Page 82 of Dark Rival

Her body reacted to his deliberate choice of words. “In a way, I do. It makes communicating with you very intimate. But if you knew that, you wouldn’t be so eager to read my mind all the time.”

“To protect ye, t’is best I ken what ye think.”

“Liar,” she said softly. “You can’t help yourself. You read my mind the way you look at me—you undress my thoughts with a single telepathic thrust the way you undress my body with a single physical glance.”

His face hardened. “Do ye wish to ken why they call me Black Royce?”

She hesitated. “I think you intend to tell me, regardless.”

“Because my heart was blackened long ago.”

“Because of what happened to Brigdhe?”

He paled.

Allie prayed she hadn’t gone too far. “I pried. I asked Malcolm about her. Royce, it wasn’t your fault.”

He had recovered his composure. His eyes were cold. “I willna discuss my wife with ye.”

Allie retreated. “I am so sorry about what happened. And I will respect your privacy.”

He stared and she stared back. Then he nodded. “Good.”

Allie turned away and breathed deeply, in relief. She had better tread with care on that particular subject. She slowly turned and walked over to him, beginning to smile, using all of her feminine power. “Please forgive me?” she asked softly, laying her hand on his chest.

“There’s nothin’ to forgive. Ye like to talk an’ ye like me. So ye spoke to Malcolm. My past is hardly a secret.” He shrugged as if indifferent now.

Allie managed not to sigh. Until Royce gave her his heart, he would always try to turn the tables on her. He probably did so instinctively. “In my time, people talk a lot, about everything, all the time, men included.”

He stepped away from her so her hand fell from his chest. “That must please ye.”

Now she shrugged. “It’s a different world.”

“Ye must miss yer home.”

Actually, Allie hadn’t thought about home at all since meeting Royce at the fund-raiser. Since the moment he’d appeared in South Hampton, she’d become completely and irreversibly caught up in his life and his Fate.

He smiled, pleased.

But now, she thought about her father and Tabby, Sam and Brie. They had to be worried sick about her! At some point, she had to figure out how to get a message to them. “I need to learn how to read your mind,” Allie said. “But I think I can read one thought. You’re not still planning on leaving me here, are you?”

His smile vanished. “Nay,” he said. “Ye needed me today. Had I left yesterday, ye’d be in Moffat’s hands.”

Relief surged. “I did need you today.” She smiled brightly, a cover-up, for she was trying not to think about Moffat’s lust and what he intended for her. But her gut roiled. No demon had ever frightened her so before, but then, no demon had ever made her his prey. She wouldn’t mind never laying eyes on Moffat again.

“Ailios.” His sharp tone made her meet his hard, uncompromising gaze. “Ye won’t be apart from me until Moffat is dead.”

More relief arose.

“He won’t take ye,” Royce said coldly. “I willna allow it.”

Allie nodded. “I know you won’t.”

As she saw his set expression, his warriorlike resolve, a vague image of another woman crept into her mind, followed by the whisper of her name. Brigdhe.

His wife had been captured by his demonic enemy.

And the demons wanted to capture her now.