Chapter 20 #2
“I suspect they are coming to greet my father’s messenger.” Though she might sound confident, the fierce hammering of her heart beneath the soft wool of her cloak betrayed her growing unease. The vague forms of the men on shore were beginning to take shape.
“You’ll have to explain to me later how you convinced your father’s men to agree to take us.”
Meg shrugged. Her mother had told her who had taken messages to Lewis, the rest had been easy. “I didn’t ask. You’d be surprised how far a wee bit of confidence and the uncompromising voice of authority will take you.”
Jamie threw her an exasperated look. “I wouldn’t be surprised at all.”
But Jamie’s sarcasm was temporarily lost on her.
For standing not twenty feet in front of her, knee deep in water, was the man who’d consumed her thoughts for the last few weeks.
The man who obviously—if the way her chest swelled with emotion was any indication—still held her heart in the palm of his hand.
Meg bit her lip. The man who by the thunderous look on his face wasn’t at all pleased to see her.
She gripped the wooden seat to steady herself and her suddenly jumpy nerves. She watched with growing trepidation as Alex forged effortlessly through the rough waters alongside the birlinn—heading directly for her.
The mist-shrouded moon bathed his features in an eerie light.
Her breath caught. She felt a sharp pang.
The face that had haunted her dreams was every bit as handsome as she remembered, yet infinitely more dangerous.
Battle had taken its toll, and not just in the new scrapes and scratches that lined his face.
He looked like a man who’d fought through hell and back, taking no prisoners along the way.
His mouth was set in a hard, firm line, his stubbled jaw clenched and uncompromising.
Alex didn’t say a word. He didn’t need to. Rage radiated from every part of his body, evident in his harsh movements as he walked slowly, agonizingly so, toward her. She felt as if she were watching a fuse burn, just waiting for the explosion.
None of her romantic ruminations had prepared her for this particular reaction.
No. This was not at all how she’d pictured their reunion.
Something a wee bit less furious. Perhaps, she realized, indifference had its virtues.
There was nothing indifferent about Alex’s reaction to her arrival on Lewis.
That fact should hearten her, but this reaction was altogether too extreme.
Meg’s gaze flickered to Jamie for help, but his expression held little sympathy. This was her mess, she’d have to clean it up.
Finally, Alex was right next to her. She held her breath.
The water lapped around his waist. His now wet leine clung to his rippled chest, molded to the rigid bands of his stomach, the muscles clenched not with passion but with an altogether different emotion.
Rage. A whisper of fear made the tiny hairs at the back of her neck stand up, but Meg forced her eyes to his face.
Could one wither from the heat of a stare? Nonsense. Yet to her horror, Meg realized that she’d shrunk back in her seat. Enraged didn’t come close to describing the fury blaring from his gaze. She’d never seen him like this.
Perhaps she should try to explain. “Alex, I—”
“Don’t say a goddamn word. Not until we reach the shore. And then you better have plenty to say.”
Meg flinched. He’d never spoken to her so harshly. Each word was uttered with steely precision. His voice was so fraught with anger that she almost didn’t recognize it. She didn’t understand. She’d taken a risk in coming here, yes, but nothing to warrant this extreme a reaction. “I—”
The look he gave her was blistering and cut off any inclination she might have of trying to make him see reason.
His hands circled her waist and plucked her unceremoniously from her seat on the birlinn, as Meg found herself pulled roughly up against the hard, muscular chest that she remembered so well.
After weeks of longing for such closeness, she yearned to sink against him and burrow deeper into his hold.
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.”