The Saint (Highland Guard #5)(85)

Donald moved away from the cave when MacKay drew too close and watched from a distance. Watched every minute. At first he was pleased by what he saw. They seemed to be arguing. The foolish chit kept throwing herself at MacKay and for whatever reason, he kept rejecting her. But when MacKay kissed her, everything changed.

He couldn’t believe what he was seeing. Anger ate like acid through his chest. His blood started to burn as his body filled with rage. How could she? How could she whore herself like this?

She was giving herself to him. MacKay had his mouth on her perfect breast, his hand between her legs. He was touching her. The woman Donald had honored to make his wife was panting like a bitch in heat. The body he’d dreamed of was undulating and arching for another man’s touch. He could almost feel her pleasure wrapping around him, taunting him, humiliating him, squeezing the love from his heart.

And when he heard her cries a few moments later he wanted to kill them both. A dirk to the back of MacKay’s neck, and then into Helen’s treacherous heart.

MacKay was lifting her skirts. He would never be more vulnerable than when he was f**king her.

Fucking my woman. Damn her, she’d had her chance.

He slid the dirk from his waist, but in his eagerness the blade accidentally tinged the metal of his belt.

He swore. He saw MacKay stiffen and knew that he’d heard the small sound. Donald knew he’d made a mistake. He had to warn the others.

The haze of pleasure evaporated in a wave of panic. The heat on Helen’s skin turned to a sheet of ice. She looked around the shadowy darkness that had seemed so romantic only moments ago, but now seemed menacing and impenetrable.

If it weren’t for Magnus’s presence she would be terrified. But his presence calmed her. He wouldn’t let anything happen to them. He drew his sword, using his body to shield her, as he scanned the area.

“Where?” she whispered.

“The copse of trees on the other side of the road. But I think they’ve gone.” He steered her back into the entry of the cave and thrust a dirk in her hand. “Stay here.”

Her eyes widened to what she was sure were enormous proportions. “You’re leaving me?”

His hand cupped her cheek, and he gave her a tender smile. “Only for a moment. I need to make sure they’re gone.”

He was good to his word, never letting her out of his sight and returning only a few frantic heartbeats later, his expression grim.

“Did you find something?” she asked.

He shook his head. “Nay, but I’m certain someone was there.”

Helen shivered. “I thought I heard someone earlier.”

“What?” he roared, turning on her in not very happy-looking surprise. “When?”

She bit her lip. “When I was in the cave, I thought I heard someone by the entry. I thought it was you, trying to scare me.”

His teeth clenched as if he were fighting for patience—and losing. “Why didn’t you tell me?”

Heat burned her cheeks. “I thought I’d imagined it.”

His face darkened. “Damn it, Helen. I told you not to run off. It’s dangerous. You need to be careful.”

He was furious, but she didn’t understand why. “What is out there? What are you not telling me? Why would someone be watching us?”

His jaw clenched until his mouth turned white. He held her gaze, seeming to be warring with himself about something. Not telling her must have won. “Come on,” he said, taking her by the arm. “I need to get you back to camp. I should never have brought you here. This was a mistake.”

“What do you mean ‘a mistake’? Magnus, what’s wrong?” He wasn’t regretting what had happened between them, was he?

It was clear he wasn’t going to share his thoughts right now. He raced them back to camp as if the devil were nipping at their heels. Realizing the pace was due to his concern for her, she waited until she could see the torches and firelight of camp before forcing him to stop. “I want to know what this is all about.”

“I intend to find out, once I get you back to camp.”

Her eyes widened. “You’re going after them?” She put her hand on his arm. “Are you sure that’s wise? I thought you said it might be dangerous.”

A flicker of a amusement crossed his face. “I can take care of myself, Helen. It’s your safety that worries me.”

“Mine? But why would I be—?”

“Helen!”

She groaned, hearing the sound of her brother’s voice, coming not from the camp ahead of them but out of the darkness to the right. Good gracious, not now!

“Where have you been?” Kenneth demanded.

“Perhaps we should ask you the same thing,” Magnus interjected. “Why are you alone and away from camp?”

It was clear what he was thinking, and Helen didn’t like it. Her brother hadn’t been following them … had he?

No. If he’d been spying on them, he wouldn’t have stayed quiet. She cringed at the thought.

“Looking for my sister. When I returned from scouting and couldn’t find you, I became worried. I should have guessed MacKay would take advantage of my absence.” His eyes pinned hers. “Where were you? And why do I find you with him alone? What were you doing?”

“I asked Magnus to go with me to pick some averins for the king.”