Bound by Light (25 page)

“There she is.”

“I still want to kill him.”

“I know, sweetheart,” he whispered.

“He killed my mom.”

“I know.”

“My dad cheated on her.” Her voice hitched
on a sob. “She was the best person in the world, and he cheated on
her.”

“I know, baby.”

“How could he do that?”

He took a deep breath and kissed her temple.
“I don’t know.”

“I need to check on Lucy.”

“She’s on her way to the hospital. We can go
in a minute.” He rubbed her back. “I want to make sure you’re okay
first.”

“I’m fine, Thane.” She leaned back to look
him in the eye. “Other than the issue of my overwhelming homicidal
desires, I’m frickin’ great.”

Thane smiled. “All right, love, we’ll
go.”

“Can we pass the bastard on the way?”

“He’s gone, Sydney.”

“What?” she snapped.

“They took him away.”

She let out a frustrated squeak. “You did
that on purpose!”

“Comforted you long enough for him to be
taken to Scotland Yard? Aye, lass, I did.”

“Jerk.” Sydney pushed him away and made a
run for the car.

Thane watched her go... waiting. She stopped
midstride, bent at the waist, and settled her hands on her knees.
He felt her frustration, but because she didn’t like him
interfering, he let her have her emotions... for approximately ten
point two seconds. Then he moved.

Don’t, Thane.

He stopped, but not until he was within a
foot of her.
Sweetheart—

No, Thane. I need a minute.

He felt powerless.

You need to get over it.

He shook his head.
Now who’s in whose
head?

Sydney righted herself and faced him,
crossing her arms. “Is this ever going to stop?”

“Your emotions being on ten?”

She nodded.

“It should.” He sighed. “But this is all new
for me as well, sweetheart, so I don’t know how long it will take.”
Thane held his hand out to her. “You just need to trust me and let
me help you calm down.”

“I’m not good at playing the submissive
wife, Thane.”

“This isn’t about submission, Sydney. It’s
about trusting me to know I have your best interests at heart and
I’m protecting you. If I left you to your own devices while you
were in that state, you would have killed him, and then where would
we be? Hmm? You’d be in jail for murder and I’d be left without
you.”

She bit her lip and lowered her head,
closing the distance between them and taking his hand. “It’s always
all about you, isn’t it, mister movie star?”

Thane chuckled. “Damn straight.”

Sydney closed her eyes and leaned against
him. “I’m sorry.”

“Baby, it’s okay. This is all a learning
process.”

“I know.” She smiled up at him. “But I’m
sorry anyway. Even if I don’t always show it, I appreciate you
looking out for me.”

He leaned down and kissed her. “I love you,”
he said against her lips.

“I love you too.” She frowned. “Did I shove
Zach into the wall?”

“Aye, lass.”

“Without touching him?”

“Aye.”

“How did I do that?”

“It appears you have the gift of
telekinesis, so when you wanted him to move, you moved him.”

“Wow.” She let out a deep breath. “Do you
have it?”

“Not yet. My strongest gift is suggestion,
like when I put you to sleep. But it’s something that will more
than likely happen, just as you will more than likely acquire my
gifts soon.”

“Can we practice later?”

He smiled. “Of course we can. For now, let’s
go check on Lucy.”

Sydney nodded and they walked to the
car.

A
RRIVING AT THE
hospital, Sydney was relieved to discover Lucy wasn’t actually in
as bad of shape as she suspected. Bruised and battered, but nothing
was broken and she didn’t need stitches. Just ice, pain meds, and
lots of rest.

Aunt Clara still wasn’t talking to Uncle
Cary, but managed a little civility until Lucy was released. Then
the gloves came off and she insisted he stay at a hotel for a few
nights until things calmed down. Sydney unwittingly caught the tail
end of their argument as she was returning from getting coffee.

“Clara, love, don’t do this.”

“Don’t you bloody well “love” me, Carville
Ashworth. If you loved me, you wouldn’t have tried to drug me.
God
, do you really think I’m that stupid? I was a nurse in
another life, you idiot. I slid that needle out of my vein and the
doctor didn’t even notice.”

He dragged his hands through his hair. “I
was trying to protect you.”

“No, you were trying to “handle” me.”

“I’m sorry, Clara.” He dropped his head in
contrition.

“I’m not ready to forgive you yet and, no, I
can’t tell you when I will be. You’ll be lucky if you’re ever
allowed back in.”

“Don’t say that.”

“You’ll give me space right now, Carville,
or I’m calling a divorce attorney today and we’ll be done with
it.”

Sydney decided to announce her presence by
making heavier footstep noises as she came around the corner.

“Oh, Sydney, love. Thank you,” her aunt
said, and took her coffee. “I’ll speak to you later, Cary.”

Aunt Clara walked back into Lucy’s room and
Sydney followed, giving Uncle Cary a slight smile on her way in.
Thane and Anson were chatting, so she handed them their coffees and
sat next to Thane.

Two hours later, Lucy was cleared to leave
and the family headed back to the Ashworth’s home. Uncle Cary made
sure Lucy was settled and then did as Aunt Clara asked him to...he
gave her space, but left a team of security guards to watch the
house. Sydney didn’t want to leave her cousin, so her aunt offered
her and Thane a room, and they took her up on it.

After climbing into bed, Sydney snuggled
close to Thane as she tried to decompress after the most
uncomfortable dinner she’d ever experienced.

“I thought Aunt Clara was going to stab
Malcolm with her steak knife,” Sydney whispered.

Malcolm Smith had been with Aunt Clara when
she’d been sedated and was the one who’d driven her to the hospital
when she’d waked up. Aunt Clara appeared to put almost as much
blame on him as her husband.

Thane smiled. “I was ready if she
tried.”

“Aunt Clara has always been the sweet,
fun-loving auntie. I have
never
seen her raise her voice.
I’m not sure she and Uncle Cary are going to survive this, Thane.
She’s pissed.”

“Aye, love, she is. But don’t count him out
just yet. He was wrong, but his intention was pure.”

Sydney snorted. “Excuse me?”

He tightened his hold. “Hear me out before
you hulk out on me.”

She craned her head, unable to move the rest
of her body. “You better explain pretty damn quick, Thane.”

“Men are men, whether they are human or
Cauld Ane, and sometimes we can be idiots.”

“You got that right,” she grumbled.

He smacked her bottom. “
But
there are
carnal urges that overwhelm us on occasion, the biggest being the
need to protect our women. So, no, I do not agree with what your
uncle did, but I understand it.”

“You understand him drugging her?”

“I understand him wanting to keep the pain
away from her for a little while.”

Sydney sighed. “I suppose I can see that
side of it, but it really isn’t an excuse, it’s not even a good
reason.”

“I agree, love.”

She relaxed against him. “Okay, mister movie
star, you’ve calmed the beast.”

He chuckled, rolling to hover above her.
“I’m thinking I want to rile her up again.”

“We’re in a house full of people.”

He kissed her neck and whispered, “We’ll be
very, very quiet.”

* * *

One week later, Sydney was in their London
apartment, attempting to throw together something that resembled
dinner with the limited ingredients they had on hand.

They hadn’t planned on staying in London as
long as they had, but until the mess with Zach was cleared up, they
couldn’t head back to Edinburgh.

“Honey, I hope meatless spaghetti’s okay,”
Sydney called as she peered into the refrigerator. “It’s about all
we’ve got.”

Thane was in his office, trading e-mails
with the powers that be (his words).

“That’s fine, love.”

Sydney let out a squeak and jumped, nearly
hitting her head on the fridge door.

Thane chuckled. “Sorry, baby. I didn’t mean
to scare you.”

“You move like you’re walking on air.” She
wrinkled her nose and closed the fridge door, wrapping her arms
around his waist. “I need to put a bell on you.”

“As they say, everything can use more cow
bell.”

Sydney giggled. “That’s so true.”

“Do you want to eat first or talk?”

She leaned back to meet his eyes. “You have
news?”

Thane slipped his hand into her hair and ran
his fingers through it. “Aye, love.”

“That doesn’t sound good.”

“I suppose it could go either way,” he
admitted.

“Let’s talk first.”

He nodded and led her to the sofa, where she
sat facing him. He held his arm out to her. “Come here, love.”

“So you can ‘manage’ me?”

He chuckled. “Protect, sweetheart.
Protect
.”

She narrowed her eyes, but slid into his
arms, settling her head on his chest. “It’s that bad?”

“Zach’s mother is here. So is his
sister.”

“O-kay.”

“They want to see you.”

“No.”

He gave her a gentle squeeze. “That’s what I
told the police.”

She glanced up at him. “
But?
”

“They didn’t have anything to do with this,
and Zach’s mum is devastated that he did this.”

“So?” She pushed herself up. “She
participated in an adulterous affair, one that ultimately got my
mother
murdered
. As far as I’m concerned, the whore can rot
in a cell right along with her son.”

He studied her.

“What? Don’t you dare give me judgey eyes,
Thane Allen! What kind of a woman has two children with a
married
man and then raises a psychopath? As far as I’m
concerned, this is as much her fault as it is Zach’s... or my
father’s. And believe me, if my father was here, I’d probably kill
him all over again.”

He raised his hands. “Baby, I’m no’ judging
you. You have every right to feel the way you do. But can I give
you a little more information so you have the whole story?”

“Why? What would be the point? It doesn’t
change the fact my dad was a lying, cheating bastard, and it won’t
bring my mom back.”

“Aye, lass, you’re right.”

“I’m not hungry.” She rose to her feet. “I’m
going to bed.”

* * *

Thane let her go. This situation was far more
intense and complicated than either of them had expected, and he
knew she needed time to process. But he worried about the dark path
she was going down.

He took a minute to pray and then he walked
to their bedroom and slid onto the bed beside her, pulling her
close.

“I can’t believe you expect me to forgive
them,” she whispered.

He scooped her hair from around her face and
slid it behind her back. “I’m no’ asking you to forget or condone,
sweetheart, just to forgive.”

“I can’t.”

“I know you feel that way right now, love,
and you’re entitled to.” He kissed her shoulder. “Be angry for a
little while, hate for a little while... you have all the space to
do that... but eventually, you’ll have to let it go or you’ll make
yourself sick.”

“Don’t ever cheat on me,” she whispered
almost too quietly for him to hear.

“Sydney,” he crooned, rolling her to face
him. He wiped the tears from her cheeks and kissed her gently.
“Even if it were physically or emotionally possible, I would never
cheat on you. I won’t leave you and I won’t lie to you. I love you,
baby. That will never change.”

She burrowed into his chest with a sob. “I
don’t understand how he could do that to us.”

“I don’t either, love.”

“And what kind of woman does that? She knew
he had a family!”

“She actually didn’t.”

Sydney glanced up at him. “Zach said she
knew.”

“Aye, love, she knew, but not until several
years in. He’d lied to her as well, and when she found out, she
made a move to divorce him, which is when she found out they
weren’t legally married.”

“I don’t understand.”

He stroked her chin. “He committed
bigamy.”

“Oh my word. Seriously?” She face-planted
into his chest again. “He was such an asshole.”

“At the risk of insulting the dead, I agree.
On top of the fact your father was a sociopath and knew exactly how
to work her, she’s the type of woman who has no apparent life
skills.”

“What do you mean?”

“She’s totally incapable of handling
anything emotionally taxing, and she’s been thrust into drama
that’s she’s not prepared for.”

“You mean life,” she said, snidely.

“Aye, lass.”

“And how is that an excuse?”

“It’s no’, love, but perhaps a little grace
can be given, considering she has a limited grasp of the language
and has been dealt a blow that could fall the strongest of
people.”

“I’m not very strong and it didn’t ‘fall’
me.”

“You are strong, Sydney,” he argued.

She snorted. “Because sobbing snotty tears
into your T-shirt proves that.”

“Partly. But also partly because at
twenty-four, you had to lay your mother to rest and deal with her
estate by yourself.”

“Uncle Cary took care of that,” she
countered.

“Oh, really?” He gave her a squeeze. “Did
you no’ read the documents that you had to sign? Did you no’ agree
to donate yer mother’s organs without anyone there to lean on? Did
you no’ pack up your most treasured items and have them stored
somewhere safe? Your uncle came to yer aid, aye, but he couldn’t
make the important decisions. You did that, love. You did it and
you did it without a woe is me, or buckling under the
pressure.”