“Best guess is that she didn’t want to lead the enemy to our gates. Another motorist headed the opposite direction said that they fired on the car and finally hit one of the tires. Eva spun into a tree and bounced off which caused the car to flip and roll.”
“Was anyone able to say who was chasing her?”
Lars shook his head. “The motorist couldn’t turn around in time to see. Eva ended up in a field. The rancher couldn’t see who got out of the car on the road because a stand of trees was blocking his view, but…” his voice trailed off.
“But what?”
“He heard a man say that it wasn’t her. They had the wrong woman.”
Sven let the words sink in. He knew exactly what it meant. “We did the right thing bringing Bryn here.”
“Agreed.” Lars held up his hand. “And, before you say it, I was wrong. Bryn is not the enemy.”
He let it slide but slapped Lars on the shoulder. “I have to go back and collect Bryn. She had to finish her shower.” He filled his guard in on how she had arrived at the castle. “I’m taking her to meet my grandmother.”
“Replacement for Eva?”
“I’m hoping. It would solve a couple of problems.”
Lars glanced at his watch. “I’m going to see Coben to see if he found anyone else who may have seen something. I’ll let you know.” He gestured toward Martin’s area. “How is Eva?”
“She’s in good hands. You know if there is any way to save Eva, Martin will figure it out.”
With a curt nod, Lars started to walk away but turned back. “Don’t forget Alitta expects you to pay a little attention to her.”
Dread flooded through Sven. He clenched his fists but knew it was his duty. “Duly noted. Tell her to meet me for dinner.”
He made his way back to Bryn’s room and stood with his back to the wall. She didn’t strike him as the type that would keep him waiting. He’d half expected her to bolt as soon as she had dressed. He honestly wouldn’t have blamed her. She wasn’t a part of this mess but had quickly become collateral damage.
He raked a hand through his hair and exhaled a long, slow breath.What the hell are you doing?
Lars wasn’t completely wrong about Bryn. Sven didn’t really know this woman. And yet, there was something about her that connected with him deep and made him unable to keep his distance.
Sven shifted his weight and leaned harder against the wall. Heat pooled low in his gut as he imagined her in the shower with water sliding down bare skin and steam caressing her body. His groin stirred as he imagined her anger evolving into passion.
He clenched his teeth hard. He couldn’t think like that. Not now. Not when he should be thinking about the mating ritual. About Alitta.
But the same passion didn’t exist with her.
He adjusted his stance. Something deep in his chest told him Bryn belonged where Alitta did not.
A sound behind the door snapped his attention back. He pictured her dropping the towel to step into clothes that would hug the curves of her body. His pulse picked up at the thought.
The door opened and almost startled him. Bryn stepped out with damp hair swinging free around her shoulders, an oversized T-shirt clung to her in the ways he’d imagined, and jeans that hugged in all the right places. She froze when she saw him standing there.
“You’re just going to wait outside the door like some kind of guard dog?”
Sven straightened but didn’t move closer. “I told you I’d meet you here in an hour.”
She glanced at her watch. “It’s only been fifty minutes. Are you early because you’re afraid I’ll disappear?”
Yes.The word sat right on his tongue but remained unspoken. Instead, he smiled. “I believe in being early rather than late. And you didn’t strike me as the type that was ever late.”
She crossed her arms with a small grin. “You would be correct.”
Her T-shirt slipped a bit and exposed more of the smooth skin on her neck and part of her shoulder. Sven gritted his teeth again. Every part of him wanted to pull her into her room, kiss her until she forgot where she was, and show her exactly how much power she had over him. Power that made absolutely no sense.
He was in trouble. Big trouble.
