Page 34 of Taken By the Heartless Highlander
When Amelia’s child was born, they would inherit everything he had. Noah did not ever intend to marry or have children of his own, and that was how things had to be. If his father’s possessive and crazed behavior ran through his family line, it would die with him.
Keira’s face drifted through his vision once more, her soft sighs, the surprised heat in her eyes as he had pressed himself against her. The passion in her body as he pushed against her hips and?—
“Damn the woman,” he grunted, slamming his palm into the desk before him, sending a jarring pain ricocheting up his shoulder, making him grimace.
He covered his eyes with his hand, breathing shallowly, fighting with himself, and wishing he had never brought her home with him. As he did so, he felt an oozing trickle of fluid run down his right shoulder and groaned inwardly.
And now the wound is bleeding again, and I am in need of a healer.
* * *
Keira stormed through the corridors, looking for her brother. After her encounter with Laird MacAllen, she was even more certain that the course of action she had chosen was the right one. They would not allow themselves to get settled here. She would make a plan that they would all agree on, and in a few short weeks, they would be gone.
MacAllen had dismissed her as though she wasnothing; she could not guarantee anything from him ever again, not even the roof above her head.
The only person she had ever been able to rely on was herself. For years she had been looking after her own livelihood and that of her brother and sister, and that wasn’t about to change. She had simply had her head turned by a handsome face. She was not the first woman to fall foul of that, and she would not be the last.
She knocked on Scott’s door, pushing it open when her brother bid her enter. He was sitting beside his bed reading to Daisy, who was lying under a blanket, looking cold and tired.
It was a contented little scene until Scott looked up, his expression instantly changing to concern as he noticed her.
“What’s happened?” he asked sharply, getting to his feet.
Keira felt the same skitter of unease as she watched his hand instantly settle on the dirk at his belt. He was becoming accustomed to danger and uncertainty, and she wished it were not so.
“Ye’re both here. Good,” she said stiffly, walking further into the room. Daisy watched her warily, still huddled under the covers.
“What is it?” Scott asked her.
“Nothin’ new. I just wanted to tell ye that we’ll be leavin’ within the month. Sooner if we can.”
Scott walked a few paces forward, frowning at her. “Did somethin’ happen? Ye look flushed.”
Keira shook her head quickly. “Our plans have just been made more certain, that is all. I promised I would never lie to ye, and I stand by that. I want ye to ken what we will be doin’ so ye can prepare yerselves. I should be able to get the funds we need together in the time we have left. It’ll get us to the New World, and then we’ll start on a new adventure together. As a family.”
She forced a smile and watched Daisy’s troubled expression soften.
“We’ll get away from all of the terrible things we have had to endure here, and we’ll start afresh. It’s excitin’, isn’t it?”
Daisy’s little head nodded, and Keira was not surprised. Her younger sister would not have any good memories to cling to. But when she looked at her brother, the same could not be said of him. Scott’s brow was furrowed, and his hands were fidgeting at his sides.
“It shouldnae be us that leaves. That man is the one who chased ye, accused ye, threatened ye for nae good reason. He should be the one to pay. Why should we flee when ye have done nothin’ wrong?”
“I ken, Scott, but that is nae how things will be. He is respected by the villagers, and he has power that we dinnae have.”
“They should believe ye,” he insisted. “All ye have ever done is care for them, givin’ yer time and yer energy to make them better. Lucas should be the one tied to a pyre, nae ye.”
“I cannae say I disagree with the lad,” came a deep voice from the doorway.
Keira spun round, finding MacAllen standing behind her. It was a shock to see him so soon after their encounter, and she felt an infuriating blush suffuse her cheeks as she looked at his glowering expression.
He wouldnae even look at me. I dinnae owe him a thing.She thought stubbornly.But I wish he dinnae have to look quite so manly whenever he enters a room.
MacAllen’s eyes moved to hers as he walked through the doorway, the same strength to his gaze that made her knees weak. They stared at each other for what felt like an age as she tried to think of something to say.
“Ye need to tend me wound,” he said shortly, his gaze flicking to Scott and Daisy and back.
Keira was instantly distracted when she looked at his shoulder to see fresh blood where the wound had reopened—again.
