Highlander Unmasked (37 page)

But there was nothing welcoming about the man who held her. He was drawn as tight as a bow—a bow that smelled warm and masculine and achingly familiar. Reminding her of all they’d shared, of how much she’d missed him, and of how deeply she loved him.

The wave of longing hit her hard. She hadn’t realized how much she’d been holding out hope that he would be happy to see her. That he would take her into his arms and make her forget the anguish of the past three weeks.

But if anything, coming here seemed to have made things worse. A pit of dread settled low in her belly.

Dear God, had she been wrong?
Did he truly not want her?

Alex had never been more furious in his life. She’d followed him. What insanity could have possibly driven Meg to the Isle of Lewis in the midst of a bloody war! He literally shook as he plowed through the waves toward the shore, cradling in his arms everything in the world that was precious to him. The familiar scent of roses drifted from her hair, a potent reminder of everything that he’d longed for these last few weeks—and everything that he could lose.

Meg. On Lewis. God, he felt ill. Didn’t she understand the danger? If anything had happened to her…He could go mad just thinking about it. Alex had never felt more exposed, raw. Scared out of his bloody mind.

Every man had his breaking point, and Meg following him to Lewis, heedless of the risk, was his. He knew he was out of control, but he didn’t give a damn. The moment her feet hit the rocky shore, he snapped. “What the hell are you doing here?”

Meg seemed to take umbrage at his tone and painstakingly adjusted her clothing, taking far more time than was necessary. Each second that passed was a testament to his herculean restraint. Alex clenched and reclenched his fists, waiting for her to meet his gaze. Finally, she peeked out apprehensively from under her long lashes.

The sweetly feminine movement nearly broke him. The moon bathed her features in soft light. His eyes gorged on her face, as if something exquisitely beautiful had somehow materialized from a dream. His heart ached. His body ached. God, how he loved her.

Seeing her on that boat had unleashed a torrent of emotions. When he’d first realized who it was, he’d felt a surge of joy. He’d wanted to crush her to him, to inhale her sweetness, to mold her body to his and feel her melt against him. For a moment. Until he remembered where he was. And then fear incited anger such as he’d never known.

“Obviously, I was looking for you,” she said.

The inanity of her response only fueled the flames. He was holding on by a very thin thread, and she was talking to him as if she hadn’t just shaved ten years off his life. “Have you completely lost your mind?” He took her by the shoulders, the frailty of her tiny form beneath his fingertips even more proof of her vulnerability. “Looking for me? You damn well better have a more pressing reason for coming here than that.”

“Alex, you’re shaking me.”

He dropped his hands, stepped back, and stared at her, trying to rein in his emotions.

“If you’d stop yelling at me and just be reasonable for a moment, I’ll tell you.”

Alex didn’t think he was capable of becoming angrier, but he was. Despite his wet clothing, his body blazed with heat. His voice lowered dangerously. “This is reasonable. But I’m getting very close to becoming unreasonable.”

Meg blanched. “If you’ll just let me explain…”

But her words were lost as Alex glanced over her shoulder at her traveling companion who’d just climbed up the shore. He didn’t think he could be any more shocked than he had been at seeing Meg. But he was wrong. Jamie Campbell. He felt as if he’d been punched in the gut. She’d brought her damn fiancé with her.

“You brought Campbell? For God’s sake, Meg, he’s Argyll’s cousin.”

“Don’t take your anger out on Jamie, he’s only trying to help,” she said.

Alex didn’t miss the way she’d jumped to Jamie’s defense. The dirk twisted in his chest. A dirk that Alex had plunged there himself. But it didn’t make it any easier to stomach.

“I insisted on accompanying her,” Jamie said stiffly.

“I’m sure you did.” He looked back to Meg. “How could you do this? By bringing Campbell, you’ve risked all our lives.” Her interference had risked his entire mission. The castle was nearly theirs, and with it the elusive victory he’d sought for years. Everything he’d fought so hard for was so close. Campbell could put everything in jeopardy.

“Jamie is not a threat, you should be thanking him.”

He shot Jamie a look that could kill.
When hell freezes over.

Meg took his arm. “I know you are angry, but I had to come. I had to warn you. There is a plot on your life. Dougal MacDonald has been given orders to kill you.”

Given that Dougal had disappeared a few days ago, Alex couldn’t say he was surprised. “I am aware of the threat posed by Dougal.”

“I figured as much. But because of Jamie, we know how and when.”

His eyes narrowed, unable to prevent the bit of jealousy, wondering how she’d persuaded Jamie to share this information—if indeed he could be trusted. “Go on,” he said carefully.

“They are anticipating your attack on the supply ship, intending to surprise you with a new force of fighting men. While you are fighting off the ambush, Dougal will circle around and cut off your means of escape.”

Rory’s missive had made no mention of extra fighting men. If Meg’s information was correct, Alex would have been seriously undermanned. He did not doubt he would have been able to escape, but it wouldn’t have been without significant loss of blood.

Alex exchanged looks with Neil. Meg caught his glance, but he was in no mood for introductions. She wouldn’t be staying long enough. He would have sent her back immediately, but there were only a few hours left until daylight. She would have to wait until tomorrow night. How the hell was he going to protect her and keep his hands off her for an entire day? It was going to seem like a bloody eternity.

“How do I know this is not a trap?” Alex asked, looking at Jamie.

“You don’t,” Jamie said bluntly. “But it’s the truth.”

Alex didn’t know what to believe. “What do you get out of this, Campbell?”

He shrugged. “It makes Meg happy.”

Jealousy tore like acid through his chest.

“Please, Alex—” Meg clutched his arm, her fingers singeing his skin. “Just take precautions.”

He would. They would have to change their plans. Still, he couldn’t believe she’d put herself in danger for him. Nor did it soften his anger.

Alex turned his anger back to Jamie. “I can’t believe you allowed her to come here.”

The look Jamie gave him returned Alex’s anger in kind. “It wasn’t my idea, but Meg was right, there wasn’t time for anything else. You should be thanking her. Were it not for Meg, I might not have been persuaded to tell what I know.”

Alex couldn’t breathe. His chest constricted.
Persuaded.

“Don’t be angry with Jamie. If you are going to be angry with anyone, have it be me alone.”

He was. How could she forget what had happened between them? It was what he’d wanted, but Alex didn’t think it would be so fast. He couldn’t stand here listening to the two of them together any longer. “Don’t you worry about that, my wee crusader.” He pulled her toward the copse of trees that hid their temporary encampment. “I’ve more than enough anger to go around.”

He turned to Neil. “Don’t let Campbell out of your sight.”

“Wait!” Jamie shouted. “Where are you taking her?” He made a move to stop him, but Neil held him back.

“I’m just doing what the lady requested.” Alex laughed, a harsh sound devoid of amusement. “I’m going to vent my considerable anger. On her, alone.”

Chapter 21

Well, that didn’t sound promising.
This was not going the way she’d planned at all. Not one thanks. Not one tiny indication that he was glad to see her. Meg had thought he’d at least be appreciative of her information, if not pleased. Instead, he was stiff and unyielding and angrier than she’d ever seen him.

Angrier than he had a right to be. It didn’t make sense.

When they’d trampled deep into the trees, well away from the men on the beach, Meg stopped short and shook off his hold on her arm. “I don’t understand. Why are you so angry? I was only trying to help.”

He looked at her as if she were daft and took a few deep breaths, obviously trying to control himself. “Because every minute that you are here, you are in grave danger.”

The flatness in his voice belied any thought that he might be concerned for her. Meg’s emotions felt frayed and precariously close the surface. “Why do you care?” she asked thickly. “I heard what you said to Lord Huntly. You don’t need to pretend concern.”

Nothing. No reaction. No denial. He couldn’t even look at her. God, it hurt.

“This is no place for a woman. What I don’t understand is why your father didn’t just send a messenger? I can’t believe he’d—”

Unconsciously, she bit her lip; it gave her away.

“Of course,” he said, far more evenly than she would have thought possible given the present state of his temper. “Your father doesn’t know you’re here. How could you just up and leave like that, Meg?”

“I wouldn’t trust something this important to a messenger. And I told my mother,” she said defensively. “She knows I’m here.”

“But it’s your father who is going to strangle you when he finds out.” He paused and said ominously, “If I don’t do it for him.”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” she said with a dismissive wave of her hand.

Her flippancy acted like a trigger. Alex pulled her roughly into his arms, crushing her against his chest. Meg felt the familiar rush of heat, the slow melting, the complete surrender of her body to his.

“Don’t push me, Meg,” he warned, his mouth achingly close to hers. “Not this time. You shouldn’t have come here.” His lips were white with anger, and the dark edge of his voice sent a shiver down her spine. But Meg didn’t care. It might be reckless, but she liked making him lose control. At least it made her feel that he wasn’t completely indifferent to her.

Her head fell back as she studied his face, trying to gauge the danger. If the black expression was any indication, it was considerable. Every inch of his incredibly hard body pressed against hers, ready to explode. Anger, frustration, and undeniable attraction sizzled between them.

All she wanted to do was lean up and kiss him, force him to acknowledge what was between them. A sign. Anything to show that she was not alone in her feelings. But she knew that was probably the furthest thing from his mind. Meg had begun to accept the truth—she had made a mistake in coming here.

But his attempt to intimidate was not without effect. “Very well,” she admitted. “Perhaps it was risky. But I was scared, I thought only to warn you. I needed to…”

“Needed to what, Meg?”

Had his mouth moved closer, or did she just wish it so?

“I needed to see you,” she said softly, and dropped her gaze, unable to look at him—afraid he would see too much.

She was a fool. Why didn’t she just admit it? She would have grasped at any straw to have the opportunity to find out whether the quick about-face that Alex displayed in Edinburgh was as it had seemed. But their reunion had not gone at all as planned.

Now, coming here seemed foolish.
She
seemed foolish for running after a man who didn’t want her.

To make things worse, she was afraid she was going to cry. Meg was exhausted, hungry, and tired of being yelled at by the man she’d missed desperately the past few weeks. At any moment, she felt she might unravel.

Silence stretched between them.

Finally, Alex put his finger under her chin, forcing her to look at him. “But why would you need to see me? You’re engaged to Jamie now.”

Her brows shot together. “I’m not engaged to Jamie.”

His expression darkened. “But Jamie assured me that he intended to ask for you.”

“He did.”

“And you refused him?” He was incredulous. For a moment, she thought she glimpsed relief in his eyes, but then he cursed. “God’s wounds, what were you thinking?” he admonished her with a vehemence wholly un-warranted. “You can’t refuse him.”

Meg let out an indelicate snort of outrage. She lifted her chin to his and met his furious glare with one of her own. “I can, and I did,” she said, not bothering to keep the bitterness from her voice. “Why do you care whom I marry? You did your
duty
and offered for me, even though we both know I came to you. Your conscience is clear.”

His face was stony. “It’s not about that.”

“Then what is it about?” she said, unable to hide her frustration. “Why should you care whether I marry at all?”
You didn’t want me. Only what I could bring you.

“Have you considered what will happen if your father tries to arrange a match? You are no longer a virgin.”

As if she needed to be told, when every minute in his presence reminded her of all they had shared. When all she wanted to do was move back into his arms and stay there forever. But it was clear that was not to be. Her back stiffened. “That is no longer your concern. Nor will my lack of virginity preclude my finding a husband. As you so astutely pointed out to Lord Huntly, my lands are enticement enough. But you can be sure I won’t force a man to marry me who does not want me.”