And he’s the man I’m meant to be with.
I have to find him. I won’t run from him. I won’t turn from him again.
“Lachlan!” I scream, my voice cracking with the intensity of my need to find him.
And then I see him.
Clothes torn and tattered, his face bloody and streaked with soot, he marches through the rubble and carnage, a man with a purpose. He wears a harness strapped to his chest, gleaming metal for anyone in the open to see, but he doesn’t care. He’s oblivious to anything but his search.
“Fiona!”
“Lachlan,” I whisper, unable to summon the voice to call him again. Is he a ghost? Or is that him, the man that I love, the man I would give my everything for, come to find me?
I open my voice to yell to him, but I can’t. My words are frozen, my mouth refusing to work.
But I can run. And I do.
I ignore the broken glass, the rubble, shattered wood, and hissing warning sounds of things about to explode. I ignore the pounding of my heart. I have one purpose, and one purpose only: to get to him.
I trip and fall, tear my jeans, bracing myself on concrete. The skin’s torn off my hands and the pain is excruciating, but I barely register it because I’m on my feet again, running. He doesn’t see me yet, and his voice is growing more desperate. I want to yell to him, to ease his worry, but I can’t speak. I can only run.
“Lachlan,” I whisper. “Wait for me.” I’m a sobbing, hysterical mess when finally his eyes come to mine, and he freezes. It’s only a split second before he begins to run to me.
I clash into him, but he bends, catches me, and gathers me to him.
We don’t speak. His strong, powerful arms wrap around me and he holds me so tightly I can’t breathe. I bury my head in the crook of his neck, and I break into desperate tears.
“Oh, God,” I sob, my shoulders wracking as I lose my mind. “I thought I lost you.” My voice breaks, and I sob harder. I breathe him in, squeeze his hard, strong body, lay my head against his neck to feel his skin against mine. His shirt’s soaked with my tears, but he doesn’t care. He doesn’t speak. He holds me, our hearts beating as one, and walks with long, purposeful strides to safety.
I don’t want him to release me. I can’t let him go, I won’t. The tears have subsided but my desperate need to hold him hasn’t.
And somehow, he knows, or maybe he feels the same, for he sits heavily on the sidewalk and arranges me in his lap. Slowly, soothingly, my gentle giant of a man rocks me as if we’re the only two people in the world. He’s muttering things in guttural Gaelic, broken words and phrases I can hardly understand, but a few words are clear.
Mo grá.
Tá tú sábháilte.
My love. You are safe.
He holds me on the curb until I shiver with cold. He holds me tighter, closer.
“Are you hurt?” he finally asks.
I shake my head. “I’m fine,” I tell him, and I suppose I’d tell him that even if I’d broken limbs, because I’m with him now. I found him.
I’m fine.
He kisses my temple so fiercely I’m branded, his strong fingers grasping my chin. He draws in a deep breath, then lets it out, holds me to his chest and rocks me once more.
“You’re not fucking fine. You’re bleeding everywhere.” Then he throws his arms around me. “But you’re okay. You survived. Let’s get you home.”
“I don’t want to let you go.” I squeeze my eyes tight. A part of me wants to pretend to be braver than I am, but I can’t help it. I thought I lost him. I need to feel the warmth of his skin, his pulse quickening against my fingers. I want to touch him, to assure myself he isn’t a vision and he’s here in the flesh.
I’ve been so stupid. So bloody stupid.
Before I know what’s happening, we’re surrounded by people we know and people we love. Nolan and Sheena heard the explosion and came back for us, but Keenan’s here, Boner, Tully, and Cormac, all prepared to find whoever did this and to avenge us.
“You alright, Fiona?” Keenan asks. “My God, what happened?”
“Don’t know,” Nolan says. “Get her back home and call Sebastian,” he says to Lachlan. “That was no fucking accident.”
Cormac sees something up ahead, and takes off at a run. Tully and Boner follow close behind. Lachlan watches them go, and turns to Keenan.
“My duty’s to Fiona, now, Keenan.”
Nolan speaks up. “Take her home, lad.” He turns to Keenan. “He’s claimed her.”
Sheena whips her head to me, and her mouth parts. “He’s fucking claimed her?” she asks. Nolan shakes his head sharply.
“Not now, Sheena.”
Lachlan gathers me to him and holds me to his chest. “I’ll tell fucking anyone the truth,” he says. “If you knew the circumstances in Boston you’d have given me your blessing.”
Sheena’s eyes narrow on him. I don’t say anything at first, but I can’t bear to see him under fire.
“And I agreed to it, so don’t you get on his case about it,” I say with conviction. “I fucking agreed to it.”
“Got her sister’s mouth, doesn’t she?” Nolan mutters approvingly.
“No more talk now,” Keenan orders. He turns to me. “I’m glad you’re alright, but I want Sebastian to see to both of you.” He turns to Nolan. “We’ll follow up with the rest when they return, but be prepared for a lockdown, aye?”
“Aye,” Nolan says.
Lachlan takes me by the hand and leads me to a waiting car. He brushes off the police and paramedics and promises a full report when I’ve been doctored up at home. Given he’s a McCarthy, they give him wide berth and agree.
He takes me home in silence, holding my hand.
“I love you, Fiona. I fucking love you so much.”
His voice cracks, and he doesn’t meet my eyes.
“I know you do, and I’ve been a fool, Lachlan. I’m sorry. There’s so much…” My voice trails off, because I’m not really sure how to explain.
“I understand, love,” he says. “We have ages to talk this through.”
He brings me back to the McCarthy Clan family home, and when I see the bright green of the grass, the flowers in bloom, and the depths of the Irish Sea, tears fall down my face unchecked. Lachlan’s holding my hand. He’s claimed me. The sea breeze rustles my hair, and I inhale so deeply, my chest rises and I feel alive again. For the first time ever, I finally feel I’m home. For the first time, I feel as if I belong.
“Keenan said he has a surprise for us,” Lachlan says. “Wonder what it is.”
“No idea. But it’s awfully nice of him, isn’t it?”
“Oh aye.”
“Come inside and let’s have a look.”
When we enter the front door, I’m enveloped in a bear hug from Megan. “My God, woman, what happened to you?”
I fill her in as quickly as I can. Sebastian’s waiting for us by the foot of the steps.
“Conduct your interrogation later, Megan,” Carson says from the foot of the stairs. “Sebastian’s been ordered to take them to their suite.”