Chapter 37 Nia #2
Then, as if she’d only just noticed Nia, Nancy’s wide eyes flicked to her, and she seemed genuinely shocked. “Oh, my word,” she said, straightening abruptly. “Hello, hello! Excuse me for being so rude.” She extended a hand toward Nia, her small fingers wiggling expectantly. “I’m Nancy.”
Nia, a little bemused, shook her hand. “Hello, I’m Nia.”
Nancy’s face lit up as if someone had just handed her a free kitten. “Of course you are,” she said, nodding knowingly. “Well—”
“Wonderful seeing you, Nancy,” Lochlan cut in, his hand already tugging gently at Nia’s arm. “Truly. But we’ve got to get going.”
Nancy didn’t seem the least bit deterred. “Oh, yes, of course! But make sure you stop by next time you’re at the arch—”
“Will do!” Lochlan called back, already steering Nia deeper into the tunnels.
The laughter she’d been holding back bubbled out as Lochlan glanced back over his shoulder, as if checking for signs of pursuit.
“Loch,” she said between giggles. “Wait. What was that?”
Lochlan didn’t answer immediately. Only when they turned another corner, and the air grew cooler and the tunnel dimmer, did he finally seem to relax.
Nia nudged his arm. “Seriously. What was that about?”
“What?” Lochlan asked, feigning innocence. He rubbed the back of his neck, his expression sheepish. “Oh. I just didn’t want to get caught up with her.”
“Naked Nancy?” Nia prompted, her grin widening.
Lochlan’s groan echoed through the narrow space. “Yeah,” he muttered, his hand falling back to his side. “There was an incident at Mabon, and…”
He trailed off, but the words hung there.
Nia froze. Mabon. The equinox celebration, the night that had upended their lives and forced them both into a marriage neither wanted. The comfortable, weightless bubble they’d been living in suddenly felt fragile, on the brink of popping.
She hadn’t thought about the bargain—hadn’t thought about proving her father wrong, about earning the annulment she’d once craved, in days.
Did she still crave it?
And why was Lochlan acting so strange about Nancy?
Nia’s gaze flicked to him, watching the way his shoulders remained tense, his easy charm from moments ago gone. Nancy had clearly rattled him, and not in the way an overenthusiastic acquaintance normally would. Something about it didn’t sit right.
Nia pushed the feeling aside and blamed it on the lingering bitterness her father evoked. But her unease remained, lurking at the edges of her mind like a shadow she couldn’t quite shake.
The tunnels wound endlessly behind them, their footsteps echoing in a soft rhythm against the stone walls as they neared an exit. Nia barely had time to register the gentle tug on her hand before Lochlan pulled her into an unlit alcove.
“What are you—”
His hands framed her face, thumbs brushing her cheeks as the kiss pulled her under, deep and dizzying, until everything else—the encounter, the bargain, the weight on her shoulders—slipped away.
For a moment, there was only him.
When they broke apart, her head tipped forward, her forehead coming to rest against his chest as she caught her breath. His satisfied chuckle vibrated against her ear, making her smile.
“I didn’t know I needed that…” she murmured. “But I did.”
His lips brushed her temple before easing away. “Don’t stop needing me.”
They stepped into the crisp autumn air, the warmth of their kiss lingering between them.
For a fleeting moment, Nia considered saying something—a joke, or maybe a tease—but Lochlan froze beside her, his body rigid.
The shift yanked her from the softness of the moment, her smile faltering as she followed Lochlan’s gaze across the street.
A man stood there—tall and broad-shouldered, his posture confident, at ease.
Recognition hit her like a slap, cold and jarring.
Gregor—the man from her office weeks ago, the one who’d screamed in her face until her shadows restrained him.
The memory came rushing back: the fury in his voice as he spat curses at her, the way his face had purpled with rage when she had calmly walked him out.
She’d forgotten about him, forgotten to follow up.
Nia’s gaze flicked to Lochlan. He had stepped in front of her, his stance protective and shoulders squared. His hand hovered near her arm, like he was ready to pull her away.
The man’s eyes moved to Lochlan first, narrowing slightly as if sizing him up.
His gaze shifted to Nia. His expression changed: not overtly hostile, but calculating in a way that made her spine stiffen.
A flicker of unease bloomed in her chest, along with the sense that she was forgetting something.
But the thought slipped just out of reach.
A bus rumbled down the street, briefly blocking her view. When it passed, the man was gone.
“Well,” Nia said, exhaling sharply. “That was creepy.”
Lochlan didn’t respond immediately. His jaw was tight as he scanned the street, his eyes lingering on the spot where the man had stood.
“You’ve run into past marks before?” he asked finally, his voice even but tense.
“Sometimes,” Nia said, keeping her tone light. “Stella Rune’s the kind of town people like to visit.”
“And nothing happens?” He turned to her, the lines of his face sharper than usual.
“Nope.” She smiled, keeping her tone breezy. “It’s either awkward small talk or they pretend not to see me.”
Lochlan didn’t look convinced. His gold eyes locked on hers with an intensity that made her pause. For a moment, the only sound was the faint hum of the town around them.
“Would you tell me if something wasn’t right?” he asked.
Her smile was small as she reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. “Of course.”
But as they walked on, her thoughts lingered—not just on the man’s expression, but on Lochlan’s reaction. The way he had stepped in front of her, shielding her without a second thought. It was instinctive, protective. And yet, doubt gnawed at her. Did he think she wouldn’t confide in him?
Would he confide in her?