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“Ye’ll go on as ye always dae,” she said. Her words struck him. Glancing up, he pursed his lips into a tight line and grabbed her hands from his face.
“Dae ye nae see what ye mean to me? Yer everythin’ to me. And all I’ve done is push ye aside and keep ye at a distance thinkin’ that I was protectin’ ye. But I cannae.”
“And ye cannae lock down this castle and keep me inside as a prisoner.”
“I will dae whatever is necessary to keep ye safe,” Conner growled as his eyes narrowed on her. The need to protect consumed him as images of his sister and mother flashed before his eyes.
“Ye wouldnae dare,” she hissed.”Aye,” he said as he stepped closer and exhaled. He his forehead to hers and let his frustration drain from him. “I’ll move the heavens and the earth to see that yer safe. I love ye, but I’ll nae let ye live in fear. I’ve tried to keep ye away from me. Tried to deny my feelings for ye and it daesnae work. All it daes is put ye in more danger. And I’ll nae let somethin’ like this happen again.”
Chapter 22
“Please, nay,” Olivia bolted out of the bed. Every inch of her body ached from her toes to the crown of her head. No matter which way she moved, it ached as sharp jabs poked at her. She felt as if she were sleeping on a bed of spikes, each jabbing at her to wake.
Beads of sweat dripped down her temples as the dark room greeted her. With her heart pounding she tried desperately to push aside the images relentlessly flashing in her mind.
“Hush now, love.”
In the darkness, Olivia heard Conner’s voice beside her. The low tones of his voice soothed the fear that threatened a scream out of her. Darting about, she glanced to her right to find him inching closer. His hands were in the air, and moved calmly toward her. Only when he curled his arm around her and she breathed in his musky scent did she relax.
“Tis alright now, love,” he said, running his fingertips through her tangled, messy hair. “Twas just a dream is all. Yer alright now.”
“It was awful,” Olivia said as she cupped her hands about her face. With every fiber of her being she wished nothing more than to push out the images that plagued her mind. She wished she could pluck out the eyes of the man with the silver scar racing down his cheekbone. But the more she tried to get the image out of her head, the longer it lingered, adding fuel to her already active imagination.
“Yer in bed, yer wit’ me and there’s nothin’ to fear,” Conner said as she rocked in his arms. Only when the images finally faded did she drop her hands and turn to face him.
“There now, ye see,” Conner said, flashing her a smile. “It’s only ye and me in here. Nay one else.”
“It was so real,” she mumbled.
“Aye,” Conner said, bobbing his head. “I’m certain it was. But ye can rest easy, I’ve got ye.”
“It was as if I were there, by the trees again,” Olivia confessed. “And I couldnae get away in time. I wasnae fast enough.”
Olivia felt Conner’s body shudder as she spoke before he went stiff. Although she didn’t tell him these things to have him worry, she told them to clear her conscious. She knew if she bottled up her emotions they would only grow stronger. But by talking it out, her fears seemed to shrink away.
“Yer safe,” Conner said, although she wondered if he was saying it more for himself and to ease his mind than for her benefit.
“I’ll nae be safe until we find him,” Olivia said, causing Conner’s body to tense.
“I promise, we will find him.”
“How can ye be so certain of that? For all we ken he set sail and is long gone.”
“Aye, that could be the case too,” Conner answered as he slipped his hand under Olivia’s jaw. A small smile played at the corner of his lips as he felt her shiver under his touch. For a moment, Conner thought he caught a glimpse of desire flicker through her eyes causing his passion to burst.
All Conner wanted to do was ensure Olivia was safe. If that meant keeping her in his arms for all hours of the day, he would do it. He would do anything for her, that much he was certain.
“But if he did, then he’s too far to hurt ye,” Conner said, brushing his thumb over her cheekbone.
“Or for all we ken,” Olivia stared at him. Her heart pounded in her chest as her mouth went dry. “He could be out there waitin’ for another chance.” Panic coursed through her like it was water trying to seep in every crevasse that it could.
“Hush, there is nay point in worryin’ about that now. I am here. Beside, there are guards posted outside the door. Plus I have Damon out searchin’. If anyone is goin’ to find him, Damon will. That I am as certain as the grave.”
“Ye have a lot of faith in Damon,” she said, easing a bit.
“Aye, I’ve ken him a long time. Met him during my travels while searching for my family. He’s practically a brother to me. He’s always been at my side. Either gettin’ me into trouble, or there to get me out of it.”
“Has he always been so carefree?” Olivia asked as she nestled deeper into Conner’s embrace. Being in his arms comforted her in ways she never expected. She wasn’t sure if it was Conner’s thick, strong arms wrapped so tightly around her, or feeling his chest pressing against her back. The truth was, she didn’t care. All that mattered to her was the fact that he was there, right next to her, keeping his promise.
