Ghosts of Culloden Moor 14 - Liam (Diane Darcy)

by L. L. Muir

  Eagerly, he pushed his way through the crowd.

  ~~~

  Amber couldn’t believe this was happening, but it didn’t stop her from reacting. She screamed out her rage, only stopping to draw in another breath. She kicked out at the two men holding her, going for knees, throats, and groins. She scratched and bit, all the while shrieking and flailing.

  Why wasn’t anyone helping her?

  “What do you want?” She didn’t know the men, but they weren’t thieves, of that she was certain. Not only were they completely ignoring the purse still strapped around her body, but she had her suspicions they had something to do with her father.

  Perhaps that little something he’d been worried about.

  They tried to lift her and she wiggled out of their grasping hands and landed on the sidewalk with a painful thump. She groaned.

  The taller of the two grabbed hold of her legs and she kicked him, landing a blow to his shin, causing him to stagger back. The shorter, more muscled man grabbed her under her armpits and started dragging her and she screamed again, long and loud.

  The driver of the idling limousine jumped out and glanced at the growing, useless crowd. “Come on! Let’s go!” He leaned down, grabbed her purse, and pulled her forward using the strap.

  The strap held. Her purse contained her name, address, and so essentially her new life. She wasn’t giving it up easily. She’d fought too hard for her independence, and until she was ready, no one was going to take that away from her.

  She drew a breath and screamed again. Two of the men hefted her up and walked her flailing body the few feet to the open limousine door and tried to shove her into the backseat. She put her feet on the other side of the door, pushing for all she was worth.

  She could feel herself weakening. They were going to win. She bucked, pinched the skin of the man she could reach, arched her body backward.

  She drew in a breath to scream again and was grabbed and wrenched away by one of the biggest men she’d ever seen.

  ~~~

  With a loud whoop, Liam threw the girl over his shoulder and took off running.

  He wound his way around people, accidentally shoved a few, and ran into the road for a moment before jumping back onto the walkway. He turned a corner, and, with the crowd thinning, finally had enough room to run flat out.

  The girl, hanging over his shoulder, bounced against him and clung to the plaid at his waist.

  He didn’t know if her attackers followed, but he was having too much fun to stop. If his brothers and friends could see him now! Rescuing a beautiful, valiant damsel, stealing her away from three villains. He grinned and would have laughed if the rescue wasn’t taking his breath away.

  He finally stopped and ducked into one of the many shops lining the streets. Panting, he set the girl gently upon her feet, and, with a huge grin, straightened to look down at her. “Do ye think we’ve lost them?”

  Mouth slightly parted, and breathing hard herself, she stared up at him. “Please tell me you’re one of the good guys.”

  His breath caught and he placed a hand to his heart. Good Lord, the girl was a beauty. She had thick dark hair that curled about her shoulder, wide dark eyes that could melt a man with a glance, and lush pink lips that begged for a man’s kiss. Match that with creamy skin, high cheekbones, and a vulnerability that tugged at his heart. She word a tan skirt that showed much of her legs, and a couple of thin, pale pink shirts. A pretty gold pendant glowed at her throat.

  He was in love!

  Possessiveness such as he’d never known rose up within him and, without thought, he leaned down and stole a quick kiss.

  She slapped him. Hard. “Who do you think you are?”

  He laughed, unsurprised, knowing he deserved it. “Sorry, lass. I couldnae help myself.”

  Her beautiful eyes narrowed. “You did help yourself. Now who are you?”

  “I was sent to save ye and to keep ye safe. I’ll do both, and gladly.”

  That seemed to startle the girl. “My father sent you?”

  “Nae, lass. I dinnae know yer father. ’Twas a young lass what sent me, knowing ye’d be in danger and would need my help.”

  “Who?”

  He shook his head, well aware she’d not ken his Soni. “It dosnae matter. Just know, yer safe in my care.” At that, he glanced around the store they’d entered, filled with fine vases, paintings, and swirls of glass such as he’d never seen. There were two customers admiring the wares, and a door at the back. “Come.” He took her hand and pulled her along the length of the store, only to find the door locked.

  “Hey, what are you doing?”

  Liam turned to see a slender young man with a disdainful air. “Is there a back way out?”

  The man crossed his arms over an extremely slender chest. “Not for you, there isn’t.”

  Liam considered bashing down the door, remembered what he carried within his sporran, and pulled out a bill. “Ye’re sure?”

  The man gaped, then quickly removed a key from his pocket. “I’ve just remembered that yes, there is a way out.” He opened the door with his key and gestured them forward. “Down the hall and to the left will get you out on Harmon Avenue.” He snatched the bill from Liam. “Nice doing business with you.”

  Liam quickly drew the girl after him, noticing the softness of her hand, and gratified by the way she clung to him even if it made his newly beating heart thunder in his chest.

  “You just gave him a hundred dollar bill.”

  “Did I now?” It didn’t matter to him. He’d have no use for riches where he was headed.

  They followed the man’s instructions, and were soon out on the street again. There was no sign of pursuers. “Lass, I dinnae know this place. Perhaps ye could give me further instructions from this point?”

  Still holding his hand, she took the lead.

  As he followed after her he realized that he’d gladly follow her anywhere.

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Amber clasped the man’s hand in hers, and wasn’t sure if she liked the thrill of attraction she was feeling. He’d rescued her, sure, when no one else has come forward in the huge crowd. Don’t get involved, right? She thought cynically.

  But this man was not anyone she would’ve expected to see. He looked like a Scottish warrior or something. She couldn’t help but wonder if he was performing somewhere, perhaps at the Excalibur? And the way he’d taken her from those men, thrown her over his shoulder, and run. Well, whew! The rescue had certainly targeted all her romance buttons.

  Which made her want to laugh at herself. What was she, some sort of damsel in distress? “Hey, is there any chance you have money for a cab?”

  He looked confused, but nodded. “Aye, I’ve money enough for all your needs.”

  Not stingy. That was always a virtue in a guy. She rolled her eyes at her own musings. What did that matter to her? He wasn’t her boyfriend or anything.

  She led them to the next casino they came to, found the cab line out front, and guided him inside one.

  “Where to?” the driver asked.

  She didn’t know whether to go home or not. She glanced at Mr. Gorgeous who seemed content to follow her lead and still hadn’t let go of her hand. “You really don’t know my father?”

  He shook his head. “Nae, lass. I’d tell you true if I did.”

  She wasn’t sure whether she believed him or not, but did know she wasn’t willing to take him home. If she was being targeted, stolen off the crowd-filled streets of Las Vegas, this had something to do with her father.

  She gave the driver her father’s address, and settled back in the seat. She drew her hand from his and his lost, disappointed expression as he gazed at her hand made her instantly regret it.

  He glanced at her. “Who were those men?”

  She shook her head. The man filled three-fourths of the backseat as he turned slightly toward her, giving his legs more room. “I don’t know. I’m going to ask my father that exact question.”
<
br />   He nodded, settled back, and looked out the window. “I’ve not seen anything like this place.”

  “You’ve never been to Las Vegas?”

  He shook his head. “I’ve been to France and Italy, but I’ve never seen anything like this.”

  “I’ll give you that. Whatever anybody says about Vegas, it’s unique. Are you from Scotland?”

  “Aye.”

  “What’s your name?”

  “Liam MacGregor.”

  “Liam, huh? Savior of young girls? You weren’t in a movie, were you?”

  Looking confused, he shook his head.

  “I’m Amber Smith.” She held out her hand and wondered if she was using the introduction as an excuse to touch him again. The guy’s good looks were really doing a number on her. Her heart rate was still up.

  He took her hand again, this time in both of his, and tingles of attraction started at her hand and traveled up her arm. “’Tis pleased I am to meet ye.”

  “Not as pleased as I was to meet you. I didn’t need my ear getting cut off or something.”

  His eyes widened, then narrowed, his expression turning fierce. “Those men wished to cut off yer ear?”

  She shrugged. “I hope I’m being overly dramatic but with the way my dad collects enemies, I just never know.” Again, she realized he still held her hand, and this time she didn’t pull away. There was a part of her that wanted to snuggle close to him, absorb his warmth, his strength. She was still feeling shaky, trying to hold it together, but two men had just tried to pull her off the street. Three, if you counted the driver. What the heck was that about?

  Maybe Victor had sent them. He’d be glad to get rid of her, wouldn’t he? And he was the one person who knew exactly where she’d been dropped off. He could have called when she’d raised the window.

  And now she had this hero, a man she didn’t know anything about, and probably should be suspicious of, but she just wanted to crawl on his lap, and let him hold her close.

  She was losing it.

  They finally approached her father’s house and she sighed.

  Her dad had some explaining to do, and that was always exhausting.

  ~~~

  Amber instructed the driver to drop them off beside the iron gate and when Liam tried to give the driver a bill, Amber grabbed it, sorted through his money, and handed the driver a different one. Liam couldn’t tell the difference.

  The driver shot her a sour look, and while Liam considered teaching the man a lesson in manners, Amber exited the cab and Liam hurried to stand on the blacktop in the heat of the night.

  Amber pressed a button beside the gate.

  “Who is it?”

  She grimaced at the camera and tilted her head toward him. “My dad hires idiots.” She pushed the button again. “It’s Amber,” she said, her voice irritated.

  Within seconds the iron bars parted and they walked toward the brilliant white mansion with its curves and glass. The property was amazing. Much the size of a small castle, though it didn’t resemble one in any likeness.

  They walked up a flat-stoned driveway, around a fountain, and toward huge double doors. One swung opened as they approached and a tall, muscular man stood in the doorway, the light at his back. “Amber, I didn’t expect to see you back so soon.”

  Amber shot the man a look of scorn which immediately put Liam on edge. “I’ll just bet you didn’t, Victor. Is my father in his office?”

  “Yes. From your tone, and your new companion, I’m going to guess something has happened?”

  She ignored him, and headed past a huge staircase that broke off in two directions up at the top. She went into an elaborately decorated sitting room, and passed through it to round the corner into a man’s plushly decorated office. An older, but seemingly fit man sat behind the desk and he glanced up when they entered. “Amber, this is a surprise. Have you changed your mind about staying here?”

  “Nope.”

  There were huge windows overlooking the glowing city below and many beautiful objects within the room. Paintings, sculptures, rugs. Liam didn’t know where to look first, but he couldn’t truly enjoy the moment, because Victor had followed them, and Liam was trying to keep the man within his sight.

  “Father.” Amber’s voice was firm, angry. “Someone tried to kidnap me tonight.”

  The man rose from his chair. “What!” the word exploded from him.

  She pointed behind her. “Victor dropped me off on The Strip. Not long afterward, two men and their driver tried to force me into a limousine.”

  “Did they say who they were? Why?”

  “No. Surprisingly, they didn’t introduce themselves as I was kicking and screaming and trying to get away.”

  Amber’s father looked behind them to Victor. “What do we know about this?”

  Victor, arms crossed in front of him, shrugged. “Poletti? Maybe Donovan?”

  Amber’s father rounded the desk, and took both of her hands. He shook them once. “How did you get away?”

  She jerked her head toward Liam. “This man saved me.”

  Her father pulled Amber close for a long moment, then let her go and held out his hand to Liam. “I’m Nial DeLuca. And who are you, exactly?”

  Liam shook the man’s hand. “Liam MacGregor.”

  “Thank you for saving my daughter. Now, who are you?” The man looked at him with suspicion. “Who are your people? What do you do? And how did you come across my daughter at exactly the right moment?”

  The man didn’t trust easily, but Liam didn’t blame him. He and his brothers never trusted either. Civil unrest sometimes kept them from knowing friend from foe. “I’m from Scotland, near Balquitter. My father is John Gareth Michael MacGregor, my mother, Mary Alice, who comes from the Sutherlands. By profession, I’m a soldier.”

  “What branch?”

  “Foot soldier.”

  “Army?”

  “Aye, with the army. We ended at Culloden Moor.”

  The older man nodded, his blue eyes piercing. He looked at Victor, still standing slightly behind them, and nodded once more. The man turned and left the room.

  Liam’s eyes narrowed. He wasn’t sure what was going on, but he could tell these men were dangerous. His only concern was to see the girl safe, which he suppose she was now she was with her father.

  “Dad, I want an explanation. I want to know why you can’t seem to let me live away from you without bothering me and pulling me into your concerns. I’m just trying to have a normal life!”

  “Honey, come on. You know you weren’t born to have a normal life. It was never in the cards.”

  She pressed a hand to her forehead. “Dad, I mean it. I just want you to leave me alone, or I’m going to move to another state.”

  “You’re not doing that.”

  “Why not? I did it while I was in college.”

  “And you never came home for Christmas, did you? I was lucky if I received a birthday card. We’re family, and regardless of the way you’ve decided to try and live your own life, you’re not moving to another state!”

  “We can’t see each other anyway! Look what happened tonight. I came here, and I have no doubt that either someone in this house put a target on my back,” she glanced behind her to where Victor had left the room. “Or, some of your rivals followed me downtown and watched me get dropped off. Either way, I’m not safe. If Liam hadn’t come along, what do you suppose I’d be doing right this minute?”

  “If you would just stay in this house, you’d be perfectly safe.”

  “In this prison you mean.”

  Mr. DeLuca made a sound of disgust, threw his arms up in the air, and returned to his desk once more. He sat hard in his chair, glaring at his daughter.

  Liam glanced around, surprised by her interpretation of the place. He’d never been anywhere so fine. Well, except perhaps earlier when he’d gone inside the huge building looking for the prince. But he’d certainly never lived anywhere so beautiful.

 
“If you leave this house, I’m going to have to insist you have full-time protection. Victor can watch out for you.”

  She made a scoffing noise. “No way. I’m not doing that.”

  “You will do it, or you will never leave this house.”

  She shook her head. “Not going to happen.”

  Mr. DeLuca studied Liam. “What about you? You obviously have training, you’re big and intimidatingly, and you snatched my daughter out from under the noses of three men. Would you like a job?”

  Liam didn’t know how long he’d be around—after all, the witch could show up at any moment. But, since Amber was likely his good deed, and the witch had yet to show, he expected this was exactly where he was supposed to be. Especially since the thought of her in any danger, and without him, didn’t set well. “I’ll gladly accept the position, sir.”

  “You see how easy that was? You seem to like the guy well enough as you brought him here. Now just take him with you wherever you go, and I’ll let you leave the house.”

  She turned her glare onto Liam. “Thanks for that.”

  “It’s him or Victor.”

  Her eyes sparkled, and her lips were tight, as she threw her arms up in the air. “Fine.”

  “As for you,” DeLuca looked at Liam. “I’ll find out who did this, but know that you probably made an enemy of a powerful man today. So, lay low, keep my daughter safe, and you and I will get along just fine.”

  Liam nodded sharply. It wouldn’t be the first time he had enemies.

  Mr. DeLuca pulled a clipped bundle of money from a desk drawer and slid it across to Liam. “Consider this an advance. Keep my daughter safe and there’s more where that came from.” Next, he the slid a phone across the desk, and Liam’s eyes latched upon it. He’d seen the like around Culloden Moor. In recent years, everyone seemed to have one. Supposedly a person could speak into them and talk to others from great distances away. He’d wished to try such a thing for a long while. He took it off the desk and it felt cool to the touch. Excitement rose within him and he wondered who he might call.

  He supposed he didn’t have anyone to call, but mayhap he could remedy that. “Thank ye, sir.”