Chapter 3
Chapter Three
Becca squealed as she stumbled out of Ian’s SUV, dropping her shoes and the bouquet in the process.
“Whoa there, lass. Let me help you,” Ian said, slamming his car door and hurrying around to find Becca sprawled out on the grass.
“It’s cloudy,” she mumbled, unmoving. “The darkness is coming, and there’s nothing I can do to stop him.”
“Flip on a light,” Ian said, grabbing her shoes and lifting her into his arms. The little lass weighed next to nothing in his arms, even as she wiggled to escape.
He tightened his hold. This was the most compliant he’d seen her all night.
Maybe he should ask her again. The alcohol was like a truth serum of sorts.
The lass hadn’t quit talking since she’d gotten into the SUV.
“I can’t marry you no matter how many times you ask,” she said, answering his unasked question. Her hand flew to her mouth, and her eyes widened. “Did I say that out loud?”
“Aye,” he answered, sliding her body down his. He took her purse and found her key while doing his best to keep her upright. “Your sisters didnae tell me that you can read minds.”
“They don’t know.” Becca hiccupped as the door opened.
Becca’s body started to fall. Ian caught her before she tumbled inside. The lass couldn’t hold her liquor.
“I can too,” she said as her head swayed.
“What fun is it if you can read my mind? I couldnae hide any secrets from you,” he said, kicking the door shut with his boot. He lifted her into his arms again and walked into her house, guessing which way her bedroom was.
“You’d never be able to sneak away with a maid.” She giggled and hiccupped again. “Oh…but do you know what’s not fun?”
“What’s that?” Ian asked, almost afraid of the answer.
“Men thinking about sports statistics in the heat of the moment. Kills my mood every time,” she answered when he started walking toward her room.
“They do that because you’re beautiful and they want to last longer than five seconds. Trust me,” he mumbled as he entered her room. Four bright flood lights surrounded her bed. She really did have a thing against the dark.
“He comes in the dark,” she said as Ian eased her onto the bed. He slipped off her shoes and placed them on the floor.
“Who, lass?”
She rolled onto her side, giving him her back. “The killer. He comes in the dark.”
Ian stood unmoving as he stared down at Becca.
Her words vibrated through his soul, like a knife slicing through the tendrils of life.
Was there really someone after her? He couldn’t leave her alone until he knew the truth.
He watched the slow rise and fall of her chest and walked out of her room, leaving every light on that she’d prepared.
He walked out to his truck, grabbed his phone, and locked the door before heading back inside. His gaze traveled up and down the street before he shut and locked the door. He dialed the one person who might be able to explain what the hell she was talking about.
Quinn answered on the first ring. “This better be good, McDougall.”
“Aye. I wouldnae be calling if it wasnae.”
“Did Becca make it home okay?”
“Aye. She’s asleep. It’s what she said before she fell asleep that has me knackered.”
Ian was met with silence, as if he’d caught Lady Quinn Menzie off guard. There was a first for everything.
“What did she say?”
“The killer comes to her in the dark. What does she mean?”
Quinn sucked in an audible breath. She knew something.
“Not again,” she whispered.
“What no’ again, Quinn? I donae ken if I need to stay and protect her, or if she’ll be safe if I leave.”
“When Becca was young, she’d wake up screaming due to nightmares. They weren’t just any nightmares. She’d be sweating like she’d run a marathon. She was inconsolable. We’d calm her down, but she’d never explain. They continued on and off until she was eighteen.”
“What happened at eighteen?”
“We don’t know. She never told us what changed.
She just said they had stopped. We all thought that maybe a spirit had scared her.
The creepy, mean kind that doesn't want to go into the light, although all of us had searched the house and could never find one. We’d even stayed up while she slept to see if we could catch the one scaring her. We never did.”
“And now? Do you think he’s back?”
“I doubt it. Becca’s more controlled now. She has wards in place. She’s protected her home, and she sages daily. I doubt anything she doesn’t want is allowed access inside.”
“I’m inside, and I’m sure she doesnae want me in here.” Ian ran a hand through his hair. “Quinn, this is serious. She’s sleeping with four flood lights aimed at her bed.”
“It sounds like she’s using them to keep herself from going into a deep sleep. They must have returned. Stay until I get there. I’m coming over.”
“Nae. I’ll stay tonight and keep her safe. You can call her in the morn and get her to talk.”
“Thanks, Ian.”
“Get some rest, Quinn. God knows that newborn bairn will have you up in a few hours.”
Ian clicked off the phone and walked back into the room. He grabbed a long T-shirt from her drawer and unzipped her dress, making quick work not to ogle her generous breasts. His mouth watered at the sight, and his cock hardened in delight. Her eyes blinked open. Her cheeks flushed.
“Marry me, lass.”
She grinned. “I’ll marry you when you quit chasing everything with a pulse.”
“Aye. Done.”
Her eyes closed, and her head lolled. He’d had to fist his fingers to refrain from touching her. Ian slipped the T-shirt over her head, and she hadn’t woken again. She was going to have one hell of a hangover in the morning.
Ian quickly covered her with the bedding before he discarded his dress shirt and kilt and slid beneath Becca’s covers. At least she’d be dressed. This would be his first time in bed with a lass who he hadn’t slept with, and hopefully, the last.
Becca snuggled up against his side and rested her arm on his chest. His feet hung off her bed, and his body hardened against her warm, soft curves. He was in for a long, restless night trying to stay awake. Nothing would get near her tonight. Not anything he could see anyway.