But he had pierced that barrier, had seen her blood with his own eyes.
Hayden knew that wasn’t true, but that didn’t stop him from wanting to confront her, to lay claim to her body once more despite how wrong it was. He’d never had the need to take a woman regardless of the consequences, regardless of who she was. It alarmed him, but his hunger for her overshadowed everything else.
The castle door opened and drew his attention. He watched as Fallon, Lucan, and Quinn walked into the bailey. They stopped in the center and faced each other, their faces solemn and set.
“I’ll go hunting tomorrow,” Quinn said.
Fallon nodded. “Take Duncan with you. I think he may need a bit of time away.”
“I agree. His anger at what happened to Ian hasn’t diminished as I’d hoped it would. It’s only been a few days, but I’m worried.”
“Talk to him,” Lucan said. “Have Ian talk to him as well. The last thing we need is two Warriors on the edge.”
Fallon crossed his arms over his chest and shifted feet. “I agree that Hayden has always been a wee bit intense in battle, but we all are. Just because he became angry at Ian doesn’t mean anything.”
“It means a lot,” Quinn said, his voice sounding weary.
“Hayden’s problem is Isla. We all know that.” Lucan looked from Fallon to Quinn.
Fallon lifted a shoulder. “If Isla has her way, Hayden willna have a problem for long.”
“Ah, doona start,” Quinn said and ran a hand through his dark hair. “It’s all Marcail will talk about. She’s not happy we pledged to do as Isla asked. She thinks there has to be another way.”
“If there was another way, Isla would have found it,” Lucan pointed out.
Fallon held up a hand when Quinn began to speak. “You aren’t saying anything we didn’t say to Isla, Quinn. She asked for our pledge and we gave it. All we can do now is pray that Deirdre stays in her weakened state and that Logan and Galen find the artifact.”
“And that it somehow works to break Deirdre’s hold,” Quinn added.
Lucan sighed. “Aye. It’s no wonder Isla feels as if the odds are stacked against her. They are.”
“At least Ian is proving to be someone she can talk to,” Fallon said. “She needs someone she can lean on, even if she doesn’t realize that’s what she’s doing.”
“Marcail made a good choice.” Lucan smiled at his brothers.
Quinn turned back to the castle. “Speaking of my wife, she said Isla made more of those pastries. Marcail has a sweet tooth, it seems.”
Fallon slapped Quinn on the back as they started toward the castle steps. “You just want to make sure you have your share of pastries before Marcail eats them all.”
“I think she is going to give Galen a run for his money on the food around here,” Lucan said with a laugh before they entered the castle.
Hayden blew out a breath as his mind struggled to process all that he’d heard. Just what had Isla made the brothers promise? He feared he already knew what it was, and he’d be damned if he let anyone take her head.
It seemed an eternity before he saw the flicker of light from her window. Hayden didn’t hesitate to unleash his god and vault onto the side of the castle. He climbed his way up to the tower and stood in her window.
He paused, content to watch her without her notice. She looked miserable and exhausted. She looked lonely.
Hayden no longer concerned himself with the feelings that always arose when he saw Isla or thought of her. There was nothing he could do to stop them. He could try to act against them, but stopping them had proved futile.
She turned then and spotted him. “I’m not in the mood, Hayden. Please go away.”
He ignored her and jumped through the window. He landed softly. “What did you ask of the MacLeods?”
Isla rolled her eyes and began to unbraid her hair. “That’s none of your concern. Please leave.”
“Not until you tell me what I want to know.”
“You’ll be waiting a long time then.”
Irritation filled him. He’d asked a simple question. Why couldn’t she answer it? “You want them to kill you, don’t you?”
She lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted shrug. “What difference does it make?”
“It makes a difference.”
Her gaze jerked to his, and she narrowed her eyes. “Is that so? It seems that I remember quite plainly how you said you couldn’t stand to be near me. In front of everyone in the hall. What I do with my life is no concern of yours.”
“Just tell me. Please.” He hated to beg, but the need to know exactly what she had asked of the MacLeods drove him.
“Oh,” she stormed and threw up her hands. “Fine, Hayden. Aye, I did make the MacLeods vow to take my head.”
“Why?”
“Would you rather be the one to kill me? I’m sure they won’t mind if you step in for them. You’ll know when Deirdre has control of me, so don’t hesitate to do your duty.”
“Stop!” he bellowed. He stared at her, his jaw clenched tight as he fought the fury inside him, fury at her for turning to the MacLeods. “That’s not what I meant, and you know it. Now tell me why, Isla.”
She blew out a breath and glared at him. “Because I don’t want to live like this anymore. When Deirdre does find me, my death needs to be quick before she can cause me to hurt anyone else.”
“You really want this?”
“Do I want to die? Nay, but neither do I want to live in constant fear of hurting the people who I call friends.”
That made Hayden remember Ian and what brought him to her to begin with. The thought that she now shared her bed with Ian soured his stomach. “I suppose that includes Ian.”
“It does,” she answered without hesitation.
“It didn’t take you long to replace me in your bed, did it?”
Her ice-blue eyes went wide with shock and then anger. She took two steps and slapped him hard across the face.
Hayden hadn’t predicted that. His cheek stung, and he knew if he looked in a mirror there would be an imprint of her hand. He jerked his head around to give her a piece of his mind when she raised her hand to hit him again.
He captured it before she could connect it to his face a second time. To his surprise she raised the other, which he easily caught. “Not a good idea, Isla,” he ground out as he pushed her back against the wall until she was trapped.
“You’re an arse, Hayden.”
“Maybe, but at least I give my lovers a day before moving someone else into my bed.”
“You know nothing. Nothing. You speculate and assume.”
“I know what I see.”
Her chest rose and fell with each heavy breath, anger coming off her in waves. Her beautiful ice-blue eyes were bitter and hard as she glared daggers at him.
He realized then just how close to her he was. He could feel her heat, her softness, and the passion coiled tightly within her.
And it was his undoing.
He tried to look anywhere but her eyes. It was only her fury that kept him from kissing her. He’d be damned if he’d make that mistake again and get caught up in her body, forgetting everyone and everything.
THIRTY
