Page 134 of Evil Hearts

“Take good care of the lass while I’m out, Lach,” Munro grinned up at him.

“I will,” Lachlan smirked. “Just get up soon, will ye? I doona want extra chores for too long.”

Munro let out a soft laugh before closing her eyes. Katarina smiled, using the fresh water to rinse the last of his woundsbefore bandaging them. Then, certain that he’d be able to rest, she stood and turned to Lachlan. He didn’t need to say anything; he only gazed at her, his intense eyes taking her in with the fierceness she was falling in love with.

Love…

There was really no denying it now; no twisting or wondering or fighting the reality of it.

But maybe she wouldn’t have to…

“Come back to New York with me,” she whispered.

He looked up, as surprised by her words as she was. He frowned, looking down and she watched as he shook his head.

“Lass, I doona know if my brother would be alright with that,” he sighed. “An’ I canna go without him.”

“I would never ask that! I’d want you both to come back to New York with me! I have enough money for us to live comfortably,” she bit her lip, thinking that he was worried about funds.

“Is that what ye think? That we would just live off yer charity?” he narrowed his eyes.

“I didn’t mean… I mean, I wasn’t trying to imply anything by it,” she looked up.

“We doona need yer fancy life or yer charity, Katarina! We aren’t dogs living in the gutter,” he growled, looking away from her. “Go back to New York,” he snarled. “Leave me an’ my brother out of yer messed-up, worthless life! Nothin’ in yer world is real—‘sall jus’ paint and fantasy and money!—and I won’t be lettin’ ye poison our lives with that high-priced, plastic shite!”

“Wh-what? What are you—”

“Ye got what ye came here for, right? Got yer rest in a new place, then scored a wee bit of fun with some Scotsmen, and ye even found the right inspiration,aye? Then what? Ye felt bad fer what ‘appened t’Munro? Thought ye owed us a bit more than this,aye? So now ye want to carry us about like fancy little dogsin a handbag, is that it? Show the world yer such a bleedin’ heart for taking the dumb animals out of their cave?” He spat at her feet, “Well we won’t be yer new marketing scheme!”

“Is that what you think?” she glared. “I invited you both because Icarefor you, but if you can’t see that then maybe youarejust a dumb animal, you prideful dick!”

“Better a prideful dick than a loose whore!” he snarled.

She froze at that and bit her lip, turning away from the cave and rushing out into the night.

She didn’t need this!

She didn’t need his pride and the blind cruelty it drove him to!

She didn’t… need… him!

Again and again she told herself this; cycling it through her head like a heart-shattering mantra until everything else she’d told herself for the past twenty-four hours turned brittle and broken. Blinded by tears and rage, she ran through the void; streaks of silvery moonlight cutting through the spectral knifepoints her vision had become. Tripping over every dip in her path—crashing into every obstacle in her way—she pushed forward, eager to put every possible inch she could between her and…

“L-Lachlan?” she whimpered, trembling as the realization that she wasn’t alone dawned upon her.

Hopeful as she was that he’d pursued her, however, she didn’t need her eyesight to know that it wasn’t him.

Chapter Five:

Foolish Pride

“Wh-where’s Kat?” Munro’spained voice rose as Lachlan stepped into the cave, and he growled at the unwelcome greeting.

“She’s gone! She left us… and good riddance to her!” Lachlan snarled.

“Whoa! What’s with ye, Lachlan? The lass is inlovewith ye!” Munro struggled to sit up, propping himself on his elbows. “What’s all this about then? Why are ye not going after her?”

“She just wanted to make us her pet project!” Lachlan hissed, turning away.

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