“No, and I’d be more than happy to assist you in anywhere you want to go.”
“I don’t think that’s necessary,” Connor spoke up. He grasped my elbow and pulled me into his side. “Let’s go, Hadley.” I went with him willingly and glanced over my shoulder at the other guy who turned and headed back to the front of the house.
“What was that about?” I inquired, not wanting to run into that guy anytime soon.
“I suggest you stay away from him.”
“Why?”
“He’s not as nice as me. Now let’s eat.” Back in the gardens, there was a whole spread on a table—from roasted chicken and potatoes to a strawberry salad. There were even chocolate covered bananas.
“Who cooked the food? I must give my compliments. They fixed some of my favorites.”
He pulled out my chair and I sat down. “Her name is Ingrid. I told her what you liked and she fixed it,” he added, taking the seat across from me.
I ate all my food, along with a couple of extra bananas I really didn’t need. I watched Connor eat and he deliberately avoided my stare. “When are you going to stop feeding me bullshit, Connor?”
His head jerked up. “What are you talking about?”
I guzzled down the glass of wine and chuckled. “You know what I’m talking about. I’m fine and I’m ready to go home. I don’t want to be here, in some backwoods paradise. Shades said it wasn’t a prison, but it sure as hell feels like one.”
Sighing, he poured me another glass of wine. “It’s not a prison, Hadley. Whatever you want, we can give you. There aren’t any bars covering your windows are there?”
I glanced up at the house and snorted. “Probably because there’s a security system.”
By the look on his face, I was right. “You’re more than welcome to move about freely. I’ll take you anywhere you want to go. There’s even a library here.” Grabbing my wine, I got to my feet and almost lost my footing, but Connor caught me. “What the hell? You only drank one glass.” He took my glass and set it down on the table.
“I feel . . . strange. My whole body tingles,” I slurred. The feeling was familiar, like how’d I’d felt the night of the accident.
“Fuck me,” he growled, picking me up in his arms. He carried me inside and up the stairs.
“You drugged me,” I hissed angrily. “Why?”
Everything sounded so far away, yet I heard voices all around me. I wanted to scream, to demand to know what was going on. Connor laid me down and the feel of soft satin sheets wrapped around me. My eyes closed and I couldn’t feel my body.
“Why the fuck did you drug her?” Connor growled.
“She was asking too many questions.” The sound of the voice was oddly familiar, but the accent threw me off.
“Of course, she’s going to ask questions. You’ve known Hadley for how long now? She’ll be pissed when she finds out.”
The other guy snorted. “She can blame that on her father. Besides, once we get to Ireland and she see’s everything I can give her, she’ll be all mine.”
I was in a dream. There was no way what I was hearing was real. The fogginess started to close in and I could feel myself slipping away. I struggled to stay lucid enough to hear more.
“What the hell are you talking about?” Connor spat. “That was never part of the deal. She doesn’t belong to you.”
“Nor you, my friend. You’re getting too close to her and I don’t like it. When we get back home, I want you to stay away from her.”
Connor growled low in his chest. “Have you forgotten who you’re talking to? I will do whatever the fuck I want. She’ll hate you after she finds out what you did.”
“Nonsense. Once she finds out her lover is dead, she’ll be ready to leave the country. I’ll be there to fill the void, and anything else that needs filling.” He chuckled.
“But he’s not dead.”
“Yet.”
“What did you do?”