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“ Y ou’re leaving again? But they just got back! You promised me you would take me to see Glendalough.”

Colin halted mid-step, the pain in Gwen’s voice audible. He peeked around the corner of the house and saw Reilly sharpening his dirk. Gwen, whose back was to Colin, stood with her hands on her hips, her hair blowing like a halo of fire.

“Sorry, lass, but duty calls.”

“What kind of duty?”

“One you would rather not care to hear,” Reilly replied calmly. He held the blade up and inspected it closely.

Gwen cocked her head. “Is it a woman?”

Reilly blew something off the hilt, then resumed dragging the blade across the stone in his hand. “Would it bother you if it was?”

“Lately, every time you invite me to stay with you, you disappear for days! And here you are about to do it again! Why?”

“I’ll take you to Glendalough another time,” Reilly responded without looking up. “Or perhaps you can ask your boyfriend to do it. He’s probably a better tour guide. I doubt he’d disappear on you.”

Her hands dropped to her side. “Reilly…”

“Fine, lass. Aye, I’m going to be with a woman. She’s important to me, and she is in need of my…services.”

The last word, delivered with such intent, made Gwen’s hands fist. “You’re such a…a…”

Reilly stopped what he was doing, lifted a disinterested brow, and waited silently.

With a strangled sound, she turned and stalked off.

Colin watched Reilly for a moment, noting the tense set of his shoulders as he dragged his dirk against the stone a bit harder than necessary. Hmm . Turns out I’m not the only one who isn’t being all the way truthful with himself.

“Your skills with the ladies never cease to impress,” Colin deadpanned, joining Reilly. “That was harsh, O’Malley.”

Instead of a chuckle, he looked up and frowned. “She fancies herself in love.”

“With you?”

Reilly went back to his task. “Nay.”

“And that bothers you?” Colin asked.

“Don’t worry about it,” he snapped. “And don’t worry about Gwendolyn. She’ll bounce back. She always does.”

“Someday she might not.”

“Are you here for any reason other than to hear yourself speak?”

Colin rolled his eyes. “So sensitive, O’Malley. Well, even if you can’t tell the lovely - if rather outspoken, Gwendolyn where you’re headed this time, I’m betting you can tell me.”

“I thought I was going to Glendalough for a bit of a holiday, but I’ve been given a different assignment,” Reilly answered in a low voice. “Back to the MacWilliams.”

“Any idea as to why?”

He nodded grimly. “Claire. She’s not being careful enough, and needs a bit of protection for the next week or so. Some sort of battle between clans, though the details are unclear.”

“Oh for the love of—” Colin stopped himself. “How many times will she put herself in danger before she realizes her importance?”

“You’d think the lass would be more careful with whom she spends her time,” Reilly agreed.

Claire MacWilliam was a headstrong young woman. Her father hoped she would marry into a neighboring clan, but the last Colin knew, Claire wanted nothing to do with marriage.

The shock had nearly done in her father, Nioclas, which Reilly thoroughly enjoyed until he realized that meant more work for him. Brianagh wanted to give Claire more time, as the lass was but sixteen at the time, and Nioclas was insistent that she marry before she turned twenty.

It was a mess Colin wanted no part of.

“Am I needed?”

Reilly shook his head. “Nay, not this time. I tried to figure out how we could manage to extract you to come with me, but your promise and your duties collided.”

And that, Colin supposed, was the crux of a Protector’s problem. Soul mate or not, his first duty was to protect his family—if he didn’t, he very well could cease to exist. History would be altered in unfathomable ways; entire lineages would be erased.

“When you said life binding …” Colin started.

“It means just that—you’re bound to your mate for life. And then not only are you an O’Rourke Protector, you’re hers as well. Are you ready to say the words aloud, then?”

Colin stared at him, words failing him. “No. Because…what if she’s not my mate?”

“Only you can answer that. If she isn’t, you can travel freely and leave her side without repercussions.

I should’ve explained all of this to you,” Reilly admitted.

“I’m truly sorry I didn’t. I thought once you found a mate, we would have time to discuss the ramifications before you went and made such promises to her. ”

Colin’s resignation sounded in each word.

“I didn’t make any promise to my mate, since I have none.

But I’m done defending my position to everyone.

I’ll do what I need to here, and you let me know if you need me there.

We’ll ensure Claire gets safely through whatever is happening.

I’ll find Ellie a husband from home. I don’t think I need to be here, either. ”

Reilly stopped him with a large hand on his arm. “O’Rourke. Our lives serve a bigger purpose.”

Colin felt—and knew—the loneliness behind Reilly’s hollow words. “Right. They do.”

“A walk?” Colin looked up at the cloudy sky.

Ellie laced up her runners and nodded. “Yes. Exercise. It’s just the thing to take our minds off of everything.”

He nodded in agreement. “Excellent plan. I’ll say my goodbyes now, then.”

“Now?” Ellie squeaked. She cleared her throat. “Where are you heading?”

Colin refused to look at her, instead busying himself with the company papers that seemed to always be around him.

“I’m going back to Boston. We’ll talk by phone for the next few days, if you decide you need anything.

I’ll give you a call in a few weeks to check in, or you can call me if you run into any issues.

Reginald has to head to California in a few days, but I’ve been assured he’s busy planning your second date.

I’ve given him your number, and I’ll send his to you. ”

Stunned, all Ellie could do was blink. He was leaving her?

The past couple of weeks felt much longer than that. Seeing him every day, listening to the timbre of his voice as he read funny bits from his phone, watching his brow crease while he was working…

Oh boy. She was definitely in serious trouble.

Gwen tugged insistently on Ellie’s arm. “Have a safe flight, Colin. Come on, El, let’s get going before the rain comes.”

Ellie allowed herself to be pulled out the door, her mind whirling. This was what she wanted, right? For him to go away?

No.

“Come on, let’s go this way,” Gwen said.

Ellie shook herself. “What way?”

Gwen glanced over her shoulder, towards where Reilly had disappeared earlier in the day on his own hike. “I’d like to see the forest a little.”

Ellie frowned, immediately understanding. “Gwen…are you sure you want to chase him?”

Gwen tossed her hair over her shoulder. “I’m not chasing anyone. Are you okay? Colin’s leaving seems kind of…”

“Abrupt?” When Gwen didn’t reply, Ellie heaved a sigh and turned towards the forest. “I shouldn’t care. Let’s go find Reilly. But when I break my ankle tripping over a tree root, you’re going to owe me.”

“I just want to see what he’s really doing,” Gwen replied quickly, flashing her a smile. “He’s not leaving for a booty call, Ellie. He’s not one to kiss and tell.”

“You’re a besotted fool.”

“I’m not, I’m just curious. And no one uses the term ‘besotted,’” Gwen pointed out as they rounded the corner of the house.

“But they do use ‘fool.’”

“Touché, Eleanor. You’re a smart one.”

“That I am, Gwendolyn. Best not to—oof!”

Gwen helped Ellie up, righting first her friend, then the rake she’d tripped over. “Maybe you should concentrate less on your words—”

“And more on your steps!” they chorused, laughing at the phrase Winnie was forever using. They linked arms and headed onward, reminiscing about their teen years, and entered the forest.

“It’s kind of…”

“Still?” Ellie supplied. “Yes, I noticed that the last time I was here, too. Today it seems almost otherworldly, though, doesn’t it? Probably the storm coming in.”

Gwen drew to a halt. “The last time?”

“Um…” Ellie scrambled, but she wasn’t fast enough.

Gwen stared at her. “You’re not telling me something. When else were you here?”

Ellie knew she wouldn’t let it go, so told her the whole story, cringing when she admitted to using her middle name. As she picked her way around a tree stump, she finished with, “As he made it clear that he doesn’t want me, here we are. Me, being set up on dates with strangers.”

Gwen patted her arm in condolence. “The company has a really good track record. They have already found someone who seems great, right? I’m sure, given the chance, Reginald will fall madly in love with you.

It’s just a sweet bonus that he’s loaded,” she added with an exaggerated waggle of her eyebrows.

Ellie swatted at her friend, then chuckled. “I don’t want to be rich. I want to work in my bookshop and drink my tea and just be happy—”

Gwen cocked her head and interrupted, “Did you hear something?”

Ellie shook hers. “No, why?” But even as she said the words, an unwelcome click click click directed her attention to a nearby bush.

“Oh!” Ellie exclaimed in horror, as she noticed the man behind the camera. She threw up her hands. “Stop! ”

Gwen shouted at the paparazzi cameraman, who merely stood up and snapped faster. She looked at Ellie and grabbed her hand. “Run, Ellie!”

They took off deeper into the forest, away from the little cottage, and within minutes the man’s footsteps faded into the eerie silence of the woods around them.

The women stood, breathing hard, and Ellie sank down onto a fallen log.

“This is a disaster. How have they found me already? How are we to get back to the cottage without him following us?”

Gwen pulled out her phone, but frowned as she looked at it. “No signal. Do you have any?”

Ellie raised a single brow. “Really? When have you ever known me to take a phone on a walk?”