A LITTLE OVER two weeks later, Samantha woke so tired she nearly skipped her run—again. She hadn’t slept well—again. Her dreams had been filled with Kade—again. She laid her fingers on her lips. His kiss the night before had surpassed the rest and he’d captivated her heart. She was officially in love with him, to the point of no return.
Since their eye-opening dinner, the two had spent nearly every waking non-working moment together. Dinner at one of their apartments was a given every night, and Kade made sure he took snippets of time out of the day for a “quick snog.”
Shannon had been fired and had apparently left the city. Sam chose not to grill Kade about what happened with her. She was just grateful she didn’t have to deal with her anymore. Kade had also assured her that Jon had found another job, which was probably why Alan was happier these days.
A week ago, Cole had taken her to the American bar he’d told her about and they’d watched football and drunk beer, laughing at things only they would get. But none of it mattered, because even though she felt comfortable with Cole, she couldn’t fully focus. Her mind was filled with all things Kade and she’d ended the night early, thrilled when she found Kade home from his meeting with Pfizer, and available to spend the rest of the evening with her.
After several Skype sessions with her parents, they’d given her their positive opinions of Kade. Of course, they reserved the right to change their opinions when they met him, which would be when, exactly? Samantha had laughed and promised it would happen as soon as humanly possible.
Sam forced herself out of her cozy bed, knowing that if she didn’t run, she’d start to obsess over the illogical state of her heart and that never did anyone any good, especially Pepper, who ended up being the sounding board to Samantha’s stress.
She arrived at the running path to find Cole already stretching. He gave her a smile and waited for her to reach him. “Good morning, stranger. How are you?”
“I’m good. How about you?”
“Great. Did you get my text last night?”
“Oh, yeah! Sorry. I’ve been so distracted lately. Yes, let’s do something. I’ll figure out my schedule and we can plan a night. Maybe more football?”
“Sounds good,” Cole said. “Would you like to run together?”
She held up her iPod. “I really need to lose myself in music this morning. Rain check?”
“No problem. I’ll see you later.” He waved and started his run.
She took a few minutes to stretch and then slipped her ear buds in. In the mood for something high-energy, she found her favorite album by Fallen Crown and set her iPod to shuffle. The elusive band had finally announced a world tour and she hoped she’d be able to see them live at some point.
She saw Cole in front of her and there were a few other people coming back the other way. She figured there’d be more starting their runs, as the day was sunny and remarkably warm.
As Sam hit her second mile, her pace became muscle memory and she allowed her body to take over so her mind could wander. The scenery was stunning, and she drew a breath deep into her lungs. The air was so clean, and she could tell it would snow soon. She must ask Kade what the trees were that lined the path. They were magnificent.
Without warning, a hand snaked around her waist and yanked her off the path. She screamed, but the sound was stopped when something was shoved in her mouth.
* * *
Panic slammed Kade hard. His head whipped up and he grabbed his cell phone. Samantha didn’t pick up, so he dialed Alasdair. He paced his office as the fear made his heart race.
“Not a good time, Kade,” Alasdair said.
“What the hell happened? Who’s watching her?” he snapped.
“Shite!”
“Alasdair!” Kade rushed to the bank of windows in a misguided effort to see something… anything.
“I’ll ring you back,” Alasdair said, and then the phone went dead.
Kade closed his eyes and took several deep breaths. His heart started to calm, but he still leaned against the glass in an effort to “see” Samantha. His phone buzzed. “Ali. What’s going on?”
“Everything’s all right, Kade. She’s safe.”
“But she was in danger?”
“Aye.”
Kade swore. “Alasdair, you better start bloody talking, or—”
“Someone else stepped in. The American.”
“Colton Drake?” Kade seethed.
“Aye. He’s taking care of her, and we got the one who grabbed her—”
“Grabbed her? What the hell is that supposed to mean?” Kade snapped. “I’m coming down.”
* * *
Samantha gladly took the comfort Cole was offering as he helped her stand and laid his windbreaker over her shoulders. “Better?” he asked.
“I don’t know,” she answered.
He wrapped his arm around her shoulders and led her to one of the benches at the side of the path. “Here. You should probably sit down.”
She nodded and sat down next to him. He kept his arm firmly around her and watched her intently. She glanced at the man who’d attacked her. He lay unconscious on the ground. Sam remembered bits and pieces of the attack, but felt as though she were in a strange dream. The man had thrown her to the ground and shoved a rag in her mouth. She tried to fight, but he was strong, and she was reeling from the blow she received when her head hit the ground.
She remembered the man being hauled off her, almost like a rag doll, then blackness. When she came to, Cole was there and lifting her from the ground.
She shivered, and Cole tightened his hold. “Sam?”
She shook her head. “I’m going to be sick.”
“Come with me.”
He walked her to the edge of the trail and held her while she emptied her stomach. A good thing she’d followed her normal routine of waiting to eat. Cole handed her a bottle of water and Sam took a few sips.
“You really should sit down,” he said, and guided her back to the bench.
“I do feel a little dizzy. Probably a mild concussion.” There were several people milling around, including one she recognized. “Alasdair? What are you doing here?”
“I was driving by when I saw the commotion.”
The police and ambulance arrived, taking her focus from the evasive response by the driver. They began to ask questions, none of which Sam could answer. She didn’t know who her attacker was, and hadn’t seen him lurking anywhere. The EMTs were taking her pulse and making sure she wouldn’t pass out while Cole chimed in with his own information for the police, sounding official and using words that Sam could have sworn were swimming in front of her.
Kind of like little birds in a cartoon.
“Sam?”
She blinked and then felt a gentle squeeze around her waist.
“Sam, stay awake,” Cole demanded.
“Samantha?” another voice entered the chorus.
“Kade?” Samantha watched him as he approached. He bent down and lifted her off the bench.
“Hey!” Cole snapped as he stood and laid a hand on her arm. “What the hell are you doing?”
“It’s okay, Cole. This is Kade. He’s my… uh… boss.” Sam looped her arms around Kade’s neck and frowned.
“I’m a hell of a lot more than your boss,” he whispered for her ears only.
Sam nodded. “Yeah, yeah.”
“How are you, sweetheart?” he asked.
“I feel clumsy enough to trip over a cordless phone.”
He raised an eyebrow. “So, you feel dizzy then?”
She grimaced. “I think I might have a very mild concussion.”
“That’s what I’m afraid of.”
“I did say mild, right?”
Kade grilled the EMTs before focusing back on Samantha. “I’m going to ask you a few questions, all right?”
“Fire away,” she said.
“What’s your name?”
“Minnie Mouse.”
“Samantha,” he warned.
“Samantha Moore.”
“And where are you?”
“Currently in your arms,” she retorted. “Although, I’m not sure how that happened, or why you don’t just set me down.”
“Your sense of humor is intact.” He smiled, although his smile didn’t quite cover the worry in his eyes. “Did you lose consciousness?”
Sam looked at Cole who nodded.
“She was out for a couple of minutes,” he provided.
Kade frowned. “Are you feeling nauseous?”
“Not anymore,” Sam said.
Cole nodded to the edge of the path. “She threw up.”
“How long ago?” Kade asked.
Cole set irritated eyes on Kade. “Just before you arrived.”
Kade frowned down at Samantha. “I’m taking you to the hospital.”
“We can take her, Dr. Gunnach,” the female EMT offered, her appreciative gaze raking over him.
Sam leaned closer to Kade, her possessiveness rising. “Don’t be ridiculous. I don’t need a hospital. I need a shower and a nap.”
“No sleeping,” he demanded.
“Joking.” She yawned. “Sort of. Put me down, Kade. Seriously. I got a bump on the head, I didn’t break my legs.”
He set her on the ground and she pulled her arms from around his neck and stepped away, dizziness engulfing her almost immediately. She fell into Cole, who stood close by. He caught her, but she reached for Kade’s arm and held onto him as though he were a life raft. “I misjudged a bit, I think.”
Kade nodded and scooped her back up once Cole released her.
“I have the car,” Alasdair said. “Fiona is waiting at your flat.”
“Are you sure you don’t want us to take her?” the EMT asked.
“No, I’m fine,” Samantha stressed. “I don’t need to go to the hospital.”
Kade sighed. “If you won’t go to the hospital, then I’m taking you to my place so I can keep an eye on you.”
“Fine,” Samantha grumbled.
“And where is that, exactly?” Cole asked in suspicion.
Kade ignored him and gave some instructions to Alasdair.
“Hey, buddy, I asked you a question,” Cole pressed. “Where exactly are you taking her?”
Sam felt Kade’s body stiffen and strange words swirled in her mind.
Ég mun drepa þig.
She didn’t know what they meant, but with the anger pouring from Kade, she figured they probably weren’t good. She reached out and squeezed Cole’s shoulder. “Cole, it’s okay. Really. Call me later and we’ll figure out another time to run together. Okay?”
Kade didn’t wait for Cole to answer her. He turned and followed Alasdair to the car waiting at the entrance of the path.
“You know, I feel fine now,” she said.
Kade set her feet on the ground and helped her slide into the backseat. He slid in next to her and pulled the door closed.
“What are you doing here?” she asked as Alasdair drove away from the chaos.
Kade watched her closely. “Alasdair called me.”
Sam rubbed her forehead. “Do you communicate telepathically?”
“Excuse me?”
She dropped her head on the back of the seat. “Y’all just got there so quickly.” Her head was spinning and her nausea was returning rapidly.
“Don’t try to think. We’ll talk it out when you’re feeling better.” He reached over and squeezed her hand. “Tell me about the man.”
“I told the police I’d never seen him before.”
He shook his head. “Not the one who attacked you. The other one.”
“Cole? He’s the guy I told you about. The one on the plane.”
Kade ran his thumb over her hand. “Right.”
“Why?”
“How well do you know him?”
“Well enough. I’ve known him longer than I’ve known you.”
“That didn’t answer my question,” he accused.
She frowned. “Why does this feel like an interrogation?”
“I’m sorry, Samantha, I just want to make sure you’re not in danger. There are a lot of people who’d like to get their hands on information our company has access to, and I want to make sure you’re protected.”
She let out a quiet hiss. “If you’re suggesting I’d reveal company secrets to anyone, let alone someone I just met, then I don’t know why you bothered to hire me.”
“That’s not what I’m saying.” Kade grimaced. “I’m sorry. I’ll explain more when you’re feeling better.”
Alasdair pulled the car to the back of their building and set the brake.
Sam felt less dizzy than before, but as soon as Kade released her hand and slid from the car, her dizziness returned.
He helped her out and then reached inside for her jacket. She had to lean against the car in order not to fall over, but as soon as he wrapped an arm around her waist, her vertigo calmed. Kade walked her to the elevator and they rode to the thirty-second floor. They made their way to his apartment and he pushed open the door.
Fiona rushed to them, her face whiter than usual. “What happened? Are you all right? Come sit down.”
“Fi. Slow down, love,” Kade said.
“Sorry. Bring her to the sofa. I’m making tea.”
“I’m fine, really,” Sam insisted. “Bump on the head. So not a big deal.”
Fiona waved toward the coffee table. A black leather satchel sat in the middle of it. “I got your bag.”
Kade smiled. “Thank you.”
He settled Sam on the couch and then sat facing her on the coffee table. Opening his medical bag, he pulled out a pen light. “I’m going to check you now, all right?”
Sam nodded.
He leaned in and examined her eyes, then wrapped his large hands around her head, gently pulling her scrunchy out and pressing on her scalp to check for tenderness. She whimpered when his fingers grazed a particularly sore spot. He separated her hair and looked closer before sitting back on the table. “You have quite the goose egg, but no bleeding. We’ll get some ice on it and I think you’ll live.”
“I think I said something similar, didn’t I?” Samantha yawned. “Sorry, I just want to sleep.”
“That you can’t do.”
Sam nodded. “I know.”
“In a couple of hours, we’ll see how you’re feeling, and then, maybe, you can sleep.”
“Okay. I’ll just go home and take a shower.”
“You’re not going anywhere,” Kade said.
“Please. I’ll be fine. I’ll get dressed and meet you at the office.”
“You’re not going to the office, Samantha. You need to rest.”
“I have a job to do. One that you’re convinced I’m going to screw up.”
Fiona gasped and glared at Kade. “What?”
Kade squeezed Sam’s knee and frowned. “I said nothing of the sort.”
“You implied it,” Sam countered.
“Pain makes you grumpy I see.”
She couldn’t help but smile. “You ain’t seen nothin’ yet.”
“I look forward to whatever you have to throw my way.” Kade leaned over and kissed her cheek. “In the meantime, I’ll get you some tea.”
He put his instruments back in his bag and Sam took her chance to escape. “It’s okay, Kade. I need to get to work.” She felt nausea overwhelm her, and sat down again. “In a minute.”
Fiona raised an eyebrow in her brother’s general direction, but Sam had no idea what they were silently communicating.
“Anna has canceled my appointments for today, and you can work on the samples as soon as you’re better,” he said.
Sam laid her hand on his arm and the nausea stopped. “Kade, really, I’m a big girl. I’m fine. I’ll shower, and if you insist on me staying home, I won’t argue, but I can’t ask you to throw your entire day away.”
“What if you pass out while you’re in the shower and no one’s there to help?” he countered.
He had a point, but she still didn’t want to impose. “I won’t pass out in the shower.”
“I can take her home and make sure she’s safe,” Fiona offered and turned to Sam. “If you don’t mind.”
“No I don’t mind.” Samantha pulled her hand away from Kade. Nausea hit her like a wall and she grasped his arm again. “Okay, I don’t know what the heck is going on at the moment, but something’s not right.”
Kade laid his hand over hers. “Tell me.”
“I feel great as long as I’m touching you, but if I take my hand away, I feel like I’ve been hit in the head.” She wrinkled her nose. “Just ignore me. I’m a little rattled.”
“Let’s put the shower idea on hold,” Kade said. “We’re not going anywhere for the moment, so you should rest and have a cup of tea.”
“I’m fine. Seriously, I feel much better.”
Kade dropped her hand and Sam was hit with dizziness. “What the—?”
He wrapped his hand around her wrist and her dizziness dissipated almost as quickly as it came.
“I’ll make that tea, eh?” Fiona said, and escaped to the kitchen.
“What are you doing to me, Kade?” Sam asked as she sat back on the couch. “This goes way beyond the ability to calm me down when I’m upset.”
Before he could respond, Sam’s cell phone rang and she pulled it from her pocket. Cole’s name popped up on the screen. “Hi, Cole.”
“Hey. How are you?”
“I’m doing much better.” Sam shifted in her seat. “Did they find out anything about the man who attacked me?”
“Nothing that they’d tell me. I have some contacts, so I’m looking into it.”
Samantha bit her lip. “He was probably just some crazy guy.”
“Maybe,” Cole said. “Are you home?”
“No. I’m at Kade’s.”
“Are you comfortable with that? If you’re not, I’ll come get you.”
“Bless your heart.” Sam smiled. “I’m fine. I’m going home in a bit. He’s just making sure I won’t pass out without anyone around.”
Cole hummed in agreement. “Probably a good idea. What about dinner tonight? I could swing by with a pizza.”
Kade shifted beside her and Sam glanced at him. His eyes were strange—the outside rims of his irises were red. She couldn’t stop a quiet intake of breath.
“Sam? Are you okay?” Cole asked.
She focused on the phone again. “Hmm? Yes. Fine. Sorry. Um, tonight—”
Kade stood, breaking contact with her, and Sam groaned. “Cole, I’m going to be sick. I’ll call you back.”
She hung up just as Fiona returned with the tea. “Kade!” she hissed. “Stop it.”
“Stop what?” Samantha asked, her head pounding again.
Kade sat next to Sam again and laid his hand on her knee. The pain and nausea slipped away. Sam glared at him. “You are doing something! What are you doing to me?” She pushed his hand away, regretting it immediately. “Ow! My head.” He took her hand, but she slipped from his hold and tried to stand up. “Don’t touch me.”
“Samantha.” Fiona reached for her. “Don’t try to move.” She took her arm and pushed her back onto the sofa. “Kade! Calm sjálfur.”
Samantha started to panic. “I need to go home.”
“No, Sam.” Fiona took her hand. “You need to stay until you’re steady.”
Tears streamed down Sam’s face. “I’m going to be sick.”
Kade said something Sam didn’t understand, but by the look on Fiona’s face, it wasn’t something she approved of. He sat down next to Sam again and took her hand. “I am so sorry, Samantha. I shouldn’t have done that. Let me help you.”
The pain and nausea were once again gone, and as much as Sam wanted to flee, she also wanted to be free of the pain, so she let him hold her hand. “What are you doing to me? Please don’t tell me it’s some kind of witchcraft or some weird cult thingy.”
He shook his head as he ran his thumb over her palm. “No. I promise.”
“Then what are you doing? How are you doing it?”
“Angus can do the same for me,” Fiona piped in.
Kade shook his head. “Fiona.”
“Sorry.”
None of the fascinating conversation going on around her actually answered any of Samantha’s questions. Her head just filled with more. Kade sat with her for almost an hour, testing her pain level every fifteen minutes or so until she didn’t feel any more pain or nausea.
After forcing her to eat more food that she ever had at one sitting, he gave her the green light to go home and shower, but he insisted that she return once she was finished. She left his apartment, torn between confusion and feeling adored when he stood in the hallway and waited for her to let herself into her apartment.
Samantha closed the door and leaned against it, taking several deep breaths. Something strange was going on. She waffled between wanting to find out what it was and the desire to ignore it and hope it would go away. She was almost at the point of packing it in and going home. But she wasn’t a quitter, even if sometimes she wished she were.
She dropped her keys on the console and sat down at her computer. She needed to talk to Pepper, but she must have left her cell at Kade’s, and Pepper’s Skype status was offline.
It would have to wait. For now, she’d focus on getting comfortable and then she’d deal with the strangeness surrounding Kade.
* * *
Kade closed his door and turned to find his sister scowling at him, her hands on her hips and her face rising in color. “Leave it, Fi.”
“I will not leave it! You scared that poor girl half to death, after you purposely allowed her to feel pain because of what? Jealousy? You’re a bloody spiteful bastard sometimes, Kade.”
He slammed his hand against the wall. “I know it, damn it! I’m not proud of what I did, Fiona. But please, dear sister, continue to shove my pettiness down my throat.”
Fiona’s cell phone rang and she made her way to her purse. “This is not over.” She answered the call. “I’m fine, sweetheart. Just giving my brother a verbal hiding. No, Kade.” She glared at him. “I’m aware of that. But right now, he’s my brother, not my chieftain… .and he deserves it.”
Kade paced the floor while he waited for his sister to finish her conversation. He berated himself for his treatment of Samantha. He was the worst mate in the history of the world.
“You are not,” Fiona said. “And maybe don’t say things like that out loud, eh?”
He hadn’t realized she was even off the phone.
Fiona pulled him to the sofa, tugging him down beside her. “You reacted to an emotion you’ve never felt before. Granted, you didn’t react well, but you’re not the worst mate in the world. You’re just not used to this.”
“She deserves better.”
“Then apologize. You’ll work it out, but I do think you need to tell her everything. She’s confused.”
“How am I supposed to tell the woman I met less than a month ago that we are to be mated for life because I’m a near-immortal Viking and it’s written in our DNA? And that once I bind her, she’ll be joined forever to the chieftain of a clan almost two thousand years old?”
Fiona chuckled. “Perhaps reword it a bit.”
“She’ll run, Fi.”
“I don’t think she will. I think you run a higher risk of losing her if you keep her in the dark. She’s going to need to know who we are eventually; otherwise, she’ll never find a cure. I trust her, Kade. She’s the one.”
He nodded. “I know.”
“Then trust her too. If you don’t start now, you’ll never have the bond you seek.”
He smiled. “When did you get so wise?”
“Years ago. Where have you been?”
The doorbell pealed and Kade made his way to the door. Samantha stood in the hallway, her damp hair loose and falling across her shoulders. She wore form-fitting yoga pants and a long-sleeved tee. Kade’s heart beat a little faster in response to her being so close.
“I think I left my cell phone here,” she said.
“Come in.” He stepped aside and waited for her to enter.
“How do you feel, Samantha?” Fiona asked.
“Much better. Thank you.”
“Good.” Fiona stood and gathered her purse. “I’m going to take off. I need to meet Angus and take care of a few things.” She patted Kade’s chest. “I trust I’m leaving her in good hands, right?”
He rolled his eyes. “Aye. Now, out with you.”
“I’ll see you tomorrow, Samantha.”
“Okay.” Sam waved and Fiona left.
Samantha leaned against the sofa and he saw her hands shaking as she clasped them in front of her. “Och, Samantha, I’ve scared you. I’m so sorry.”
“No. You haven’t. Can I just get my cell phone and I’ll give you your space?”
He stood in front of her and grasped her hands, pulling them to his chest.
She pulled away with a sigh. “What are you doing?”
“I want you to feel my heart.”
She laid her palm over his chest, but Kade pulled it away. “No. Feel it with your heart. Close your eyes.” Her eyes widened and he knew she was leery of him. “Trust me. I know I haven’t earned it, but I will. Now, close your eyes.”
She did as he asked and he linked his fingers with hers and closed his eyes as well. As they stood toe-to-toe, he felt her fear begin to dissipate like a vapor into the air. He knew the moment she recognized his heartbeat. He released one of her hands and cupped her cheek, stroking it as he covered her mouth with his.
She responded just as she had the night before… still, the fact she didn’t hold anything back even though she didn’t understand what was happening was humbling. He lifted her onto the back of the sofa, giving him better access to her mouth, and slid his tongue across her lips.
Þú verður mín að eilífu. (You will be mine forever.)
He knew she heard the words and half expected her to break their connection, but she slipped her arms around his neck and wove her fingers through his hair. It didn’t last as long as he would have liked, however.
He felt a gentle tug and then she broke the kiss with a groan. “What was that? That was way more intense than before!”
“I have several things I need to explain.”