by Donna Grant
Charon gave a soft snort. “What if it’s more than that?”
“What do you mean?”
He turned toward her. As he did, the fingers he had stuck in the front pocket of his jeans moved to his chest and rubbed. Laura didn’t think he even realized what he was doing, but it was a telling sign. One he did often of late.
“There are bad men out in this world, Laura.”
“I know.”
“You think you know,” he said and took a drink of the whisky.
She perched on the arm of the couch. “Then tell me what it is I don’t know.”
He laughed, the sound holding no humor. “What would you say if I told you there were men trying to take over the world?”
“I’d tell you it’s been happening since the beginning of time. How many kings killed and went to war just to take over more land? I could name ten right off the top of my head.”
His lips thinned. “Aye, you’re right.”
He was going to let it go, but she wasn’t. She knew there was something he was trying to tell her without actually telling her. Could this be what had been bothering him these last few weeks?
“Tell me,” she urged. “You meant something else. Tell me what you mean.”
“I can no’.” The words were spoken softly, harshly.
Laura licked her lips and stood. “If you don’t mean kings and leaders of nations, do you mean men closer to home? Say, as in Scotland?”
The tightening of his fingers on the crystal glass was all the answer she needed.
“You may not like to flaunt your power and presence around Ferness, but you have it, Charon. Use it to destroy whoever this is.”
“Power,” he repeated with a derisive snort. “Let’s hope I can get to him before he comes here.”
“Here?” At his wince, Laura knew he’d accidentally let the last part slip. “I don’t want whoever this is here. Let me help.”
She wasn’t sure why she offered. She wasn’t a fighter and only knew basic moves of self-defense, but Ferness was her home now, and she didn’t want it destroyed.
Plus she wanted to help Charon any way she could.
His dark eyes hardened. “Nay. Doona dig more into this. You’ll only get hurt.”
Unease rippled through her at his words. It was obvious he knew much more than he was ever going to tell her. But there was no way she would allow him to get harmed. He was important to Ferness, important to so many people in the area.
And he was important to her.
She would do whatever it took to make sure he won against this unknown foe.
CHAPTER SIX
Charon hid his smile as he drove along the road to Dreagan. He’d been in a morose mood when he first mentioned she should come with him, but the more he thought about it, the more sound a decision it was.
If he had to leave Ferness, his businesses would be in capable hands with Laura. All he’d worked for would be looked after. He didn’t want to leave his home, but already some of them knew too much about him being a Warrior. He was just looking after his interests.
And if he wanted more time alone with her, well, that was an indulgence he allowed himself after the hell he’d gone through with Wallace.
Laura continued her argument to stay behind as soon as he arrived at her flat that morning. He simply ushered her to the car, stopped at the café to get them coffee and some breakfast, and started driving. Her reasons were long and varied. Before he could respond to one, she went on to the next.
So he sat and quietly listened.
It was just thirty minutes later she looked over at him and said, “You’re going to make me go, aren’t you?”
“Since we’ve been on the road for some time now, the answer is aye.”
“I won’t leave the car.”
He glanced over to see her looking straight ahead, her fingers clenched around the paper coffee cup. “What are you afraid of? That you’ll say something wrong?”
“Yes,” she said, and briefly closed her eyes. “I don’t want to mess this up for you.”
“Laura, I say the wrong thing all the time. If we doona get the account, then that’s Dreagan’s loss. I’ll continue to buy it myself and sell it to special clients.”
He caught her swinging her head to him out of the corner of his eye. She had her hair loose about her shoulders this morning, the long, dark wavy strands lying tantalizingly over her shoulder to stop just short of touching her breast.
It was tempting him, tormenting him.
Exciting him.
“Getting Dreagan whisky has been important to you.”
Charon shrugged and changed lanes as he dragged his thoughts away from her amazing breasts. “We’ve given them all we can. I want the best for my customers, but I willna beg for anything.”
“I still think it’s a mistake to bring me.”
“You doona know your worth, do you?” he asked, and cast a quick glance at her. “Men melt in your wake.”
She rolled her eyes. “As if. In the two years I’ve been here, I’ve had one man ask me out.”
A sharp pain cut through Charon. He hadn’t known anyone had asked her out, and the feeling wasn’t a pleasant one. He wished her the best, but to know she was going out with someone felt as painful as the blade that had been pulled from his chest just weeks before.
“Someone asked you on a date?”
“Yes,” she said softly, and looked at her hands. “Our first date is tonight.”
Charon tightened his hands on the steering wheel. He should be happy Laura had found someone. It wasn’t as if he could have her. Oh, he could, but he wouldn’t do that to her or himself.
So why did jealousy sizzle through his veins at the thought of her smiles directed at another man? That she would eagerly walk into the arms of this man and welcome his kisses?
“We’ll be back in plenty of time,” Charon finally said.
They sat in silence for several minutes before he heard her soft exhale. He recognized it as a prelude to her troubled thoughts.
He might have deciphered her moods based on the music she chose, but there was so much about Laura he didn’t know. He could have done a background check. It wasn’t necessary though. Not when she wasn’t a Druid.
Since she had no magic, she would mean nothing to Jason Wallace. It was the only thing that kept her safe. Her proximity to him, however, was a different matter entirely if Wallace ever turned his attention to Charon.
Another reason he might have to leave Ferness.
“Do you think it’s wrong that I actually checked my date out online? I mean, I found Ben’s credit score.”
Charon couldn’t stop the smile or the laughter that bubbled up. “Nay. You can no’ be too careful. How long have you known this Ben?”
“Just a few months. He was persistent though.”
Charon nodded. “Do I know him?”
“I doubt it. He lives in Inverness.”
Charon wanted to ask the bastard’s last name, but he managed to hold back the question. If Laura wasn’t going to offer it, he wasn’t going to ask for it. “What made you finally give in?”
“His perseverance,” she said with a laugh. “I figure if a man wants to take me out to dinner that badly, he should get the chance.”
“After you checked him out, of course,” Charon said as he stole a look at her.
She nodded, her laughter growing. “Of course. What kind of woman would I be to just agree?”
How he loved her laughter. She gave it freely, honestly. There was nothing held back. The sound always managed to wring a grin from him, no matter what kind of mood he was in.
“You deserve happiness.”
Her smile died as she placed her hand on his arm. “So do you.”
“Some people are meant to search for happiness forever. Some are destined to never find it.”
“You think you’re one of those destined to never find it.”
It wasn’t a question, so he didn’t feel the need to answer.
“That’s sad,” she whispered, and dropped her hand.
He hated how he missed her touch. She rarely got too near him. Perhaps, inwardly, she knew the monster he was and tried her best to stay clear.
But those few times they touched had been … heaven. Maybe that was just because Laura was a good person. Possibly it was because he sought something he could never have.
Not even the women he took to his bed helped him. And he’d stopped sleeping with them months ago. He still bought them dinner, still flirted, but he knew it was a waste of time to look in their direction.
If the Warriors at MacLeod Castle taught him anything, it was that if there was a spark of hope for his future, it was with a Druid.
Not only was there not one anywhere near him, but he wasn’t sure he could trust one enough to get close. For all he knew, the Druid could come from Jason Wallace.
What a fucking mess my world has become.
“Are you sure we’re going the right way?” Laura asked, breaking into his thoughts.
He nodded. “I’m following the directions. Though I’ve never visited Dreagan before, I’d heard it was notoriously difficult to find.”
“Why? You’d think a distillery would want to be found to sell more product.”
“Dreagan is no’ like other companies. They like to keep to themselves. That could be part of the allure of why their scotch is so prized.”
Charon slowed the car and turned off the dual carriage road onto a narrow road. There was room for only one car at a time, which wasn’t uncommon in Scotland, but there weren’t any pull-offs to allow a car to pass either.
“Well, I’ve seen a lot of the Highlands while I’ve been here, but this is a first,” Laura said as she leaned forward to gaze out her passenger window.
“Aye,” Charon agreed.
The road took them between two mountains that rose on either side of them like stone giants. Most roads were over mountains or on them, but not between them. The glen was narrow, the forest plentiful, which made it appear as if they were driving through a tunnel.
Charon drove slowly through the winding road. There wasn’t much to see but trees and the rocky slopes of the mountains. It wasn’t until he turned one tight corner that he caught something out of the corner of his eye.
When he looked, he found a man standing on the slope of the mountain, watching them. He was camouflaged well enough that a mortal would never see him. But then again, Charon was not mortal.
“Well, they know we’re here.”
“What?” Laura asked and turned her head to him. Her wealth of dark hair moved sensuously against her. Her brow puckered over her soft green eyes. “Why do you say that?”
“I saw a man.”
“A man. So?” she said with a shrug.
It wasn’t as if Charon could tell her it was an ancient tactic, one he’d employed on numerous occasions. “The man was hidden. He’ll report what he’s seen to whoever is in charge.”
She rubbed her hands up and down her arms. “You did say they liked their privacy.”
“Aye.”
They remained silent the rest of the drive until one last curve and the trees opened up. Charon heard Laura’s gasp, and even he had to admit he was taken aback by the sheer beauty.
Dreagan sprawled between mountains, the valley wide and expansive. On one side, white dots of sheep flecked the brilliant green pastures, and on the other, cattle grazed leisurely.
Farther back, Charon’s Warrior sight allowed him to see a hint of another building, one he assumed was a residence by how they tried to hide it with the distillery buildings and gardens.
He parked the car and did a quick look around. There were people moving about doing their daily work, but it was the few men he saw posted about the land that told him Dreagan kept things secure.
But how secure against a Warrior?
He gave Laura a nod and they exited the car together. Charon looked over his shoulder in time to see a glimpse of a man leaving the forest, the same man he’d seen watching them.
A quick look at his watch showed they were ten minutes early. Charon would like to roam around on his own, but he doubted he’d be given that opportunity.
The tinkle of water could be heard, and he knew if he looked behind one of the buildings, he’d find a stream.
“Hello,” said a woman as she came toward them.
Laura returned her smile. “Hello.”
The woman stopped in front of Charon’s Mercedes and clasped her hands before her. “You must be Charon Bruce.”
Charon met the dark brown eyes of the woman, noting her long, straight dark brown-colored hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She wore dress slacks, a button-down shirt, and heels.
She looked the part of a businesswoman, but there was something about her which set off warning bells in Charon’s head that was more than just her American accent.
“I’m Cassie Wilson. I’ll bring you to the offices and give you a small tour before your appointment with Con.”
She said all the right things, but Charon wasn’t fooled. Her eyes were too direct, as if she were searching for something.
There was no hint of magic that Charon recognized surrounding Dreagan. That didn’t mean there wasn’t something going on. The privacy, the hidden men keeping guard? There was more to Dreagan than what was on the surface.
But what was it?
“Charon?” Laura asked.
He folded his arms over his chest and looked at Cassie. “Why was I brought here?”
Cassie’s smile grew before she laughed. “Let’s just say that Con and the others don’t do things in a hurry. They like to take their time and investigate.”
As much as Charon wanted to be a certified seller of Dreagan scotch, he wasn’t sure he could take the chance. No matter how he had looked, nothing came up about Dreagan or who ran it besides Constantine.
And finding a photo of the bastard was impossible.
Charon found himself rubbing his chest. He dropped his hand, but glimpsed Laura’s worried frown. After the last battle with Wallace, Charon was cautious of everyone.
“Investigate? What an odd choice of wording.”
“Not really,” Cassie answered. “It’s what they did. Dreagan isn’t the world’s leading scotch distributor for nothing, Mr. Bruce.”
“I’m no’ interested in being investigated.” What the hell would happen if they discovered his past identities and just how long he’d been in Ferness? That’s not something Charon wanted to try to explain.
“You’re wary of us.” Cassie’s smile was gone, but her dark eyes held an openness he hadn’t seen before.
“One can never be too guarded.”
Her gaze looked to the ground for just a moment before she swallowed. “Talk to Con, Mr. Bruce. He’s … guarded … as well. I think the two of you might get along better than you think. Despite him employing an American,” she finished with a laugh.
“I know several lasses from America. They’re good women. I doona hold that against you.”
Her eyes crinkled in the corners as she smiled brightly. “Good. Now, come. Let me show you Dreagan.”
At Laura’s questioning look, Charon merely shook his head. He couldn’t tell her his worries. Not now.
Not ever.
As Laura moved to stand beside him, Charon had the overwhelming urge to take her hand and thread his fingers with hers. To keep from doing that, he put his hand on her lower back and felt the current that moved between them.
She stiffened for just an instant before her body relaxed. Had he helped ease her tension just by touching her? This reckless need, the uncontrollable hunger for Laura was driving him mad.
He should be thinking about the meeting or Wallace or why the drough blood affected him so, but all that filled his mind was Laura. Her sweet, clean smell, her smile, her kissable lips.
When they came to a doorway, Laura turned toward him and looked up at him as she walked through. There was no de
nying the desire he saw reflected in her pale green depths. It made his balls tighten.
He glanced down at her mouth to find her lips parted. He dragged his gaze back to her eyes and bit back a moan when his arm brushed her breast as they passed through the door together.
She turned away just before he gave in to the temptation and kissed her. Cassie was talking, but Charon heard none of it. He ground his teeth and made himself focus. Selling Dreagan whisky was his goal. He’d not mess it up because he couldn’t keep his cock from standing at attention.
They followed Cassie around the area, looking at the distillery and meeting workers. Charon was impressed with how smoothly everything ran. But it was the beauty of the place that tugged at his heart.
It reminded him of the Scotland he remembered as a lad. Untamed. Wild.
Savage.
He longed to run through the mountains, to forget what he was and the world he now lived in. It made him yearn to take out his kilt and live on the land as he had done so many centuries ago.
To look up at the night sky, the stars winking good night as he fell asleep. To dive into the dark waters of a loch and bathe.
To walk for days and never encounter another soul.
“Few people understand why Dreagan is situated the way it is, or why we don’t open ourselves to a constant flow of visitors. But I think you do,” Cassie said softly from beside him.
Charon nodded. “Oh, aye. I do.”
He knew much too well.
CHAPTER SEVEN
The more Charon stayed at Dreagan, the more he knew there was something about the place that wasn’t normal.
It looked normal. Its people appeared normal.
But there was much more to it.
Charon couldn’t place his finger on what it was. There was no trace of magic that he could detect, yet at odd times he would feel something that seemed almost like magic.
It disappeared as quickly as it came.
Everywhere they went he spotted men watching, studying him. He’d know the kind of men they were anywhere from their stance and the way they held themselves.
They were warriors, fighters.
For who, was the question.
