by Ria Cantrell
As he looked at the picture, he felt rage forming somewhere deep inside himself. He had let her have her little tantrum but it was high time she got her things and came back home. God, she could be so stupid sometimes. It was up to old Jax to guide her. He had tried to call her best friend Jeanne and needle Kiera’s whereabouts from her, but she would not give him one clue as to where Kiera was. She said she had not seen her in quite some time. Wasn’t that just like women? They would fall out for the stupidest of reasons. Well, Kiera wasn’t going to use that on him. It was time to get her back and stop this nonsense once and for all. She would learn in time that the other women were not important. A man had needs and well, sometimes a man needed more variety than the home town flavor. Once he showed her how much she actually needed him, she would be returning to him for good.
Jackson took another swig of the burning liquor from the nearly empty bottle and he followed it with a drag of the opiate he had gotten that afternoon. It was the good stuff and it helped fuel his anger, where the alcohol dulled it. He needed to not forget his purpose so the dope did the trick; just a little bit so he would not lose his conviction to find his fiancé and drag her back home. Even though he played around a bit, Kiera was wife material, despite her less than upper class upbringing. Enough time had passed for her to let him off the hook. When they had first started dating, she had been more shy and amiable, but the more she worked and studied, the more self-sufficient she had become. Jax did not like that one bit. A woman should know her place. He did not like that she questioned his comings and goings. He certainly did not like when she accused him of dabbling in drugs when he was angry with her. Sure, he partied now and again, but it soothed his nerves. It was no worse than having a drink or two. Only, it did not soothe his nerves. Not really. Whenever he smoked or snorted a line, he only felt more agitated. He did not know how he had not slapped her silly for some of the things she had the audacity to say to him. He had refrained from that because she was not his wife after all. Once they were married, it would be his right to discipline her any way he thought fit.
By the time he finished his joint, chasing it with a double shot of whiskey; Jackson Samms was almost in a full blown rage. He left the apartment and headed for the corner bar, where he could pick up some cheap floozy to release some of his pent up frustrations. Cursing Kiera and her absence, Jackson vowed he would pay a visit to that high and mighty Jeannie and demand to know where Kiera was. They weren’t going to continue making a fool out of him; that was for damned sure.
*****
Kiera’s cell phone rang. Hardly anyone called her since she was in Scotland and certainly not at this time of night. It was nearly 3 a.m. and as the tone blared through her sleeping consciousness, she bolted awake with terror gripping her heart. Only someone from the states would call her at this time of night and that could only mean something terrible had happened to someone she loved. She punched the button to answer it and breathed, “Hello?”
“Kiera, hey it’s me.”
“Jeannie? What’s wrong?”
“Did I wake you?”
“It’s 3 a.m. What’s going on?”
“Sorry. I forgot about the time difference. It’s just that--”
“Spill it. What happened? Are you alright? Is everyone alright?”
Kiera was starting to panic. Jeannie heard the fear in her friend’s voice and she quickly said, “Yes, everyone’s fine. I just had to call you. I mean it could be nothing, but--”
“Is it my family? What?”
“Your family is fine. Kiera, Jax was here tonight.”
“Jax? What do you mean? Why?”
“He was a mess. He was high or drunk, I don’t know which…maybe both. He practically pounded my door in. He was in a crazed rage.”
“Did he hurt you?”
“No, I am fine. Chris and I have sort of gotten back together. Chris was here with me and sent him on his way, but he said some pretty chilling things. He demanded I tell him where you were. I didn’t.”
“Why would he want to know where I was? I would have thought that by now he had moved on to any number of women.”
“Kiera, he was shouting some pretty crazy stuff. That’s why I am calling. I am worried that he will try to find you.”
“So let him. I doubt he will try to get to Scotland. He probably had too much to drink and he was just acting on a drunken impulse.”
“Well, I thought that at first, too. But then he started saying things like you were still his woman and that you needed to learn your place. He was saying it was time you learned your lesson and quit humiliating him.”
“Wait a minute. This is nuts. I haven’t done anything to him. I was the one humiliated. And as for lately, I haven’t even given him much thought. In fact, he has been pretty much a forgotten memory.”
Jeanne’s voice sounded strained with worry and concern.
“He said you humiliated him and his family by cancelling the wedding. He said he was going to find you and bring you back to make good on the wedding arrangements. He plans to have you back by the originally scheduled wedding date. Honey, I am worried about you. Jackson was not rational. He was really violent and if Chris hadn’t been here, I am not sure what he would have done.”
Kiera pondered her friend’s words for a minute. She said, “Look, he can’t touch me here. I am thousands of miles away. You already said he didn’t know where I was. I am more concerned for your safety now. I am really sorry to have put you in this predicament.”
“Oh, quit it. I’m fine. I don’t think his goal is to hurt me, but he’s bound and determined to drag you back with or without your blessing. Damn it, I wish you met one of those big highland beasts that you read about in romance novels to protect you.”
When Kiera did not answer her friend, Jeanne said, “Kiera? Are you still there?”
Oh she had met a big highland beast, alright. Just how could she tell her friend that yes, she had met a beautiful highland warrior who would be more than happy to pound the likes of Jackson Samms to dust except for one little problem. He was a fucking ghost!
“Kiera, did I lose you? Can you still hear me?”
“Oh, yeah, sorry. Must have hit a dead zone for a minute. I don’t have the best reception here in Scotland. Hang on a minute.”
It wasn’t a total lie. The earpiece crackled a bit and Kiera wondered if said highland ghostie was in the vicinity. She took the phone out with her on the stone walkway-become-terrace and she said, “Sorry, is that better? Can you hear me?”
Kiera tried to shrug the cold off of her as she listened for her friend. She wished she had grabbed a sweater or something as she stood, leaning against the cool weathered grey granite of the crenellated wall. She wore only a skimpy tank top and little pajama shorts to bed and had not planned to be out on the castle wall in the middle of the night. Kiera tried to quell the shiver that raced down her spine as she shielded herself from the chilling night breeze as well as from the news brought to her by her friend.
“Yeah, I can hear you loud and clear.”
“The castle is all stone so sometimes the satellite just doesn’t penetrate.”
Kiera just did not want to admit that she was thinking about her delicious Highlander and that even conjuring him for the briefest of moments set her heart racing and her mouth watering; not to mention the other reactions of her traitorous body that formed from thoughts of him. The smallest time given to thinking of him was almost enough to warm the chill off of her. She said, “I am sure I am quite safe here. I have made lots of friends with some of the locals. They are a very protective bunch, actually. And my friends from Italy are spending the weekend with me. Jax wouldn’t get too far, I am quite certain. Besides, I doubt he is going to jump on the next plane and head out here. It isn’t around the corner you know?”
“I know, but he was different, Ki. He was irrational and crazed. Like a man possessed. He was definitely under the influence of something. It made me so glad you were not here
or still with him, for that matter.”
“Yeah, me, too,” she murmured. Kiera had not given much thought to Jax in a quite some time. He hadn’t even infiltrated her thoughts or ponderings in months now and since meeting…well encountering the likes of Derek Campbell, Jackson Samms was a distant memory of someone that she used to know. It did not even feel like they had ever lived together as a couple. She wondered now how she ever thought they had a connection. Why, she had more of a connection to a spectral medieval being than the flesh and blood man of Jackson Samms.
“Kiera, are you alright? You sounded so distant just then.”
“I’m fine. Just thinking. Look, I appreciate your concern but I am quite safe, I am sure, from Jax at the moment.”
“When are you coming home?”
Home? Kiera also hadn’t thought of home in a while. She seemed to have found a home here in Scotland. She did not know when or if she would return to New York in the near future.
“I don’t know exactly. I really love it here and I love my work here, too. I mean I don’t have this big prestigious position or anything, but for God’s sake. I live in a castle.”
“But it must get sort of lonely rambling around in that place?”
Hardly! Jeannie should only know that most of the time a gorgeous hunk of a ghost keeps me company.
“Oh no, not at all. There is always something going on and then the tours take up most of my day. You really should come and visit when you can. It’s like a whole other world compared to the rat race of the big City. The air is so clean and crisp and the people still are tied to the beauty of the nature here. I just love it.”
“Hmmm, so it seems,” Jeanne replied suspiciously. “And are there any other reasons why you love it there so much? Something you aren’t telling me?”
“Like what,” Kiera blurted out. She could feel the blush creeping into her face and was glad that her friend could not actually see her.
“Oh, I don’t know. Maybe because you met one of those big wild Scots or something. I have known you all my life. I think you aren’t telling me everything.”
“There is nothing to tell. I am just drawn in by this place.” And by the Great Laird’s grandson…Damn, I need to stop doing that. I need to stop thinking about Derek, for it is a futile endeavor that would only lead me back into heartache. Talking to Jeanne reminded Kiera that heartache was the last thing she needed to experience again. She was reminded of the last days of her relationship with Jax and Kiera decided that another heartache was the last thing she needed.
“And it isn’t your Italian friends. I am sure of that, else you would have said, but I think you are keeping a secret. That’s fine. You will tell me when you can. I mean, I am really glad you are over Jax. It sounds like you really are.”
If I did tell you my secret, you would never believe me...“Jeannie, trust me, if there was something to tell, you will be the first one to hear it. As for Jax, I think I really am over him. It feels like I never was with him or like we were ever in love. Maybe we never were.”
“Hmm, maybe you weren’t. I guess it is safe to say now, that I think he was never right for you. He seemed good on paper, so to speak, but I didn’t like how you seemed to lose yourself when you were with him.”
“I did, didn’t I? That’s just it, Jeannie. I feel like I am the woman I am supposed to be now. Even thinking about Jackson now doesn’t hurt at all. It’s weird. I expected to hurt about it a lot longer.”
In a few short weeks, the spirit of a man had made her feel more like a woman than the years she had spent with Jax.
“I’m glad you aren’t. You deserve to be happy. Well, okay, just be careful, Ki, okay? I am sorry I called so late and woke you up. Let’s talk soon, alright? And by the way, I really miss you.”
“Miss you, too. Come visit. I think I have enough of my wedding savings left to help pay for a ticket. You and Chris could get married here at the castle. I hear it is beautiful in the Autumn here,” Kiera said wistfully. “I am really glad you two are back together.”
“We are working some things out. It is pretty good, I think. Chris is ready to get married. I guess I still am the one holding back.”
“Come to the Highlands, it will help put things in perspective for both of you.”
Kiera did not know why she felt like playing cupid. She would not admit it was because of the crazy romantic notions that filled her head of late.
“That sounds tempting. I may just take you up on that offer.”
“Good. Please do. Take care, Jeanne. And thanks for calling. Try to not to worry. Things are really good here. I wouldn’t even worry about giving Jax another thought. He’s pathetic.”
“Yeah. Well, he was pretty adamant, but if you aren’t worried, I won’t be either. And Ki, I’m glad you seem to love Scotland. I mean, I had my doubts a few weeks ago when you called to tell me you quit your job to take on a job in Scotland. I was glad that you were getting away from that little maniac you worked for, but I worried you had …oh I don’t know.”
“Lost my mind? Yeah, I know. It was an impulsive thing to do, but I do really love it here.”
“It sounds like it. I am happy for you. I’m also glad you are safe from Jax right now. I really am sorry to have woken you up. Get some rest. Sweet dreams.”
Kiera clicked the phone into silence and the chill of the night enveloped her, causing gooseflesh to appear on her bare arms. Thinking about Jax in his blind drug induced rage sent a shiver down her spine. She was glad to be far away from him at the moment. Slapping at her arms to get warm, Kiera hurried inside where the warmth of a fire burned in the brazier. Fire? Well, speak or at least think of the devil.
“What are you doing here?”
Shrugging sheepishly, Derek stood watching the beauty come in off the battlements. “I should be asking ye’, lass, what ye’ were doing out there at this time of night. Ye’ll catch yer death out there.”
“It is still the summer. I won’t catch my death.”
Despite being a little perturbed at his unannounced arrival, Kiera was glad for the warmth of the fire, which lit the room with dancing shapes. A soothing glow permeated the chill that had seeped deep into her bones.
“I thought we agreed that you would not just help yourself to my apartments.”
Derek did not answer. His eyes were fixed on Kiera’s skimpily clad body. Her shapely bare legs were visible from very short pants of the most fetching muted blue color. He thought there were little prints of clouds on them and he smiled, thinking the images on them were like something a child would paint. He was going to like being in this time if it was the norm that the lassies wore such things. She was practically naked from the top to her waist as she wore some sort of tiny chemise with thin ribbons on each shoulder. The thing must have been made for a child because it barely hit her hips and left her delicious navel exposed. There was a ring protruding from said navel and Derek felt desire course through him at that delicious little adornment. How had he missed that when he made love to her in her dreams? He had seen those things in the ears of men and women alike, but never had he seen ones like that in navels. Kiera must have been quite a brave woman to have that part of her body pierced, for Derek imagined it must have been quite painful to procure.
Kiera found his assessment of her unnerving. She saw his eyes raking her form and he licked his lips and swallowed hard when his gaze rested on her pierced belly button. She crossed her arms over her chest to conceal herself as best she could from him, but he hadn’t missed how her lovely breasts peaked beneath that little chemise. He did not know if it was because she was chilled or because she was reacting to his presence, but either way, it was a beautiful sight that he was happy to see. He had planned to come to her dreams tonight to make sure that the slimy little worm with the weird accent would not even enter her thoughts, but instead he found her on the battlements talking to a little box.
Grabbing her robe from the desk chair and pulling it about her, she tied
it hastily. Kiera said, “You didn’t answer the question. I thought we agreed…”
“Aye, we agreed. I usually walk the battlements at night but it seems ye’ were walking them for me this night. I wasna’ trying to intrude. I just thought ye’ would need to be warmed after standing out in the cool night air.”
It was not a total truth, but he could not just say he had been lurking about waiting for her to sleep so he could tup her in her dreams again. Knowing that wasn’t going to happen this night now was disappointing, but Derek consoled himself with being able to look at her and to be able to talk to her again.
Kiera should have been pissed as hell for the intrusion, but after speaking to Jeannie, and learning of Jackson’s crazy visit to her best friend, Derek’s presence was strangely comforting. As she gazed upon the image of the man standing there in a kilt that rode low on his hips and the laced shirt just open enough over his muscled chest, Kiera felt herself react boldly. His eyes reflected the light and Kiera felt drawn in by the fathomless blue-green shade of them. The color was so reminiscent of a stormy sea and she felt she could easily drown in their depths as internal waves crashed around her heart.
God, why did he have to be so damned hot looking? Ghosts were supposed to be scary. Alright, they weren’t always scary. Her grandfather never was; but this guy was unbelievable.
She felt like a sex-starved, giddy teenager when she looked at him. He had looked at her with unabashed hunger, too. Kiera guessed that he probably was also pretty lonely for some female attention. Was she imagining things or had she almost thought she saw some tenting action in that kilt he wore?
Impossible! Ghosts didn’t get hard-ons, did they?
Again Gavin’s words came back to haunt her. Things are not always as they appear…he is a man, lass.…
Shaking her head to put those thoughts and images aside as well as forcing herself not to glance where his kilt seemed to spread outward before him, she sat down in the chair and silently motioned for him to do the same. He nodded and slid into the chair facing hers.