Because You're Mine(21)
He followed her, reaching for her arm as she reached her bedroom door. “Is that all it is, Alanna?”
She turned to face him, and her hand crept to her belly. “You know I’m grateful for all you’ve done. Liam’s dad is powerful. He scares me.”
“He can’t touch you now.” His fingers tightened on her arm. “You know how I feel about you. I’ll protect you from him.”
She searched his inscrutable gaze. “It makes for a romantic story. Tragic widow saved by handsome manager. A fairy-tale news article that makes the fans rush to the next concert. Was it all about protecting the money you’ve poured into promoting Ceol?”
His intense gaze scorched her. “You know it’s more than that. I love you, Alanna.”
She’d hoped he wouldn’t say the words for a while. If nothing else, she found Barry physically attractive with his broad shoulders and the way his blond hair fell over his forehead. He was like a young lion, proud and aristocratic, with a gleam in his blue eyes that told the world he intended to own all he surveyed. And right now that gaze was fixed on her.
“I’ve always wanted you.” He reached out to cup her cheek. “You’re so beautiful. You make me feel alive.”
His eyes burned with an intensity that made her want to turn and run, but the passion was compelling in some way too. What woman didn’t want to be desired? But love was more than that, and she couldn’t forget Liam’s warm brown eyes so quickly. She turned away so his hand fell from her face, then stepped into her bedroom and shut the door.
Nine
Though she’d been convinced she’d never sleep a wink after the turmoil of the night, Alanna awoke to bright sunshine flooding her room. She rolled over and looked at the clock. Nearly eight. She sat up and pushed her heavy red hair out of her face. Her fingers itched to practice her fiddle. There’d been little time for it in the days leading up to the wedding.
Everything would seem different this morning in the daylight.
Her cell phone rang and she scrambled to grab it from her purse. Glancing at the screen, her gut twisted. She wanted to fling it away, but he’d just keep calling until she answered, so she forced herself to flip it open. “Alanna here.”
Thomas’s voice boomed out. “What’s this nonsense about remarrying? If this is a ploy to keep my grandchild away from me, it won’t work, lass.” He said something else, but the words cut out.
Her pulse rebounded in her chest. She moved to the window and got an extra bar on her phone. “It’s not nonsense, Thomas. In fact, I’m already married. The wedding was yesterday.” When he didn’t answer right away, she lifted the phone from her ear and stared at it. Had he hung up on her? She put it back to her ear. “Thomas? Did you hear what I said?”
“What daft thing have you done, Alanna?” His voice was hard, but shaken. “I saw it in the newspaper, but I thought it had to be wrong.”
“I’m married to an American now. All your political power can’t touch me.”
“That baby is all we have left of Liam.”
“And I would have shared him with you if you hadn’t threatened to take my son from me.”
The sound of teeth grinding came over the phone before he spoke again. “I’ve never liked you, Alanna. You’re showing your tinker roots with this little move. Does your new husband know about your past?”
She didn’t answer. He would sense the lie if she gave it. “This is useless, Thomas. I’ll be ringing off now.”
“Wait, you can’t do this! We want to see our grandson.”
“You can come here and see him anytime.” The thought of not seeing the green hills and valleys of her homeland brought a lump to her throat, but she had to protect her baby. Liam would expect her to protect their child. Though Thomas’s political power was lessened by her marriage, she didn’t trust him.
“Cheers, Thomas.” She closed her phone. It rang again a few moments later, and she turned it off.
Thwarting Thomas should have felt good, but his dismay left her with a hollow sensation. She didn’t like hurting people, but what else could she be doing? Thomas’s power reached across every facet of Irish life.
But she’d disarmed him in one blow and in a way he hadn’t expected. All thanks to Barry’s generosity. Her heart warmed at the thought of all her new husband had done for her. What a great bloke.
After showering and dressing, she walked past Barry’s empty bedroom and descended the stairs with her fiddle in her hand. The place was needing a woman’s touch. The first thing on her agenda would be to wash the streaky windows and sweep the front porch, make it more welcoming.
She heard no movement in the kitchen or living room. Through the kitchen window, she saw Grady working in the yard. His dyed orange mohawk was garish in the sunlight. She’d meant to ask Barry why he hadn’t mentioned his brother to her. Where was Barry? The mansion felt empty.
She carried her fiddle case to the front porch. The early May morning already shimmered with humidity laced with the promise of heat. She saw no sign of Barry, and the Mercedes no longer sat in the driveway. She laid down her case and decided to go for a walk in the cool of the morning.
Dew still hung in pristine droplets from the flowers blooming along the flagstone path that wound through the garden. With grass on one side and flowers on the other, she wandered through the expansive acreage. The birds sang out from the shelter of the live oaks and cypress she passed. Even in the bright daylight, the water was a sluggish black. Murky and unappealing. She made sure not to get too close.