Page 7 of Edinburgh Escape (Brotherhood Protectors International #5)

“Unfortunately, a very large tree fell on the electric lines ahead, causing enough damage the entire west coast train route has been shut down further north. We’re to return to London as soon as we receive clearance.

Please understand that many other trains are in similar situations, and they will also have to be redirected to London.

It will take time. From London, you can show your ticket to other train lines.

They’ll honor it to get you to Edinburgh at no cost and take you there on the east lines unaffected by the downed tree.

Or you can get a full refund for your tickets for tonight’s passage on the website. ”

“Do we have to go all the way back to London?” a man asked.

“You can choose to disembark here and take some of the smaller trains across to the eastern line. It won’t be as straightforward as taking the train from London to Edinburgh, but it can be done,” the steward said.

“If that’s your plan, you’ll need to gather all your belongings and vacate your cabin in the next twenty minutes.

We are not certain how long it will take until we receive clearance to start our journey back to London, but when we get it, we’ll be on our way. ”

“We’ve already come three hours north; I’ll take my chances crossing over to the eastern line,” the man who’d asked about alternatives said, then spun and returned to the train.

The steward left the crowd and moved further along the line of cars to meet with others just coming out of the train.

The clump of passengers began to disperse, some talking about going back to bed, others looking at their smartphones for alternate train connections.

Callum circled the crowd, staying out of Maggie’s line of sight, wondering if she’d choose to go back to London or try to make it the rest of the way to Edinburgh on her own.

She stared at her cell phone for a long time, scrolling through what Callum assumed were options.

The group of passengers thinned, leaving her standing alone.

A man emerged from the train, wearing a hat pulled low over his forehead and a dark trench coat with the collar pulled up around his neck.

Callum’s eyes narrowed.

The man glanced left, then right. He didn’t carry a suitcase, and he wasn’t in a hurry until he moved toward Maggie.

With her focus entirely on her cell phone, she didn’t see him until he was almost upon her.

Callum dove for the man, but not soon enough.

The guy in the trench coat wrapped his arm around Maggie’s neck and dragged her toward the edge of the platform.

She dropped her cell phone and grabbed the man’s arm in an attempt to loosen his hold around her neck.

Callum jumped on the man’s back and caught him in a neck lock similar to the one the man held Maggie in.

Only Callum applied enough pressure long enough that the attacker let go of his prey, dropping her over the side of the platform onto the track below.

Then he reached over his shoulder in an attempt to grab Callum and flip him over his shoulder.

Callum held his ground. Almost as large as the other guy, he wouldn’t easily be flipped over the man’s shoulders. He dug in his heels and held on, leaning back with all his might.

The attacker must have realized he wasn’t going to outmaneuver Callum; he quit trying to flip him over his shoulder and went limp. Either that, or he really had lost consciousness.

Callum refused to loosen his arm around the man’s neck, now taking on all of the big guy’s weight. He staggered several steps but remained unrelenting.

A whistle sounded down the line of cars as a steward warned the train would be leaving soon.

Callum had to rid himself of the oaf and get Maggie off the tracks soon, or she could be crushed when the train started moving.

With the steward too far away and facing the opposite direction to see what was happening, Callum couldn’t rely on him to help.

Callum dragged the man backward, away from the tracks. Once he was out of view of the steward or anyone else who might be watching, he loosened his hold on the man’s neck.

Immediately, the man jerked free and swung around, his fist bunched and ready.

Callum kicked him in the groin.

As the man doubled over, Callum brought his fists together and slammed them into the man’s nose, sending him staggering backward. He hit the wall and slid downward, his nose gushing blood.

Callum gave him one last glance and dove for the train and the track below.

Maggie pulled herself up to the edge of the platform.

When Callum bent over the edge of the platform, Maggie shrank back.

He held out his hand. “It’s me,” he said. “Callum.”

Her brow furrowed as she stared up at him. “What are you doing here?”

His lips twitched on the corners. “Saving you from an attack.”

“What happened to the man who attacked me?”

Callum tipped his head toward his rear. “I gave him an old-fashioned Scottish sedative. He’s sleeping it off.”

“Is he alive?” she whispered.

“I didn’t stick around to determine whether he was still breathing,” he said. “I was more concerned about getting back to you. Give me your hand and let me help you off the track and onto the train. It’s about to leave the station.”

“But—” her gaze darted from left to right, searching past him for danger.

“He is well and truly out, but I’m just not sure for how long.

” He glanced over his shoulder at the man still slumped against the wall.

If he was dead, they needed to leave before someone found him and the entire train station shut down.

If he was alive, he could wake soon and go after Maggie again.

Maggie’s hand slid into his, her slim fingers warm against his palm, sending sparks through his nervous system.

Callum’s attention swung back to the pretty red-haired American, and his fingers tightened around hers. With a swift but gentle tug, he pulled her up onto the platform.

Off balance, she pitched forward into his chest.

Naturally, his arms came up around her, pressing her body against his.

Big mistake.

Her soft curves melted into his hard planes, and the sparks generated from holding her hand sent fire raging through his veins and south to his loins. He held her longer than was necessary for her to regain her balance. Funny, but she wasn’t in a hurry to push him back.

He’d spent the day getting to know this beautiful, quirky woman on a mission to meet a family she’d never known. Either she was incredibly stupid or desperately searching for roots.

Callum had lost his brother, but he had family scattered all around Glasgow: his parents, grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins and friends who were as close as family.

Maggie had admitted it had been just her and her mother until her mother had passed. He could only imagine how hopeful she’d been when she’d found a group of relatives through DNA testing and an ancestry application.

He hated to see her cheerful, optimistic personality take a hit if her newfound relatives were complete bastards and shunned their pretty kin.

As she clung to him, he drew in a deep breath. She smelled like fields filled with fragrant heather. Heady, wild and incomparable.

He leaned forward and brushed a feather-soft kiss against her silky curls.

It wasn’t much, but she couldn’t feel it, thus making it easier for him to get away with it without suffering a stinging slap to his face.

They hadn’t even known each other for a full twenty-four hours.

If having him appear suddenly to save her from an attacker wasn’t suspicious enough, stealing a kiss would surely be a reason for her to distrust him and steer clear.

Maggie was the first to step away. Her pale cheeks flushed a bright pink as she tucked a stray curl back behind her ear. “I thought you were taking another train,” she said.

Callum’s gaze shifted away from hers. “I never said what train I was getting on.”

Her brow wrinkled. “Was I that uninspiring during your London city tour that you didn’t want to spend another moment with me?” She wrapped her arms around her middle. “All you had to do was tell me you weren’t interested, and I wouldn’t have bothered you. I’m a big girl. I can handle rejection.”

“On the contrary,” Callum sighed. “I enjoyed spending time with you in London.”

Her brow dipped lower. “Then why didn’t you tell me you’d be on the same train with me?”

He gave her a tight smile and made a decision. “Because I was only supposed to follow you and keep you safe, not spend the day sightseeing with you in London.”

Maggie’s eyes rounded. “You were supposed to keep me safe? Why?” she demanded. “Wait. Who sent—” Suddenly her eyes narrowed, and she pinned him with her stare. “Hank and Sadie sent you.”

It wasn’t a question.

“They did,” Callum admitted.

The steward at the other end of the column of cars blew his whistle. “Last call if you’re exiting the train, it leaves in five minutes!” he yelled.

“Are you going back to London on this train?” Callum asked.

“I was looking at the train schedule for another way to get to Edinburgh when I was so rudely attacked. “I’d rather continue than go all the way back.”

“Then you’ll need to gather your belongings before the train leaves.”

“And change out of my pajamas,” she murmured with a twist of her lips.

“I don’t know. With the jacket, I thought you made an impressive fashion statement.” He winked, cupped her elbow and guided her back on board the train. “We can continue our discussion after we get to our next platform.”

“Damn right, we will,” she said, though she let him usher her to her cabin. She paused at the door, her brow dipping. “Where were you staying?”

He tipped his head toward the door beside hers.

Maggie pressed her lips together. “How did you manage to board without me knowing?”

“I was in super-stealth mode,” he said with a sly smile.

She huffed, scanned her card on the reader and pushed the door open. “Give me a second to change and pack.”

“Remember, you have less than five minutes before the train leaves.”