His shoulders slumped and his gaze fell to the floor. “I canna tell ye how verra much it grieves me to share the foolish mistakes I have made.” He slowly moved closer; fists now clasped in a tensed knot in front of his waist. “I dinna wish to cause ye pain . . . or hurt ye. I love ye,mo nighean bhan,and I beg yer forgiveness.”
“Then tell me. All of it.” The pain in his eyes mirrored the emotional suffering rolling off him in thick dark waves. He was hurting. His words were genuine. Her heart swelled, pushing her to rest her hands on his. “It is all in the past, but I need to know what is going on since it’s affecting our present.”
Graham brought her hands to his lips, closing his eyes as he pressed a kiss to the backs of her fingers, then held them against his cheek as though he feared she would pull them away. Finally, he opened his eyes and clutched her hands to his chest. “The Buchanan, chieftain of his clan lying just to the south of the MacKenna lands, threatened war against Clan MacKenna for the insult I had placed upon his keep.” Graham shook his head. “The MacKenna didna wish, and wisely so,” he hurried to add. “To risk the lives of MacKenna warriors over the ill-chosen actions of myself.”
Lilia squeezed Graham’s hands, sensing he had reached the portion of his confession that he really didn’t wish to say aloud. “Tell me the rest,” she softly encouraged. “I can’t help if I don’t know it all.”
He pecked another quick kiss on her knuckles, as though doing so gave him the strength to go on. “Mother Sinclair, Lady Trulie, and the MacKenna offered to banish me from Scotland. Forever. To atone for all that I had done.” He pulled her closer and stared sadly down into her eyes. “The only way the Buchanan would accept such an offer was if the MacKenna swore to turn me over to Clan Buchanan if I was ever to return. The Buchanan accepted. And also promised if that were ever to occur, he would have me publicly drawn and quartered. The bloody bastard allies with too damn many Lowlanders and has adopted their cruel ways.”
Graham’s face darkened, shadowing his features with shame as he closed his eyes. “But I suppose it is just punishment. The Buchanan wished for all to see what happens to a man’s bollocks when they go where they dinna belong.”
Lilia studied him, struggling against the wicked voice in the back of her mind whispering the real truth of the matter.He didn’t come to the future for you. He came to the future to escape so he wouldn’t have to give up his beloved Scotland.But she wouldn’t accuse him. At least not outright. All Scots, especially those from the distant past, had an unyielding connection to their land—a passionate connection so strong it was as if the soil of their blessed motherland was embedded in their DNA. “So, Granny and Trulie sent you forward in time to save your life while still keeping you in Scotland?”
“Aye.” Graham barely nodded. “The Fates sent them a vision. Instructed them that it was the Sinclairs’ duty to take me in and protect me—even from myself—as partial penance for their dabbling across the centuries.”
Lilia understood the truth of that and it did make her feel somewhat better about the whole situation. The Sinclairs had played fast and loose with time when they visited the past even though they knew the sacred tenet: don’t change history. The Fates had looked the other way as long as they could. But finally, all the seemingly minor indiscretions had added up and the bill had to be paid—first with Mairi and her assigned breaking of Ronan’s curse. The Fates had decided enough was enough and it was time to charge the Sinclair time runners with the duty of making things right for those whom they deemed worthy of saving. Apparently, it was now her turn to pay a portion of the Sinclair dues.
But she had to ask the question. She had to know the raw unvarnished truth. “Why did they send you to me, Graham? Did they do it just to ensure I’d help you acclimate to the future? Did they just want to make sure you had a chance at surviving the twenty-first century?”
“Acc-li-mate?” he repeated slowly. A confused scowl knotted his bushy brows. “I dinna ken that word but I do ken this—they sent me to ye because they kent we were destined to be together.”
She searched his face and set her empathic sensors on wide open, then exhaled with a relieved sigh. No deceit. No treachery. Nothing but pure unadulterated regret well-seasoned with a silent plea for understanding, acceptance, and forgiveness. She pulled one hand out of his desperate grip and gently touched his cheek. “It’s all right. I’ll just go alone. You and Angus can stay here where it’s safe. It’ll only take me a few days and then I’ll be back and we can settle into our life together—here.” The note of finality in those words sent a strange mixture of emotions shivering through her: excitement, anticipation, and a tiny bit of fear.
His face darkened with a thunderous scowl. “Like hell ye will.” He brushed her hand away from his face and took hold of both her shoulders. “I may be many things, but I am not a coward and I will be damned if I allow ye to make this journey alone. I’ll not have ye fending for yerself in the midst of yer grieving.”
“Bullshit.” She turned out of his grasp, shaking her head as she circled the kitchen table. “You’re not going to risk it.” He’d better figure out when it came to stubbornness, she had him beat in spades. She pushed open the kitchen door and shouted down the hallway. “It’s safe to come back into the kitchen now. We’ve got it all settled.”
“The hell we do.” Graham stormed around the table after her, grabbed hold of her arm, and spun her around to face him. “What kind of man would I be to allow my woman to go through such a thing alone? What kind of fool would send his wife through the Highlands unattended?”
“A live one, dammit.” She thumped him hard in the center of his chest. Damn hardheaded Highlander.“If you come back with me, Gray will be forced to turn you over to the Buchanan. He’s clan chief. A man of his word. He would have no other choice. I’m not going to put either of you in that situation.” She yanked her arm free and squared off in front of him. “You are my husband and if anybody wrings your neck, it is going to be me.”
“I distinctly heard you say it was safe to come back into the kitchen.” Alberti held back Vivienne and Angus, the three of them craning their heads through the partially opened door. “Shall we give you a bit longer?”
“No,” Graham growled like an enraged bear, jutting his chin toward Lilia. “But ye can tell this—”
“You better be careful,” she warned.
Graham’s face shifted to a deep reddish-purple as he jabbed a finger at her and sputtered, “Tell thiswomanthat she best mind the druthers of her husband like a good wife should.”
“Oh my.” Alberti turned and shooed Vivienne and Angus back down the hallwayawayfrom the kitchen. “We’ll be waiting in the parlor,” he called back through the swinging kitchen door.
CHAPTER18
“You are a stubborn son of a bitch.”
Graham chuckled, reveling in the delectable taste of his fiery-tempered wife. He nibbled and kissed a slow trail up her silky belly before settling down beside her. Gently rolling her warm, limber, well-sated body to her side, he pulled her back against his chest and spooned his legs into the backs of hers. “Aye. That I am. But know this . . . ” He cupped one of her breasts in his palm and settled his fingers comfortably in the cleft between their fullness. “I am yer verra own stubborn son of a bitch until the end of time.”
Lilia giggled and nestled back tighter against him. “It’ll be time to leave soon. I’ve set the alarm on my phone.” She patted his arm, then nuzzled a kiss against his shoulder pillowed beneath her cheek. “We really need to get a little rest.” She hitched in a yawn, then hugged his arm tighter around her and grew still.
Lore a’mighty. He had never known such bliss. Fear that she’d quickly cast him aside when he told her about his past had filled him. And who could blame her? He’d been no more than a selfish fool back then and allowed his cock to do all his thinking.
But that was then. Before he had met her. The woman he couldn’t live without. He pressed a soft lingering kiss on her shoulder. She didn’t move, just barely shifted with slow deep breathing. Already asleep. Poor lass. The past few days had taken quite a toll on her. He huffed out a silent chuckle. Aye, but she’d still found the energy to battle him and threaten to kick his arse if he didn’t listen and agree to stay in the future whilst she took Eliza back to the past alone. What had he ever done to merit such a fine woman?
They had argued for what seemed like hours. At one point, he’d grown a bit concerned when she’d eyed the block of butcher’s knives sitting on the counter. Lore, the woman had a fierce temper. He still sported a fading knot on the back of his head from where she’d beaned him with the pommel of her sword.
Alberti had finally interceded. Thankfully, the man had been listening to their raging from the safety of the hallway. He’d rushed in just in time to suggest that Lilia allow both Graham and Angus to accompany her. Angus could serve as watchman whilst Graham tended to Lilia during her somber task.
Alberti had wisely reasoned that all they need do to keep Graham safe was avoid any contact with Clan MacKenna and stay away from Buchanan lands. The trio could slip back to the thirteenth century unannounced, then slip right back out. The only way anyone would suspect something might be amiss would be if they happened to overhear the telltale boom of the time portal when it spat them out.
