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C olin O’Rourke watched his cousin-in-law, many times removed, absently roll a pencil between his fingers.

They were closer than brothers, and had been for the better part of eight years.

Over that time, Colin had observed, helpless, as Aidan MacWilliam’s countenance slowly changed from easygoing to aloof.

But most worrisome was this latest visit.

Colin’s voice was quiet. “It may be time to accept that your future lies here.”

The pencil froze mid-roll, and Aidan’s sharp green eyes pierced Colin’s dark brown ones. “I will never accept that. I will get back, or I’ll die trying.”

Colin wisely held his tongue. Despite his refusal to accept that he’d been brought forward in time for good, Aidan had become immensely successful. He had more money than he knew what to do with and an extended family who understood clan loyalties.

But Colin knew that wasn’t enough for a fifteenth-century Irish warrior. Aidan needed something to live for, something to spark his interest in life again. “Aidan, what’s left to try? You’ve exhausted all possibilities. ”

Aidan angrily flicked the pencil onto the desk and stood.

“I know there’s a time gate somewhere. All manner of strange folk traipse through O’Malley’s garden—they’re coming from somewhere, without the aid of anyone.

So there’s something out there that will get me back.

” His tone turned surly. “I simply haven’t found it yet. ”

Colin held back a frown and changed the subject. “Well, if you need a distraction, I could use your aid.”

Aidan reluctantly sat back down. “Aye?”

It was becoming harder to simply sit by and watch someone he loved creep ever closer to a dark precipice that was neither acknowledged nor denied. Colin knew that if Aidan didn’t find a way home soon, he might tumble headfirst into that abyss and never return.

“I’m expanding Celtic Connections into the UK and Ireland.”

Aidan nodded. “The LA office doing well, then?”

Colin’s elite matchmaking service had had such success in Boston, he had opened two other offices in Toronto and Los Angeles. Both were fully booked with an impressive clientele list.

“Sure is. But with so many offices, I need a new department for publicity and public relations. European expansion isn’t something I’m ready to make public yet, and I need someone to handle the department setup.”

Aidan shrugged. “Sorry, mate. I don’t know anyone in that field.”

“I realize that. What I need is for you to do some recon.”

Aidan sat forward slightly though his face remained impassive. “Recon,” he echoed.

“Yes.” Colin watched him carefully. “The sword you brought with you, when you arrived in this time—it’s on the auction block.”

“What? ”

Colin nodded. “One of our clients is facilitating the auction, which has loads of medieval artifacts up for grabs. Your sword is one of them.” He flipped open a binder to a marked page, then handed it to Aidan.

“Looks like the owner died suddenly, and he left all his relics to his son. Luckily for us, the son has zero interest in medieval history, but he seems awfully interested in the money it could fetch.”

The curses that flew from Aidan’s mouth were inventive, and Colin barked out a laugh.

“The auction is in a few days, in New York City. Which is exactly where the person I’m looking to hire is located.

This would kill two birds with one stone.

You’d get your sword, and I’d get my PR person. So—you in?”

Aidan nodded curtly. “You know it. I’ve been tracking down that damn sword for years.”

“Well, here’s your chance to get it back,” Colin replied. And , he added silently, I’m talking about much more than the sword…

To: Emmaline MacDermott

Emmaline Perkins stared in apprehension at the large envelope on her desk. The red CONFIDENTIAL stamp seemed to stare back at her, challenging her to break the seal. But that wasn’t what held her back.

It was addressed to Emmaline MacDermott.

Even now, seven months later, Emma shuddered at what would’ve been her surname, had fate not intervened.

She took a closer look and noticed the seal was already broken. That explained why her bullying, brown-nosing coworker had so gleefully dropped the envelope into her lap earlier. Heidi Swanson was only gleeful when someone was about to fall hard on her face .

Emma was on her way to the top at Price Publicity.

Her A-list client roster grew weekly, and her boss had hinted that she was up for a promotion.

Her hard work and dedication to being the best publicist possible wasn’t going unnoticed by the movers and shakers of New York City.

Her job was to calm down, smooth over, and cover up any situation before people found out there was something to find out.

Heidi hated her for it.

Her talents weren’t limited to her professional life, either. She was quite successful in ensuring no one knew anything about her cheating ex-fiancé, or his threats against her.

She gave her head a small shake to dislodge the bubble of fear, and her sleek, dark blond ponytail swung gently against her neck.

She reminded herself that she was sitting in her office, perfectly safe.

Benjamin MacDermott was currently hanging out in a ten-by-ten cell on an aggravated assault conviction.

The attack on a bouncer in a nightclub was just one of many things she hadn’t been aware he was capable of…

but she knew not to underestimate him anymore.

Despite the fact that he’d been behind bars for five months, a shiver of dread raced up her spine whenever she saw, heard, or even thought his name.

And now , she thought with that same shiver, here it is, staring me in the face. She looked at the envelope again and blew out a slow, shaky breath.

To: Emmaline MacDermott.

Whoever sent this envelope to her was playing a sick joke, to be sure.

Emma peeked inside the folder, and she had to swallow the bile back.

Her heart sank. She grabbed the envelope and headed for the nearest conference room, her phone to her ear, giving the appearance of leaving to take an important client call.

She carefully closed the door and drew the blinds, then dumped the contents onto the polished wood table.

She drew a sharp breath .

Her ex-fiancé, dressed in some very inventive bondage gear, was tied to a bed. A red-haired woman, dressed in a similar getup, was mid-strike with a whip and a ferocious look on her gorgeous features.

In a detached way, Emma thought the woman rather looked like something out of a movie. Perfectly placed action shot…Emma understood how the woman was such a huge star.

Emma would understand, of course, since the woman in the pictures was her biggest and most demanding client, Jenny Kincaid. The same Jenny Kincaid who had a romantic comedy releasing this week. A romantic comedy, it seemed prudent to remind herself, that costarred Jenny’s husband of ten years.

Not Emma’s ex.

Emma squinted at his face and couldn’t suppress the now-familiar shudder up her spine. Emma had long suspected Ben of cheating, but she always rationalized that she had no real proof. They were so far into the wedding plans. They’d been together for so long. They had been college sweethearts.

Her list of excuses seemed endless.

But almost seven months ago, Emma had arrived at the office only to realize she’d left some important papers behind.

She texted Ben, hoping he hadn’t left for work, but it was close to ten in the morning and he didn’t respond, so she headed back to their apartment.

She opened the door to see Ben and Jenny engaged in some very… experimental positions.

What ensued was a mess. Jenny didn’t even bat an eye. In fact, she asked Ben if they could meet at her hotel later, to finish the job, to which he agreed, and Jenny gave Emma a sickening girlfriend-to-girlfriend smile before reminding her of client confidentiality.

Emma was too shocked to respond. But, when she finally was able to react (and Ben had put some clothing on), Emma threw him out of the apartment. He accepted it with minimal fuss.

Or so she thought.

A couple of weeks later, Ben was waiting for her when she got home.

“How did you get in here?” she demanded, stepping into the apartment.

“I can’t get my deposits for the wedding back.”

His voice was so controlled. Emma felt a frisson of fear, but this was Ben. She’d known him forever. He wouldn’t hurt her. Physically, anyway.

“Consider it payment for breaking my heart. Get out.” She held the door open and gestured at him to leave.

He casually walked toward her, then slammed the door shut and pinned her against it, making her cry out in surprise.

“I don’t think you heard me, Emmaline. I. Can’t. Get. My. Money. Back. ” His eyes, once so warm and loving, were brittle and hard.

“You’re hurting me!” she squeaked, trying to twist from his grasp. He held firm.

“Don’t pretend you don’t know, Emmaline.

I need that money. It’s mine. And I owe some very big people—very important people—a lot of cash.

Now, because you were so”—he slammed her against the door—“damn”—he slammed her again—“stingy”—another crash against the door—“with your bank accounts, I can’t pay them back. And they’ll kill me, Emmaline.”

Emma couldn’t breathe. This was Ben! He was an insurance agent, for crying out loud! Who could be trying to kill him?

He released her suddenly, then stepped back. “You’re going to give me the money. I want twenty thousand by Thursday.”

She gasped. “Ben, I don’t have—”

He was back on her in an instant, crushing her. “You have a very nice life insurance payout,” he sneered, his lips inches from hers. “Remember? I set it up myself. And I know I’m still your beneficiary, Emma.” His eyes turned to ice. “I’ll use it if I have to.”

Emma felt the threat all the way to her soul, and she choked back a sob. This was not the Ben she’d known, the Ben she’d loved for so long.

This was a monster.