Always You (Adair Family 3)

I glared up at Guy as he loomed over me, and I forced myself back to my feet as the room spun, my hands searching the desk behind me for any weapon.

“You know my dad was a brute,” Guy said. “He used to smack us around for the slightest thing. I vowed never to be like him, that I’d let the small stuff go. But the big stuff … I just can’t let that shit go.” Guy studied me, his expression filled with hate. “I loved you, Arrochar. I loved you from the moment I saw you. Why couldn’t you love me back?”

Before I could think of an answer that might calm him, he continued, “And I almost felt bad about what happened between us that night of the ceilidh. I thought maybe I was imagining this thing between you and Galbraith. Even after Lachlan fucked up my entire career, there was a small part of me that wondered if I’d deserved it for hurting you like that.

“But the voice in the back of my head kept telling me you were a slut, and you deserved so much worse than what I did to you that night. And I was right.” He grinned maliciously. “I mean, I tell you, when I asked Duncan to leave those notes, I thought maybe I was overreacting—”

“Duncan?” Wait? What?

“Oh, yeah, didn’t you know? I have family in Scotland. Marcello’s assistant is my second cousin. He thinks you’re a cunt, too, by the way. Happy to help me. Stole Marcello’s phone this morning so he could text you to come here.”

Shock froze me again.

“He was also the one who told me you’ve been fucking Galbraith, and that I was right all along. Vindicated!” he roared, and I recoiled. “But Duncan was worried because you were never alone, that dirty bastard Galbraith watching you every second. So I told him to pull back. But then he told me you two were public now. You stood there that night and told me that my jealousy was all in my head, but it wasn’t, was it? You’ve been spreading for Galbraith for years.”

“Wrong,” I snapped. “I never cheated on you.”

“Right,” he huffed.

“I don’t cheat,” I said, and it was probably foolish, but my hatred took over as I sneered, “But if Mackennon had crooked his finger at me, I would have dumped you in a heartbeat.”

Guy bared his teeth and lunged.

And I brought my knee right up between his legs as hard as I could, my shriek of outrage filling the cabin.

Guy bellowed in agony as he crumpled to his knees, and I skirted around him for the door.

However, a hard tug on my ankle brought me crashing to the floor, my chin jarring off the floor. Pain ricocheted through my head, but I fought through it as Guy’s hand climbed higher on my calf, attempting to pull me to him. With a shake of my leg, I loosened his grip long enough to turn to face him. He was purple with rage.

I drew back my right knee to my chest and drove my foot down to his face, smashing it hard into him. He howled in pain, collapsing off me, and I stumbled onto my feet. Guy grabbed my ankle with a bestial roar, and I shook him loose, kicking him in the head again.

Adrenaline charged through me as I hurried to unlock the door, curse words falling from my panicked lips as I yanked it open and ran down the cabin steps, almost tripping as I hurried toward my Defender.

Weight slammed into my back, shoving me into the front of my car, my breath momentarily stolen as Guy imprisoned me with his body.

He gripped my hair painfully, yanking my head back to murmur in my ear, “When I heard someone shot Galbraith, I knew this was my chance. My only chance to get at you, to punish you. I was going to kill you, Arro. Blunt trauma to the head, or choke you, maybe, whatever seemed right in the moment. Got all the cleaning supplies in my trunk to wipe everything in that cabin clean just in case you pissed me off and it got a little messy. Well, you pissed me off, gorgeous.” He pushed his hips into me, and I was nauseated at the feel of his arousal. “And actually, I think I’m going to teach a lesson a little slut like you needs … and then I’ll kill you.

“In fact”—he licked my throat as his hands dropped to my hips, and I gritted my teeth as I squirmed, trying to find a break in his hold—“I might even choke you to death while I’m fucking you.”

“Arrrgh!” I shrieked, snapping my head back into his, feeling the throb of his chin crack off my skull. He stumbled back, loosening his grip just enough to give me room to slam my elbow into his gut. With another scream of fury, I twisted around with a jump and backhanded his face with the force of my momentum. He stumbled, hitting the ground, and I ran around the car, hauling myself into the driver’s seat.

As I switched on the engine, Guy staggered back to his feet.

I revved the car as he swiped blood from his nose, and then I reversed, trying to find space to swing the car around so I could race out of there.

He marched menacingly toward my car, determination and murder etched into his features.

I threw the car back into drive, yanking the wheel to turn it as I stepped on the accelerator. The SUV jolted forward on a turn, clipping Guy hard enough to send him crashing into his own car.

He slumped to the ground.

I waited.

There was no movement. His eyes were closed, blood trickling from his nose and mouth.

I got out of my vehicle just in time to vomit up everything inside me.

The sound of engines sent renewed fear through me, and I glanced beyond the car to see two black Range Rovers careening onto the site.