Highlander Most Wanted (The Montgomerys and Armstrongs #2)(57)

“I am not worth such vehemence,” she said, refusing to meet his gaze.

He captured her chin and forced her to look at him. His eyes were angry, and his lips were drawn into a tight line.

“You’re worth it to me.”

She knew not what to say. She stared back at him in befuddlement.

Leaning forward, he pressed a kiss to her forehead and rose from the bed.

“I’ll see you to Taliesan’s chamber and have her attend you. Perhaps ’tis best if you remain above stairs until I’ve made my case clear to the rest of the clan. You’ll not remain a prisoner of your own chamber, though. You are free to come and go as you please, and ’tis something you should be able to do without fear of attack. I’ll ensure that it is so.”

“I know not why you do this for me,” she said, her heart squeezing in her chest.

He extended his hand to help her from the bed.

“Because ’tis something that should have been done for you long ago.”

Chapter 27

Bowen walked Genevieve to Taliesan’s chamber door, but when she started to go within he grasped her hand and gently tugged her back.

Surprise flared in her eyes as he pulled her to him and lowered his head to sweep her mouth in another kiss.

It was like being set fire to. He felt more alive than he’d ever felt. God’s bones, but he wanted nothing more than to sequester them both in a locked chamber where he could hold her and kiss her for the rest of the day.

Hellfire. Forever was more to his liking.

She gave the sweetest sigh, and it gave him even more pleasure that he was able to please her. ’Twas obvious the lass had never known a gentle hand, nor had she ever experienced the joys of loving.

It had angered and saddened him that she’d said his kiss was her first. Oh, he knew he hadn’t been the first man ever to kiss her, but ’twas obvious her meaning. He’d been the only man ever to softly woo her with tender, passionate kisses.

He dragged himself reluctantly away and then bade her to go inside and close the chamber door. As he stood there, staring at the closed door, he was struck by the thought that he could well be in love with her.

It was such a stunning discovery that he could no more than stand rigid as he was pelted with all the ramifications.

In love.

The more he played with the idea, the more he realized that it was truth. He well knew how a man looked and acted when he was in love. Graeme had certainly fallen hard for his wife, and now Bowen had done the same for a lass who was trouble. A lot of trouble.

He was torn between marching into Taliesan’s chamber and telling Genevieve he loved her, and damn the consequences, and going below stairs to address the issue of her safety within the clan walls. And then he needed to configure a plan to remove her from here as soon as possible.

Only there were many problems with that.

One, he had to tread very carefully with Genevieve. She would not take his declaration well, and it might drive her away and any progress he’d made in gaining her trust would be gone.

The lass had been damaged by all that had been done to her. It wasn’t something that was going to disappear from her memory overnight. She would require careful wooing and an extraordinary amount of patience on his part.

Two, he didn’t want to be parted from her, so the idea of removing her from McHugh Keep with all haste left him with a dead sensation in his chest. He was needed here, and there was no timeline for how long. His brother needed his aid, and he would provide it, no matter what. But neither did he want Genevieve exposed to such venom on a daily basis.

’Twas a perplexing conundrum, to be sure. He wasn’t at all sure he liked this matter of love.

Testy and irritable, he turned from Genevieve’s door and put distance between it and him before he lost what measure of control he was maintaining and burst into her chamber like a lad declaring his love for the first woman he fell for.

By the time he reached the hall, he was gripped by agitation and he scowled at everyone who crossed his path.

’Twas enough to set to rumor that he was intent on killing someone again. His brother and Brodie hurried to him in the courtyard, their concern apparent as they approached.

“What ails you?” Teague asked warily. “I hear you’re on another rampage.”

Brodie stood silent, watching the interchange between the brothers as if he was loath to intervene in any way.

Bowen arched an eyebrow. “What makes you say such?”

“We were told you had plans to kill another McHugh. I wanted to see what sin had been committed this time.”

Irritation bit sharply at Bowen. “You say that as if there was no sin committed before.”

Teague’s eyes narrowed and he suddenly became very serious. No longer were his words flippant or drawn out for effect.

“The lass’s being attacked hardly constitutes no transgression.” His brow was etched with anger and his eyes blazed. “ ’Twas not my intention to discount what the lass went through. ’Tis enough. She should suffer no more. No matter my feelings about her or the sins she has committed. No one deserves such treatment.”

Bowen crossed his arms over his chest and nodded his satisfaction. “ ’Tis glad I am to hear you say so.”

Teague scowled. “How could you think otherwise? I believe you’ve handed me great insult. When have I ever condoned the mistreatment of those weaker, especially a mere slip of a lass?”