Read Online An Enchanted Spring: Mists of Fate - Book Two by Nancy Scanlon - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Nancy Scanlon
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and placed the blade on the table next to the lamp. “Where will you go?”
Emma spied her stuff on one of the chairs in the elaborate dining room and attempted to walk over to it casually. She had a sinking suspicion she may have lunged, but she needed to get out of there. “Oh, I’ll be fine.” No, I won’t. “I have some friends I can stay with.” No, I don’t.
She was going to end up on a bench in Central Park. Out in the open, where Ben can find me and finish the job.
She tried to swallow her fear. The police officer had assured her that once they determined it was in fact her ex who broke into the apartment, her restraining order would be approved quickly. Most likely Monday morning, even. That just meant she had to stay alive until then, of course.
“Emma.” His use of her nickname stopped her. “You’re safe with me.”
“I beg to differ, Mr. MacWilliam.”
He held up both his hands. “Please. Stay. I’m leaving right after the auction to go to Boston. The hotel room is yours as long as you need it—a month? Two months? It’s under my name, and no one knows where you are right now.”
Emma snorted. The only person she could trust was herself—she knew better than to accept what he was proposing. Aidan’s offer surely had strings attached, and she couldn’t afford to be his marionette.
“Thank you for the offer. Truly, I appreciate it, but I’ll be fine.” She had to leave immediately, and the overwhelming urge to accept his aid was frightening her. Hadn’t she learned her lesson the last time she’d blindly trusted someone? “I’m afraid I’m not the right person for your job, Mr. MacWilliam.” The suddenly stuffy air choked her, and she swept into the dining room, anxious to leave. She nodded stiffly to Cian, then ran out the door.
• • •
Cian let out a low whistle. “Well, ye blew that one good an’ proper, my laird.”
Aidan glared at him. “We can’t let her go without protection. MacDermott is out for blood. That woman is in trouble,” Aidan growled as he headed toward the door.
By the time he reached the elevators, Emma’s had already left. He hurried into the second elevator, dragging his hands through his hair. If she got to the street before he made it downstairs, he might never find her again. His stomach did an inexplicable flip at the thought.
He pushed all thoughts aside when the doors opened onto the lobby. As he strode toward the front desk, intent on asking the concierge which way Emma had gone, he saw her hurrying down the front steps.
He darted after her, weaving between well-dressed couples and tourists alike. He slid to a stop in front of the glass double doors, yanked one open before the doorman knew he was there, and dashed onto the steps. Emma disappeared around the corner of the building, and Aidan’s rising panic pushed him into a run.
He had no doubts that Ben MacDermott would continue to terrorize Emma. He’d known his fair share of men just like him—men who had nothing to lose, so they derived what power they could by using violence and fear.
His father, rot his soul, was proof of that.
The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and Aidan went on full alert. His instincts never proved him wrong, and right now they were screaming.
“Emma!” he called, alarm in his voice. She was walking fast, but he ran after her, dodging pedestrians and skateboarders. “Emma, wait!”
She spun around and glared at him. “What?” Immediately, she held up her hands. “I’m sorry.” She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I’m trying not to lose it,” she whispered. “But—”
Aidan saw the gun pointed at her, and he didn’t think. He lunged at her, cutting her off midsentence, and glass shattered around them into a million pieces. He covered her body with his, cradling her head in his hands, and protected her from both the falling shards and the chaos that erupted around them. People ran and screamed, nearly
Emma spied her stuff on one of the chairs in the elaborate dining room and attempted to walk over to it casually. She had a sinking suspicion she may have lunged, but she needed to get out of there. “Oh, I’ll be fine.” No, I won’t. “I have some friends I can stay with.” No, I don’t.
She was going to end up on a bench in Central Park. Out in the open, where Ben can find me and finish the job.
She tried to swallow her fear. The police officer had assured her that once they determined it was in fact her ex who broke into the apartment, her restraining order would be approved quickly. Most likely Monday morning, even. That just meant she had to stay alive until then, of course.
“Emma.” His use of her nickname stopped her. “You’re safe with me.”
“I beg to differ, Mr. MacWilliam.”
He held up both his hands. “Please. Stay. I’m leaving right after the auction to go to Boston. The hotel room is yours as long as you need it—a month? Two months? It’s under my name, and no one knows where you are right now.”
Emma snorted. The only person she could trust was herself—she knew better than to accept what he was proposing. Aidan’s offer surely had strings attached, and she couldn’t afford to be his marionette.
“Thank you for the offer. Truly, I appreciate it, but I’ll be fine.” She had to leave immediately, and the overwhelming urge to accept his aid was frightening her. Hadn’t she learned her lesson the last time she’d blindly trusted someone? “I’m afraid I’m not the right person for your job, Mr. MacWilliam.” The suddenly stuffy air choked her, and she swept into the dining room, anxious to leave. She nodded stiffly to Cian, then ran out the door.
• • •
Cian let out a low whistle. “Well, ye blew that one good an’ proper, my laird.”
Aidan glared at him. “We can’t let her go without protection. MacDermott is out for blood. That woman is in trouble,” Aidan growled as he headed toward the door.
By the time he reached the elevators, Emma’s had already left. He hurried into the second elevator, dragging his hands through his hair. If she got to the street before he made it downstairs, he might never find her again. His stomach did an inexplicable flip at the thought.
He pushed all thoughts aside when the doors opened onto the lobby. As he strode toward the front desk, intent on asking the concierge which way Emma had gone, he saw her hurrying down the front steps.
He darted after her, weaving between well-dressed couples and tourists alike. He slid to a stop in front of the glass double doors, yanked one open before the doorman knew he was there, and dashed onto the steps. Emma disappeared around the corner of the building, and Aidan’s rising panic pushed him into a run.
He had no doubts that Ben MacDermott would continue to terrorize Emma. He’d known his fair share of men just like him—men who had nothing to lose, so they derived what power they could by using violence and fear.
His father, rot his soul, was proof of that.
The hair on the back of his neck stood up, and Aidan went on full alert. His instincts never proved him wrong, and right now they were screaming.
“Emma!” he called, alarm in his voice. She was walking fast, but he ran after her, dodging pedestrians and skateboarders. “Emma, wait!”
She spun around and glared at him. “What?” Immediately, she held up her hands. “I’m sorry.” She swallowed hard, her eyes glistening with unshed tears. “I’m trying not to lose it,” she whispered. “But—”
Aidan saw the gun pointed at her, and he didn’t think. He lunged at her, cutting her off midsentence, and glass shattered around them into a million pieces. He covered her body with his, cradling her head in his hands, and protected her from both the falling shards and the chaos that erupted around them. People ran and screamed, nearly
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