Tears stream down my eyes and I clutch the pillow closer to me.
Macbeth’s mother tells me my daughter is a journalist racing halfway around the world and it worries me. She must be careful out there and even though I’ve always been a useless da I still want to protect her. I’ve asked Logan to watch out for her, he’s working for the Royal Guard after all and what better man is there to just keep an eye on Macbeth? He will make sure she’s safe, I know it, even after I’m gone...
Turning the radio off, I get out of bed then run downstairs but Logan is not in the kitchen. Though impressively enough he’s managed to whip up some scones and oatmeal that are probably cold by now.
“Logan?” I cry frantically. “Logan?”
I find him outside, sitting on a stone bench and playing with his dagger with a mist lingering behind him. His elbows are on his knees, his head lowered and for being so big, he looks a little withered. And I don’t want him to ever look like that. Not because of me, because I never want to hurt him.
“Macbeth...?” he says, looking up when he hears me running and I stop right in front of him and he stands up. “Did you listen to the cassettes?”
I nod. “He cared about me. He did!”
“Aye lass, he did,” Logan says, wiping off some dried tears with his thumb and my face is probably dirty from them. “Yur da loved ya.”
I nod again. “I know that now...asking you to protect me...”
“He thought the world too big and scary for a wee lassie. Having me look after ya gave him some peace.”
Clasping Logan’s shoulders I say, “You were on the airplane with me...”
“I’ve been on many airplanes with ya,” he says and I gasp, “though I’ve never seen ya quite as scared on this one. Had to ask the flight attendant to baby ya a little for me.”
I blush, almost wanting to pinch him but I don’t. “What about that creepy guy from the app that disappeared...?”
“Me,” he answers curtly and my eyes flare.
“Australia? And the run in with the drug dealers...?”
“Me.”
I swallow. “The caimans in the Amazon...?”
“Me.”
Shaking my head, I let out an astounded laugh feeling a little impressed. And grateful.
“I never noticed you. Not once.”
“Ya weren’t supposed to. Yur da made me promise never to reveal myself in case it would anger ya and make ya hate him even more.”
My heart twists. “I’ve never hated him.” Looking up at Logan I add, “You waited to reveal yourself until he was gone.”
“Had to. Couldn’t stay away much longer.” His eyes heat up with, passionate highlander emotion. “I’d fallen in love with ya, lass.” His eyes turn a little bit stern. “Even though ya have risked yur life chasing those stories of yurs.”
“Sorry...” I murmur sheepishly before my eyes flare, “wait what? You’re in l...love with me?”
“Aye, but I’ve always loved you at a distance.” Clasping my face in his hands he asks, “Will ya let me love ya like I want to?”
“How do you want to love me?”
“Close,” he rasps, “I want to take up every inch of yur heart like ya take up in mine. Do ya ken what I’m trying to say, Macbeth Walsh?”
“Aye, Logan Keltar,” I whisper, ”I ken.” Licking my lips, I say, “One more thing though?”
“What?” he asks and I pull his face down to mine, his beard brushing my skin and he makes me feels like he’s been made just for me.
“I love you too.”