Bound by Secrets (Cauld Ane Series)

by Tracey Jane Jackson

  His face softened. “And you’re frightened?”

  “Well, no. Not really,” she admitted.

  “Then tell me what’s been said.”

  “No.”

  “Bloody hell!” He walked out the door, leaving Payton alone and stunned in her boss’s office. She let out a frustrated growl and returned to her desk.

  So much for him being her mate. Mates were supposed to want the best for each other. Angus couldn’t do enough for Fiona. She was always his priority. But Brodie? Well, Payton certainly didn’t feel like his priority at the moment, and she sure as heck hadn’t felt like a priority over the past five years. When did her life go from uncomplicated to trying to swim through quicksand?

  Oh, right. Several times since she’d first set eyes on His Royal Highness, Brodie Gunnach.

  Just as she settled back in, he came storming back toward her. “Come with…” He paused and took a deep breath. “I’m sorry. Would you mind if we continued this conversation? In private, please?”

  “I really do have work to do, Brodie.”

  He crossed his arms and nodded toward Duncan’s office.

  Payton stood with a sigh. “Fine.”

  She closed the door behind them and waited.

  Brodie ran his hands through his hair and leaned against Duncan’s desk. “I’m sorry if I’ve ever frightened you, Payton. I know that I’m not always the best with words, but you must know that I would never hurt you.”

  She studied him. Physically, she was safe, but emotionally? That was a whole different story. She chose to placate him, rather than get into an in-depth diatribe about how he made her feel on the inside. “I know you’d never hurt me, Brodie.”

  He looked a bit like a lost little boy as he asked, “Are there really rumors that I’m a tyrant?”

  “I never said tyrant.” She couldn’t stop a slight smile. “Just that you have a temper.”

  “I’ve been gone for five years. I can’t imagine what you would have heard.”

  Payton bit her lip.

  “Payton?” he pressed.

  She raised her hands in surrender. “Full disclosure?”

  “Please.”

  “Fine. But the information doesn’t leave this room.”

  He nodded.

  “You threatened my brother the night we returned to the clan.” She swallowed. “At the welcome home ball.”

  “I did no such thing!” Brodie pushed away from the desk.

  “Oh, really?” Payton challenged.

  “Really. I simply explained to him that, in the future, he needed to be more protective of his sisters. It was unacceptable that he left you alone with me. He didn’t know if I was honorable or not, and he should have insisted you return to your parents with him.”

  “He was thirteen! You are…well, you’re much older. And you’re a prince.”

  “So?”

  Payton raised an eyebrow. “So, we’ve been raised to respect royalty.”

  “Not at the expense of your safety,” he snapped.

  “Well, at the very least, you didn’t have to come down on him for arguing with me.”

  Brodie raised an eyebrow. “I simply let him know that the tone with which he was speaking to you would not be tolerated.”

  “My point exactly! He was a kid.”

  “And you are my mate! He would have to learn eventually, and then was as good a time as any.”

  “How was he…or I, for that matter…supposed to know you and I are mates?” she challenged. “You said nothing then and have said nothing for five years.”

  “I couldn’t,” he grumbled.

  “Or wouldn’t,” she argued. “You’ve had several opportunities to do so.”

  “I was in an impossible situation.”

  “Brodie,” Payton admonished as she threw her hands in the air. “I don’t think this conversation’s getting us anywhere.”

  “Perhaps not,” he agreed.

  “I should get back.” She forced a smile. “I really do have work to do.”

  “What about lunch?”

  “Perhaps we can do lunch next time you’re in town,” she said. “You just got home. Wouldn’t you like to settle in? Maybe spend some time with your family?”

  “I’d like to spend time with my mate.”

  Her stomach fluttered. Could she trust that he was telling her the truth? She didn’t really have a reason not to believe him, but she’d spent the better part of the last five years arguing with herself, forcing her hope for a life with Brodie far down in her soul. She wasn’t sure she wanted to let it bubble back up to the surface.

  Payton sighed. “Right now just isn’t good for me, Brodie.”

  He crossed his arms and stared at her. Finally he relaxed and nodded. “I understand.”

  “Thank you,” she said, and walked back to her desk.

  Brodie followed, smiling at her before heading back the way he came. Payton sat for several tense minutes, expecting him to find another reason to storm her desk, but when all she heard was the ticking of the clock on the wall, she logged back into her computer and focused on the items she needed to finish before the end of the day.

  As she pressed send on an email to Duncan, her phone rang. “Payton McFadden.”

  “Why aren’t you coming to the castle this weekend?” Brodie demanded.

  Payton had to stop herself from banging her head on her desk in frustration. “Because I have other plans.”

  “The only reason I agreed to this bloody party is because I thought you’d be there.”

  Payton couldn’t stop an exaggerated giggle. “Brodie! Are you serious?”

  “No. Not really.” She heard him sigh. “I just thought I’d see if manipulation worked on you. How am I doing?”

  “It doesn’t work, but I do hope you have a lovely time,” she said.

  “Will you please come?”

  Payton shook her head. “I can’t.”

  “Do you really have other plans, or are you simply trying to avoid me?” he asked.

  She dropped her forehead into her palm. “Does it matter?”

  “I would very much like you to come and spend the weekend at the castle, Payton. You’re the only one I care to spend time with, so if there’s any way you can adjust your schedule, I’d truly appreciate it,” Brodie said.

  “I’ll see what I can do. No promises,” she said.

  “Thank you, love. That’s all I ask.”

  “I’ll talk to you later, Brodie.”

  “’Bye, Payton.”

  Payton hung up, forcing herself not to think about the way her name rolled off his tongue, and sank further into her chair. She’d experienced more drama in the last few minutes than she’d ever believed possible.

  Her phone rang again. This time she checked the caller ID before answering. “Well, hello, Niall.”

  “Hello yourself. What are you doing this weekend?”

  “Why?” she asked, knowing this conversation probably wasn’t going to go well for her.

  “Because Max and I have been invited to the castle. Brodie’s home.”

  Payton rolled her eyes and forced herself not to groan out loud. “I did hear about that.”

  “I figured. I think we should combine forces and go together,” Niall suggested.

  “I kind of want to hang out at home this weekend, to be honest.”

  “What? Since when? You hate being at home.”

  She suddenly regretted confiding in Niall as much as she did. “This weekend’s just not good for me,” she said. “Okay?”

  “Nope. Not okay. What’s really going on, Pay?”

  “I just don’t want to be stuck at a party where I know next to nobody.”

  “But you’ll know me,” he argued. “And you’ll know Fiona. Or are you nervous because Brodie will be there?”

  “Why would I be nervous?” she asked.

  “Because I know you.”

  “Silly me for letting you get to know me,” she grumbled.


  Niall chuckled. “I’m not taking ‘no’ for an answer. You’re coming with me. I don’t want to be stuck by myself with Max and whatever woman he’s shagging that day. If you come, I’ll have an excuse to stay at the castle instead of with him.”

  Max lived in Inverness, close to the castle…and Brodie.

  “Nye,” she sighed.

  “Come on, Pay. It’ll be fun. Be my partner in crime.”

  “We’re committing a crime now?” she retorted.

  “Will you come if I promise to find one to commit?”

  She forced herself not to laugh. “Niall, you are a bampot.”

  “I know I am, but come anyway. Please?”

  This time, she did groan out loud. “Okay, fine.”

  “I’ll pick you up on Friday after work. We’ll go straight from there.”

  “It’s a five-hour drive. Let’s go Saturday morning.”

  “The king’s providing a plane.”

  “Of course he is.” Payton saw Brodie all over this plan. “Convenient.”

  “I know,” Niall agreed. “Okay, see you Friday.”

  “’Bye.” Payton hung up and, realizing she wasn’t going to get any more work done, pulled up solitaire and tried not to think about Brodie Gunnach and his persuasive ways.

  CHAPTER FIVE

  LATE FRIDAY EVENING, Payton arrived at the castle with Niall, Angus, and Fiona. She’d been a little surprised when Kade had accompanied them on the flight, but then again, it was his plane, and it would have been a waste of gas and money to fly separately. However, he was driven from the airport to the castle by his personal security, leaving the rest of the group to pile into the limo he’d provided.

  When the car drove into the courtyard of the castle, Niall was closest to the door, so he climbed out first and waited for her and Fiona to do so as well. She was a little surprised to find Brodie hovering near the entrance. He smiled at her and then glanced at Niall and frowned.

  She tugged Niall’s shirt. “Do not leave me alone,” she demanded through clenched teeth.

  “Me?” Niall settled his arm around her shoulders and gave her a brotherly squeeze. “Payton McFadden. What do you take me for? I’d never ever leave you alone…unless, there’s scotch. But only if it’s old scotch…you know, the kind you’d never find in a medieval castle.”

  Payton laughed. She wished Nye was her mate. He was easy to be with. Easy to talk to. Unfortunately, she didn’t find men with dark hair attractive. She liked blonde haired, blue-eyed Neanderthals, apparently. Her gaze involuntarily met Brodie’s and her pulse quickened.

  Dragging her thoughts and attention ahead of her, she made her way to the door and Payton found herself separated from Niall.

  “I’m so glad you came,” Brodie said, and kissed her cheek.

  Payton raised an eyebrow. “Did I have a choice?”

  “Truth?” He grinned. “Not really. I would have come to you, if you hadn’t come to me.”

  “As I suspected.” She kept her voice controlled, despite the fact her breath was harder to catch, knowing he’d pursue her. She swallowed down her excitement and pressed her hand against her stomach in an attempt to calm it.

  Brodie led her inside. “Come. I thought we’d have a private dinner.”

  “Brodie, what about your welcome home party?” she challenged. “Aren’t we eating with everyone else?”

  “The real party is tomorrow, love. Tonight’s just for you and me.”

  “It is? What about Niall and Max?”

  “What about them?” he asked, grinning like an idiot.

  “Are you saying you invited Niall in order to get me here a day early?”

  He cocked his head. “Perhaps.”

  She pressed her lips into a thin line. She would not grin like a love-sick moron. “I should really stick with Niall. I promised I wouldn’t desert him.”

  Brodie nodded toward the great hall. Niall stood laughing with his brother Max and Connall Gunnach, drink in hand, not one glance in her direction.

  Traitorous wretch.

  Brodie chuckled. “He seems fine.”

  “But this is technically your party weekend. Don’t you want to say hello to your friends?”

  “I will later,” he countered. “Right now, though, I’d like to spend time alone with you.”

  Brodie presented his arm, and Payton felt transported back to the first night she’d met him, the night she’d gotten a vision she hadn’t fully understood. That vision came rushing back to her again with a new understanding. Could she trust it to be accurate?

  She slipped her hand into the crook of Brodie’s arm, relieved that she wasn’t assaulted with any other images. She’d spent a lot of time and energy over the past few years learning to control her visions. So far, she’d managed to do pretty well, but with him, she couldn’t quite get her guard up, and worried she’d be subjected to things she didn’t want to see.

  As Brodie guided her outside, Payton couldn’t help but appreciate the land that Gunnach Castle sat on. She’d visited here a few times over the last five years, and each time there was something new to appreciate.

  Brodie led her to the private garden just to the south of the old blacksmith’s cottage, now used as nothing more than a glorified shed.

  A small table and two chairs had been set up overlooking some of the most glorious land on earth. The king had built a large pagoda years before, and someone had strung old-fashioned looking lanterns from the roof of the structure and wrapped tiny white lights around the columns. The table was covered with a white tablecloth and candles fluttered in the middle.

  “The lights are beautiful,” she said. “Were they Fiona’s idea?”

  “No, they were mine,” Brodie said.

  “Ah. You had them hung for your welcome-home weekend.”

  He smiled. “No, lass. I hung them myself. Just for you.”

  Payton let out a quiet gasp. “You did?”

  “Aye.”

  “Oh, Brodie, it’s lovely. Thank you so much.”

  Brodie ran the back of his hand gently across her cheek. “Anything for you, Payton.”

  Her heart raced as she stared up at him, his eyes glowing with love. She felt her face heat as she lowered her head.

  “Anyway, I thought we’d eat out here,” Brodie said, and held a chair for her. “If that’s all right with you, of course.”

  “Oh, yes.” Payton glanced down at her jeans and T-shirt. “But maybe I should change. I feel quite grungy.”

  “You’re beautiful, lass. If you want to change, you can, but don’t do it on my account. I want to spend as much time with you as I can.”

  “Okay.” Payton smiled. The sun was setting behind Brodie, the effect creating a halo appearance around his head. She tried not to giggle as she took her seat.

  Brodie sat across from her and poured her a glass of wine. They didn’t speak as one of the staff directed the serving of dinner. Once the food was placed in front of them, Brodie gave them a nod and they disappeared back into the castle.

  Payton lifted her glass. “Welcome home.”

  He grinned and tapped his glass to hers. “Thank you.”

  Each of them took a sip of their wine and Payton tried not to blush as he studied her.

  “So what did you do in the Arctic?” Payton broke the silence and then sipped her wine again. “Other than stalk baby polar bears.”

  Brodie chuckled. “I assisted with some of the more remote and difficult explorations. Afghanistan, of course, would have been out of the question.”

  Payton’s stomach roiled at the thought. “Yes. Of course you couldn’t go there.”

  The Cauld Ane were in danger of death in temperatures over twenty degrees Celsius, and the thought of him being hurt was almost too much for her to imagine.

  He reached over and gave her hand a squeeze. “Lucky for me, not many people typically want to go to places with arctic temperatures. I provided a service which the English Crown was grateful for.”

 
; “Were you there the whole five years?” she asked.

  She didn’t want to ask him why he’d stopped writing…that would seem too desperate. Instead, she focused on the food in front of her.

  “Aye,” he said. “I came home last week to debrief and then straight to see you.”

  She lowered her fork. “Really?”

  “Aye.” Brodie smiled. “I missed you, Payton.”

  She’d missed him as well, even though that feeling seemed illogical to her. Without warning, her teenage dreams were real hopes. Her draw to him felt so much deeper than a simple physical attraction. “How do you like working for Gunnach Pharmaceutical?” Brodie asked, saving her from admitting that she’d missed him as well.

  “I like it very much,” Payton said. “Duncan’s a great boss. I’m learning more than I could have ever imagined.”

  Brodie leaned back in his chair and smiled. “What would you like to do after school?”

  “I quite like what I’m doing, actually. When I graduate, I’ll have a degree in accounting, but I’m not sure I want to crunch numbers all day. I enjoy the variety working for Duncan provides.”

  “Well, you’ll have a job there as long as you want it.”

  “What do you mean?”

  “Just that.” He shifted in his seat. “You will always have a job there. I’ll make sure of it.”

  “Brodie.” Payton sighed. “Please don’t interfere. I only want the job if I deserve it.”

  “And you will.” He raised an eyebrow. “I don’t know of anyone more deserving.”

  “That’s not what I mean.” She shook her head. “Promise me you’ll stay out of my work life. It’s bad enough you tattled to Duncan about the fact I didn’t go to lunch with you.”

  “I did not tattle,” he argued.

  “Really?” she challenged.

  “Really.” Brodie leaned forward. “What exactly did he say?”

  “No way. I’m not playing this game with you.”

  He leaned back again.

  “Promise me,” she stressed. “This job is important to me and I don’t want to feel like I only have it because of some allegiance to you. If I fail, I fail on my own terms.”

  “I just want to take care of you.”

  Typical man, she thought, her heart melting just a little. She couldn’t believe she was sitting across from him and having such a normal conversation. She was beginning to feel almost as comfortable as she did with Niall. Almost.