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“I’m warnin’ ya!”
Nothing.
My thumping heart now lurches into my throat, choking me. Scrubbing a hand through my hair, I step outside, leaving the door open. A door that was still locked when I arrived home. I look out over my land, the rolling hills that dip down to a soft, sandy shore, the sea lapping its edges. It’s beautiful out here.
Remote.
Instantly, I fell in love with the land, picturing the house I had in my mind located here, which had me handing over the cash to buy. There are acres upon acres here, plenty of room for me to bring my horses over from the green fields of the Castle if I’m ever home enough hours to care for them.
Right now, I hate the vast horizon I look over because it means I may have lost her. It was foolish to leave her here alone. I should have soldered iron bars over the windows. Strung up cameras though there’s no internet out here to service them with if you need that type of thing to run them.
I stare out over the hills and valleys, looking the direction toward town. Surely, she’s got enough gut instinct to head that way. I take off running over the hills, guessing there’s no use in taking the truck. She’d be too visible on the road. She knows that well by now.
The grasses are lush this time of year, leaving tracks behind where the deer run. I look for any sign someone’s been this way on foot.
I run myself ragged, calling her name.
It’s no use. I’ve been looking for hours. She’s long gone.
Hands on my knees, I double over, catching my breath. My only thought right now is to go back to the house and call Eamon. If he can’t help me find her then I’ll have to come clean with the boys sooner than I wanted.
It’ll be an all-out manhunt with every Bayne and Burnes boy looking for her.
And when they find her…
A shudder tears through me to think of what one of the men may do to her if they find her before me. She’s not my woman, has no protection under me. She’s just an unlucky American girl that witnessed a crime we can’t allow her to pin on us.
My stomach is sick, nausea roiling in my belly. I hate myself for going so soft for this girl. I shouldn’t care what happens to her.
Eamon will understand. He’ll back me up. We’ll just have to find her, us two brothers, that’s the way it’ll have to be.
Because I can’t stomach the alternative.
Chapter Thirteen
Kitt
I see him, making his way back over the hills, his black shirt soaked with sweat. I hope I’ve not gone too far. I have to say I was surprised at the panic on his face as he searched for me.
Almost made me feel guilty.
By the time he gets back to the front door, I’ve come out of my hiding place behind the shower curtain in his unused bathroom at the end of the hall.
Now, with my heart rate finally back to normal after shaking behind that curtain, listening to him call for me, his angry bootsteps, I’m sitting at the kitchen table. Innocently dressed in my everyday jeans and a gray sweater, my hair brushed back neatly in a ponytail.
My nose is stuck in my book. Turns out his mom appreciated a good bodice ripper just like Fiona, and I’ve found the plot very interesting. A porcelain blue pot of aromatic tea and a plate of bread I baked this morning slathered with fresh Irish butter sit waiting for us.
When he sees me, the color drains from his face. The way he doubles over, hands on his knees in relief, makes me feel terrible for my little game. I was just trying to hold my own, turning one of his captive games back on him.
He takes his time wiping his muddy boots off on the mat. He walks across the room, trying to gain his composure. He can’t even look at me.
He pulls out the chair opposite me, letting the ends of the legs thump on the floor so loudly, I give a little jump from nerves. He slides into the chair, crossing one long leg over the other, letting his ankle rest on his mid-thigh. Crossing his arms over his chest, he finally looks at me.
“Where have you been?” The ice in his voice freezes my heart.
I went too far. “I’ve been here the whole time. Waiting for you.”
“No, you haven’t. I searched every room in this house for you. I was about to call Eamon out here to look for you.”
