“The truth is, I’m betrothed.” The sentence was like one of Duncan’s low gut shots when they’d had a tussle, or maybe worse.
Like a fatal stab wound to the heart with a poison-tipped sword.
Alex reeled. Released her and stumbled back until he hit the natural wall of the cave—away from the radiance of the Faery Stones.
“Wait. Alex, let me explain.”
There was no need for her to clarify.
She was a Fae Princess. Never his, despite giving him her innocence.
Despite telling him she loved him.
Despite him telling her he loved her.
“Alex, please.” Tears streamed down her gorgeous face, making her alabaster skin glow in the soft magic light from the crystals.
Each one just about killed him, but he was dying anyway, every breath a dagger slicing off another piece of his heart.
Alana reached for him, but he jerked away, only to receive a sharp pain in his shoulder blade from the rough surface behind him.
“Alex!”
He wanted to flee, but when he turned to go, his vision tilted and he tripped over his feet. He went down hard, his bare knees landing in the bleached sand. Agony shot into his wrists from where he’d braced himself on his palms, and white-hot streaks went into his thighs, making him twitch.
“Alex, I’m sorry, are you all right?” Alana’s purple boots appeared in his line of sight but he didn’t have the guts to look up at her. “I didn’t mean to make you fall, but I need you to listen to me.”
Alex pitched back on his haunches, and his thighs barked another protest. “Ye made me fall?”
She bit her plump bottom lip and gave a small nod. “I used magic. To stop you from leaving me.”
His gut roiled, and when he should be angry, he only found pain. A black hole where his heart used to be.
“I love you. I really do. Please believe me.”
He made tight fists and planted them on his scorching thighs. “Ye…lied ta me.”
Her violet eyes downcast for a moment before meeting his. “I didn’t, really.”
Alex growled. “A lie of omission….’tis still a lie.”
Alana’s beautiful face flared pink, but it wasn’t from the passion they’d shared. “I…need you to listen. Please…will you listen?”
“Will ye release me?”
“I’m not holding you there.”
“Nay, but ye dinna let me leave this place, will ye?”
Again, she wouldn’t meet his gaze. “I would prefer not to handle this as such.” Her voice wavered, and her mouth wobbled.
More tears rolled down her cheeks and Alex’s resolve warred with his agony. Something inside him snapped; he couldn’t let her suffer. He muttered curses under his breath in Gaelic, then ridiculed himself for being weak. “Alana-lass, come ta me.” He pushed to his rear end and his lover squatted beside him. Even if he wasn’t fond of the notion at the moment, he did love her. He’d called her mò chridhe, and damn if that wasn’t true, too. She made his heart sing.
S’pose I owe her a listen.
“Aye, I believe ye love me,” he whispered.
Her shoulders shook, but Alana didn’t move any closer. Nor did she look at him. “I do. I didn’t mean for it to happen. I never should’ve come here.” She finally met his gaze. “But I don’t regret you, Alex. I couldn’t. Ever.” She took big shuddering breaths that were his undoing.
Alex hauled her onto his lap and rubbed her back. He inhaled her scent—which was really a mixture of his own and hers, as well as their lovemaking. The humidity of the cave left it hanging in the air, but it wasn’t unpleasant. “I dinna regret ye, either. I love ye, lass.” He didn’t mean to repeat his feelings for her.
She belongs to another.
“I don’t.”
“What?”
“Belong to another.”
Damn, he’d spoken aloud. He cursed again, at the way his gut quivered when she’d spoken. “Ye said ye were betrothed—”
“Aye, but I could never belong to him. And I don’t intend to marry him. I didn’t even before I agreed to sign the contract.”
Alex frowned and tried not react to her imploring gaze. Her violet eyes said so much more than her words. Alana did love him. He’d never doubted that. “Explain, mò chridhe.” He swallowed and pushed away the confusion.
She made a noise in her throat, and more tears rolled down her cheeks. “I’m still your heart?” Her question was a whisper, and her voice trembled as much as her slender form, even though he held her securely against him.
With a sigh, he leaned forward to kiss her forehead. “Aye, lass. Minutes passin’ dinna change tha’. I dinna think anythin’ could. I love ye.”
Alana flashed a tremulous smile and sucked in an audible breath. “My betrothed is an Irish prince named Seamus, and he’s a bastard.”
Alex smirked at her unladylike descriptive, but his amusement quickly flipped to rage when she launched into a tale of deadly threats and forced agreements. He didn’t give a shite that his life had been endangered, but he did have a pang about his clan. However, he couldn’t end things with his princess because of that.
Selfish? Aye.
They’d have to figure something out. There was no other choice.
He wouldn’t let Alana leave him.
The more his love spoke about the royal bastard, the more he wanted to run him through, and not only because he’d wheedled her into agreeing to give him her hand.
He was glad that her cousin and protector, Xander agreed, but too bad neither seemed to be able to affect the outcome—yet. “Ye canna wed him,” he growled.
“I wouldn’t even if I didn’t love you. I’ve been avoiding his pursuit for years.”
Alex wiped her tears away, and cupped her face. He kissed her softly and she snuggled into him. “Marry me instead.”
Alana blinked and shock washed over her. “Wh-wh-what?” She stilled against his hard chest and wanted to look away from his intense blue gaze, but couldn’t.
“Marry me instead,” her laird repeated. His voice was even. Calm. Grounded. He gripped her shoulders to hold her steady, but she needed that.
How could he sound so sure, when she’d just crushed him?
She felt it with her magic, as well as saw it written all over his face.
Alex had tried to run from her.
Alana still felt guilty for using the spellword that’d made him fall, but she couldn’t let him go. Then or now. “Alex, I—”
Her lover cupped her cheeks and ran the pad of his thumb over her kiss-swollen bottom lip, sending a tremor down her spine. “Ye are tha lass I want ta spend tha rest a’ my life wit’.”
“What? After everything I just told you? You—”
“I want ye by my side always. I want ta wed ye, Alana. Not some bastard, Irish prince or no’. I shall no’ let him have ye. I shall no’ let any other man have ye. Ye are mine.”
His thick brogue rolled over her and her heart skipped, then cantered. “Oh, Alex—”
He kissed her hard and fast. “I tell ye I love ye, and yer surprised by tha’? After everthin’ we’ve shared?” His whisper was a tease and a chide at the same time and had a smile tugging at her mouth while her heart plummeted to her knees.
Alana wanted him again. Needed him.
She should’ve left already. Surely the time she was supposed to have met Xander had come and gone. They were lucky her cousin hadn’t opened the Stones and barged into the cave. He would’ve likely caught them making love. Her bodyguard had cautioned her to keep her visit short, and it’d been hours.
“I love you,” she said.
“And I ye.” Alex grinned and it made her mush, head to toes, chasing away all the Seamus-induced misery.
It wouldn’t last—she still had no answer—but at least she’d been honest with her laird. He’d not only listened to her; he’d shared mutual anger at what a wretch the prince was.
Then he’d asked her to marry him?
Alana swallowed. He’d been so hurt, but able to forgive her? Declare he wanted her for the rest of his life?
Alex loves me. He wants to marry me.
He’d been able to see past what she’d had to do for him.
Goddess, he’s too perfect for me.
“I’m no’ loose wit’ my favors, Your Highness.” Alex’s teasing voice wrenched her attention back to his handsome face.
She cocked her head to one side and watched her hair long brush the bare skin of his forearm. ‘Twas a shame they were dressed. “You’re not?” She bit back a grin.
“Nay.” He arched a dark eyebrow. “Meanin’ ye canna have me over and over and no’ keep me.”
Alana giggled. “So, if I don’t marry you, you’ll reject me? Tell me I cannot have you again?”
He nodded, but his mouth rippled as if he was trying not to smile.
“I cannot change your mind?”
Alex mock-glared and shook his head.
“Even if I do this…” She wiggled in his lap and pressed her breasts into him until she felt his body’s response. He was hard, and she wanted him again.
Her gorgeous lover gasped and color spread across his high cheekbones as he tried to fight his desire. “Nay…” he croaked.
Alana scooted away, until she was sitting on the sand next to him, off his powerful thighs. “If you insist.”
His sapphire eyes went wide, and he tugged her back to him, urging her mouth to his.
She didn’t refuse him; she couldn’t.
Alex kissed her with the familiar skill that made her heart skip and her body ache with desire, but then he pulled away, and his eyes bored into her. “Ye dinna answer me, lass.”
It’s impossible, isn’t it?
Not just because of Seamus and his threats. She’d live much longer than him. Would have to watch him grow old...die.
Her heart skipped. Alana could see no other man as her husband. Fae prince or nobleman alike held no interest—or her heart—like the MacLeod laird.
She thought of Princess Sima being wiped from the royal records because she’d fled the Fae to be with Alex’s ancestor.
Would that happen to her?
Did she care?
Princess Sima got her man.
All those years, all the potential lovers, and she’d waited for a human to take her innocence. She’d never let a Fae man’s sex between her legs, no matter how hot his kisses and touches had been. None of those would-be lovers had ever come close to making her feel like Alex did.
Caution screamed in her mind. The Irish prince was nothing to trifle with. The bastard meant the vows he’d made. Not to mention, her father had formally recognized her betrothal to Seamus. The contract was signed, and he was negotiating the marriage portion of it with the Irish king.
She needed to tell Alex nay; reiterate the dangers of them being together.
It was a weight lifted that he knew about Seamus. But…
There’s no solution yet.
Alana’s heart galloped as hard as the racing thoughts and fears.
She loved this man. This human laird.
If she and Alex were fated, would the Goddess not save them from Seamus? Or Alex’s God?
She didn’t want to fear the answer, so she let it be and took a breath. It was supposed to calm her so she could answer him, but it made her head spin. “Aye, Alex, I want nothing more than to marry you and be by your side forever.”
Triumph darted across his face and he looked so hopeful it made her shake beside him. “Truly?”
Alana bit her bottom lip. “It won’t be easy. I’m trapped…”
“Ye ease me, Alana.”
Tears blurred her vision again and he wiped the moisture from her cheeks as it was born for the third time—or was it the hundredth?
How could he melt her with words that weren’t exactly tender endearments? He did, even without a touch, but that helped, too.
“You ease me, too. Like no one ever has. But—”
Alex put two fingers at her lips. “Dinna worry. ‘Twill work itself out.”
She shook her head and grabbed his hand. “You don’t understand—”
He narrowed his eyes and fierceness glittered across his expression. “I do understand. Ye tol’ me weel wha’ ‘tis at stake. My family. My clan.”
“Your lives.”
He pinned her to him. “I’m no’ afraid ta fight, Alana.”
Her breath evaporated and her chest ached. “Nay. Alex. I will not let anything happen to you and your people because of me.”
Alex cupped her cheeks and stared into her eyes.
Alana swallowed again.
“I love ye. Ye are worth tha fight.”
She didn’t know what to say, so she shivered in his arms and met his kiss when her love dipped his head down to claim her mouth again.