Protector (The Brannock Siblings Book 4) (13 page)

"I see the way she looks at you and I see the way you
look at her. What other answers do you need?"

Liam sighed, knowing that was just not enough. Not when he
still didn't know everything about her.

"If you want to be sure," Colin continued,
"find a way to make her see that you're a wanted man."

Liam shook his head. "I've no need to play games,
Colin. I'm not like you one bit."

"You don't have to be and it doesn't have to be a game.
Help her see the light, brother. Otherwise, you'll never know." Colin
started toward Finny, effectively ending the conversation.

It was the very last bit of advice Liam needed and coming
from Colin, he knew it would not be rational at all.

He didn't need to make Izzy jealous to find out how she
felt. He could just ask her.

"Bloody hell," he mumbled to himself. "You
know you'll never do it."

"Do what?"

Liam turned to see his mother at his side. He didn't want to
talk about it anymore so he put his arm around her shoulders and said,
"Nothing, Ma. I'm just blatherin' nonsense these days."

She leveled him with a pointed look, but eventually let it
go. "You'll invite her for supper tomorrow, won't you?" she asked
with a hopeful smile. It wasn't really a question more than it was a polite
command.

"Aye, Ma. I will."

"Good."

When his mother joined Finny, Colin, and Izzy, he knew that
what Maggie said was inevitable if he didn't do something about it now.

Fighting for her wouldn't be easy, but it would be worth it.

***

"Would you like to stay for dinner?"

Liam had driven Izzy back to the house and walked her inside
with the intention of finding out exactly why she was in Ireland and what was
going on that made her run. Now that he had the opportunity, he was losing his
nerve.

"I would," he smiled.

You're a coward!

"I don't really have much right now. I can make us some
sandwiches. If you wouldn't mind getting a fire started, I'll go make them."

I've already started a fire and I don't know if I can put
it out
, Liam thought to himself as he watched her walk into the kitchen.

He took his time placing the wood, listening carefully to
her movements in the kitchen. It wasn't long before they were both sitting at
the dining table eating in silence.

"Your family is wonderful, Liam. You must really love
them."

"Aye, they are crazy but I do. Never a dull moment with
them."

"Do you think Cara will like me?" she suddenly
asked.

Liam swallowed his bit of food and nodded. "Cara does not
have many friends. The girls she spends time with are snobby. I think she'll
take to you quite easily." He shrugged and added, "Plus, if Finny
likes you, everyone will."

They finished eating in silence and moved to sit in front of
the fireplace. Liam had plenty of opportunities to ask her whatever he wanted,
but the words just wouldn't come out of his mouth. The room was silent and
neither of them really even felt the
need
to speak as they sat together.
Isabelle seemed to be deep in thought.

"Are you alright?"

She shrugged and leaned back on the sofa, her eyes moving to
the ceiling. "It's been a long day, but I had a wonderful time. I think
I'm just tired."

Liam slipped his arm behind her neck and pulled her to his
side. "Here's a good spot to relax, then."

He heard her let out a long sigh before she melted against
him. He couldn't stop himself from pressing his lips to the top of her head. It
was when her entire body went rigid that he knew he had messed things up.

"I, um, I should probably go to bed, Liam."

He let her pull away and pushed back the disappointment when
she stood. That pressure in his chest felt like it was moving down to his lungs
and it was almost difficult to breathe.

"Alright, Izzy."

Her expression fell when she heard that disappointment so
evident in his voice. "It's just that, I need to think about things. I
need to figure out what I'm going to do. I don't want you to go, but..."

"I understand. It's no problem."

He pulled her in for a brief hug and made his way to the
front door. "I'll come for you early before dinner. Finny wanted to show
you the puppies before we meet with the family."

She nodded, giving him a weak smile that made him want to
run for the hills. He shouldn't feel so strongly about this woman. Not this
soon and not when she didn't belong to him.

Not another word was said and she slowly closed the door
behind him. He dropped his head and took a deep breath. It shouldn't be this
difficult. He never thought he would find himself so lost over a woman.

Dropping down to sit on the porch, he told himself he would
leave in just a moment. Then he heard Isabelle's voice coming through the open
window and he strained his ears to listen. She seemed irritated, but her shaky tenor
betrayed her anxiety. She was speaking to someone on the phone and he felt like
an arse for eavesdropping, but he couldn't help it.

"No, Christopher. I'm going to be having supper with
Maggie's family tomorrow night and I don't know when I will be able to
call."

A pause, then a huff from her. She was getting upset.

"No. I told you I'm not going to cooperate if you
don't-"

Another pause.

"You may think you will be able to control me,
Christopher, but I can guarantee that is a mistake you will suffer from."

Her words were steady, but Liam could hear the wobble in her
voice just as clearly as he heard her distress. The next sound he heard was the
phone being slammed and a sob tearing from her chest.

He wasn't going to just sit there and let her suffer. Not when
he could do something about it. Not when every cell in his body
needed
to
do something about it.

He stood and ripped the front door open to see Izzy sitting
at the dining table with her head in her hands. She didn't even hear him come
in over her violent sobs.

In five long strides he reached her and pulled her into his
arms. She startled with the first touch, but the thread had snapped and she
couldn't control it any longer. She let him hold her, let him speak soft words
to her, and he willed his own strength to seep into her.

"Shh, I have you, love."

His shirt was soaked through within minutes and her fingers
wrapped around his arm, holding on for dear life. It nearly cracked his heart
wide open.

"Tell me what is happening, Isabelle. Tell me what I
can do."

When she finally got her sobs under control, she let loose.
She told him everything and Liam had never wanted to tear something apart so
badly in his entire life.

She told him about the deal her father made with
Christopher. She told him about the drugs and the threats, the way her parents
had done whatever he told them and the way he had manipulated all of them. She
told him about his violence toward her and her fear that it would only get
worse.

Her anger built right along with his until she pulled away
and started to pace in front of him. She wiped under her eyes when the tears
continued to fall and used the towel on the cupboard to wipe her nose. He
longed to hold her again, but he knew that the space was desperately needed at
the moment.

"He's the very bane of my existence," she stated
with a huff. Her cheeks flushed and she tugged on her ear like she had so many
times before when she was feeling uncomfortable or unsure. "He is a
scoundrel and a liar. He has manipulated my parents into thinking I don't know
my own mind and I would be a miserable fool if I
actually
married
him."

Liam stared at her while she worked through her anger. She
told him how Christopher - the bastard - had convinced her parents that he
would take care of her. How, out of desperation, she agreed to the marriage
with the condition that she was given a month away. She told Liam that she had
a plan, but it would take a miracle to get out of the marriage. She worried
that telling him all this was a mistake and she apologized for it before she
continued on, letting it all out. She told him about her suspicions with her
father's business. How there was no way she would be forced to marry the man if
there wasn't something big happening, or at least she hoped that was the case.
Her voice rose as she spoke and it took everything he had not to wrap her in
his arms.

He resisted, though, and let her get it all out. It had been
festering inside of her for a long time.

When she suddenly stopped pacing and looked up at him, he
was ready for anything.

"I won't do it. I won't go through with it, Liam."

He stepped closer to her, until her chest was just inches
from his, and wrapped his big hands around her upper arms. As he gazed down at
Isabelle still huffing and puffing with anger, he knew in that moment that he
would do absolutely anything for her.

He would die for her.

Once she looked up at him, her breathing slowed and the fire
in those stormy grey eyes burned out. She calmed and listened as he spoke.

"No one can make you marry the bloody bastard, Izzy. You
have a right to be scared and upset and I'll do whatever you need me to do to
make it better. I've a mind to fly to the states and kill the man myself."

She snorted loudly before covering her mouth in
embarrassment. "Oh dear, that did not sound attractive at all."

Liam chuckled and pulled her in for a hug, kissing the top
of her head. She wrapped her arms around his waist, sniffing with the lingering
tears.

"It sounds like there is more going on then you really
know, Izzy. I don't like it one bit. What is it that you can do?"

"I need to call my aunt and see what she can find out
for me. She doesn't speak with my mother, but her husband still speaks to my
father once in a while. I'm sure he can find a way to get some
information."

Liam grabbed her hand and pulled her back to the phone, holding
the handset out to her with a determined expression. "Do it now,
love."

Isabelle took a deep breath and moved to a bag sitting on
the kitchen cabinet. She removed a small book and flipped through the pages.
When she found what she was looking for, she took the phone from him and
started dialing.

Liam stood beside her, offering his comfort while she worked
through her emotions as the line rang.

"Uncle Trick, it's Isabelle... yes, I know it has been
a while... yes, I am doing okay. I am calling from Ireland so I don't want to
take up too much time. Is Aunt Neddy available?"

Isabelle listened, her smile slipping as she closed her
eyes.

"Okay, I understand. Will you please have her call me
when she gets back from the retreat? It's very important... yes, I know Uncle
Trick and I appreciate it, but I think it would be better to speak with Neddy.
I will need your help, too, though."

She rattled off the phone number for her aunt to call and
said her goodbyes to her uncle.

He took the phone from her and placed it back in the holder.
She didn't look up at him right away and his chest tightened all over again. He
reached out and lifted her chin before cupping her soft face. "I won't let
anything happen to you, Izzy. It will be alright in the end."

"How can you promise that when you'll be thousands of
miles away."

Liam couldn't hide the shock and pain he felt knowing that
she was still going to return to the states and face Christopher. "You are
really going back?"

"I have to. I have to solve this and help my parents
out of what is happening. They are still my parents, Liam."

He nodded and pulled her into his arms once more. He knew he
would do whatever it took to help his parents out of any mess they found
themselves in. But that was a different situation altogether. He trusted his
parents with his life and Izzy had no reasons to trust hers with a single
thing.

It wasn't long before they found themselves back in front of
the fire wrapped around each other. It felt so incredible to hold her in his
arms as they silently listened to the fire crackle and pop. He'd already been
falling fast for Isabelle, but there was no doubt that he was soaring for her
now.

His fingers combed through her soft hair and she hummed now
and then, sending his heart racing for her all over again. He tried to keep his
eyes open, tried to stay alert and leave when the time was right, but tearing
himself away seemed so wrong.

When Isabelle's breathing finally evened out, there was not
a damn thing on earth that could make him move. So he fell asleep, covered in
everything Isabelle.

Izzy

Isabelle didn't want to open her eyes.

She was too comfortable and too blissfully warm. Opening her
eyes would take it all away so she kept them shut. She was deep in that limbo
she always reached for, but this time she knew exactly where she was.

Liam shifted behind her and her lips stretched into a
pleasant grin.

He had stayed all night on that sofa with her. At first,
he'd held her in his arms while she rested her head on his chest. The rhythmic
sound of his breathing and the feel of his chest rising and falling had lulled
her to sleep. Somewhere during the night, however, Liam moved them both to lie
on the sofa and he wrapped around her, his front to her back.

The memory of her episode of devastation the night before
hadn't faded, but the actual devastation was no longer so painful. Liam made
the fear and loathing she'd known just drift away. It was in his arms that she
discovered her life couldn't be determined by anyone else but her. She had the
control to change it. To mold it into something wonderful.

She just needed to figure out what mold to use.

Liam shifted again, the arm wrapped around her waist moving
back until his hand rested on her hip. Such an innocent place to touch, yet,
the feel of his warm hand there sent a fire through her veins. She wanted more.
Wanted it so badly she was sure he could feel it whenever he looked at her.

But she was afraid of the consequences.

If she invested any more of her heart into the man, she
wouldn't make it when the time came to leave. And she
would
leave. There
were too many things to resolve back home before she could move on without the
need to look back. Her parents at least needed
that
from her.

"Are ye awake?" Liam mumbled sleepily.

She kept her eyes shut and refused to accept that her
sanctuary was about to move away from her.

She felt Liam's breath on her neck and his fingers at her
hip contracted. Her pulse quickened and this time she couldn't force her eyes
to stay shut. They fluttered open, only to shut once more from the bright
sunlight shining through the window.

Goose bumps raised on her skin and Liam's breaths came
quicker. She felt not only his breath, but his lips touch the back of her neck
before he sighed.

"Isabelle..."

His fingers relaxed and he ran the palm of his hand up her
waist and along the back of her arm. His lips once more touched the sensitive
skin of her neck and a shiver ran down her spine.

"Isabelle, I need..." He groaned softly when she
moved her leg to a more comfortable position between his. "God, I don't
want to move."

"Don't move," she whispered.

He dropped his forehead to her hair and inhaled deeply.
"I need to get up, love. I promised Ma I'd help her today and I'm already late."

Isabelle pouted and shook her head. "Just a few more
minutes."

She felt him laugh before his arm wrapped around her waist
once more and his lips returned to the back of her neck. "Yer impossible
to say no to."

Her pout disappeared and in its place came a beaming smile.
"I'll remember that."

"See that ye do."

The room was quiet. The only sound she could hear were
Liam's breaths and the birds chirping outside. It was so incredibly peaceful.

She slowly opened her eyes again and took in the room in
front of her. The fireplace was dimly glowing with the hot coals from their
fire and the beams of light shining through the window reflected off the
particles of dust in the air. She watched the shadows on the floor creep back
so slowly, hiding away from the light of day.

How long had it been since she'd taken the time to notice
those things?

She felt them every day. She felt the way her body woke to a
new day, but it had never been like this.

This felt like a miracle.

She moved her legs again, smiling at the soft groan coming
from Liam.

"Has it already been a few minutes?" he mumbled.
She felt him push himself up to a sitting position and maneuvered her legs onto
his lap. "Did ye sleep well?"

She rolled to her back and looked up at him. His hair was a
mess and the scruff on his face, that he always kept neatly trimmed, looked
like it grew during the night. Those blue eyes were gazing down at her and she
wanted to ask him what he was thinking.

"I did. Very well."

"Me, too."

Several tense minutes passed before they both eventually
decided it was time to get up. Liam helped her stand.

"Would you like me to make you some breakfast?"

He grinned before leaning down and kissing her forehead.
"I thank ye, but I've got to get going. I'll be back for ye in a few
hours."

Izzy nodded and ran her fingers through her hair, hoping it
wasn't a complete mess. She knew what she looked like in the morning and her
sudden embarrassment reflected in the color of her cheeks.

"Ye look lovely, Izzy," Liam stated, grabbing her
wrists and pulling them away from her hair. "Yer stunning in the morning,
love."

She remembered the endearment from the night before. He'd
said it several times while she sobbed in his arms. It didn't impact her the
same way it did this morning.

Liam must have sensed a change in her demeanor because his
smile fell and he rubbed a hand down his face as he turned away. His
frustration was palpable, but Izzy couldn't figure out why he looked like he
was so anxious to leave.

She reluctantly followed him to the door and welcomed the
brief hug goodbye.

He looked back twice before climbing in his truck and
driving away. She was once again reminded that their situation wasn't that
simple. There were too many factors in the way and Liam was just protecting
himself from any disappointment and hurt, the same way she was.

After the night before, he now knew that her circumstances
back home were darker than she'd let on. Maggie was right.

Liam would get pulled down into the dark with her and she
couldn't let that happen.

***

"They're here! They're here!"

Finny shouted and waved her arms as she rounded the house to
greet Liam and Isabelle. It was still pretty early in the day, but Finny had
insisted Izzy come and have a swim with them before supper.

Unfortunately, Liam didn't tell her this until they were in
the truck on their way to his family's home. She was in her yellow sundress
once more and wasn't sure how she was even
going
to swim. Not that
Isabelle had a bathing suit anyway, but Liam insisted she wouldn't need one.

From the look of Finny, Izzy finally knew what he meant.

The young girl's clothes were drenched and her dark hair was
slapping her in the face as she came hurtling towards them.

"Come and swim now. Colin got the rope stuck for a
moment, but he finally got it down and we're ready to swing. Ye must try it,
Izzy!" She clapped her hands and stopped directly in front of her, being
mindful not to get her wet. "And Jerry is here and he is really good at throwing
me into the water. I don't think he'll be able to toss you, but maybe Liam can.
Come on, come on." Finny took off at a dead run, barely taking a breath
before she looked back and frantically waved them over.

Liam shrugged his shoulders when Izzy gave him a questioning
look. "I'll certainly try," he chuckled.

"I can't swim in my dress, Liam. And there's no way I'm
swimming in my underwear either."

His eyes grazed up and down her body, forcing all the blood
in her veins to rush up to her face for the thousandth time since she met him.

"Aye, I don't think it will leave much to the
imagination if ye swim in that dress, Izzy. And swimming in yer unders will get
me into a lot of trouble."

She crossed her arms over her chest, fighting the need to
melt into a puddle right there in front of him. She confidently raised a brow.
"Well, then what do I do?"

He didn't answer, but instead gave her a wicked smile and
followed after Finny.

The sound of laughter grew louder and louder as they made
their way around the back of the house and down a path through some trees. Izzy
caught a glimpse of Colin flying through the air before he splashed into a
river. A girl, who looked an awful lot like Mary Brannock, and a boy Izzy had
never met before, cheered from the edge of the water as Colin broke the
surface.

"Ye made only one full rotation, but yer height was
better," the boy shouted to Colin.

Finny went running down the riverbank to the water's edge
and dove in, making them all turn to see Liam and Izzy.

"About time ye showed up," Colin called, looking
at Isabelle as he swam towards them. His hair matted to his forehead and he
flicked his head to sweep it away like boys do.

"Ye don't have to swim, Izzy," Liam muttered
beside her. "But the water is nice this time of day and I can guarantee
that Finny will get ye in there eventually."

"What am I supposed to do, just jump in with my clothes
on?"

"Aye, that's the best part," the Mary look alike
said. She was in trousers and a shirt, soaked to the bone and shivering
slightly. "I'm Cara, it's a pleasure to meet ye, Isabelle."

"Same to you, Cara," Isabelle returned with a
bright smile. Liam's sister was certainly beautiful, she understood why her
brothers had a hard time letting boys chase after her. "Liam has told me a
lot about you."

Cara smiled and stepped towards her, gesturing to the boy
still sitting on the bank chatting with Colin. "That's Jerry."

It was apparent that Jerry meant a lot to Cara because her
entire face lit up when she said his name and her cheeks flushed pink when he
waved their way. Jerry's dark blonde hair was cut very short and his face
looked like he should be in Hollywood, not in Rathnew Ireland. He looked like
Sean Connery from
James Bond
and Izzy couldn't help but blush right
along with Cara. Not to mention his wide shoulders and sculpted chest were
things of beauty.

"He's very handsome," she said a little
breathlessly.

Cara giggled, nodding eagerly and beaming at Izzy. Liam
cleared his throat, making Cara jump and school her expression. A mischievous
smile still lingered on her face, though. "Ye'll need a pair of my
trousers and I'll bring a shirt as well. That dress will not hide very much at
all."

Cara took off running back towards the house and Jerry
watched her leave only to get smacked on the back of the head by Colin. The boy
was certainly brave since Jerry had to be at least a couple years older than
him. That, and he was double the size of Colin.

Movement beside her caught her eye and suddenly, Liam was
stripping off his shirt.

"What are you doing?"

He glanced toward her and then with that same wicked grin,
dropped his trousers. "I'm going for a swim, Izzy."

"In your underwear?" She was desperately trying
not to look at his muscled chest and hard stomach. Jerry had nothing on Liam
Brannock.

That's when she looked over at the other two boys on the
bank and saw them both in their underwear. She almost turned around and walked
back through the trees, but Finny was already calling for her and Izzy couldn't
bring herself to disappoint the sweet girl.

"We do this every week in the summer, Izzy. Don't be
shy. They're just boys."

Liam held back a laugh while Izzy reached out to smack him
in the arm. She stopped in mid air, knowing full well that if she touched him,
it would be a huge mistake.

He sauntered towards the water and dove in, making Finny
squeal with excitement when he swam her way. The sun glistened off of his wet
skin and took Izzy's breath away. She was struggling to swallow when Cara sidled
up next to her.

"My brother speaks highly of ye, Isabelle. I can see
that ye think highly of him as well," she muttered and poked her elbow
into Isabelle's side.

"I do."

"Then ye better get in there before he changes his
mind."

A white shirt and pair of black trousers were placed in
Izzy's hands before Cara took off towards the rope swing dangling from a large
tree right next to the boys.

Izzy wasn't sure what Cara meant by that statement, but
about a million possibilities flooded her mind.

"Ye might want to go into the trees, Izzy," Colin
said with a wink.

She stuck her tongue out at him and stomped off back into
the trees, hearing his laughter behind her.

Once she was changed and her dress was carefully folded and
placed on a nearby boulder, she slowly made her way to the water. Finny was
splashing Cara while Colin and Jerry were at the rope swing discussing the best
possible trick to be done.

Liam was staring at
her
.

She hesitated before stepping into the brisk water and with
a little coaxing from both Finny and Cara, she dove under the water only to
come back up and sputter from the cold.

The girls cheered and started splashing her until Liam
pulled Finny away and tossed her through the air. The giggles were endless and
Isabelle found herself forgetting everything but the moment in front of her.

"Oy! Liam!"

They all looked toward Colin who was now swinging through
the air. He let go of the rope and twisted his body, attempting to flip, but
landing on his back in the water.

A collective hiss rang out between all of them just before
Colin came back up with a triumphant look on his face. "One and a
half!"

Liam shook his head and started for the bank. "I'll
show ye how it's done."

Isabelle heard Cara snort and swam towards her.

"It's the master!" Colin shouted and clapped as
Liam approached the rope swing.

"He's a mighty show off, is he not?" Cara muttered
to Izzy. "The last time he and Colin had a go at this, trying to up the other,
he cracked his noggin on that limb over there." She pointed to a branch of
the tree jutting out in path of the rope. "Ye must avoid that at all costs
if ye do nah want a jug o' water down yer throat from the shock. These two get
so busy competing, they forget it's even there."