Irresistible in a Kilt

by Anna Durand

  "How much did you pay Logan?" I ask.

  Alex glances at me sideways. "What?"

  "You heard me. How much did you pay Logan for the two times when he helped you with your problems?"

  "Does it matter?"

  "Please, Alex, tell me."

  He lets his head fall back against the sofa, exhaling a long breath. "The first time, I paid him fifteen thousand dollars. The second time, it was twenty thousand."

  For a moment, I'm convinced I've hallucinated what he said. But I haven't. It's true.

  I turn my whole body toward him. "Why would you pay him so much?"

  "Because the missions turned out to be more complicated than they seemed, and because Logan did a fine job."

  "What about your parents? Nigel and Julia. They must've gotten out of prison sometime."

  "They were each sentenced to four years but served only two." He shuts his eyes, his expression pinched. "They tried to reclaim me, but Henry and Imogen fought to keep me. Eventually, they won. Nigel and Julia didn't want to give up, though. They tried to kidnap me twice, but both times I managed to get away from them."

  I want to touch him, to say something, but I know he needs to tell me the story in his own time.

  "Henry and Imogen took me to Cornwall when I was sixteen," he says. "They thought it would be safer for me there and harder for my charming parents to track us down. It worked for a long time, but I found out later that's because Nigel and Julia had gotten arrested again and sent back to prison."

  Imogen and Henry seem like sweet, loving people, but they clearly possess a strength and determination hidden under the surface. The way they fought for Alex proves how much they love him, and I can tell he loves them just as much. He might not have a large family like I do, but he has parents who will sacrifice anything for him.

  "Nigel and Julia were in and out of prison for years," Alex says. "They seemed to have given up on taking me back, and I let myself get comfortable in my new life. I had just received my PhD when they were given early release and decided to come for me a third time. They wanted my help in executing a dangerous con. When I refused, they threatened Henry and Imogen."

  "What did you do?"

  "I pretended I was going to cooperate when I was actually working with the police. Nigel and Julia went back to prison." He sits up, rubbing his forehead, but won't look at me. "I'd had enough of worrying when they might come back to try something worse, so I took a job in America, far away from my darling parents. Henry and Imogen came with me, and we've been here ever since."

  "Did you change your last name before or after you moved here?"

  "Before. I wanted a clean break from my past. I tried to talk Henry and Imogen into changing their last name, but they wouldn't do it."

  "I know I've asked a lot of you lately, but there's one more question I'd like to know the answer to."

  "Go on."

  "What did that police chief in New Mexico have on you? Why would he think he could blackmail you into stealing a necklace for him?"

  It's the reason I walked out on Alex twelve years ago, and I need to understand why it happened.

  "He found out who I really am," Alex says. "He had a friend in the UK who worked at Scotland Yard, so he asked that bloke to search for Alex Thorne in their databases. Since I'd changed my name legally, there was a paper trail. He found out my original parents and I had been grifters."

  "But you didn't let him use that against you. You exposed his affair with a university trustee's wife."

  Alex smiles in his sexy-smug way. "Yes, and he got what he deserved." His smile fades. "But I lost you in the process."

  "You have me now. I'm not going anywhere."

  "I know, and it doesn't disturb me as much as it used to. I hope that's all your questions because I'm ready for a lie-down."

  What can I say? What should I say? He's told me everything now, I'm sure of it, and I want to let him know how much it means to me that he trusted me with his secrets. But it might make him uncomfortable, so I'll wait until another time, when he's gotten used to this new, deeper intimacy between us.

  "Tell me something," he says. "Why did you take a job in America? You knew I lived here. Logan told you as much."

  "If you'd asked me that a few weeks ago, I would've said you tricked me and that's the only reason I took the job."

  "What do you say today?"

  I study his face for a moment, noting his tense expression and the wariness in his eyes. Though I'm not sure if he'll like my answer, I tell him the truth. "I think deep down I was hoping I'd see you again. That maybe, somehow, you would be here waiting for me."

  "And since you know I'm a conniving shit, you knew there was a better-than-average chance I'd arranged the sudden job offer."

  "Maybe."

  He finally looks at me. "Did you hope I had?"

  "Aye. But I never would have admitted to that."

  "Naturally." He raises a hand to touch my lips with his fingertips. "What have you been doing all these years?"

  "Teaching children about history. The work was sporadic, but I enjoyed it. I never could get a job at a university—until recently, after Iain became a professor at the University of the Highlands and the Islands. He asked me to give guest lectures in his classes now and then."

  "What else have you done without me?"

  "Living with my parents and living my life. A few years ago, my sister Fiona and I moved into our own house. I was Rory's legal secretary for a while, then I worked at Aidan's construction company until he married Calli. And I dated, off and on, but nothing ever came of it." I lay a hand on his cheek. "I was still in love with you. No one else can compare to Alex Thorne."

  "You're massaging my ego, aren't you? I don't need the reassurance."

  "I'm telling you the truth, that's all."

  He considers me for a moment, his gaze flitting around like he's examining every part of me. "Family is the cornerstone of your life, isn't it? You must want children."

  "I haven't thought about it."

  Alex runs a hand over his mouth. "I can't give you a family. My genetic pool is rancid. The thought of bringing another Nigel or Julia into the world is unacceptable."

  "But you are a good man, Alex. In spite of what they did to you."

  He gets up and ambles to the other side of the cabin, then glances around like he has no idea how he got there. Frowning, he comes back to me and sits on the table in front of the sofa. With his head down, he wrings his hands. "You shouldn't stay with me, Cat. It will be your undoing."

  "Rubbish. You are not evil." I clasp his hands, halting his nervous wringing. "Do you have any other family? Aunts or uncles? Cousins? What about your grandparents?"

  "I have no bloody idea." He smiles with an acidic edge. "If I have any relatives, I'm sure they're in prison."

  "You should find out. Maybe you have family who aren't criminals. They might be decent people who would love to meet you."

  He bows his head again, concentrating on our joined hands. "Henry and Imogen have harassed me occasionally about looking into my family tree. I, ah, worry about what I'll find if I do look."

  "Donnae worry, Alex. You won't be doing it alone. I'll be here with you, always."

  Lifting his head, he gazes at me like he's never seen me before.

  I kiss him, the barest touch of my lips on his. "You can think about it and let me know. But I do believe it could be good for you to find your family."

  The pilot announces over the intercom that we're about to land. Neither of us moves, and I keep holding his hands until the jet touches down on the runway and the engines wind down. Then he leads me down the stairs to the tarmac.

  We're about to confront my brothers.

  And I will punch any of them who tries to hurt Alex.

  Chapter Thirty-Three

  Alex

  When we pull up in front of the house, four burly Scots are waiting at the door. Three of th
em have their arms crossed over their chests and aim severe looks at me as I get out and come around to the passenger side to open Cat's door for her. I offer her my hand to help her up. All the while, her brothers glare at me.

  The fourth Scot, Logan, leans against the house beside the door looking relaxed and faintly amused.

  Catriona and I walk up the steps hand in hand.

  Rory's eyes narrow to slits.

  Lachlan grits his teeth hard enough to make a muscle pulse in his jaw.

  Aidan continues glaring at me, but not as hard as his brothers do.

  Cat and I stop at the top of the steps.

  I raise my brows at them. "Is this the entire delegation? Or should I expect more surly Scots to arrive and glower at me?"

  "That depends," Rory says, "on whether you give us our sister back."

  Cat stiffens beside me, and even her hand tenses. "Give me back? Ahmno a car Alex borrowed from you."

  "If he did borrow my car," Lachlan says, "he wouldn't give it back, would he? We've all heard about Alex Thorne's definition of borrowing."

  "Have you?" I say. "I suppose it's not unlike your definition of overkill. You're misinformed, anyway. I return the things I borrow."

  I don't ask permission first, but that's nothing Lachlan needs to know.

  That muscle pulses in his jaw again. "What are you havering about?"

  Cat nudges me with her elbow but doesn't let go of my hand. "He means you've gone too far, Lachie, but you won't admit it."

  "Too far?" Lachlan takes a single step toward us. "I haven't gone far enough if my sister is living with the British Bastard."

  "I prefer Limey Louse," I tell him. "But this is all an assortment of moot points. Catriona is a grown woman who makes up her own mind."

  "Aye," she says, "and I've made up my mind to be with Alex."

  Logan steps forward and announces, in a calm voice that implies he doesn't give a toss about any of this, "Let's go inside to continue this conversation. I'd hate to have to clean up the mess when you three push Alex down the steps and he breaks every bone in his body. It's hell washing blood off my hands."

  Oh yes, I'm well acquainted with Logan's bizarre sense of humor. Most of the MacTaggart men share his unusual sensibility, but none do it as expertly or with as much inherent menace as Logan.

  Cat and I follow her brothers and Logan into the house, but they stop us in the main hall, just past the foyer. Her brothers take up a large amount of the space in the wide hall. Logan leans against the wall, like he had outside, while his cousins round on me in unison.

  And Cat is still holding my hand.

  Waiting for Reginald Hewitt to make his move has been a new kind of torture. I won't wait for the Three Macs, aka Cat's brothers, to lunge at me.

  "You want to beat me," I say, spreading my arms wide. "So go on and do it."

  Logan arches a single brow, but his bland expression doesn't change.

  Rory looks at Lachlan, who shrugs and looks at Aidan. The youngest of the Three Macs holds up his hands.

  "Donnae ask me," Aidan says. "This was your idea, Rory. You and Lachlan dragged me into this. Maybe Alex isn't the worst human being on the planet after all."

  "What?" Rory snaps, almost shouting the word. "Ye cannae be serious. He's a con man, Aidan. Who knows what he's doing to Catriona."

  Cat rushes up to Rory and stabs a finger into his chest. "You have no idea who Alex is or what he's done. I know everything. That means I'm the only one here who's qualified to judge his character." She stabs her finger into Rory even harder, making him wince the slightest bit. "Alex Thorne is a good man, and I love him."

  Her brothers freeze, not blinking, their expressions going blank.

  Logan smiles in the subtle way I've come to know as Logan the Ex-Spy enjoying the show. He seems to like it when his cousins turn into barbarians bent on destroying me, but he really gets cheerful when their own sister shocks them into silence. I know this because his smile slowly broadens into a devious grin.

  Rory aims his blank stare at Catriona. "You what?"

  "I love Alex," she says, enunciating each word with exaggerated precision. "I will not leave him because you three are determined to smother me with your overprotective nonsense."

  "But he—That man is—" Rory shakes his head, his face the picture of pure confusion, and flaps a hand toward me. "He's the British Bastard."

  Cat takes half a step backward and scans her gaze over all of her brothers. Shoulders back, chin held high, she tells them, "None of you will ever again call Alex the British Bastard or the Limey Louse or any of those other names I made up for him. It's over. I'm staying with Alex, and you had better get used to the idea."

  Lachlan opens his mouth.

  She holds up a hand. "Haud yer wheesht, Lachie."

  He closes his mouth.

  I can't stop myself from smiling. I might actually be grinning. Catriona has silenced her much larger, very annoyed brothers. Rory, the Steely Solicitor, is speechless. Lachlan is afraid to speak after being chastised by his sister. Aidan… Well, he's gone back to his usual demeanor, bright-eyed and entertained by the proceedings.

  Logan winks at me.

  What does that mean? I have no idea, but I'm sure he's expressing solidarity in some strange, Logan-like way.

  Cat looks at me over her shoulder. "Is it all right if I fill them in on the problem we're having?"

  For a second, I have no clue what she means. Then it dawns on me, and I nod. "Why not? Since they came all this way to wage war against someone, might as well redirect that energy toward a genuine threat."

  She moves to stand by me again, her hand slipping into mine.

  I listen while Cat explains the Reginald situation to her brothers and Logan. He already knows what Reginald did last year, but he gets that deadly calm look on his face as he hears what's happened lately.

  When Cat finishes reading them in on the situation, it's after ten o'clock. We've already gotten sandwiches from the kitchen and eaten them in my study while discussing the Reginald problem. Logan, of course, has ideas that involve him belly-crawling through the woods and waylaying Reggie if he tries to sneak onto the premises. I wish I'd been there to see how Logan dealt with Falk Mullane. It would have been fantastic entertainment.

  Everyone agrees we need to sleep on it. We'll have fresh ideas in the morning, after a good night's rest.

  I'm sitting in the chair behind my desk, watching the Three Macs and Logan walk out the door and head upstairs.

  Cat, who had been sitting on the window ledge, sashays over to me and settles her lovely bottom on my lap. She slouches down so she can rest her head on my shoulder, looping her arms around me. "Everything will work out. You'll see. My brothers are willing to help you, which means they've accepted you, at least provisionally."

  "How comforting. I can sleep soundly knowing they won't murder me tonight, but maybe they'll do it tomorrow."

  "No, they won't. Not unless they want to be murdered next."

  "You would kill your brothers to avenge my death?"

  "Aye." She smiles sweetly, which seems incongruous with our conversation. But then, we're only joking. She nuzzles my cheek. "You are a good man, Alex. They'll see that, eventually."

  Pressure bears down on my chest, but it's not a bad feeling. A sort of excitement rushes through me, and I can't hold back anymore. I've wondered what's come over me since Cat announced she loves me, but tonight I know the answer.

  I cup her cheek and murmur, "I love you, Cat."

  She smiles again, with so much sweetness and affection that it seems to light her up from the inside out. "I love you too."

  Our lips meet, and I'm not sure if I kiss her or she kisses me. Does it matter? Her mouth is warm and soft and welcoming, and so is her body. I want to make love to her, but I'm too knackered for that.

  "Let's go to bed," I say, standing up and holding her in my arms. "In the morning, we'll all come up w
ith a plan. Somehow. Preferably one that doesn't get us killed."

  She kisses my cheek. "For once in your life, look on the bright side. You're not alone anymore. Not only do you have me, but you've got my brothers and cousins too."

  "Cousins plural? I knew it. More of your family are on the way."

  "Not yet. They'll come if we need them."

  I carry her up to my bedroom, and we both undress in silence. Once we've crawled under the covers, she snuggles up to me the way she often does lately. I like it. Which is bizarre. I've never cared for physical intimacy—except for sex, and then only while we're shagging. But with Catriona, I've always enjoyed this kind of closeness. I'd forgotten how much I liked it until she showed me.

  "Good night," I whisper to her, "my beautiful, sweet, fiery Cat."

  She stretches an arm over my chest to hug me. "Good night, Alex."

  For the first time in longer than I can remember, I fall asleep right away.

  And I dream of Cat.

  Chapter Thirty-Four

  Catriona

  Distant shouting rouses me from a deep sleep, but my foggy brain can't interpret what I'm hearing. Is that Rory? Or Lachlan? I rub my eyes and take a deep breath to wake myself up, but the smell of smoke fills my nostrils. Alex doesn't smoke cigarettes. I push up, straightening my arms, blinking furiously while I struggle to sort out the signals my brain is receiving.

  A fist pounds on the bedroom door. "Catriona! Alex! Wake up, the house is on fire!"

  "What?" I say in a groggy voice.

  The sleepiness lasts only a split second more, then reality wallops me in the face.

  Smoke seeps under the door into the room as a faint wisp, but the smell of it surrounds me.

  My pulse pounds in my ears. My breaths shorten. I punch Alex's arm and shout, "Wake up! Alex, wake up!"

  He rouses as slowly as I had, but catches on much faster, hurling the covers off us and leaping off the bed.

  I leap off it too, but suddenly realize we're both naked.

  Alex is thinking faster than I am, though. He grabs two dressing gowns and tosses one at me while he yanks on the other one. I've just gotten mine on when he seizes my hand and tows me out the door.