Page 57 of Sadie's Highlander (Highland Protector 1)

Sadie jerked her arm out of Alec’s grip. “All Ikenis that you hate me! And here’s a news flash: I don’t blame you! We’re good here. We’re even.” She whirled around and jabbed a finger at wide-eyed Miss Martha. “Did you know anything about this? Did you know they were just setting me up for the fall of a lifetime? Did you know they’d gone this far to plot out their revenge for my colossal fuck-up?”

Miss Martha gripped the chair’s armrests, looking up at Sadie with a frustrated scowl. “This is neither revenge nor a setup, Sadie. Listen to Alec and believe what he tells you. You matter, child. You matter to a lot of people and they want you to have your dream—all of it. Not just the writing part.”

Alec gently but firmly pulled her around to face him. “Hear me out. All I ask is that ye hear me out.”

How could she stand there and listen to whatever he was going to say? His close proximity made her want to curl up on the floor and sob out that she was so sorry and she’d be sorry for the rest of her life. She’d had so much and then gone and thrown it all away. She’d been so damned stupid—so knowingly blinded by Delia’s lies about getting her started in the business.

“Stop it!” Alec took her by the shoulders and shook her. “I’ve seen that look on yer face before. I ken what yer sayin’ to yerself inside yer head and ye must stop. Silence that damn demon who gives ye nothin’ but pain and sufferin’. Yer loved, Sadie. More than ye’ll ever comprehend, but I’m damn well willin’ to spend the rest of m’life convincin’ ye that yer worthy of bein’ loved.”

“How can you still love me when I destroyed it all? I failed you, Alec. I broke my word and didn’t keep Delia from doing what she always does.” Sadie threw her bag back on the chair behind her. “Don’t you get it? I knew what she was going to do—maybe not exactly what she was going to do, but I knew she’d do something. She always does. And I didn’t stop her.” She scrubbed her fists against her eyes. “I didn’t stop her even though I knew. All because I thought this time I might just squeak by her and actually come out a winner.”

Alec’s warmth enveloped her as he wrapped his arms around her and clutched her to his chest. Sadie pulled in a deep breath, the scent of him triggering all the memories—and a flood of painful emotions. She shuddered with a soft, hitching sob and pushed away. “I’m so sorry. So sorry I ruined it all. Please just let me go. I’m going to Texas. You won’t be bothered with me ever again. I swear.”

“Like hell ye will.” Alec jerked her back into his embrace and held her tighter, tucking her head under his chin and stroking her hair. “Yer no’ leavin’ this room until ye understand well in both yer heart and yer head that I dinna hold ye accountable for the doin’s of yer damn sister.” Alec took her by the shoulders and gently pushed her out to arm’s length, forcing her to look him in the eye. “None of it was yer fault. The only thing I hold ye accountable for is the breakin’ of my heart. I’ve ne’er known such pain without ye and I can bear it no longer.”

“How can you possibly forgive me?” Sadie searched Alec’s face. He seemed so sincere, so loving toward her. She saw real pain and sorrow in eyes.Nah. Can’t be. Haven’t you told yourself enough lies? Look where that got you with Delia.She blinked against his caring demeanor. It just couldn’t be real.

“I destroyed the Heartstone,” she whispered. “I’ve doomed the world to a terrible existence.” She hadn’t quite figured out when humanity’s suffering was going to kick into a higher gear, but it sure had to be soon. Look how crappy she already felt.

With a sad smile, Alec shook his head. “The stone is safe. The tunnels held true. All that needs restorin’ is the castle. D’ye no’ remember that m’brothers and I held the weapons when we emerged from the mountain?”

The weapons. The sword, hammer, spear, and shield. Sadie thought back to the four enraged Scots riding down from the mountain brandishing their weapons. So they hadn’t been replicas that were stored somewhere else. They were the weapons she’d seen flanking the stone. What Alec said made sense. If the weapons weren’t damaged, the Heartstone had to be safe too.

“So all of the artifacts are really okay? Nothing was damaged?” For the first time since the awful incident, Sadie felt as though her soul had suddenly grown exponentially lighter.

“Aye, love.” Alec rested his hand against her cheek, his fingertips lacing into her hair. “The only thing broken and battered is our hearts. Yours and mine.” He leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to her forehead. “ ’Tis long past time t’mend them, Sadie,” he whispered, warm lips brushing against her skin. “End this madness now, love. Come back t’me where ye belong.”

Need filled Alec’s tone. His rasping whisper broke with his emotions. This wasn’t a trap, a cruel game to hurt her. Alec loved her; he wanted her back. She heard it in his voice and felt it in his touch.

“I’ve missed you so much,” she said with a soft cry, closing her eyes and diving back into his embrace. She nuzzled her cheek against the hard-muscled chest she’d longed for each night in her dreams.

Everything was going to be all right. Alec wanted her back—really wanted her, and that’s all she needed. It would’ve been thrilling if all the writing stuff had been real, but look what lengths Alec had gone to just to corner her long enough to make her listen to reason. She heaved out a heavy sigh. Writing stuff could come later. She wanted a life with Alec now.

Sadie lifted her head and eased a step back. Still keeping her arms intertwined with Alec’s, she leaned around him and looked at the smiling faces watching her with interest. “So, who are you people—really?”

“Well, I will be damned.” Miss Martha shook her head and threw both hands in the air.

“Wearethe Broadway Trifecta.” Antonia motioned to herself and Frederick and Graham. “We find fresh new material and the investors to back our plays on Broadway.”

Graham stepped forward, holding out a business card. “What’s the term the techies use? Google us? You’ll find we’re known for launching award-winning plays. We’d never risk our good name or reputations on anything other than a sure thing. Broadway can smell fakery in an instant. The critics would crucify us and hang us from the marquee.”

“And I really am the senior agent here at DBS Agency.” Ophelia tapped her fingers atop a manila folder on her desk. “Mr. MacKay pointed me in your direction and when I read your work, I was hooked. Do say you’ll sign with us, Sadie. I promise you won’t regret it.”

Sadie blinked. Had she just heard right? All the writing stuff was legit? That never happened. It just didn’t happen. Filled with wonder and afraid if she moved she’d wake up from this perfect dream, Sadie looked up at Alec. “This is for real? All of it?”

“Aye. ’Tis as real as this.” Alec leaned in and kissed her—but the wordkissdidn’t begin to describe it. He laid claim to her—as if he didn’t already own her heart, body, and soul. When he finally lifted his head, she held tight to his arms, dizzied by her whirling emotions.

Hot tears slipped down her cheeks as she smiled up into Alec’s face. “Thank you for forgiving me. Thank you for all of this.”

Alec shook his head as he reached around her and shoved her bag off her chair. He eased her down into it, then knelt before her. Reaching inside his jacket, he held her gaze in his as he pulled out the fully restored brooch, the fiery colors of the agate sparkling in the light. “There is nothin’ to forgive, and I intend t’spend the rest of m’life showin’ ye how much ye mean t’me.” He took her hand and laid the brooch in it. “I believe this is yers, m’lady. If ye’ll still have me.”

“I’ve died and gone to heaven,” Sadie whispered. With a slow, reverent touch, she picked up the brooch and clasped it to her heart. Giddy with happiness, she struggled to speak as she threw both arms around Alec’s neck. “Name a date. The sooner the better,” she whispered against his throat.

Alec picked her up and spun her in a circle. His deep laugh rumbled against her, then vibrated into the throaty MacDara battle cry,“Force éternelle!”

Ophelia triumphantly snapped her fingers, then reached for the phone. Punching the intercom button, she laughed into the mouthpiece. “Champagne, Rebecca, and bring a glass for yourself, as well.”

“Felicitazioni!”Antonia clapped her hands, hopping in place as much as her spike heels would allow. “Such wonderful news!” She turned to Frederick and Graham. “And this will make our news so much easier for them to bear.”

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