Bound by Joy (Cauld Ane Series, #8) Read online

  “Yes.” She nodded towards his pocket. “Are you?”

  He grinned. “That would be telling.”

  “What did you do?”

  He put his finger to his lips. “It’s a surprise.”

  “I love surprises.”

  “Good.” He took her bag from her. “Come.”

  Kenna locked the house up and followed Gunnar to the car. He waited for her to climb inside before following. He took her hand as the driver pulled away from the curb, and Kenna was pleasantly surprised when they pulled up to the Balmoral.

  “I love this place,” she said.

  “It’s my first time here,” Gunnar admitted. “But they’ve been really attentive so far.”

  Kenna grinned. “Well, if they give us any grief, I know a guy.”

  Gunnar laughed. “I bet you do.”

  A bellboy met them as they climbed out of the car and took Kenna’s bag from the driver. “Welcome back, Mr. Baldursson.”

  “Thank you,” Gunnar said, laying his hand on Kenna’s lower back.

  Kenna stayed connected to Gunnar as the bellboy led them to the elevator and up to their suite. Gunnar wrapped an arm around Kenna as they walked down the hall and she bit the inside of her cheek to keep from squeaking out loud. The bellboy led them inside and placed the bag in the bedroom. Gunnar tipped him and he went on his way.

  “You have the Scone & Crombie Suite!” Kenna finally squeaked in glee, throwing her arms around his neck. “I love this room.”

  He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. “I did hear that somewhere.”

  “You did?”

  “I have a small confession.” Gunnar chuckled, releasing her. “Grace organized it. She and I had a little chat after you left me to tend to your sister. That was her on the phone confirming everything.”

  “Oh, I love that girl!”

  “She feels the same about you.” He took her hand and led her into the bedroom. The bed had rose petals fashioned in a heart and in the corner a bottle of champagne sat chilling next to two glasses and a plate with some kind of confection.

  “Is that salted caramel?” she asked.

  “Já, elskan. Grace said it’s your favorite.”

  “It is my favorite. As is the Dom Perignon.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and sighed. “Thank you, love. Everything’s perfect.”

  He kissed the top of her head and held her for a few minutes before releasing her. “I’ll leave you to change.”

  She smiled up at him. “Okay.”

  Gunnar left the bedroom and Kenna grabbed her new lingerie and headed into the bathroom. She pushed away her nerves once she studied herself in the mirror. Gillian had picked the absolute perfect outfit for her. It gave her a little more on top and helped to round out her hips a little. She had a lithe, athletic figure that she’d never hated, necessarily, but she sometimes wished she had a little more curve. She took a deep breath and headed back into the bedroom. “I’m ready,” she called.

  Gunnar walked back in and Kenna licked her lips. He wore a loose pair of pajama pants, black, and nothing else. “Kenna,” he whispered. “You are beautiful.”

  She grinned. “You are too.”

  His chest was muscular and sprinkled with freckles that Kenna wanted to play connect the dots with. He held his arms out and she gripped them just below his elbows. He wrapped his hands around her arms as well and smiled. “Ready?”

  “Yes.”

  “Hold on tight,” Gunnar directed, and then kissed her gently.

  “Aye, love.” She’d been warned that once the final bonding word was spoken, she’d feel like fainting.

  “Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið.”

  “Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið,” Kenna said, feeling her knees weaken. Even though she was prepared for it, she still gripped his arms harder.

  “I’ve got you.” Gunnar grinned and continued, “Ég er þinn að eilífu. Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta.”

  “Ég er þinn að eilífu. Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta.” Kenna took a deep breath as Gunnar wrapped an arm around her waist to steady her.

  “Ást mín er alger.”

  “Ást mín er alger.” She smiled. “Together.”

  “Já.”

  In unison, they spoke, “Ég gef þér allt sem ég er, allt sem ég vil vera og allt sem ég get verið. Ég er þinn að eilífu. Ég er þinn að eilífu. Eining okkar mun aldrei bresta. Ást mín er alger”

  As she finished the last line of their bonding words, Kenna thought them to herself in English and sighed. I give you everything I am, all I want to be and all I can be. I’m yours forever. Our bond will never be broken. My love is absolute.

  “I love you.”

  “I love you too,” Gunnar whispered, and lifted her from her feet and carried her to the bed.

  Gunnar drew her nipple into his mouth and sucked gently as he pushed her nightgown from her body. He was surprised by the fact she’d forgone panties and he grinned as he kissed his way down her body. Kneeling between her legs, he ran his tongue over her already slick folds and Kenna shuddered as he slid his tongue over her clit, adding pressure with each pass, then sliding a finger inside of her.

  Her fingers weaved into his hair and she tugged as she ground her core against his mouth. “Gunnar,” she breathed out.

  Unable to wait, he sat up, and slipped inside of her, stopping at her barrier. Kenna whimpered, but he knew it was because she wanted more.

  “It’s going to sting a bit, Kenna,” he warned.

  She nodded, and before she could change her mind, he surged into her, catching her cry with his mouth as he kissed her.

  “I’m okay, love,” she assured him.

  The emotion he felt couldn’t be qualified, but he paused for a few minutes, rolling her nipple between his fingers and waiting for her body to get used to him. When her hips began to move, he took the cue and buried himself inside of her over and over again.

  He was suddenly overwhelmed with all of it, and he knew he was partly taking on her emotions. As her nipples tightened and her body took him deeper, her feelings wove their way into his heart, urging his burning hunger to find assuagement.

  When he felt her walls contract around him, it nearly sent him over the edge, and he couldn’t wait. She cried out as they came together and Gunnar rolled them onto their sides, keeping their connection, but taking the burden of his weight off of her.

  Kenna settled herself across Gunnar’s chest trying to catch her breath. “Wow.”

  Gunnar chuckled. “Yes, exactly. Wow.”

  “I was expecting that to be bad.”

  “Why?” he demanded.

  “I was told the first time is always bad.”

  “Who told you that?”

  “My mother,” she admitted.

  “Well, I’m sad for your mother.”

  She wrinkled her nose. “I don’t want to talk about my mother while I’m lying over your sexy, naked body.”

  Gunnar grinned. “Fair enough.”

  She kissed his chest before settling her chin on her hands. “Do you want to try?”

  He raised an eyebrow. I don’t know, do you?

  “It worked!” I mean, it worked!

  He chuckled. This is going to be fun.

  Aye, love, ’tis. She raised an eyebrow. “What are your gifts... normally?”

  “The usual ones, suggestion, telekinesis—”

  “Usual ones?” She sat up a little. “I don’t have telekinesis.”

  “You don’t?”

  She shook her head.

  “What do you have?” he asked.

  “Psycometry and suggestion, but my gift of suggestion isn’t as strong as say, Max’s.”

  “Hmm. I wonder why that is?”

  She shrugged. “I have no idea, but I love that I’m going to be able to move things with my mind.”


  Gunnar grinned. “We’ll practice after we shower.”

  “Can we practice in the shower?”

  “Absolutely.”

  Kenna slid off the bed and Gunnar followed. In the end, the tub beckoned, and they skipped the shower, opting for making love in the tub. The emotions Kenna was experiencing couldn’t be put into words, so she let them swamp her, grateful she and Gunnar hadn’t waited any longer to be bound. Her love was absolute, and she knew he felt the same.

  THE NEXT MORNING, Kenna led Gunnar out of the hotel, squeezing his hand as she grinned up at him. “I can’t wait for you to meet Angus and Fiona. My brother can be a bit of a bear at times, but Fiona’s lovely. She’s done loads of research about all of us, so I know she’ll want to ply you with questions. We’ve lost so much information in the past years, and we’re finding out much of what we were told was inaccurate at best.”

  Gunnar smiled. “She must visit our home, then. Everything’s archived there. Information as far back as just after the crucifixion of Christ.”

  “Shut up, really?”

  “Já. Kaspar even has some Aramaic texts and records. I don’t know where they came from, but they’re quite remarkable to see.”

  “Wow, that sounds amaz—”

  Before she could finish her thought, a sharp pain shot through her side and she fell to the ground.

  “Kenna!” Gunnar yelled, and dropped beside her as people screamed and ran for cover. “Skít! Cedrik!”

  “I’m on it, highness,” Cedrik bellowed as he rushed past them and into the crowd.

  “Kenna?” Gunnar whispered, checking her body to find the bullet wound.

  “I can’t breathe,” she rasped.

  “I know, baby. It’s okay. I’ve got you.” He placed his palm over her chest and leaned over her for privacy as he worked to heal her. Work with me, Kenna.

  It hurts.

  I know, sweetheart, but it won’t hurt for long. Focus.

  What happened?

  You’ve been shot.

  “What?” she squeaked.

  “Shh, Kenna,” Gunnar admonished. “I need you to focus.”

  She closed her eyes and together they moved the bullet from her body and healed the lung it had pierced. As she felt her lung expand again, she gulped in as much air as she could.

  “Slowly, sweetheart, you don’t want to hyperventilate.”

  She nodded and licked her lips.

  “Feel good enough to get up?” he asked.

  “Aye, love,” she said. “I’m fine.”

  Gunnar had used his power of suggestion to keep the crowds away and he pulled her to her feet without anyone questioning her ability to walk after being shot in the chest. Kenna scowled down at her bloody shirt. “Bloody hell. I loved this top.”

  “We can buy you another top, sweetheart.” He slid out of his button-up, leaving him in a tight T-shirt, and handed it to her. “Put this on over it and we’ll head back to the room to change.”

  She nodded and did as he instructed. Before Gunnar could usher her back inside, however, the angry voice of Donnall Mann bellowed, “Where the hell is my wife?”

  Kenna gasped as he moved to strike her, but she shouldn’t have been concerned. Cedrik had him by the throat and up against the wall of the hotel within seconds, Donnall’s once concealed gun now on the ground beside him.

  Gunnar took Donnall from Cedrik and slammed his head against the brick.

  Don’t kill him, Gunnar.

  “Kenna, call the police,” Gunnar said, ignoring her suggestion.

  She nodded and pulled out her cell phone, dialing the officer who’d helped with Claire. “Officer Tarver? Hi, this is Kenna McFadden, ah, I’ve got a bit of a situation down here at the Balmoral. Claire Mann’s husband just attacked me. Aye, he’s detained right now. My ma—husband has him.” She bit her lip and grimaced at her near mis-speak. “Right. Yes, okay. Thank you.” She hung up and slid her phone back in her pocket. “He’ll be here in twenty minutes.”

  “I shot you,” Donnall rasped. “I saw you go down.”

  “I don’t understand how you even found me,” Kenna said.

  “I followed you, you ignorant cow.”

  I can’t believe I was so stupid not to notice.

  You’re not stupid, sweetheart.

  She frowned up at Gunnar.

  “Let Cedrik take you up to the room, sweetheart,” he suggested. “You can change and I’ll take care of him until the police arrive.”

  “I don’t think I should leave you.”

  Gunnar chuckled. “I think it would be best that you are cleaned up and in something a little less bloody before they arrive.”

  “Right, good idea,” she said.

  He smiled gently. “I’ll sort out our story.”

  “I won’t be long.” She rushed back inside and up to their room, Cedrik rushing ahead to shield her if need be. No one bothered her, so she had a clear shot into their suite. After Cedrik checked the room, he left her alone and Kenna shoved her bloody clothes into a plastic bag. Tying the bag and hiding it in her suitcase, she took a quick shower and got dressed. She remembered to grab a new shirt for Gunnar and arrived in the lobby just before the officer and his partner walked inside.

  “Are you injured, Ms. McFadden?” Officer Tarver asked.

  I have the man in the security office. It’s right next to the concierge desk.

  “No, I’m fine. Just a little shaken.”

  “Where is Mr. Mann?”

  “Back this way.” Kenna led the officers into the private area where Gunnar had Donnall controlled for the moment.

  Kenna slid into Gunnar’s arms as one of the officer’s cuffed Donnall and led him away. Officer Tarver took Kenna and Gunnar’s statements and then left them with a promise to follow up the next day.

  “How about we postpone lunch with your brother and his family, sweetheart?” Gunnar asked as they walked back into their suite.

  Kenna shook her head. “Do you mind if we don’t? I’d really like to see them.”

  He cupped her face and frowned. “Baby, I need to know you’re okay.”

  “I will be.” She bit back tears as the fright finally took hold. “I just need a distraction and they’re a really good distraction.”

  He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head. “If I think you need to be away from the chaos, elskan, we’re leaving.”

  Kenna couldn’t help but smile as she closed her eyes and burrowed into his chest. “I’m good with that.”

  Gunnar tipped her head back and kissed her gently. “You’re calming.”

  She nodded. “Aye, love. I’m okay.”

  He stroked her cheek and then gave her a nod. “The rule still stands.”

  Kenna chuckled. “I know, love.”

  He released her, buttoned up his clean shirt, and then led her out of the hotel.

  * * *

  One week later...

  Reykjavík, Iceland

  “Gunnar, it’s magnificent,” Kenna breathed out as she walked into his flat.

  They had arrived barely half an hour ago from the private airstrip in Reykjavík, and Kenna was still a little amped from their flight.

  Gunnar’s apartment had floor-to-ceiling windows that overlooked the Reykjavík Harbor, close to the Harpa Concert Hall. A modern kitchen opened into a great room and there were three bedrooms and three bathrooms, all on one floor.

  “It’s small, but it serves my purposes.”

  Kenna faced him. “If you think this is small, love, I wonder what you consider big.”

  “You may have a point.” He grinned and pulled her close. “I don’t have staff here full time, but if you feel you need something, let me know.”

  “I don’t need staff, Gunnar. I’ve been on the road most of the past twenty years, so being in one spot for more than a month is a treat. I also love to cook, so cooking in such a beautiful space will be a luxury I haven’t had before.”

  He stroked her cheek. “Are you always
this agreeable?”

  She laughed. “Yes?”

  “A question, hmm? Not a definitive statement.”

  “That’s because my siblings would probably argue the ‘yes.’”

  “They wouldn’t in front of me.”

  “Oh, you might be surprised,” she countered.

  He smiled. “I wonder what I did to deserve you.”

  “Because I’m agreeable?”

  “Because you’re perfect. I think I must have rescued puppies from burning buildings in a past life to have deserved you.”

  Kenna settled her cheek on his chest and sighed. “I’m not perfect, but I’m glad I’m creating an illusion... at least for a little while.”

  “Are you tired?”

  “I’m a little antsy actually, but I know I’m going to crash anytime. I always do after flying.”

  “We have a lovely big tub if you want to decompress a bit,” he said. “Tomorrow we’ll explore.”

  “Sounds amazing.” She glanced up at him. “Are you joining me in the tub?”

  “What a silly question,” he said. “Of course I’m joining you in the tub. But before that I’ll pour wine.”

  Kenna grinned and followed him into the kitchen. While he poured two glasses of Merlot, she explored the kitchen. “I’m in love.”

  “Aw, thank you, elskan.”

  “With this room,” she clarified.

  “Pots and pans over your mate. I see how it is.”

  Kenna shook her head. “You’ll be changing your tune once you taste what I make in those pots and pans.”

  “I would never choose pots and pans over you, sweetheart.” He laid his palm over his heart. “I love you that much.

  She giggled. “You’re good, baby.”

  “Thank you.” He handed her a glass of wine. “Now, the bags are here, so we’ll relax and then tomorrow you’ll see the city through my eyes and we’ll visit your family.”

  “Perfect,” she said and, once he locked up, she followed him to the master bedroom.

  THE NEXT MORNING, Kenna was awakened with a scruffy kiss and she sighed as Gunnar rolled her to face him. “Góðan daginn.”

  “Morning.” She smiled sleepily and yawned, closing her eyes again. “What time is it?”