stay by my side forever.”
“Luke…” she began again.
“Yes, my sweet?” He advanced on her, closing the distance between them as she backed up against the castle wall. “It’s such sweet music to my ears when you say my name.” His grin widened until he looked mad with glee.
“I’m afraid I can’t marry you, Luke. My heart belongs to another. It wouldn’t be fair to you if I pretended to love you,” she explained as best she could.
“Who?!” Luke yelled bitterly as he glared at her, before looking up at the wall. “Do you mean the laird?” he asked incredulously. “Dean O’Brien? The great big jerk I met in the village? You can’t be serious!” He shook his head. “No, that can’t be right. He must have used some kind of magic to make you believe that you love him instead of me.”
“Magic?” She began to panic as she realized just how unstable he was.
“Yes. Don’t you know about the fairies and the changelings of Scotland? They use ancient magic that can make people believe they are something they aren’t.” He pursed his lips and shook his head, waving the notion away with his hand. “It doesn’t matter now. I’m here to make things right. Come with me, and everything will be set to rights,” he said as he reached for her hand.
“No!” She attempted to slip away to the side, looking around and wondering why none of the guards on patrol was coming to her aid.
“There’s no need to worry, my sweet,” Luke said as he looked around, following her gaze. “I created a diversion at the back of the castle to ensure that nobody gets in our way,” he explained triumphantly. “I even lured that silly little boy and his dog away. This marvelous blizzard has also provided cover for us to escape. It’s as if the universe wants us to be together.”
Luke blocked her body with his own just as a wooden sword came flying through the air, knocking him clean off his feet as it connected with the side of his head.
“Run, Sophia!” Cillian yelled triumphantly. “I have the bastard now! Ye can escape!” He stabbed Luke in the side with his wooden sword as hard as he could.
Luke groaned and rolled onto his side but quickly got back up.
“No! Cillian, come with me!” Sophia yelled and held out her hand to the boy as he stood his ground and glared at Luke.
“I can handle him!” Cillian yelled back at her.
“I’ll teach you, you meddlesome little fool!” Luke growled as he pulled a dagger from his coat and advanced on the boy.
