Page 55 of Taken By the Heartless Highlander
In an instant, Keira disentangled herself from his arms and stepped back, a flush creeping over her cheeks. Noah turned to see her brother standing on the path behind them, looking murderous as he glared at Noah.
“Ye said ye would protect us!” Scott bellowed, advancing on him and looking every bit the man he would one day become. “But this is what ye wanted all along, is it? I should have used me dirk when I had the chance.”
His hands came up, and he shoved at Noah’s chest. It barely moved him, but Noah was still impressed with his bravery.
“Ye will do right by me sister,” Scott demanded. “Ye will honor her, as ye said ye would. Ye cannae treat her this way.”
“Scott!” Keira protested, “it is alright.”
“It is nae alright!” Scott shouted, turning on her. “He is usin’ ye.”
“Scott, it is nae as though I am a lady; I can do as I like!” Keira stated simply. “We will be leavin’ in a few weeks,” she continued, “and all this will be over.”
Noah was dismayed to find that her words made a pang of sadness bloom in his chest.
Keira seemed to think her leaving was quite commonplace, yet now, the idea of her going away from him forever was far from pleasant.
“I thought ye were an honorable man,” Scott said angrily, looking at Noah with real fire in his eyes.
“Careful lad,” Noah replied sternly, “ye watch yer mouth.”
“Scott, go back to the castle,” Keira insisted. “Now!” she said with some force.
Scott shot Noah one last furious glare and stood his ground. “Nae until he is gone,” he said forcefully.
Noah turned back to Keira; the blissful sensations he had felt after their time together evaporating like smoke. He took a deep breath to calm himself as she looked up at him with sorrow in her eyes.
“I am sorry,” she whispered. “Pay him nae mind.”
“Why are ye apologizin’ to him?” Scott raged again, and Noah knew things would not improve if he remained with them.
He gave Keira a shallow bow, turned away, and walked back to the castle. As he passed him, he gave Scott a vicious glare and was gratified to see that, despite his bravado, Scott backed away in fear at the rage in Noah’s eyes.
Isn’t he right, though?A little voice said at the back of his mind.Ye are usin’ her, and ye can offer her nothin’ she would ever want, not as the man ye are.
* * *
Keira watched Noah walk away, wishing they could have parted under better circumstances and cursing herself for being unable to resist him.
She turned back to Scott, who was glaring at his departing back with a furious expression, and put her hands on her hips.
“Ye had nae right to interfere,” she said sternly, and Scott looked back at her in amazement.
“Me? Ye are the one lettin’ him touch ye that way. He is a laird; ye are nobody. He doesnae have to treat ye well, and he is takin’ advantage when ye need his help.”
Keira could understand his point of view, and even accept that it might still be true, but in her heart, she knew that Noah had different intentions.
The level of his desire had been too great for it not to be real. He had wanted her just as passionately as she had wanted him. When their bodies moved toward each other, it was through necessity, not want or need. It had felt like an unstoppable force neither of them could deny.
Right from the beginning, she had felt a pull toward the man, and what they had shared that evening had only proved it more powerfully.
She walked over to her brother and pulled him into a hug, squeezing him tightly against her and knowing that everything he did was merely for her own protection.
“I am sorry ye had to see it, but I dinnae believe that is what he is doin’,” she said fervently.
Scott pulled away. “Ye think he cares for ye? Ye are just a healer, Keira. He owns a castle.”
“I ken that. But I dinnae believe he is usin’ me. It is hard to explain. But I ken ye are just doin’ what ye believe is best for me.”
