Reclaimed

by Diane Alberts

  Unfair.

  Surprisingly enough, he spoke true. She closed her eyes and chewed on the tender meat, groaning in pure culinary delight.

  “Oh my God, you’re right! I would never have thought it could be so good. It’s moist, and tender, and, and, and…delectable.” She gazed from her steak to his and fought down disappointment. What had once appeared perfect now seemed overcooked and bland.

  Isaac laughed and casually flicked his wrist. Immediately, the waiter arrived by his side. “Please, I must have made an error. Can we have another steak, done rare as well? The lady will eat mine, as we wait.” He handed off her previous order before she had a chance to object and placed his plate in front of her. “Now, please do enjoy.”

  “Oh, no. I can’t. You just gave me your dinner, the least I can do is wait. You didn’t have to do that!” she exclaimed. Her face heated as she realized what she’d just done. She’d just stolen his dinner.

  Good first-date move, Sabrina.

  Yet even as she protested, she stole a peek out of the corner of her eye at the plate before her. It looked irresistible. She fleetingly wondered if they’d drugged it. The waiter returned inexplicably fast, holding another plate.

  “Here you are, sir. Sorry about the wait.” He observed Isaac for approval before refilling their wine glasses and leaving.

  “Here, give me yours,” Isaac murmured as he reached across the table. He snatched up her plate before she could as much as blink in surprise, switching them yet again.

  “Isaac, please.” She moaned. “You’re killing me here.” She dropped her head to her hands in embarrassment.

  “Hey, don’t do that,” he soothed. “It’s okay. I want your dinner to be perfect. How else will I get you to agree to see me again?”

  She met his teasing eyes, and a grin tugged at her lips despite her hot cheeks.

  “Why would you want to see me again? Are you on a diet?”

  His mouth quirked until he threw his head back and burst into laughter. Sabrina saw several people—women, to be exact—glance over at his laugh. “My, God, you’re delightful.”

  She grinned and leaned toward him to whisper. “I think you’re just trying to make me feel better for stealing your dinner.”

  “The fact that I let you do it shows how very much I like you, my dear. I don’t share well.” He smiled crookedly.

  “Neither do I. So back off my plate before I stab you with my fork,” she warned, while raising the silver in a threatening manner. They both laughed, and the awkwardness of her stealing his meal—twice—disappeared.

  Thank God.

  ***

  A strange stillness sat in the air outside Sabrina’s house. No trees swayed in the breeze, no animals scampered in the forest, as if the world itself had come to a halt.

  Uneasiness rolled over her, and she studied Isaac out of the corner of her eye. Surprisingly, he seemed to be as tense as her. His grip on her arm was tighter than necessary, and his lips were pressed together as well. She could feel the tension pulsating off his body, and she got taken back into her dreams. For the first time in real life, he made her shiver in apprehension. As if sensing her fear, he shot her a quick grin.

  “Well, I had a lovely evening.” He spoke over his shoulder as he practically dragged her to the door. She stumbled in an attempt to keep up with his pace. At the door he pointedly stared at her, causing her to realize he waited for her to open it. She fumbled through the mess she called a purse to find the key. She turned to him and smiled as she studied him through the cover of her eyelashes.

  “Would you like to come in for a nightcap? I have wine…or coffee…or tea, or....” She stuttered to a stop, unsure of what to say.

  God, she sounded like such an idiot.

  Nightcap?

  Who the heck said nightcap anymore?

  “While I’d love to take you up on that offer, I have something I have to take care of tonight. Could I get a rain check? For say, tomorrow night? We could do a movie and wine? Or is tomorrow too soon in the dating world?”

  “No, not too soon at all. I’d love to see you tomorrow.” She tried to hide her disappointment behind a bright smile. “You can call me, and we’ll firm up a time. Good night.”

  She turned to go inside and got caught off-guard when he grabbed her elbow and spun her to face him. It happened so quickly she leaned back against the door in confusion; one hand on the doorknob and the other braced against the cool steel of the door. He moved his body closer to hers and placed his hand at her head. His other hand cupped her cheek while his thumb stroked her jaw line. All thought fled as his body pressed against hers, and a small swoosh of air escaped her lips at his touch.

  “I didn’t think it even possible for you to grow more beautiful, but you have proven me wrong.” When his lips met hers, she lost all thought, all ability to move. She’d somehow been tied to this spot—this man.

  She needed to be like this. To have his arms around her, his lips on hers. The emotions washing over her were so powerful that if he hadn’t supported her with his weight, she’d have fallen to a heap on the ground.

  When he ended the kiss, it took all of her control to stand upright. She fought the urge to fling herself at him and knock him to the ground in her haste to seduce him.

  To have him inside her.

  He stroked her cheek one last time and ran his thumb across her lower lip, pleasantly swollen from his kiss. It tingled at his gentle touch, and she quaked.

  “Good night, Sabrina.”

  “Good night.”

  He reached around her trembling body to push open the door she still rested against for support, and Sabrina half-expected him to follow her inside despite his earlier words, but the door clicked shut. She sagged against it and closed her eyes as she remembered his gentle touch, his lips burning against hers.

  “Lock up,” he said through the door. She jerked guiltily, almost scared he could read her thoughts, and did as he asked. His car engine revved to life, and she listened as he sped away.

  She stumbled to the couch and collapsed into the cushions before she pressed shaking fingers to her lips. She longed to feel his lips against hers again. Preferably, right now.

  Ugh, she had to get control of herself, or she’d be like one of those crazy people planning their wedding after the first date. Though she had always wanted a June wedding….

  She thrust away visions of herself walking down the aisle in a stunning, strapless white gown and forced a deep, calming breath. She didn’t want to scare him away by being overly excited, or too clingy.

  She needed him too badly.

  ***

  Isaac’s hands gripped the wheel so tight he wondered if he might snap it in half. When the cool leather wheel started to bend under the pressure, he forced himself to loosen his hold. Leaving Sabrina hadn’t been as easy as he might have hoped. But he had a job to do. A job that, unfortunately, required he’d leave her.

  He shouldn’t have kissed her goodbye, he acknowledged grudgingly. His control hung by a mere thread, ready to snap at a moment’s notice. Her soft lips under his had almost done him in, and still haunted him.

  Cursing loudly, he slammed his foot on the brake. While fantasizing, he had almost run through the red light shining above. Bloody hell, he hated cars. He couldn’t exactly blame the car, but he did despise them.

  No, it was his fault, and his alone. He needed to stop obsessing and start paying attention. Too many mistakes had already been made. He’d set the plan in motion, and he would stick to it, by God.

  This time, he would win.

  Arriving at his destination, he shut off the engine and sighed in relief as he exited the sports car he called his. He set off toward the forest and forced himself to concentrate on the matter at hand.

  Someone lurked in the woods.

  ***

  “Sabrina, Sabrina, what should I do with you? How will I keep you safe, my love?” He caressed her chin in feather-light strokes, and her heartbeat qu
ickened as she trembled at his soft touch.

  “I don’t know what you mean. I’m safe. I’m with you.”

  “Yes, of course, Sabrina. But you have to trust me and come with me.” He smiled at her and held her gaze, and she caught her breath.

  “Where?”

  “Trust me,” he whispered. “Let me in.”

  “Let you in? We’re in the middle of a forest.” She made a sweeping gesture with her hand.

  “We’ll go to your house, and you can let me in. Let’s go.”

  He held his hand out, and she studied it before putting her hand in his. He seemed to be in a good mood tonight, at least. Something that must have been triumph entered his eyes, and he swept her into his arms. Knowing what came next, she closed her eyes and grabbed his neck.

  When he twisted her in his arms so she stood behind his back, instead of running as she’d expected, she looked around in confusion. She hadn’t even seen him move her. She yelped at the unexpected action and clutched his shirt in fear. Isaac shoved her to the forest ground to hunker down in front her.

  A feral snarl broke the silence of the night, and she sought out the beast that made the terrifying sound. She blanched when she realized no beast made the noise—Isaac had.

  Isaac? No, that couldn’t be right….

  In front of them, a dark form landed in a crouch, causing Isaac to growl louder. She stumbled away when the shadow straightened, and she saw Isaac.

  No, it couldn’t be Isaac. Isaac stood right in front of her. Yet he looked identical to the man she gripped in fear. What the hell was going on?

  “Stay away from her,” growled the new Isaac.

  “I will not.”

  “She is mine. I will fight you for her.”

  “Go ahead and try, baby brother.”

  Brother? Well, at least it explained the resemblance—but it still freaked her out. Even for a dream. Hoping they were distracted arguing, she crept backward. Her legs shook as she stealthily separated herself from the scene in front of her. Though she knew she dreamed, the fear coursing through her felt very, very real. Every instinct in her screamed to get away.

  Now.

  “Sabrina!”

  She groaned at the shout and broke into a full run. She didn’t need to worry about being quiet anymore—but she needed to run as fast as her little legs could manage.

  Stinking short legs.

  She glanced over her shoulder nervously and caught a glimpse of the fighting brothers. Not daring to watch, she turned back to her flight, only to tumble to the ground. Her foot had gotten stuck in a grasping root, and it twisted painfully from her fall. Her hands burned where rocks had scraped into the tender skin, and her ankle throbbed.

  When her stubby legs weren’t slowing her down, her damn clumsiness did the trick.

  Knowing she couldn’t waste time nursing her wounds, she yanked, pulled, and cursed at her foot, but could not get loose.

  Come on…couldn’t she catch a break?

  A thud sounded beside her, and Isaac reached for her foot. She screamed and pulled free, falling backward from the power. Isaac hovered over her, his face bathed in concern, and she shoved him away using all her force. His widening eyes and mouth falling open comically as he tumbled flat on his back were the last things she saw.

  She jumped to her feet and ran away from him as fast as her short, annoyingly clumsy legs could take her, and didn’t look back.

  ***

  Sabrina sat upright in her bed, panting for breath. A glance at the clock told her it was a few minutes past one. Her body still trembled from the adrenalin rush she’d experienced in her sleep, and her legs ached from her desperate escape earlier.

  Wait, why did her legs hurt? It’s not like she’d actually been running. It had been a dream. She brushed her hair out of her face in confusion and flinched at the stinging pain in her palms.

  Her hands shook as she reached for the light beside her bed. The first try, her hand slipped off the switch, the second she knocked over the cup next to her bed, the third she plain old missed, and the fourth, she finally succeeded in turning on the stupid light. She blinked rapidly as she waited for her eyes to adjust to the blinding light. Once she could see again, she raised her hands in front of her face with dawning dread. Blood and dirt streaked her palms. She bolted out of bed and screeched when she noticed the dirt and leaves scattered across the sheets.

  She clutched the edge of the bed for support as dark spots swam before her vision. Dismayed, she realized that for the first time in her life, she was going to faint.

  Chapter Four

  Sabrina noticed three things upon awakening. First, she wasn’t on the floor. Second, morning had come. And last, she didn’t have dirt all over her any longer. Her hair seemed damp to the touch, yet she couldn’t remember having showered. She hopped out of bed and ripped the covers back.

  Spotless.

  A glance at her hands revealed they were a little red, though they no longer stung or had blood on them. She sank onto the edge of the bed and dangled her feet. What exactly had happened last night? Had she dreamed she had woken up, when in reality she had still been sleeping?

  It had happened before, many times. She was a writer, for God’s sake. Overactive imagination kind of came with the trade.

  But why were her hands sore? And why couldn’t she remember showering?

  It sounded feasible she had been distracted yesterday by thoughts of Isaac and walked around in a daze, preparing for bed and not paying attention. It made much more sense than believing she dreamt about being in the forest while two Isaacs fought over her, only to awaken dirty and hurt.

  Now that would be impractical.

  ***

  Frustration coursed through Isaac’s tense muscles as he thought of Sabrina. He’d had his second-in-command, Connor, watching Sabrina, and discovered his fears had come true. His bloody brother came to her in her dreams. Isaac had been dream-stealing—so to speak—and he’d seen Elijah come to her. He’d managed to scare Elijah away while not being seen all the other dreams, until tonight. Tonight, he’d lost his cool. It only made sense when, upon first seeing her in the tavern, she’d look at him as if she’d seen a ghost. No one looked at someone in something akin to horror and excitement unless they had a damn good reason to do so.

  He knew why he gaped at her, of course, but she had no excuse.

  He wondered how long his brother had been appearing to her, and if she thought Elijah was actually Isaac, appearing to her in her sleep.

  That left just one question running through his mind: could any of that be used to his advantage, rather than his disadvantage?

  He wished he could hear what she had going through her head this morning, and that he kept her company in her bed so he could question her. Tactfully, of course, so she wouldn’t run away, screaming for help.

  He knew with a certainty he couldn’t explain, or describe, as he sat thinking of her, she surely attempted to make sense of her “dreams.” She’d probably insist to herself they were just dreams—nothing more. She probably sat in her normal little world, analyzing her normal little life, and tried to make all the latest occurrences fit into a pretty little box.

  Unfortunately, in his world, and now hers, it wouldn’t be bloody possible.

  ***

  Damn it, Elijah really hated Isaac sometimes.

  He’d been the one to find Sabrina first…not Isaac. He’d been the one courting her since she first came to England…not Isaac. And yet, once again, his brother swooped in to win the girl. It enraged him.

  He had, of course, known that Isaac contacted Sabrina. Though Isaac might hate him passionately, Elijah didn’t despise Isaac. Well…not most of the time.

  Sabrina, as expected, was falling for Isaac. And now he’d gotten stuck coming to her in her dreams, because Isaac would never leave the blasted place unguarded. If only she would let him inside, he could get closer to her. Instead, his brother once more stole his place by her side. Somehow, Isaa
c had discovered of his plan to meet Sabrina during the day at the ridiculous tavern she seemed to love, and appeared in his place. And in one simple step, he snatched away any chances of gaining entry to Sabrina’s life. And house.

  He’d tried to go about “wooing” her slowly. Cautiously. But when had that ever worked well for him? After all, his style of seduction—and warfare, for that matter—tended to be more of a “shoot now, take no prisoners alive” type of style. The time had come to start acting like it. He would make her love him, not his brother. He’d make her realize he, not the real-world Isaac, had to be the one she needed. His twin wasn’t right for her, and never had been. Isaac couldn’t love her like he could.

  He remained far too strict in his ways. He’d never be able to let go of his so-called “duties” to be able to spend a lifetime with her. Only Elijah could give her life.

  His little brother would only sit by to watch her die.

  They’d been down this road before, the three of them. She might not remember it, but he and Isaac did. This time, it would end differently, much differently. They were destined to be together, written in the stars.

  He needed only to prove it to Sabrina.

  ***

  Sabrina busied herself writing throughout the next day. As the pages piled up, she came to the conclusion that nightmares, and no sleep, were great for creativity. For once, she was ahead of schedule—and liking it.

  The ringing of the phone broke the silence, causing her to yelp. Holding a trembling hand to her heart, she answered breathlessly. “Hello?”

  “Hello, Sabrina. Did you sleep well last night?” Isaac asked.

  Fighting the unease his words stirred, she forced a cheerful tone. “Like a baby. It was a great night.” The hollowness in her voice made her cringe and clear her throat. “How about you?”

  “Well, it was a late night. I had a few, well, problems to see to. I’m sure you know how that can be.” He sighed. “But, tired or not, I’m all ready for the rain check you promised me. You’ve been on my mind quite a bit. I had a wonderful time.”