Finn grinned. “That anxious to talk to me, are you Arabella? Seeing as you’re a celebrity now, your fond
ness is that much more precious.”
She opened her mouth to reply when Bram beat her too it. “Stop with the flirting, Stewart. As you can imagine, I have a million things to do. Watching you charm one of my clan members isn’t on that list.”
Finn replied, “Well, go on, then. What’s so urgent it couldn’t wait?”
Bram looked up at Arabella and she nodded. Her clan leader looked back to the Scottish leader. “I’ve decided on the foster for your clan.”
Finn’s amber gaze flicked up to hers and held it. “Oh, aye?”
Her heart rate kicked up. Finn was looking straight at her, as if he were peering into her very center. For a second, doubts rushed through her mind. Was she really ready to leave Stonefire? Would Lochguard accept her? Would Finn drop his manwhore act once she arrived and ignore her?
And why the bloody hell did his opinion matter? The two of them in a room would kill each other before long.
Bram’s voice snapped her back to the present. “Yes, but before I tell you, let me remind you of our earlier discussions. If my clan member is hurt in anyway, I will seriously reconsider our alliance. Understood?”
Finn finally moved his gaze back to Bram. The cockiness was replaced with a hint of anger. “If you think I would intentionally hurt your clan member, then you don’t know me at all. Hell, I saved your mate, Bram. I think I deserve a go at your trust.”
Bram nodded. “You do, and I appreciated your offer of safe haven on Skye. Still, the clan member going is like a sister to me. I don’t want her hurt.”
Arabella couldn’t take it anymore. “I’m standing right here, Bram. As I told you, I’ll be fine.”
Finn’s eyes met hers and he smiled. “Oh, aye? So you’re the one coming.” He placed a hand over his heart. “I think my heart just fluttered. I look forward to seeing you again, Arabella. This time, you can’t run away.”
Arabella stopped breathing. Even though it was through a video feed, she swore Finn’s gaze looked determined and a bit hungry.
No. She had to be imagining things. He was wrong for her. Not to mention that while she was making progress on her trauma, she was light-years away from even kissing a male.
Not that she wanted to kiss Finlay Stewart anyway.
Bram growled. “So you’ll take Ara?”
Finn smiled. “Of course. I’ll have a candidate for you shortly. We can finalize the details when you’re not busy watching over your shoulder at every turn. Although I must admit, you’ve turned into the darling clan of Britain. I’m not sure how I can compete with that.”
As Bram and Finn continued to argue like children, all Arabella could think about was how her life would change in two months’ time.
Even if it killed her, she would work every day if she had to with Tristan to better know her dragon. She didn’t want anyone from Lochguard treating her differently because of an episode. She needed to be stronger, because if she couldn’t make a fresh start at Lochguard, Arabella wasn’t sure if she’d ever have the chance again.
And if that were the case, she would spend the rest of her life living as a ghost.
Chapter Ten
Tapping her fingers against the conference table, Melanie looked yet again at the clock on the wall. The meeting should have started five minutes ago.
The last few weeks had been a blur. Between TV interviews, answering emails, and even holding one video chat with a handful of cabinet officials, Melanie had been busy. When factoring in time with Tristan and their twins, she had barely had enough time to sleep.
Still, she would do it again in a heartbeat because all of that work had brought her to the meeting that should have begun five minutes ago. If the damn woman ever showed up, Mel might be able to enact real change.
Just as she tapped out part of Beethoven’s “Ninth Symphony”, she heard voices on the other side of the door.
When it opened, Melanie stilled her fingers. It was time.
Standing up, she turned to greet the British Home Secretary, Jacqueline Reid.
A woman in her fifties with graying brown hair and gray eyes smiled as Bram guided her to the table where Melanie waited.
The woman paused and put out a hand. After Mel took it, the woman said, “Thank you for meeting with me, Mrs. Hall-MacLeod.”