Page 22 of Savage Blooms
Eileen turned her face abruptly and bit into Finley’s palm, just hard enough to startle him. Finley swore and shook out his hand, but he didn’t move away.
“There’s no other way, and you know it,” Eileen said, lowering her voice as the sound of footsteps echoed above them. “This is the way forward, Finley, for you and for me. And once it’s all done with, we’ll finally be safe, and so will Craigmar. Please. I want this to be over. Just let me do what I have to do.”
Finley gently massaged her jaw, rubbing away the indentations of his fingers. It always took her breath away, how he could be so restrained in his brutality and so lavish in his tenderness.
“I trust you, Isla. Unto death, I do. But we’re playing a dangerous game here. Please remember that.”
“I will,” she said, pressing a kiss over the spot she hadbitten. A wicked smile tugged at her lips. “Are you going to tell me what happened with that little redhead? Did she taste so sweet? I’ll bet she let you feel her up, too. Did it get you hard?”
“I’m not doing this with you right now, they’re upstairs—”
Eileen unceremoniously cupped him through his jeans.
“Mmm, you’re half hard now. Is that me or is that her?”
Finley gave her an unimpressed look.
“It was a heat-of-the-moment kiss, that’s all. She doesn’t matter, and it didn’t mean anything.”
“Then why are you suddenly so protective of her?” Eileen said, squeezing a bit harder. “I think we’re a little old to be lying to each other.”
“Fine,” Finley bit out. He was doing a very good job of pretending like she had no effect on him, but his cock told the truth. “I want her. Is that a sin?”
“I’ve told you before, there are no sins in Craigmar. If you want her, and she’ll have you, I won’t hold it against either of you. So long as you’ll do me the same courtesy.”
These were the terms and conditions of their relationship. They always returned to each other, binary stars circling each other with the undeniable pull of gravity, but they could take their pleasure elsewhere, if they chose.
“And you want Adam, then?” Finley went on, shifting ever so slightly against her hand to seek more friction. “Is that the bargain we’re making here?”
“I’ll do whatever I have to do to keep him at Craigmar.But don’t worry, I’m not opposed to sharing. There’s plenty for both of us; he’s certainly tall enough.”
“You’re absolutely insane,” Finley said, but it sounded more like,I love you.
Eileen snatched her hand back as the footfalls grew closer, and she was left as flushed as Finley was left erect. He made an irritated noise and adjusted his shirt tail to protect his decency.
“All ready,” Adam said, appearing in the doorway in a rain jacket and hiking boots. Nicola was close behind, bundled up and bright-eyed. “Now what’s this about a cave?”
CHAPTER NINE
Adam
Adam was not convinced he wasn’t being led out to the woods to be murdered, but he was certain that if he walked away now, without any answers, he would regret it for the rest of his life. Nicola had told him so, upstairs when he was pulling on his shoes, and she had also told him that if he didn’t come with her, she was going out there with Finley and Eileen all by herself. Adam thought this was colossally foolish, but whatever Nicola had seen outside had electrified her so much that she wouldn’t be dissuaded.
Adam figured they stood a better chance against death as a team, so he had surrendered to the strange pull of Craigmar and traipsed out with the others into the wilderness.
This must be a dream, Adam thought, hugging thebasket of bread closer to his chest as they hiked up a hill.I’m going to wake up in my bed in Michigan with a splitting hangover any second.
Eileen was leading the way and Finley was keeping pace just behind, his hands thrust into the pockets of his oilcloth coat as he took big strides up the hill. They had left the green ten minutes ago, following a circuitous path through the woods led only by Eileen’s intuitive knowledge of the land and Finley’s occasional corrections with a compass.
As they moved further and further away from the house, Adam considered yanking Nicola in tight and making a mad dash for the car, but he didn’t like the idea of testing Finley’s loyalty to Eileen. The groundskeeper might have a change of heart and let them run, or he might wrestle Adam to the ground and then drag him all the way to the cave, ultimately in thrall to whatever dark sway Eileen held over him.
He didn’t know his hosts at all, Adam realized with a sickly churn of dread in his stomach. He might have been dazzled by Eileen’s storytelling and the firelight in her dark eyes last night, and he might have been immensely grateful for Finley’s help with the directions and the rooms and the bags, but he didn’t reallyknowthem. Not what they wanted, not who they were, and certainly not what they were capable of.
As if sensing his distress, Nicola reached out and gave his hand a squeeze. She had been tasked with carrying ajug of farm-fresh sheep’s milk, which she cradled to her chest as though it were a baby.
“Are we close?” she called up to Eileen, who was taking the hill in determined strides.
“Just up ahead!” Eileen called back. She sounded awfully winded, and Adam almost worried about her health before reminding himself that she could be bringing him out here to sacrifice him to the old gods or something. He should look out for his own well-being first, not to mention Nicola’s.
