Druid Surrender (A Druid Quest Novel Book 1) by Stacey Brutger Read Free Book Online Page A

siblings. Her light brown hair was tied up in an intricate knot, her face delicate and serene—beneath the slightly harried expression. “Wyatt! It’s so good to see you.”
    She came forward and kissed him on the cheek before pulling away, a frown wrinkling her nose. “We have visitors.”
    Wyatt just grunted. “Lydia, I want to introduce you…to my guest. Brighid Legend. Brighid, my sister Lydia.”
    Wyatt hardly paused when he told his sister the boldfaced lie, and Brighid barely stopped herself from rolling her eyes. “A pleasure to meet you.”
    “You as well.” Her gaze flickered over Brighid’s face before settling on the ropes wrapped in Wyatt’s fist. A twinkle brightened her eyes. “Wyatt, when we said you needed to catch a bride, we didn’t intend for you to take it so literally.”
    “Minx.” He tugged on one of Lydia’s curls. “Wait for me in the study, and I’ll explain.”
    Lydia cocked her eyebrows, the stiff upper-crust woman melting into a younger sibling intent on tweaking her older brother. “Well, at least this should be interesting. I’ve never known you to act without weighing all the consequences.”
    While Wyatt strolled after his sister, the playful man who kept her off kilter was swallowed up by the imposing ass who refused to release her.
    Him, the man behind the charm, she could deal easily without being the least bit disarmed.
    Brighid trailed behind them, conscious of the ropes dangling from his fists. Lydia sat while he shut the door, the thud echoing in the sudden silence like a cage slamming shut.
    Brighid ignored the chair Wyatt indicated. She didn’t want to be comfortable. She wanted to leave. After a moment’s pause and a nod to her silent defiance, he dropped the ropes and strode around the desk, but remained standing. Windows framed him on either side, hiding him in shadows.
    He did it on purpose, and a dark suspicion brewed in the back of her mind.
    Everything inside her stilled.
    He was more than just a lord of the manor.
    “What’s wrong?” Lydia straightened, her attention shifting from one to the other.
    “She ran into a bit of trouble last night.”
    “Trouble?”
    “They tried to burn her at the stake. Until I can ensure her safety, she’ll remain here as our guest.”
    Lydia gasped in horror, and gave Brighid a sympathetic look. “That’s awful. I’ll have a room prepared immediately.”
    Brighid stepped between them and stood in front of his desk. “That won’t be necessary. Drop me off at the nearest train station, and your problems will disappear.”
    Wyatt froze for a fraction of a second, those wicked eyes of his sharpened, and Brighid replayed what she said, then cursed herself soundly for the innocent slip—that she believed the attempted murder was more than just a case of wrong place, wrong time. Someone was targeting the factory as a cover to get rid of her.
    “No.” Wyatt picked up a stack of papers and sorted through his correspondences, and for a few blessed seconds she thought maybe he’d miss her blunder. “Lydia would enjoy the company. While she’s preparing your room, why don’t we discuss why you think someone would be after you?”
    Cold tendrils wrapped around her heart at his softly spoken command, his voice brooking no argument.
    But instead of leaving, Lydia nervously cleared her throat. “The Bennigans are here.”
    “So it would seem. Maybe if we take long enough, they will take the hint and leave.”
    “Wyatt.” Lydia scolded and clicked her tongue. “Don’t be so rude. It’s your fault they’re here in the first place. As soon as Angelica heard you were back, she rushed over here to greet you. She’s set her sights on you years ago and won’t give up her prize so easily.”
    Wyatt crossed his arms, his legs spread. “I’m not available.”
    Lydia stilled, then turned to study Brighid with a calculated expression that caused her to reatreat a step. “You know, Wyatt, she’d be the perfect