See How She Runs (The Chronicles of Izzy #1)(12)

“Are you freaking kidding me Kennan? Whose is this, one of your ex-girlfriend’s? Do you expect me to parade around like some vamped-up, sex-kitten, eye-candy in front of the man that just kidnapped me? Where are my t-shirts and holey sweat pants? Where are they?" I asked through gritted teeth. I really could not seem to get my temper under control right now.

Kennan laughed. He honest to God had the audacity to laugh at me. And not just a chuckle, he laughed his deep belly laugh that seemed to rumble and resonate through every surface around him.

“So, that’s the straw then? The choice of pajamas and the clothes are what is setting you off. It wasn’t the drugging you, or the making you pee in the woods, or even the four hour hike, it is the clothing I packed for you.” He said it laughing the entire time. Tears started to leak out of his eyes from laughing so hard at me. This at least was a trace of the Kennan I used to know, but I was too infuriated to be relieved.

“Besides, Lass, that towel covers less than those pajamas do. Yet you don’t seem to have any objections to prancing out here in it.”

“Quit calling me 'Lass,' you sound like a freaking leprechaun. Who are you? Clearly you aren’t the Kennan O’Malley I thought you were. So please, just give me something here, or I am heading back out into those woods and walking until a wolf or a bear or something eats me and I don’t have to deal with this craziness anymore!”

He sobered very quickly and nodded as if deciding it was time.

“Go put some clothes on, we will eat something and then I will tell you everything you need to know. About me, about you, and about what is happening. I promise I will try to stop calling you 'Lass'.”

I walked back to the bathroom with my sails slightly deflated and finished cleaning up. I looked in the mirror and realized I had mascara streams coming down from under each eye. Not only did I just go ballistic, but I did so looking like a glorified raccoon. Ugh. Could this day get any worse? No really, could it?

Part of me was excited about finding out what was really happening, but the other part was wary. I was not one hundred percent sure that I could trust anything Kennan said now. I headed back to my room and pulled on some long john pants and a tee. I came out of the room with my hair in damp ringlets and my makeshift pajamas.





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SEVEN





The most intoxicating smell was filling the cabin. It smelled like heaven, and I realized I had probably not eaten in a long time. I headed towards the small two person table in the kitchen and sat down while Kennan scooped some sort of pasta, chicken, veggie mix onto my plate. He brought me a glass of water as well. Even now, he still had to feed me. I really was pathetic. He sat down and we ate in companionable silence with him eyeing me warily. Even though I was bursting to know what brand of crazy he was selling, I was famished.

Once we had both finished eating, he took our plates to the small sink and rinsed them off leaving them to wash later. He returned, gesturing for me to follow him to the living room.

“Before I explain anything, before you will believe anything I try and tell you, I am going to have to show you something. I was hoping this day would never come, Iz. I never wanted this life for you. I need you to look at me closely, Iz. Really pay attention. When you feel like looking away, look a little longer. Do you understand?" he asked timidly. I just nodded. I was too curious to say anything else.

He nodded once and then muttered, “A bhidse.”

He kept saying things I did not understand and I kept watching him. Then suddenly the air around him started to shimmer and he expanded outward and upward. At the same time dark bluish-black ink swirled about his skin in intricate patterns, starting at his neck and wrapping itself under his shirt and down his arms and God knows where else. The air settled, and there stood a man that I did not know. I could not comprehend how this could be the Kennan I knew.

K.O. was tall, yes, but this man before me was 6 foot 7 at least. He was almost as broad besides. He was chorded with strong muscles. Not like a bulky weight lifter, but the kind of muscle that had come from seriously throwing his weight around with manual labor. The inky pattern had settled into some sort of Celtic scroll design that looked older than anything I had ever seen.

I got up from the sofa and went to where he was standing by the fireplace. I studied him carefully and then finally looked up into his face. His jaw was clenched, and his eyes looked blankly ahead as if he were waiting for me to scream. I saw him there, lingering in his eyes. There in his eyes was my best friend and the man that kidnapped me. So I did the only thing I could think of. I poked him. He looked down at me surprised.

“What no screaming?” he asked.

I shook my head, still too stunned to say much. But somehow this felt right. I felt as though I was seeing the Kennan I had been catching glimpses of recently. That same place in my gut that told me to avoid mister CEO was now telling me that this was the man that I had known for the past two years. There just seemed to be more of him than before.

“How did all of this fit into that?" I asked, honestly curious.

For the first time in what seemed to be ages, he relaxed. A smile danced on his lips, which seemed to be much fuller and so very appealing. Holy cow, hormones, let’s just put that on the back burner and come back to it never. Trying to distract myself, I moved back to the sofa and plopped down. Standing next to him was giving me a size complex.