Page 34 of Edinburgh Escape (Brotherhood Protectors International #5)

Maggie lay awake all night, stewing over Callum’s rejection. As much as she wanted to stay the rest of the two weeks and get to know her brothers, she couldn’t remain in the house where she’d made love to Callum and fallen in love with the big jerk.

He was leaving with Ace the next day. She couldn’t stay in a house filled with memories of him after he left. She’d be so depressed she’d be horrible company for Ewan and Bryce. They had gone through enough that they didn’t need to have her hanging around, making them sad, too.

She might as well go home. If she could leave before Callum, she wouldn’t have to experience that empty, lonely feeling of a place that had been full of him and suddenly wasn’t. Okay, that sounded crazy, but it was a thing.

Rather than lie in bed, crying over a man who obviously didn’t feel the same about her as she felt about him, Maggie gave up, got up and packed.

By the time dawn peeked over the horizon, she had gathered her belongings and showered and changed into her travel clothes—a pair of leggings, a stretchy T-shirt and a long, warm sweater.

She draped her overcoat over her arm and carried her suitcase down the stairs, careful not to make a noise and wake anyone in the house.

Rather than exit through the front door, she decided to go through the kitchen and out the back to avoid running into anyone.

As she passed the sitting room, she paused and peered into the darkened interior.

Callum sat on the sofa near the fireplace, his feet propped on the table in front of him and his head leaned back against the carved wood frame of the seat as if he’d fallen asleep sitting up, trying to stay awake.

Were his nightmares so bad he didn’t want to go to sleep?

Maggie pressed a hand to her chest, feeling his pain, knowing she could do nothing to ease it. Not as long as he pushed her away, refusing to let her help him in any way.

She couldn’t help him if he didn’t want to be helped. It wasn’t as if they’d known each other long. He hadn’t committed anything to her. He’d said from the beginning that nothing would come of a relationship between them.

Then why did she feel like she was abandoning the man? That she was running away from helping him work past the PTSD that plagued his dreams.

Maggie had to remind herself that he didn’t want her help and that he would be leaving that day anyway, probably going with Ace to Zurich, where the Brotherhood Protectors International was based.

She’d always wanted to go to Switzerland. Maggie sighed. She’d have to save her money and make that trip alone. Callum wasn’t interested. He wouldn’t be waiting for her.

Hiking her backpack over her shoulder, Maggie gave Callum one last, longing glance then moved on, down the hall, heading for the back door.

As she passed through the kitchen, Cook stepped out of the pantry, nearly scaring her to death. She pressed a hand to her chest and laughed. “I didn’t think anyone was awake yet.”

Cook eyed Maggie’s suitcase. “Are you leaving?”

Heat filled Maggie’s cheeks. “I need to go home to Montana.”

She gave Maggie an accusing look. “Lord Drummond and Master Bryce will be disappointed you didn’t stay long enough to say goodbye.”

“I left a note on the dresser in my room. It explains everything. I don’t like long, drawn-out goodbyes.”

Cook crossed her arms over her ample chest. “What about Mr. McCall? He went to the trouble of rescuing you from the Russians. Doesn’t he deserve a face-to-face goodbye?”

Maggie’s mouth twisted into a grimace. “Didn’t he tell you? He’s leaving today. I’m just leaving sooner. He won’t miss me.”

Cook’s eyes narrowed. “You’re running away.”

Maggie shook her head. “No. I just know when I need to go home. I don’t belong here.

My life is in Montana, teaching preschool children.

This was just a nice vacation where I got to meet my brothers.

” Her eyes filled with tears. “I really hope Bryce feels better soon. He’s such a beautiful and brave little boy.

And I hope Ewan gets through the probate period without any issues.

I told him in my letter that I want nothing from the estate and that it should go to the rightful heirs: Ewan and Bryce.

I only wanted to meet them, not take anything from them. ”

“Ewan never wanted any part of his father’s estate,” Cook said.

“He was so very happy to know he had a sister. One more person to share the burden of his father’s legacy.

He was really happy when you arrived. And Master Bryce.

..he loves having a sister. Even if she’s a grown woman.

You’re one more person to love. That little boy has a heart so big, he fills it with all the people he loves without running out of room.

” Cook sighed. “Please reconsider and stay.”

Maggie’s eyes filled with tears. “I love Ewan and Bryce. I always wanted siblings, and I’m happy to know I have them, but I can’t stay. I don’t belong here. I belong in Montana. I’m sorry, but I have to go.” Before I fall apart and beg Callum to love me. She wanted to say that and almost did.

Instead, she adjusted her backpack on her shoulder, lifted her suitcase and smiled. “Thank you for everything, Cook. Tell everyone I love them.”

“Them or him?”

Maggie’s heart skipped several beats. “Goodbye, Cook. Thank you for everything,” She turned and left the manor.

The sun had just risen on the horizon as she made her way to the garage, hoping to find Alastair awake and able to take her to the Edinburgh airport.

Once she got there, she’d have the airline change her ticket and find her a flight leaving that day, heading back to Eagle Rock, Montana, and the only home she’d ever known.

A home empty of family. Her mother was gone.

Her brothers would be here in Scotland, and the man she was falling in love with would be on his way to Zurich.

She had nothing to keep her in Montana. Now that she knew she had family in Scotland, she couldn’t bring herself to stay with the memory of Callum lingering everywhere she turned in the manor.

As she approached the garage, she called out softly, “Alastair?” She hoped she didn’t have to wake him, but she really wanted to leave before Callum woke. He’d rejected her the night before. She couldn’t go through that again. Her heart already hurt so much.

“Alastair,” she called out again.

“Ms. McKendrick,” a voice said behind her. “Can I help you?”

Maggie spun to face the tall, dark-haired man. “Yes, please. Could you give me a ride to the airport? I need to go back to the States sooner than I’d expected.” Because I foolishly fell in love with a man who doesn’t love me in return.

“Of course,” Alastair said. “Give me a minute to wash my hands. I was working with Bryce’s horse this morning.”

“Is he feeling better?”

“He is.” Alastair gave her a brief nod. “I’ll be back in a moment.” The man hurried away. A couple of minutes later, he returned, his hands still damp from having washed them. He held the back door of the big black car open. “I’ll get your suitcase,” he said.

“Thank you,” Maggie said, glad he would handle it. She slid into the back seat. Alastair closed the door, then carried her suitcase to the trunk and stowed it there.

Maggie sat in the back seat, her hands in her lap, her heart a sore, aching lump in her chest.

Alastair slid into the driver’s seat, started the car and drove out of the garage.

When they passed through the gate, Maggie made the mistake of looking back.

Was she making a mistake? Should she have tried harder to convince Callum that his PTSD wasn’t insurmountable, that she could love him no matter what?

As it was, he didn’t know that she’d gone from greatly attracted to the man to loving him so fast that her head was still spinning.

She was in love with him.

Maggie leaned forward and called out, “Alastair, turn around. I forgot something.” She forgot to tell Callum that she loved him.

She was more than willing to work with him or wait for them to share a bed throughout the night as long as they could be together through the day and into the night when they were making love together.

Alastair didn’t slow or turn around.

Thinking he might not have heard her, she raised her voice a little louder. “Alastair, I need to go back to the manor. I forgot something very important.”

Still, Alastair didn’t slow, stop or turn around.

“Can you hear me?” she asked.

“Oh, I hear you,” Alastair drove out onto the highway and headed toward Edinburgh. “I just don’t choose to turn around.”

Maggie met Alastair’s dark eyes in the rearview mirror. “What do you mean, you don’t choose to turn around? Don’t you work for the Drummonds?”

Alastair snorted. “You think I don’t know why you came to Scotland and Drummond Estate?

You want your share of the inheritance. You think a bastard child of Douglas Drummond is entitled to inherit an equal portion of his estate?

You’re wrong. You read the journal. You know he was forced to put that wording into his will.

His wife blackmailed him, or he never would have agreed to that wording.

Each child of lord Drummond shall inherit equal shares of his estate.

” Alastair laughed. “The old man knew that wording would destroy his heritage by diluting it across all the children he spawned should they discover their connection to the bastard.” Alastair shifted his gaze to the road ahead.

“Drummond wanted his oldest son to take an interest in his estate, to follow in the old man’s footsteps.

Ewan hated his father and never wanted to join the family business.

He couldn’t wait to get as far away from the man as possible.

What Lord Drummond didn’t know was that his oldest son never left—because his oldest son wasn’t Ewan. ”

“Ewan isn’t his oldest son.” Maggie’s gut clenched. “You are.”