by Helen Scott
“Then a couple of days later he had a few too many and started laying into me, and I brought it up—stupid of me really—and he started hitting me. Except this time it wasn’t a backhanded slap, it was close-fisted punches. I ended up in hospital with a bruised rib, a concussion, and a fractured eye socket. I wasn’t going back; I swear I wasn’t. But he was there when I was trying to pack my things, begging and pleading with me, sobbing his socks off.
“He promised never again, swore on his mother’s life he wouldnae hurt me again. But he did. We hadn’t had sex in a few weeks because of my ribs. He said I was out whoring around, which is why I wasn’t interested in him anymore. He started laying into me again; he got a few good hits in, but when I hit him back, he stopped and left without a word. I think I shocked him enough that it broke him out of whatever trance his anger had put him in. The next day, when I was at work, he packed up and left. So as I said, good in the long run.” Ellie had stared at the same spot on her plate the entire time she had been speaking.
Alec went to touch her shoulder, but she flinched away. “Ellie, I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”
“I need some air. Can I go outside?” she said, still unable to look at him.
“Of course. You’re not a prisoner. I wouldn’t”—he was about to say he wouldn’t hurt her, but he caught himself just in time—“keep you here against your will.”
“Thanks.” Ellie pushed away from the table and walked out the back door. She was hunched into herself like she had to protect her organs from an oncoming attack. Alec’s vision swam with red rage. He would be willing to sing for that bastard. He quickly scribbled a note for Ellie so she knew where he’d gone when she came back in before he jumped to the training center. It wasn’t his own private workout area, but he didn’t want to scare Ellie with his need to punch something; and right now he really needed to punch something.
His rage made it feel like his blood was boiling. He knew logically he shouldn’t be this angry. So a woman he had just met a few days ago had a crappy past. So did lots of people. But as much as he would deny it if anyone asked, he had the sneaking suspicion he cared for Ellie more than he should.
He went straight to the punching bag, wrapping his hands with speed and precision as only someone who had been doing it for a few centuries could. He laid into the bag, sending a quick thank-you to Hal for having the bags reinforced and enchanted so the brothers could wail on them without worrying about breaking them. His fists flew as he thought about what Ellie had endured at the hands of this Robbie guy. Before long, he was drenched in sweat and breathing hard and the bag bouncing on the chain that suspended it from the ceiling.
Hal appeared next to him.
“What the hell is wrong with you?”
“Ellie’s ex-fiancé was a drunk, abusive ass.” Alec bit the words out in between jabs.
“Oh shit, man that sucks; she’s a nice lady.”
“A nice lady?” Alec wheeled on Hal. “Is that really all you can say about MacLeod’s granddaughter?”
“Dude! What’s wrong with you?” Hal threw his hands up and backed off. He knew better than to mess with Alec when he was like this.
“I just found out Ellie was beaten on what sounds like a regular basis. I want to hand him over to Hades and the Furies. They love getting someone that truly deserves punishment.” Alec seethed, his rage only just starting to quiet from the tempest it had been when he first came down here.
“I didn’t know you had grown so attached to Ellie…” Hal was being cautious, which frustrated Alec even more.
“I’m not attached. She’s just a friend who has been hurt. If you could have seen her, then you would be pissed off too. She changed from a strong, kick-ass woman who wasn’t intimidated by sirens or magic into a woman who was scared of her own shadow in seconds. I just— I couldn’t take seeing her like that.”
“It’s cool man, it’s cool. You want to find this guy and kick his ass?” Hal offered. He always had been the most supportive brother.
“Yeah. Yeah, I do.” Alec’s grim determination settled in. He knew it wouldn’t be tomorrow, but before long, Robbie and he would have a heart-to-heart. And Robbie wouldn’t enjoy it.
Alec felt like he could breathe again. They had a plan. Admittedly, it was just to find the guy and beat the crap out of him, but it calmed him down.
Chapter 9
Ellie stood outside for as long as she could manage in the cold ocean air. November was not kind here, but at least the air was fresh and clean. The waves lapped rhythmically at the shore as she started shivering. And yet she still didn’t want to go in and face Alec.
When people found out about Robbie, she usually was graced with a pitying stare or the gasp of shock, followed by a patronizing pat on the shoulder or limp-armed hug. Alec had been her lifeline since everything went crazy, and she couldn’t take it if he responded that way too. She hadn’t told him part of the story though. She hadn’t told him how Robbie always blamed her, said she made him crazy, or said he loved her so much he couldn’t control himself.
She had never told anyone that.
She didn’t want to scare Alec off, make him worry he was attracted to a crazy woman who would lead him to violence. For once, she wanted to enjoy herself with someone, well, not with someone, with Alec. She wanted to enjoy the time they had together before she had to go back to reality and her life, such as it was, in Scotland. A small part of her brain told her she should stay here, like Granddad wanted, but she didn’t want to ruin whatever it was she had with Alec. She didn’t want to drive him to feel like he had to hit her. So enjoying what she had right now was the only way to keep both of them safe.
With a deep sigh, Ellie went back inside. Alec was nowhere in sight. She had actually succeeded in scaring him off. Fantastic. She was just about to go into full pout mode when she saw his note. Well, at least she knew where he was.
Left to her own devices, Ellie’s curiosity raised its ugly head. She hadn’t seen much of the house since she got here, so it was still a mystery to her. Not only was the kitchen huge but so, it seemed, was everything else. The living room had three massive couches and an oversized armchair, and the walls were filled with paintings.
The kitchen and living room merged opening out the main hallway, which was done in creamy tones that accentuated the wood floor and beautifully carved handrail for the stairs. There was an old grandfather clock at the end of the hall next to a door that revealed a library. She felt a rush of jealousy as she realized the library was almost half the ground floor of the house, and it was filled with books—not paperbacks either; these were almost all collectors’ items.
First editions and glass cases dotted the wall next to the door while the center of the room was filled with sumptuous leather armchairs and love seats. She reveled in the scent of the books and leather, one of her favorite things, and resolved to come back to explore the library in greater depth later. The other door, opposite the library, opened to a set of stairs, presumably leading to a cellar or basement.
Ellie cautiously went downstairs, wondering what dark secrets Alec might keep down here. What she discovered surprised her; to the right, the far wall was one gigantic movie screen. The projector was mounted on the wall behind her, and the space in between was filled with luxurious, reclining leather seats, each with its own cup holder, as well as an extra cushion and blanket. It was his own personal movie theater, and judging by the wall that ran the length of the basement, he owned most movies made in the past few decades. Okay, that may have been an exaggeration, but she had never seen such a large movie collection. He probably had more movies down here than books upstairs, and he had a lot of books.
Just off to the left was a small workout area with what looked like a top-of-the-line treadmill and a punching bag; behind that was a series of closed doors. Ellie moved toward the first and discovered a paint studio. She was floored. Alec painting was not something she would have guessed, and the fact that he was amazi
ng at it blew her socks off.
She closed the door and opened the other to find a space that clearly had a few different uses. There were wine racks, along with winemaking and home-brewing equipment along one wall. Then, in the very back, there was a closet with tubs filled with liquid and bottles, pieces of paper hanging from a string. Alec was apparently a photographer as well as a painter. Was there anything the man didn’t do?
Ellie heard a door close upstairs and backed away from the rooms off to the side, going over to admire the movie collection. She wasn’t sure he wanted her to know about the artistic side of him, which reminded her she hadn’t had a chance to ask her question after she poured out her tale. She was still nervous about seeing him again and seeing the pity in his eyes, which she had seen in too many other people’s eyes.
“Ellie?”
“Down here.”
Alec appeared beside her, scaring her half to death.
“Sorry, I didn’t mean to frighten you. I get impatient sometimes.”
“You don’t say.” She smiled at him, searching his eyes for the disappointment she was so used to seeing once people found out about Robbie. She was amazed when she found none, and her heart squeezed a happy little sigh of relief.
“It’s a lot of movies, I know. I keep meaning to get rid of them.”
“Why on earth would you do that?”
“It seems excessive when I look at it from an outside perspective.”
“Oh hush.” She swatted his shoulder. “You have some fantastic movies here. I mean, Die Hard, Hot Fuzz, Chocolat, North by Northwest.” She sighed, a smile creeping across her face. “I have to say I didn’t expect to find My Best Friend’s Wedding, but you should be proud to own it. Shows how comfortable you are with your sexuality…”
Alec laughed—it was a big, belly-shaking laugh, which made Ellie’s toes curl. She wanted to hear it again and again. He looked down at her, his eyes filled with mirth. As she stared at him, something changed in the air between them.
It was like there was a magnet inside each of them, and all she wanted to do was give in to her desire to go to him, to see what those amazing lips felt like on her own, when they weren’t in a tiny storeroom or being attacked by a zombie or whatever that thing was. Ellie watched as Alec’s eyes fixed on her lips. She wanted him so badly she was scaring herself; her insides squirmed in anticipation, and her breathing picked up.
“Don’t think I forgot that you owe me an answer to a question either.” The sentence was out of her mouth before the rest of her brain knew what she was doing. The magnetism between them was broken, at least for the moment.
“Oh, I didn’t think you would.” Alec threw an arm around Ellie’s shoulder and guided them toward the stairs, trying not to notice how perfectly she fit there. The scent of his shampoo drifted up to him with Ellie’s own scent underneath, making him want to do all kinds of thing to and with her. “I’ll tell you what—you eat something, then you can pick out a movie. We usually have movie nights once a month or so. If you’re up for it, I’ll invite the brothers over, and we can chill and watch a movie.”
“Maybe you and I can just watch a movie? Your brothers can be a little intimidating sometimes.”
“You mean Demetrius?” Alec couldn’t help but scowl at the thought of his brother scaring her. Ellie blushed and looked away. He could have sworn his heart skipped a beat, but that was the stuff of youthful fantasy, right?
“You don’t have to worry about him. That’s just how he is. Now, are you going to eat some food?”
“I am quite hungry now you mention it. Sorry I wasted the eggs earlier.”
“It’s nothing to apologize for. I know talking—hell, thinking—about stuff like that can kill an appetite. Now get upstairs before I change my mind about making you more eggs.” He winked at her. She moved in front of him, and Alec got the best view in the world as Ellie started going upstairs.
He watched her ass flex and release under the sweatpants he had bought for her while she was showering. Her ass was perfect, not overly muscular, and very round. The image of taking her from behind swam in his head. All the blood in his body promptly rushed south, and he had to struggle not to reach out and pull her back to him. As it was, one hand made it all the way to her backside, giving it a little tap. The slight jiggle that resulted made Alec drool; gods, how he wanted her.
Ellie stopped and turned around. Her face was very serious, well, except for her eyes, which shined with laughter.
“Did ye just touch my bum?”
“You, ah, you had some dirt.” Alec cleared his throat.
“Really? That’s the best you can come up with?”
Standing a few stairs above him allowed Ellie to look straight into his eyes. He wanted to kiss her, but he wasn’t moving. After what she had shared with him earlier, she would need to be the one who initiated it. Ellie ignited a fire in him he hadn’t felt before, and he never wanted it to stop.
She hovered in front of him and could tell it took everything Alec had not to crush her to him and sample her delicate lips. The look in his eyes was almost feral with need. Her eyes were devouring him like she was starving for love. Alec’s tongue darted out over his lips, and her heart felt like it stalled out. All she could think about was what his tongue might feel like on her body.
Ellie took a deep breath, the masculine scent of him tantalizing her. She leaned in, her breath warming Alec’s lips, before she gave them a feather-light kiss. It was all the invitation he needed. His hands circled her waist, and he picked her up, pressing her against him in a bear hug; a low moan, almost a growl, emanated from his throat as his tongue twined itself with hers. Her body was aching for him as her hands locked around his neck, and he carried them both upstairs.
He paused at the top of the stairs, gently setting her down. His hands seemed to almost dance over her body, spreading a wildfire over her skin. He kissed a path from her mouth to her ear, which he nibbled on for a moment before continuing down her neck, pausing at the tender skin above her collarbone, licking and kissing until she broke out in goose bumps.
Alec continued his attentions as Ellie couldn’t help but make encouraging noises as he drove her almost to madness with how much she wanted him. He kissed down to the edge of her T-shirt. His hands roamed underneath, lifting the T-shirt higher and higher, exposing her skin to the cool air, leaving her shivering although she felt like her blood was boiling.
Ellie had never been this driven by lust before, but if she didn’t have Alec soon, she was absolutely positive she would lose her mind. The air chilled her breasts making her nipples pebble against her bra. Alec took full advantage, lifting her T-shirt higher and lowering his mouth to her breasts, sucking on the little nerve centers through the thin lace of the bra. A moan escaped her as she felt his teeth graze her nipples. Alec pulled the T-shirt off so he could better access the soft skin that lay underneath.
She sighed his name as his hands moved down to her ass, pulling her against him completely. Ellie’s legs wrapped around him again, almost as though they had a mind of their own. He supported her with his hands, kissing his way back up to her mouth. The stubble on his face gently scraping against her skin made his lips feel even softer and the trail of kisses even more punishing. When he got back to her mouth, they were both breathing hard.
“Bed?” Ellie asked as she wiggled suggestively against him.
Alec groaned. “I thought you’d never ask.”
Ellie unwrapped her legs and gave him a quick peck. “Race you.” She winked at him and took off toward the stairs.
Alec was momentarily stunned; this playful side of Ellie was something new, and he loved every second of it. He could watch her run in those sweatpants all day long, not to mention the fact that she was in a sheer bra and no T-shirt. His cock throbbed painfully against his jeans, and his mouth went dry when she rounded the bottom of the stairs.
The bounce he could see as she started running up them was enough to make a grown man cry
. Her body was phenomenal. She wasn’t skinny like so many women today. She had healthy curves, something for a man to grab on to, and he was more than ready to do some grabbing.
He jumped to the bedroom right before Ellie got there and waited for her just next to the door. She came barreling through and didn’t even notice him. He stepped forward and grabbed her around the waist, throwing them both onto the bed. Ellie’s face was alive with laughter. He could die a happy man if hers was the last face he ever saw. He brushed hair out of her eyes and smiled down at her.
Her hands began working on his clothes; they were under his T-shirt in a second and roaming up his chest to his nipples. As her fingers brushed against them, he moaned, and his hips jerked forward, earning a gasp from Ellie. He bent his head to her nipples, one hand snaking behind her back to undo her bra. Once they were free, his eyes greedily took in the pink tips; they were just the right size for sucking on.
His mouth suckled one nipple while his hand played with the other, and he was rewarded as her noises became more intense. She was rocking her hips back and forth against him and sounded like she was almost ready to come. He pulled his head back, not quite ready to let her go just yet. He reached up and pulled off his T-shirt, earning yet another sigh from Ellie as her eyes traveled hungrily all over his skin. He could almost feel them as though she were touching him.
His skin was blazing at her every touch, and the heat in her eyes promised more pleasure to come. He couldn’t wait. He kissed his way down her stomach to the edge of her sweatpants, hooking his fingers in them and her panties, pulling them down in one motion, leaving her completely exposed to him.
She squirmed on the bed under his gaze, and he loved it. She didn’t seem as though she was used to being admired naked, and she should definitely be admired naked. Just looking at her hourglass frame stretched out on his bed made his cock throb again. Her breasts fell to the sides ever so slightly, and the rosebuds he wanted to suck on again sat perfectly centered in each mound. He took hold of her feet and pulled them high in the air, forcing her hips to curl up so he could gaze at her core.