Page 18 of Caught by the Highland Beast (A Highlander’s Oath #5)

18

H er heart pounded in her chest as she walked, her conflicting thoughts raced through her mind with each step.

He brought them home, thank goodness.

He lied so easily –

They’re staying. Now what?

She reached his study and paused outside the door, her hand hovering over the handle. She could hear the faint sound of movement inside, the soft rustling of papers and the creak of wood as Finn moved about the room. Thalia took a deep breath, steeling herself for the possible confrontation to come, and pushed the door open.

Be calm. She reminded herself with a deep exhale before entering.

Finn was standing by the window, his back to her as he gazed out at the night. He didn’t turn around when she entered, but she could see the tension in his shoulders, the way his hands were clenched at his sides. He knew she was there, and he was waiting for her to speak.

“Why did you lie to me about my sisters?” Thalia asked, her voice trembling to keep her tone even.

Finn turned slowly to face her. His expression was, as always, unreadable. “I dinnae want to upset ye,” he said quietly.

Thalia felt a surge of frustration at his calm tone, and deeply inhaled to steady her thoughts. “You didn’t want to upset me?” she repeated, her voice rising. “Do you think I wouldn’t have been more upset if I found out later? Do you think I’m some fragile little thing that can’t handle the truth?”

Calm. Calm. Stay calm. She pressed her fingers to the bridge of her nose. “I’m sorry – I’m trying not to take my frustration out on you.”

Finn’s eyes darkened, his jaw tightening. “That’s nae what I meant, and ye ken that.”

“Then what did you mean?” Thalia demanded, taking a step closer to him. “Because right now, it feels like maybe you don’t think I can handle what’s going on with my own sisters.”

Finn’s expression hardened, and he took a step toward her, closing the distance between them. “I was trying to protect ye, Thalia. I thought ye would be grateful.”

He dropped his head as the last word slipped past his lips. She knew that was not what he meant to say, but he said it anyway, and there was no taking it back.

“Grateful?” Thalia’s voice was barely above a whisper now, her anger giving way to a deep, aching sadness. “I am grateful that you delayed my sisters from running away, but I most certainly am not grateful that you lied to me. I’m not grateful that you thought I somehow deserved that,” and before she could think twice about her next thought that escaped from her lips, she continued, “And I guess I should be grateful that you agreed to marry me too?”

Finn’s eyes softened in a way that she had not ever seen before, but there was still a stubborn set to his jaw – it was a reaction that she had not anticipated. His calm words poured ice cold water over her fire. “Thalia, I’m doing the best I can,” he said, his voice low and tense. “This isnae easy for me either, ye ken. I ken yer angry at yer sisters, but I dinnae tell them to run off. I brought them back. I will protect ye all. I swear it.”

Thalia looked up at him, her heart breaking at the pain she saw in his eyes. She knew he was struggling, knew that this situation was as difficult for him as it was for her, but that didn’t make the hurt any less real. “You should have told me the truth,” she whispered, her voice trembling. “I need to know what’s happening with my sisters. I need to be a part of this.”

Finn’s gaze flickered, and for a moment, she thought he might relent, might apologize. But instead, he turned away, running a hand through his hair in frustration. “I’m trying to protect ye, Thalia,” he said, his voice strained, “but ye are making it damn near impossible.”

Thalia’s breath caught in her throat, a mixture of anger and confusion swirling inside her. “What do you mean?”

Finn turned back to her, his eyes blazing with a mix of emotions she couldn’t quite decipher. “I mean, ye daenae listen, ever! Ye daenae trust me. Ye daenae trust yer sisters. And it’s making everything harder than it needs to be!”

Thalia felt a flash of anger at his words, at the way he seemed to be blaming her for everything that had gone wrong. “Don’t you dare put this on me,” she said, her voice low and dangerous. “I’ve been doing everything I can to protect my sisters, and you?—”

“I ken that,” Finn interrupted, his voice rising in frustration. “But ye are nae alone in this, Thalia. Ye need to let me help ye.”

Thalia opened her mouth to argue, but she knew he was right. She wanted to tell him that she didn’t need his help, that she could handle this on her own, but the words caught in her throat, her anger dissipating as she looked up at him. There was something in his eyes, something raw and vulnerable, that made her pause.

Finn took a step closer, his hand reaching out to brush a stray curl away from her face. “Ye are nae alone,” he repeated, his voice softening. “Ye daenae have to do this by yerself.”

Thalia’s heart pounded in her chest as she looked up at him, the intensity of his gaze sending a shiver down her spine. She could feel the heat of his body, the warmth of his breath as he leaned in closer. The anger and frustration that had been swirling inside her moments ago seemed to melt away, replaced by something else entirely — something that both terrified and thrilled her.

“Finn…” she whispered, her voice trembling with a mixture of emotions she couldn’t quite name.

But before she could say anything more, Finn closed the distance between them, his lips capturing hers in a searing kiss. Thalia’s breath caught in her throat, her body stiffening for just a moment before she melted into the kiss, her hands coming up to grip his shoulders as if she were afraid he might pull away.

But Finn didn’t pull away. Instead, he deepened the kiss, his hands sliding down to her waist as he pulled her closer. His mouth tasted of whiskey, and it made her head spin, her senses were overwhelmed by the feel of him, the taste of him. She could feel the tension in his body, the barely restrained desire that seemed to radiate from him like a furnace.

Finn’s hands roamed over her body, his touch sending sparks of electricity shooting through her veins. Thalia’s breath hitched as his fingers found the laces of her gown, tugging at them impatiently. She should have stopped him, should have pulled away before things went too far. But she couldn’t. She didn’t want to. She wanted this, wanted him, more than she had ever wanted anything in her life.

As the last of her resolve crumbled, Thalia let out a soft moan, her hands sliding down to Finn’s chest as she leaned into him, her body pressing against his. She could feel the heat of his skin through his shirt, the rapid beat of his heart under her palm. The intensity of it all was almost too much to bear, and yet she craved more, wanted more, needed more.

Finn’s lips trailed down her neck, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. Thalia’s breath came in short, ragged gasps as he continued his assault, his hands slipping under the fabric of her gown to caress the bare skin of her back. She arched into his touch, her head falling back as a soft whimper escaped her lips.

Finn’s hands slid down her sides, rough and calloused yet tender in their exploration. Thalia shivered as his fingers traced the curve of her waist, his touch sending a jolt of electricity straight to her core. She gasped against his mouth, her breath coming in short, ragged bursts as she arched into him, desperate for more of his touch, more of the fire he ignited in her. Her throbbing arousal between her legs begged to be touched.

Finn growled low in his throat, a sound that sent a delicious thrill through Thalia’s body. He pressed her back against the wall, pinning her there with his weight as he deepened the kiss, his tongue sliding against hers in a sensual dance that left her dizzy and aching for more. His hands moved with a sense of urgency, one sliding down to grip her thigh and hitch her leg up around his waist while the other fumbled with the hem of her gown, tugging it higher with a growl of frustration.

“Finn…” Thalia breathed, her voice trembling with a mixture of desire and anticipation. But her words were cut off as Finn’s hand slipped beneath the fabric of her gown, his fingers grazing the soft, sensitive skin of her inner thigh. Thalia’s breath hitched, a soft moan escaping her lips as he teased her, his touch both gentle and possessive, as if he was savoring the moment, savoring her.

He pulled back just enough to look at her, his dark eyes blazing with a mixture of desire and something deeper, something that made Thalia’s heart race in her chest. For a moment, she thought she saw a flicker of hesitation, of doubt, in his gaze, but it was gone as quickly as it had appeared, replaced by the raw, unrestrained need that pulsed between them.

“Ye drive me mad,” Finn rasped, his voice rough and gravelly as his hand moved higher, slipping between her legs to cup her intimately. Thalia’s breath caught in her throat, her body arching into his touch as a wave of pleasure washed over her. His fingers moved with deliberate slowness, teasing her, stroking her until she was trembling with need, her hips rolling against his hand in a desperate bid for more.

“Please…” Thalia whispered, her voice a breathless plea as she clung to him, her nails digging into his shoulders. She had never felt anything like this before, this overwhelming desire that threatened to consume her, to burn her from the inside out. She needed him, needed the release that only he could give her, and the intensity of that need terrified her almost as much as it thrilled her.

Finn’s breath was hot against her ear as he leaned in, his voice a low, seductive growl. “Tell me what ye want, lass,” he murmured, his fingers dipping lower, finding her slick and ready for him. Thalia gasped, her head falling back against the wall as his fingers slid inside her, slow and deliberate, making her see stars behind her closed eyelids.

“I want… I need…” Thalia’s words were a jumbled mess, her mind too foggy with pleasure to form a coherent thought. All she knew was that she needed more—more of his touch, more of the exquisite torment he was putting her through. “Don’t stop,” she finally managed to gasp, her hips moving in time with his hand, her body desperate for release.

Finn let out a low, satisfied hum, his fingers working her with a skill and precision that left her trembling and on the brink of oblivion. His thumb found the sensitive bundle of nerves at the apex of her thighs, and Thalia cried out, her hands flying to his hair, her fingers tangling in the dark, silky strands as she held on for dear life.

“That’s it, lass,” Finn murmured against her lips, his voice a dark, seductive whisper that sent shivers down her spine. “Let go for me. Trust me.”

Thalia could feel the tension coiling inside her, winding tighter and tighter with each stroke of his fingers, each brush of his thumb. She was so close, so achingly close, and she didn’t know how much longer she could hold on. Her breath came in short, ragged bursts, her body trembling with the effort of holding back the tidal wave of pleasure that was building inside her.

“Finn, I…” Thalia’s voice broke as her body tensed, every muscle in her body tightening as the wave finally crashed over her, dragging her under. She cried out his name, her voice a high, keening sound as her body convulsed around his fingers, the pleasure so intense it bordered on pain.

Finn didn’t stop, didn’t let up, even as Thalia’s body shuddered and trembled in the aftermath of her release. He kept his hand moving, drawing out every last bit of pleasure until Thalia was a boneless, trembling mess, clinging to him as if he were the only thing keeping her from floating away.

When he finally pulled back, Thalia was breathless, her heart pounding in her chest as she looked up at him, her eyes wide and filled with a mix of awe and gratitude. Finn’s expression was dark, his eyes smoldering with a desire that had not yet been sated, and he brought his fingers to his lips, tasting her with slow, intense need.

“Ye deserve to know how much I want ye.”

Thalia’s heart ached at his words, at the raw honesty in his gaze. She reached up, her hand cupping his cheek as she looked into his eyes, trying to convey everything she was feeling, everything she couldn’t put into words.

“I want you too,” she whispered, her voice trembling with the weight of her emotions.

Finn’s eyes softened, and for a moment, Thalia thought he might say something more, something that would change everything between them. But instead, he just leaned down, capturing her lips in a soft, lingering kiss that was as much a promise as it was a farewell.

When he finally pulled back, his expression was guarded once more, the walls that had briefly crumbled now firmly back in place. “But ye should go,” he said quietly, his voice tinged with regret. “Before I forget meself and do something we both might regret.”

I want that…

Thalia’s heart clenched painfully in her chest, but she knew he was right. She could feel the tension between them, the barely restrained desire that still simmered beneath the surface, threatening to ignite at any moment. If she stayed, she wasn’t sure either of them would be able to stop, and as much as she wanted him, she knew they weren’t ready for what would come next.

With a heavy heart, Thalia nodded, stepping back from him, but not before he clutched her chin.

“Trust. Ye will have me soon enough, but nae before we are wed, Thalia Sinclair.”

His eyes searched her for a moment before his lips landed on her forehead, and he dropped his hold. While every fiber of her being screamed at her to stay, she took a step backwards.

“Goodnight, Finn,” she whispered, her voice trembling with the effort of holding back her emotions.

“Goodnight,” Finn replied softly.

And with that, Thalia turned and left the room, the sharp pain of their separation pricking the backs of her eyes as the sound of the door closing behind her echoed in the dark, cold hallway.