Dragon Warrior (Midnight Bay) (22 page)

“William!” she cried, struggling to go after it. “The wolves!”

He wrapped both arms around her in a bear of a hug, and squeezed her until she squeaked. “Maddy, darling,” he rasped, fighting to keep the edge out of his voice. He spread his legs so that she was sitting on the ground instead of his throbbing groin, but he didn’t dare loosen his arms. “That was a buck snorting.”

She went very still, tension humming through her. He brushed her hair back with his jaw, so his lips could touch her cheek. “What are ye doing with a gun, lass?”

“Protecting myself!”

“Where did ye get it? Was it your father’s?”

He felt her take a deep breath. “Billy bought it for me when we got divorced.”

William knew he couldn’t have heard right. “Why would he have done that?”

“So I could protect myself,” she repeated, her tone exasperated. “I was moving to a house in the middle of the woods with a toddler, and he wanted me to have it for security.”

Oh, aye, he really wanted to meet Billy Kimble, preferably on a dark night with no one around. “Are ye saying the bastard handed you a gun and just walked away, leaving ye alone in a house in the middle of nowhere with a child?
His
child?”

“You mean, as opposed to leaving me in the middle of nowhere without any way to protect myself?” She twisted just enough to glare at him. “He took me to firearms classes and helped me get a permit. I don’t call that just walking away.”

All of the little pieces suddenly fell into place, and William realized that the mask Maddy had built around herself was as complex and as powerful as the one he had worn for several centuries; only where he’d become a dragon everyone feared, she’d become a giving person everyone couldn’t help but love.

He repositioned her to face away from him again, so she couldn’t see the anger in his eyes, and made sure it wasn’t in his voice. “Eve told me it’s common knowledge that you divorced Kimble, but right now I would have the truth from ye, Madeline. Who asked for the divorce?”

She started struggling to get away, but he merely tightened his arms around her.

“Ye tried for three years to make your marriage work, didn’t you?” he whispered against her face, feeling her cheek grow cold with paleness. “But Billy Kimble wasn’t interested in being a husband and father, was he?”

“He loves Sarah,” she rasped.

“But he never loved you. Did you love him?”

She said nothing.

“Or were ye only a young lass clinging to the hope that you could make it work?”

Her head dropped forward, and William felt burning tears fall onto his hands. “I wanted to love him,” she said softly.

“Shhh,” he whispered, turning her in his arms so she could bury her face in his shirt. He smoothed down her hair. “I’m sorry to say so, but I’m glad ye didn’t succeed.”

“W-will you do me a favor?” she stammered.

“Yes.”

He heard her breath hitch in surprise at his quick declaration, and then he felt her shudder. “Will you please not tell anyone that Billy’s the one who wanted the divorce?”

“Ye have my word.” He ducked his head so she could see his smile. “And could ye do me a favor?” he asked, brushing her damp cheek with his thumb. “Could ye not tell anyone ye had me rolling on the ground in agony with only a flick of your knee?”

He watched her frown, and then her eyes suddenly widened. Seeing that she was about to unman him again as she tried to leap up, this time he all but
threw
her off his lap and then immediately rolled to the side and sprang to his feet.

“Omigod, I’m sorry!” she cried.

He smiled, though she was too busy staring at his crotch to see it. “How sorry?”

She lifted her gaze to his face, her own face blistering red. “Really, really sorry,” she said, dropping her gaze to his crotch again.

“Because I’m thinking ye look more worried than sorry.”

She looked up. “Worried about what?”

“That ye might have indefinitely postponed clearing up our unfinished business.”

She gaped at him, but then a faint smile worked its way into her eyes. “Is there anything I can do to . . . speed up your recovery?” she asked, deadpan.

William felt most of his blood rush to his wounded groin, and turned away with a bark of laughter before she could see the effect she had on him. “My God, woman, you need a keeper,” he said, going over and picking up her purse and then her gun. He turned to her in surprise. “Christ, this thing weighs more than your whole purse.”

“It’s the nine bullets that make it so heavy,” she said, holding out her hand.

He gave her the purse but continued studying the weapon. “Have ye actually shot it?” he asked, looking at her.

He saw her chin lift. “I shot it this morning before work.”

“So those were your shell casings we found at the gravel pit?”

She held her hand out for the gun again.

“Maddy, I know ye said no more gifts, but would ye let me buy ye a new weapon? One a little less heavy, and that would fit your hand better?” he asked, carefully turning the handle toward her as Trace had shown him—only to flinch when she merely grabbed it and stuffed it into the side of her purse.

She stilled when she saw him step to the side. “Hey, don’t worry; I don’t keep a bullet in the chamber. That way, if Sarah got hold of it, she couldn’t accidentally shoot herself.” She smiled at him. “And thanks, but I like this gun,” she said, slipping the strap over her shoulder and patting her purse. “It’s big enough to scare the bejeezus out of people, and Billy said that if I ever have to actually shoot someone, they won’t be able to get up and start chasing me, whereas anything smaller might just piss them off.”

William laced his fingers through hers and started walking toward the road, only just noticing how dark the woods were getting. She might be right about the gun’s stopping power, but he didn’t care that she was carrying her ex-husband’s parting gift.

But if he’d learned anything about maddening Madeline, it was that pushing her was like trying to herd chickens. He led her to the road in silence, and when they reached the bushes, he had to let go of her hand so she could jump the ditch. But he found himself smiling again when she slipped her hand back in his as they started walking toward An Tèarmann.

“If I give ye a ride home and just drop ye off, how will ye get to work tomorrow morning?” he asked.

“I suppose I could have Mom drop me off, but then she’d have to take Sarah to rec and come pick us both up tomorrow night.” She sighed. “I guess I’m going to have to try to get a car loan now instead of saving up for one.” She frowned at him. “You didn’t drive Eve’s car off that gravel bank, did you? You got out and then rolled it over the edge.”

He grinned. “I suppose I did.”

“But why?” she asked, looking back at the road they were walking on. “I realize you might be a bit . . . obsessed about getting your way, but I can’t believe you’d wreck a perfectly good car just so I would have to use your truck.”

“I was doing Kenzie a favor by destroying that demonic machine.”

She stopped walking. “What are you talking about?”

He started them walking again, seeing that if he didn’t get her home soon, she was going to fall asleep on her feet, as he’d noticed her steps faltering with fatigue. “If that car were to get in an accident with something even as small as a mailbox, the mailbox would win. I don’t like the idea of you and Sarah riding in anything smaller than my truck, any more than Kenzie would want to see Eve driving that car again. Would ye promise me that when you buy yourself a new vehicle, you’ll choose a large truck?”

She laughed. “Trust me, if I ever win the lottery, I will buy myself the biggest, baddest SUV they make.”

He noticed the air starting to chill as they drew near An Tèarmann, a soft sea breeze pushing fog in off the ocean. “Are ye chilled, Maddy? Would ye like my shirt?”

She laughed again, anxiously this time. “Keep your shirt on, Killkenny,” she said, her voice husky as she glanced down at their clasped hands. “But if you’re chilly, maybe you should
roll down your sleeves
,” she finished in a near growl, suddenly picking up her pace.

She stopped when they reached the driveway. “Eve can take me home.”

“I said I would drive you, and I will.”

“But then you’ll be driving back here without anyone accompanying you, and that’s illegal. And it was illegal today, when you came to the home all alone.”

“I’ve decided I don’t like that rule.”

She smiled at that. “And if you don’t like something, you what . . . either ignore it or bash it over the head with your
sword
?”

He frowned at that. “Ye dare tease me, when you’re walking around with a gun in your purse that weighs as much as a car?”

Still holding his hand, she started walking in the driveway. “I tell you what—while I’m deciding whether or not to . . . grant your favor,” she said thickly, “I will
borrow
your truck this one time and drive myself home. And that way, it will be at the nursing home for you and Elbridge to use tomorrow.”

“Deal.”

They stopped by the driver’s door of the truck, and William opened it but stopped her from getting in. “Is there anything I can say to help you make your decision?”

There was still enough light from the setting sun for him to see color rise to her cheeks. “If I say yes, you would hold yourself to the same stipulation about not seeing anyone else?”

He grinned. “That’s the thing with possessive men—like dogs, we’re too busy guarding our territory to be sniffing out new ones.”

That brought her color up a notch. “And the gifts would stop?”

His grin vanished. “Aw, lass, I am having such fun shopping on the Internet with Janice.” She tossed her purse across the console with a snort, and William couldn’t help but wince. “Are ye sure there isn’t a bullet in the chamber?”

She climbed into the truck and looked down at him. “I’m
pretty
sure,” she said with a cheeky grin. But she suddenly sobered. “One more question.”

“What would that be?”

“Will you tell me who you really are?”

“Yes.” He saw her jaw go slack and smiled. “But not today. Or tomorrow.”

“Then when?” she snapped.

“When you’re ready.”

“That’s not an answer.”

“You have my word, Madeline. When you are ready, I will tell you everything.”

She sat there fuming at him for several heartbeats, and then her shoulders slumped. She turned away and reached for the key.

“Another thing ye might wish to think about as you decide tonight,” he said, causing her not to start the truck—though she also didn’t look at him. “And that’s if you are prepared to let your bogeyman boyfriend go.”

She looked at him. “He’s not real, William.”

“Oh, I’m thinking he’s quite real to you, and quite safe, because ye feel he can’t steal your heart—at least not as long as ye have it tucked away in a box under your bed.” He canted his head at her. “I tell ye what; how about that if you do agree to my favor, I give you something I hold equally dear, and you can keep it safe for me?”

“What is it?”

He shook his head. “I’m no more ready to open my box than you are to open yours.” He smiled. “Maybe someday we’ll each work up the courage to finally open them together.” Her shoulders slumped again, and he could see her fatigue. “Go home, Madeline, before ye fall asleep,” he said, moving to close her door.

“William,” she said, although she was looking at the steering wheel and not him. “I-I want to say yes,” she said, her voice whisper-soft.

“I know ye do, lass. And I want very much for you to say yes.”

“But I’m scared.”

“I know that, too. But remember, ye have my word that you’ll not find a safer place than in my arms.” That said, he softly closed the door and stepped back.

She stared out at him, and William gave her a tender smile, then turned away and started walking toward the barn. He heard the truck start behind him and stopped at the door just as Kenzie walked out, obviously also having heard the truck.

“I’m seeing, but I’m having a hard time believing,” Kenzie said. “How did ye get her to change her mind?”

William stared at the taillights disappearing up the road, wondering why the devil himself expected a man to settle for possessing only a woman’s body, when even a fool knew her true value lay in her heart. “It’s simple, really. I just opened the gates of hell and walked in.”

Chapter Fifteen

“I
believe I know why they kicked ye out of your war, Huntsman,” William said as Trace walked up behind him. “I’ve guided legions that made less noise than ye do.”

“Would you have preferred I didn’t announce my arrival?” Trace asked with a chuckle, sitting down beside him. “No offense, Killkenny, but I’d rather not have to explain to Maddy why I slit her boyfriend’s throat defending myself.”

William snorted and handed Trace a bottle of the ale he’d bought at a store Elbridge had suggested he stop at. It wasn’t mead, but at least he could stomach it.

Trace took the bottle, held the label up to the moonlight, and also snorted. “You drink this rotgut warm?”