Legacy of the Highlands Read Online Free PDF

him. She assumed that he’d
followed her into the Camerons’ house,, so it was odd not to spot
him circulating through the jovial crowd, charming the pants off
some easily-impressed female. She wouldn’t be surprised if the
notorious womanizer had already hooked up with someone and
left.
    She found Anne and John who gave her what
passed for a hug as she quickly made her excuses — a migraine that
would only respond to serious medication and sleep. Her
father-in-law insisted on escorting her to the door and would have
seen her into one of the waiting limos, but he was cornered by a
group of friends so Alex made her way out alone. She forced air
into her lungs as she stood outside the house shivering in chilly,
late afternoon air that carried the scent of wood smoke from nearby
chimneys. As she approached one of the waiting limos she heard the
Camerons’ front door shut and suddenly Diego was there. The suit
jacket he wrapped her in still held his body’s warmth. She mumbled
her thanks.
    “ Preciosa ,” his deep voice rumbled his
pet name for her near her ear. “Are we never to speak again?” Alex
heard the endearment and wasn’t sure how to react. Will had once
told her that Diego had warned him that she was a precious gem that
many men — himself included — would be tempted to steal. The
nickname stuck.
    “I have to get out of here. I have to get
away.” Her voice was tinged with hysteria as she turned toward him.
Repressing her emotions all day had finally gotten to her, and as
her knees turned to jelly and her heart began to race, she knew
that she was on the verge of a major anxiety attack.
    “Tell me where you want to go. I’ll take
you.” Strong arms embraced her and she reluctantly leaned her head
against the reassuring warmth of his solid chest. For the moment
she’d allow herself to pretend that Will hadn’t hated this man. She
needed his strength.
    The driver of one of the waiting limos
understood the unspoken command in Diego’s expression and dashed to
open the car’s door for them. Once settled, Diego gathered her to
him. She was still trembling and he had to fight the urge to pull
her onto his lap and wrap her in his arms.
    “Where to, sir?” the driver wanted to
know.
    “Alex? The man wants to know where you want
to go,” Diego whispered as if speaking to a child.
    “I don’t know,” she murmured. “You decide.”
The eyes that met his were bloodshot and filled with tears.
    “Take us to Logan,” he instructed as he
gently dabbed the wetness from her face with a handkerchief. It was
warm inside the car, but she was still shivering and her
indecisiveness alarmed him as much as her appearance. The intense
need to protect this woman overwhelmed him. Will had been part of
him for most of his life. Diego was sure that the man he still
thought of as his best friend would want him to take care of his
widow and he would do it. He was also sure that as soon as Alex was
stronger she’d zero in on what he’d done to end a lifelong
friendship. Once he’d explained, perhaps she’d deign to thank him
politely for his help and then walk — no, run — out of his life,
but he wasn’t going to worry about that now.
    Alex didn’t contradict Diego’s instructions to the
driver. Maybe it was paranoid and totally illogical, but she had to
get out of Boston. If Will — her beautiful, kind-hearted Will —
could have his life snuffed out in the city of his birth, then she
wanted no part of it. And it hurt too much to spend even one more
night in the bed they’d shared, surrounded by a zillion reminders
of their life together. She didn’t give a damn whether she was
doing the right thing anymore. Escape meant survival. And despite
an initial longing to join Will in death, Alex knew that somehow
she’d survive. What amazed her was who was helping her to do
that.
    Diego loosened his hold on her to tug his
phone from his pants pocket. The momentary separation made her miss
his body’s warmth and