Page 85 of Wild Scottish Beauty

On my way.

Please don’t break anything. I like my pub.

I didn’t respondto that, rage clouding my vision as I stomped downstairs, tamped out the fire, and locked the door after myself. I didn’t take an umbrella, I didn’t grab my jacket, anger fueling me as I stompedthrough the rain to the pub, furious that my brother, once again, was trying to take something that was mine.

Granted, Willow wasn’t mine, but she was all that was good and pure in this world, and I didn’t need someone like Andrew dulling her shine with his slimy ways. As I neared the pub, a thought occurred to me.

Had Willow known she was going on a date with my brother? I’d said his name when I’d spoken about him. Hadn’t I? She must have met him when she’d been here as a child. Was this all a game to her? I shook my head as I shoved the door of the pub open.

There was no way we would have had that moment today, when I opened up about my brother, and then Willow would have gone out on a date with him. If I were a betting man, I’d lay money that, for some unknown reason, she had no idea who she was on a date with.

I caught Graham’s eyes as I stormed inside, and he lifted his chin to the corner. The pub fell silent as I turned, my vision narrowing to where Willow laughed at something my brother said. Stalking across the room, I wrenched him out of his seat by his neck, fury making me want to slam his head into the table. The only thing that stopped me was the look on Willow’s face and the feel of Graham’s presence at my back.

“Enjoying your date with my brother, Willow?”

“Your brother?” Willow gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, confirming my suspicions. She had no clue who she was on a date with. “Thisis your brother?”

Andrew wrenched himself from my grasp, straightening and rubbing the back of his neck, the expression on his face mutinous.

“What are you doing with her?” I asked, pitching my voice low, as Andrew raged back.

“Just on a date, brother.”

“You’re meant to be leaving town.”

“I’m getting around to it.” Andrew gave me a meaningful look, insinuating that he was going to stay around to mess up my life until he got the money he needed.

“Why did you ask her out?”

I realized my mistake in asking that question the instant that Andrew’s expression changed. A corner of his mouth quirked up, and he lifted his eyebrows, a calculating look in his eyes.

“Oh God.” Willow rose, interrupting his response. “You knew who I was, didn’t you? It wasn’t happenstance that you bumped into me and asked me out, was it? You were looking to mess with Ramsay. I’m just a pawn to you.”

“A girl like you would have let me have a taste though.” Andrew laughed, confirming Willow’s fears, and I wanted to murder him on the spot for the defeat that I saw on her face. Her shoulders slumped and tears shimmered. “It was just by chance that I saw you in the shop, and I knew you were working for him. The plan kind of came together on the fly.”

Two things happened at once.

Tears fell from Willow’s eyes, and she grabbed her handbag, while I drove a fist into my brother’s stomach, toppling him at the waist. Willow turned and ran from the pub, and I raised my fists again, determined to take my brother apart, piece by piece, until he could no longer hurt someone else that I cared about.

“I’ve got him, lad. Go after her.” Graham shoulderedme aside, and my chest rose with the exertion it was taking not to lay into Andrew. Graham grabbed my chin, forcing my eyes to his. “Go. After. Willow.”

“Don’t be nice,” I hissed.

A very dangerous smile flashed across Graham’s face, and he pushed his sleeves up his arms.

“It won’t be my fault if he bangs his head a time or two while I assist him off the premises.”

Satisfied that Graham would finish the job, I crossed the pub. Agnes was by the door, worry on her face.

“You’re going after her? Should I come?”

“No.”

Agnes took one look at my face, and a smile bloomed. She patted me on the arm as I passed her.

“Good on you, lad.”

I ran outside as Willow turned the corner at the end of the street. Hell if I was going to let her disappear into the night, feeling like she wasn’t worth a man treating her well. The rain pounded down, water running in rivulets down the street, and I caught up to her as she turned on the street to the shop. She must be going to get Calvin, but she didn’t know yet that I wasn’t letting her out of my sight. No, tonight was going to be about showing Willow just what she was worth.

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