Page 14 of Taken by the Heartless Highlander (Falling for Highland Villains #2)

CHAPTER 14

Keira gasped as his lips came down on hers more forcefully than she had ever expected or imagined.

His hands gripped her waist, and his whole body pressed against hers, not an inch of space between them. She could not help the moan that escaped her. He pushed her into the wall, trapped in his arms, overpowering every thought in her mind that was not focused on him.

Her head fell back against the stone as he pushed his tongue against hers, her body lighting up at the forbidden nature of the act.

MacAllen grunted, his hips connecting with hers as his eager movements lifted her off the floor. His hands slipped down to caress her thighs as he lifted her leg around his hip, giving him more room to thrust against her.

She shuddered in his arms as she felt the hard length of him pressing between her legs, a dual feeling of overwhelming need and desperation warring within her. Her fingers clutched helplessly at his neck and shoulder as she trembled against him.

She let out a groan of shocked pleasure as his fingers slid along the base of her thigh, moving up her leg, searching and assured.

She froze as his hand moved to only inches from the most intimate part of her, his mouth more urgent on hers now as his teeth raked against her bottom lip.

But suddenly, as though sensing her hesitation, he wrenched himself away—so quickly that she fell awkwardly to the floor.

He backed away, crossing the room to lean heavily against the desk, breathing hard and running a hand through his hair as he gathered himself.

She panted, clinging to the bricks behind her, arousal thrumming through her veins from the kiss and the insistent heat and strength of his body against hers.

MacAllen’s gaze finally fell on her. His jaw was set as his expression hardened, and he stood to his full height, straightening his clothing and shaking his head as though to clear it.

Did he touch me because he wanted me or because I asked him to? She thought nervously as she saw the regret in his eyes.

“Leave.”

One word, no more, and then he turned away and did not look at her again.

Keira’s spine went rigid at such a cruel dismissal. Embarrassment burned through her as she pushed from the wall. Looking down at her skirts, which had been pulled almost to above her knee by his urgent fingers, she righted them hastily, her cheeks flaming at his rejection.

His back was turned toward her, his head bowed, his breathing deep and uneven. He clearly did not want to face what they had almost done together, but even as she acknowledged that thought, her resolve returned. She refused to be treated in such a way by any man.

“That wasnae me doin’,” she stated firmly, watching his shoulders tighten. “Are ye such a coward ye cannae even face me?” she demanded, hoping that he might at least turn around to defend himself.

“I told ye to go,” he growled, his voice low and threatening in the quiet of the room. “Leave. Now!”

Keira sucked in a breath, white-hot rage coursing through her at his cold indifference.

“Come to the healin’ chambers when ye have a spare moment, me laird, so I can tend to yer injury,” she said coolly, leaving the room just as he had ordered her to, her head held high.

I am nae to blame. I wasnae the only one who lost control.

Noah’s knuckles were white as he heard the door snap shut behind her, finally leaving him alone with his thoughts—and his guilt.

“God help me,” he muttered, turning from the desk and staring at the wall where, only a minute before, he had been seconds from having her, just as she had begged him to.

What the hell am I thinkin’, gettin’ involved with this lass?

He walked to the window staring out at the lands below him, his hand moving to his lips, rubbing across them absently. They were still wet from her kiss, swollen and tingling.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had acted so rashly with anyone.

Irresponsible, stupid fool.

Not only was she in a vulnerable position, having just been chased through the forests and set alight by a pillaging mob, she was a guest in his home.

When he had invited her here as a healer, it was to give her an occupation to distract her from the terrible things that had almost befallen her—or so he had told himself. Now, he was not so sure he could trust his own intentions. There was little in his mind that could convince him he saw her as a healer anymore.

He was starting to believe the priest had been correct. Something about Keira felt otherworldly, as though magic swirled within her that reached out and touched his soul.

He could still feel her smooth skin beneath his fingers, the heat of her body, and the gasping desperation in her kiss. Her mouth had been urgent, an addictive sweetness that he could still taste on his tongue.

He closed his eyes, trying to will his arousal away.

Claim me as yer mistress…

He did want to claim her. Every part of her called to him—the ultimate temptation, the ultimate curse.

He glanced at the door through which he had banished her, knowing full well how furious she must have been. He was not accustomed to this depth of emotion or the intensity of his desire, and the feelings frightened him more than he cared to admit.

His eyes moved without conscious thought to the empty space above the fireplace, where charred stains from the fire’s smoke were the only hint that a picture had ever hung there.

After he had discovered his father’s treachery, Noah ordered all of his portraits to be removed from the castle. But the space they filled was still there, haunting him, poisoning his mind every day.

What if I am just like him? What if I become the same man he was—possessive and jealous of anythin’ I perceive as mine?

Noah ran a hand through his hair, gripping the strands and yanking down hard to try to force the ache in his chest away. It did no good; in fact, it only made things worse.

I willnae become me faither, he thought solemnly. I have nae need for a woman in me life, and that is the way it shall stay.

When Amelia’s child was born, they would inherit everything he had. Noah did not ever intend to marry or have children of his own, and that was how things had to be. If his father’s possessive and crazed behavior ran through his family line, it would die with him.

Keira’s face drifted through his vision once more, her soft sighs, the surprised heat in her eyes as he had pressed himself against her. The passion in her body as he pushed against her hips and?—

“Damn the woman,” he grunted, slamming his palm into the desk before him, sending a jarring pain ricocheting up his shoulder, making him grimace.

He covered his eyes with his hand, breathing shallowly, fighting with himself, and wishing he had never brought her home with him. As he did so, he felt an oozing trickle of fluid run down his right shoulder and groaned inwardly.

And now the wound is bleeding again, and I am in need of a healer.

Keira stormed through the corridors, looking for her brother. After her encounter with Laird MacAllen, she was even more certain that the course of action she had chosen was the right one. They would not allow themselves to get settled here. She would make a plan that they would all agree on, and in a few short weeks, they would be gone.

MacAllen had dismissed her as though she was nothing ; she could not guarantee anything from him ever again, not even the roof above her head.

The only person she had ever been able to rely on was herself. For years she had been looking after her own livelihood and that of her brother and sister, and that wasn’t about to change. She had simply had her head turned by a handsome face. She was not the first woman to fall foul of that, and she would not be the last.

She knocked on Scott’s door, pushing it open when her brother bid her enter. He was sitting beside his bed reading to Daisy, who was lying under a blanket, looking cold and tired.

It was a contented little scene until Scott looked up, his expression instantly changing to concern as he noticed her.

“What’s happened?” he asked sharply, getting to his feet.

Keira felt the same skitter of unease as she watched his hand instantly settle on the dirk at his belt. He was becoming accustomed to danger and uncertainty, and she wished it were not so.

“Ye’re both here. Good,” she said stiffly, walking further into the room. Daisy watched her warily, still huddled under the covers.

“What is it?” Scott asked her.

“Nothin’ new. I just wanted to tell ye that we’ll be leavin’ within the month. Sooner if we can.”

Scott walked a few paces forward, frowning at her. “Did somethin’ happen? Ye look flushed.”

Keira shook her head quickly. “Our plans have just been made more certain, that is all. I promised I would never lie to ye, and I stand by that. I want ye to ken what we will be doin’ so ye can prepare yerselves. I should be able to get the funds we need together in the time we have left. It’ll get us to the New World, and then we’ll start on a new adventure together. As a family.”

She forced a smile and watched Daisy’s troubled expression soften.

“We’ll get away from all of the terrible things we have had to endure here, and we’ll start afresh. It’s excitin’, isn’t it?”

Daisy’s little head nodded, and Keira was not surprised. Her younger sister would not have any good memories to cling to. But when she looked at her brother, the same could not be said of him. Scott’s brow was furrowed, and his hands were fidgeting at his sides.

“It shouldnae be us that leaves. That man is the one who chased ye, accused ye, threatened ye for nae good reason. He should be the one to pay. Why should we flee when ye have done nothin’ wrong?”

“I ken, Scott, but that is nae how things will be. He is respected by the villagers, and he has power that we dinnae have.”

“They should believe ye,” he insisted. “All ye have ever done is care for them, givin’ yer time and yer energy to make them better. Lucas should be the one tied to a pyre, nae ye.”

“I cannae say I disagree with the lad,” came a deep voice from the doorway.

Keira spun round, finding MacAllen standing behind her. It was a shock to see him so soon after their encounter, and she felt an infuriating blush suffuse her cheeks as she looked at his glowering expression.

He wouldnae even look at me. I dinnae owe him a thing. She thought stubbornly. But I wish he dinnae have to look quite so manly whenever he enters a room.

MacAllen’s eyes moved to hers as he walked through the doorway, the same strength to his gaze that made her knees weak. They stared at each other for what felt like an age as she tried to think of something to say.

“Ye need to tend me wound,” he said shortly, his gaze flicking to Scott and Daisy and back.

Keira was instantly distracted when she looked at his shoulder to see fresh blood where the wound had reopened— again .

“And how did that happen?” she asked, her voice a little husky.

Before he could answer, however, Scott stepped up to MacAllen. Her brother was still a head shorter than the laird, and Scott looked embarrassed, even blushing, as he came to stand before him.

“I am sorry for what I did to ye,” he stated firmly, his eyes on the blood that stained MacAllen’s léine. “Ye’ve been so kind to me and me sisters, I shouldnae have thought ill of ye.”

He might nae be so bashful if he kenned what ‘kindness’ the laird bestowed on me in his study just now, Keira thought dryly.

Scott leveled MacAllen with a determined stare.

“I shouldnae have hurt ye. I hope ye can forgive me.”

MacAllen’s eyes had changed considerably from the dark heat he had leveled at Keira and he was now looking at Scott with an expression of quiet amusement.

“Ye did what ye had to in order to protect yer family. Dinnae apologize to me, lad,” MacAllen said firmly, clapping a hand on Scott’s shoulder and squeezing it just a little to reassure him.

The action made Keira’s heart ache painfully in her chest. Scott had never had a father figure to look up to as he grew older. She could see the starry-eyed awe on his face as he looked at MacAllen, and she wished that the choices she would have to make for his future could be different.

If only we could all have grown to know him under better circumstances.

“Well?” MacAllen demanded, turning his eyes to her.

She sniffed, smoothing down her skirts and glaring at him with as much defiance as she could muster.

“Lead the way, me laird.”