Page 126 of Princess of Pride
The woman stands at the end of the couch, taking Lachlan’s tongue-lashing like a frightened teenager. It’s a side of her I didn’t know existed.
Wes stands behind her as if to stop his sister from leaving should she try. Not once has he defended her.
Tears gleam in her eyes. “I swear I never would have sent Emery to Maisie had I known she had ties to Angus. I would never do that to you.”
“Tome,” Lachlan snarls. “But Emery is free game? She’s my wife, dammit! If you attack her, you attack me.”
Tessa turns to Wes. “Please believe me. I never meant for her to be taken or harmed. I thought at worst she and Maisie would get caught trying to leave the pub. I didn’t think they’descape anywhere, least of all to Angus. I didn’t know they were connected. Why would I? We’re not friends.”
“I’m not defending you in this,” Wes snaps. “Emery could havedied.”
“I’ll do anything,” she begs her brother. “I swear.”
“Pack your shit and get out of my castle.” Lachlan’s tone rings with finality. “You’re done here. There’s no coming back from this.”
Her head swings to Lachlan, her face in shock. “No!No.” She whispers the last word, and her knees give out.
Wes catches her when she crumbles.
Lachlan doesn’t give her a second glance. “Get her out of my sight.”
I almost feel bad for her, but then I look at Lachlan’s bullet wound and consider thathecould have died had the bullet hit him somewhere else. Because ofher.
After that night, things shift between me and Wes. He doesn’t scowl at me like he wants to kill me from across the room and even nods at me on occasion.
It’s minor, but I’ll take it.
Two weeks after Tessa left, the three of us sit down to dinner. We haven’t eaten together since before my attempted escape when I overheard Wes and Lachlan talking on the phone. I sit at the head of the table next to Lachlan—where I’ve been ordered to sit until we move back to America. Rory is to my left and Wes is on Lachlan’s right.
Two courses in, Rory says, “Are you riding tomorrow?”
“Yes.” I set my wine glass down and smile at the thought of the sun and warmer temperature. The grass is greener. Purple wildflowers bloom everywhere. Even the ocean is calmer. The seagulls seem to like it too, squawking more regularly and increasing in number.
“Mind if I join you?” Rory asks.
“Not at all,” I say. Lachlan went riding with me once. He’s good, but he doesn’t love it the way Rory and I do.
“I saw you the last time you rode,” Wes says to Rory. “It was impressive.”
The comment is odd. Has he never seen Rory ride before? I’m not about to ask. Wes might not scowl at me anymore, but we don’t make small talk.
I keep my head down and continue to eat my lemon butter sole, analyzing the question in my head. Maybe Wes doesn’t like horses and that’s why he asked. No, that can’t be right. He and Lachlan played polo in college. I only know because I found a framed picture of them tucked on a shelf in the tower library. If I hadn’t seen it with my own eyes, I wouldn’t have believed it—especially after watching them spar recently with equal parts worry and awe. My brain never could’ve conjured images of those two sculpted underground fighters wearing bright polos and playing such a preppy sport.
They looked good on the horses. Both of them had longer hair, the strands peeking out under their little helmets. Younger Lachlan was hot and turned me on as much as he does now. I couldn’t help but think if we’d been closer in age when we met, that he wouldn’t have wasted a glance in my direction. But when I think about our chemistry and the way it charges when we’re near each other, my body and heart whisper,who are you kidding?
Lachlan and I would have fought and fucked like we do now. We would have hated that we loved it until we gave in and just loved it. We would be exactly how we are today.
Lachlan clears his throat. “Emery?”
I pull myself from my thoughts and meet his gaze. “Yes?”
“Wes was talking to you.”
“When?” What did I miss?
His sets his fork down and tilts his head, examining me. “Just now. He said he saw you riding.”
“He was talking to Rory.”
