“You’re so not okay, Bas. Tell me what you need,” Bridget said, panicking just a little. The creature still wanted her, and Bas would burn Dublin to the ground before it let it enslave her again.
Bas wrapped his arms around her and buried his face in the crook of her neck like he had longed to do for days. He breathed her scent deep into his lungs and held her tight.
“Just need this,” he said, kissing the side of her neck. “Just you.”
18
Bridget was still trying to keep Bas upright when a big guy with dark hair strode purposely toward them. All of Bridget’s self-defense training instantly put her on high alert. She pulled Bas behind her.
“Is he okay? Do you need—” the stranger began, reaching for Bas.
“Don’t touch him, or I’ll rip your fucking face off,” Bridget snarled. She had trained with bigger guys than him and knew exactly where to hit.
“‘s okay. He’s an Ironwood,” Bas said brokenly and began to sway. “Lachie.”
Bridget caught him as he fainted. His dead weight started to drag her to the ground when the big guy lifted him in his arms.
“As he slurred so eloquently, I’m Lachlan. Kenna sent me here to make sure everything went okay with the Beauchamps. She wasn’t sure John would let you in. You must be Bridget,” he said with a friendly smile.
“Ah, yeah. How did you know?”
“Family gossip tree. Follow me. I got a car around the corner,” Lachlan replied.
Bridget knew better than to get into a stranger’s car, but she wasn’t about to let him go anywhere with Bas when he was unconscious.
Bridget got in the SUV, and Bas was laid out in the back beside her, his head cradled in her lap. She was trying not to freak out, so she brushed her fingers through his dark curls.
“Okay, Bridget, tell me what happened?” Lachlan asked as he turned the car on.
“Not until we get to the Greatdrakes manor. I don’t know you, and I don’t trust you with Bas. If the other Greatdrakes clear you, I’ll tell you all at the same time,” she said stubbornly.
Lachlan didn’t seem offended. “Smart, but if it’s Apollo you’re doing a character check with, don’t expect him to say nice things about me.”
“Why is that? What did you do to him?” Bridget demanded.
“I haven’t done anything to him. That’s the problem,” he sighed. “I think if he gave me the chance to do things to him, then we would both be better off.”
Bridget sensed a story there but knew better than to ask.
Less than ten minutes later, they pulled into a side street, and Lachlan put a code into a keypad that Bridget swore hadn’t been there a second beforehand.
“Let’s hope Ironwoods are still on the friendly list,” Lachlan said.
The wall beside them shivered and melted to reveal a driveway leading down into a parking lot. A thrill shook Bridget to her core. She had always been in love with magic in books, but seeing it for herself made her want to cry and laugh at the same time.
Bridget let herself believe for one moment that she really could have magical abilities, and her whole body filled with light before she shut it down again. Some things were dangerous to want that much. Her eyes drifted down to the man in her lap.Definitely too dangerous to want him, too, but she did, gods damn it.
Lachlan pulled into a spare parking bay in an underground garage full of cars.
“Oh, shit,” he murmured.
Bridget followed his gaze where Apollo had come charging in, eyes blazing gold and so angry, he looked like he was about to blow the car up.
“Are yousureyou didn’t do anything to him?” Bridget asked.
Lachlan groaned. “Believe me, I’m sure.”
“What the fuck are you doing here?” Apollo demanded.
