“Well, whenyou’re ready, come on out and I’ll have a glass ready. Tomorrow, I’ll get winebrought in in case you don’t like the whisky.”
“Phin?”
“Aye, love?”
“Thank you.”
I cocked myhead. “For what?”
“Listening.”
I nodded.“Always.”
I turned andwalked down the hall, once again having to force myself not to wrap her in myarms and hold her until her demons disappeared. I had never experiencedanything harder than having her so close and not being able to touch her.
CHAPTER TEN
Lennox
GOODLORD, THE man was illegally gorgeous. And sweet. I hadn’t expected that. He wasan imposing figure, and the fact that he’d technically kidnapped me should giveme pause in trusting him, yet I did. Trust him, that was. With my whole being.
I flopped backon the bed and dragged my hands down my face. I should ask myself how I’d gottenmyself in this pickle, but I already knew. I had always had a little voiceinside of me that asked questions. Thewrongquestions according to myfather. And now I was ensconced in a remote cabin somewhere in Scotland with aman I was undoubtedly attracted to, and although I knew I could leave if Iforced the issue… I didn’t really think I wanted to.
Leave, that was.
But that wascrazy. I should want to leave. I should escape and run as far away as I could,but where would I go?
Being with myfather and his cronies was no safer than being here. At least, I felt like Icould breathe here.
I let out a puffof breath and sat up. There was no point in trying to solve anything when I washalf-asleep and sad.
I climbed out ofbed and ran a brush through my hair before wrapping a robe around my waist andheading out to discover the wonders of whisky.
* * *
Phineas
I stood next to the chair in thetiny little front room as I ‘listened’ to Lennox war with her emotions and didmy best not to interfere. I closed my eyes and breathed as evenly as I could. Icouldn’t let her feel my fear.
What she wasn’tgrasping was that shewassafe here. One hundred percent. But she alsodidn’t understand that now that I’d found her, I’d never let her go. She couldrun, but I’d follow and bring her back every time. There would never beanywhere she could hide from me.
I took anotherdeep breath and listened to her heart, willing it to beat with mine, uncoilingmy body when she finally resolved to join me for a drink.
I smiled. Lennoxwas a miracle. The way she was able to work out her emotions with logic andkindness never failed to amaze me. Yes, she was frightened, but she waslearning to trust me and I would not take that for granted.
Unfortunatelyfor the chair, however, I worked outmyemotions on its arm crushing thewood, so hard it bowed in the middle. It had been made sturdy enough that Ididn’t fully destroy it, but the damage would still raise questions.
I switched thechair with one from the makeshift office in the back, before using my gift oftelekinesis to clean up the broken glass from earlier, getting all of thepieces into the rubbish bin just before Lennox padded into the room.
I handed her afresh glass of whisky and waited with bated breath while she lifted the glassto her lips.
“Don’t gulp,” Iwarned. “It’ll burn.”
“Oh, okay.” Shetook a small sip and swallowed, but was still unable to stop a cough, pattingher chest as she took in the liquid. “Wow.”
“Are you okay?”
She nodded,taking another sip. This time she didn’t cough. “I like it.”
