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  Thank you for doing this.

  My pleasure, love.

  Sydney added hot water to the tub and stared out the window that Thane assured her was of the one-way variety, so she could see out, but no one could see in. What should I wear tonight?

  Whatever you like.

  Typical man.

  He chuckled again.

  I brought a little black dress with me... or is that too dressed up?

  That sounds perfect, love.

  What are you doing?

  Wishing I was in the tub with you.

  She bit her lip. Join me, then.

  One month, love, and I will.

  You’re really going to make us wait?

  It would be dangerous if I didn’t.

  Sydney frowned. How so?

  Because I know it would be impossible to make love to you and not bind you, and binding cannot happen before you’re twenty-five.

  I’d like to go on record to say that I think that’s lame.

  I don’t disagree, but think of the positives.

  Being horny all the time is not a positive, Thane.

  No, that’s true, but getting to know one another without distraction most definitely is.

  Sydney rolled her eyes. Still sucks.

  I know, baby. I have to speak with Wallace.

  Is something wrong?

  I don’t think so. Enjoy your bath.

  And he was gone.

  Sydney sighed and sank lower in the water. She didn’t want to leave the gigantic claw-foot tub and it sounded as though she didn’t have to anytime soon. She was both excited and nervous to meet Thane’s family, but mostly nervous. She wondered what the family of an immortal superstar was like. She couldn’t begin to imagine. She was still trying to figure out how she’d become inseparable from the biggest movie star on the planet.

  Your thoughts are adorable, lass.

  Sydney rolled her eyes. Get out of my brain.

  He chuckled. We leave in two hours.

  I’ll be ready.

  Don’t be nervous. My family will love you.

  She sighed. I hope so.

  * * *

  Sydney gripped Thane’s hand as Wallace drove them over a drawbridge (yes, a real freakin’ drawbridge) and into the courtyard of the tiniest castle Sydney had ever seen. Granted, she wasn’t an expert on castles, and tiny was somewhat relative, but this one looked to be a bit smaller than Thane’s home, which was just under twelve-thousand square feet. She’d always expected castles to be monstrous in size, able to house entire villages.

  Thane chuckled. “Not quite, sweetheart.”

  She rolled her eyes. “Brain. Out. Now.”

  “This has been our home since we arrived from Iceland. We all have part of the land and we’ve all stayed close. My house is at the far south end of the property.”

  “It’s gorgeous,” Sydney breathed.

  “It’s my home away from home, so to speak.” Thane squeezed her hand and then got out of the car. She waited for him to open her door and hold his hand out to her before climbing out herself.

  He wrapped his arm tightly around her waist and walked her to the front door, but before they could walk in, Sydney was pulled away and into a surprisingly strong hug, considering the girl was tiny. “You’re here,” the girl exclaimed.

  “Sydney, this is my very little, very dramatic, sister, Ainsley.”

  “I’m not dramatic; I’m just excited to meet your mate.”

  Sydney giggled. “I’m excited to meet you as well, Ainsley.”

  “Everyone’s in the salon.” Ainsley grinned. “Mum didn’t want to overwhelm you with all of us descending upon you.”

  “That was very kind of her,” Sydney said. She sounds thirty, not twelve.

  Thane grinned. You have no idea.

  His hand settled on her lower back again and they followed Ainsley into the formal room where close to ten people, not including children, milled around, sipping drinks and talking. Sydney reached for Thane’s hand and gripped it hard, hoping for a little burst of confidence.

  “Thane!” A stunning redheaded woman who appeared to be in her early thirties rushed them, pulling Thane in for a long hug. “Och, my son, I’ve missed you.”

  He chuckled. “It’s barely been a month, Mum.”

  Sydney bit back a gasp. His mother didn’t look much older than him.

  “Still too long for your poor aging mother,” she retorted, and faced Sydney. “Sydney, love, welcome. We’re so glad to meet you.”

  “Thank you, Mrs. Allen. It’s lovely to meet you as well.”

  “Och, love, call me Isolde or better yet, Mum, if you feel comfortable with that. Whatever you choose.”

  Sydney blushed. “Thank you. That’s sweet.”

  “Come and meet everyone else.”

  Isolde took over the introductions, but Sydney was grateful Thane stayed connected to her. His father was a giant of a man. His name was Domnall, but they all called him Dom or Da for Father. Thane had an older brother and an older sister, Lachlan and Elspie, who were married to Aggie and Marsh respectively. Then there was a younger brother, Thorburn, who was married to Blair. Finally, Ainsley. All but Ainsley were bound, and it made for a very full house.

  Sydney didn’t think she’d remember all the adult names, let alone the nine kids. She found herself wondering how quickly she could add to the brood, excited about being part of such a large family.

  Right away, love.

  She narrowed her eyes at Thane and shook her head. Get out of my brain.

  He chuckled as he led her to a love seat and pulled her down next to him, wrapping an arm around her and pulling her close. “So, what’s on the Allen Family radar right now?” Thane asked.

  “The little prince turns one next month,” Isolde said, sitting next to her husband.

  “Has it been a year already?” Thane mused.

  “Aye, and we’ve been invited for the party, which will be a weekend-long affair.”

  “Who’s the little prince?” Sydney asked.

  “Our king and queen, Kade and Samantha Gunnach, have a little boy, Liam, and there’s a huge party to celebrate at their castle in Inverness,” Thane explained. “I’d forgotten all about it, to be honest, but we can go if you’d like to.”

  “When do we have to let them know by?”

  “We’ve got time,” he assured her.

  Sydney smiled. “Okay, good.”

  “You have to go,” Ainsley begged.

  “Ainsley,” her mother warned.

  “But, Mummy, if Thane doesn’t go, then I won’t get to ride Max’s horses.”

  Thane chuckled. “Even if I don’t go, lass, Niall will still take you to Max’s stables. All I have to do is ask him. You know he’ll make it happen.”

  “But they have a baby now and he’s busy.”

  “Ainsley Meredith Allen,” Isolde admonished. “This is not about you.”

  “Sorry,” she grumbled, crossing her arms in silent irritation.

  “Max breeds Friesians and works closely with Connall Gunnach, who breeds Thoroughbreds, and now Arabians, due to his mate’s influence,” Thane explained.

  “Ainsley, if you love Friesians, why don’t you ride your brother’s horses?” Sydney asked.

  “Because, sweetheart, I am not the lead singer of Fallen Crown,” Thane answered before Ainsley could.

  Sydney stifled a giggle at Ainsley’s look of mortification.

  “Alright, enough teasing the baby,” Isolde said.

  Sydney leaned forward. “I will figure out a way to make sure your brother goes.”

  Ainsley’s face lit up. “You will?”

  “Of course. We can’t keep you away from the horses. That would be cruel.”

  Thane reached for Sydney’s neck and gave it a gentle squeeze. Careful, love, you’ll create a monster.

  Before more could be said on the subject, Isolde rose to her feet and ushered everyone into the dining room. Conversation came fast and humorously
as everyone sat down to eat. The whole night was... well... normal. No one treated Thane like he was anyone special outside of the third child of this large and loving brood.

  “When do you have to return to London?” Elspie asked.

  “Tomorrow,” Sydney said.

  “Oh, that’s so soon.”

  “I know. I have a few things to tie up with my mother’s estate, so I need to get back.”

  “We were sorry to hear about your parents, love,” Isolde said.

  Sydney forced a smile. “Thanks.”

  Thane linked his fingers with hers under the table and gave her hand a gentle squeeze.

  “I love London,” Elspie continued. “Perhaps us girls can meet for a girls-only weekend.”

  “Day,” Thane said.

  “I’d love it.” Sydney grinned.

  “One day,” Thane reiterated.

  Sydney rolled her eyes. “A weekend or a day is fine with me.”

  “You can have her for a few hours on one of the days you come. No more,” Thane decreed.

  “We’re not beneath kidnapping, Thane.” She pointed a knife at him. “Remember that.”

  Sydney giggled. “I’m also not beneath sneaking out when you’re not looking.”

  “Fine.” Thane raised his hands in surrender. “But ganging up on the little brother really isn’t very nice.”

  “Bunk beds, Thane,” Lachlan countered.

  “One time! It was one time!”

  “My arse says it was thrice,” Lachlan argued.

  The table dissolved into laughter and Sydney watched as the group tried to control their giggles.

  “Locky has always been a little gullible,” Thane said. “When we were kids I invited him to climb up to the top bunk, where I quickly chucked him off.”

  “And he’s gullible because of that?” Sydney challenged.

  “No, he’s gullible because he let me do it twice more.”

  Sydney gasped, forcing back a laugh. “That’s awful!”

  “It’s not my fault he was dumb enough to climb up again.”

  “So, to make it up to Locky, Sydney gets to go shopping with me,” Elspie said.

  “To make it up to me?” Lachlan countered.

  “Yes.”

  “I just don’t think I can do without her for more than a few hours,” Thane added.

  “You’ll survive, honey,” Sydney said.

  Elspie clapped her hands. “It’s a date.”

  “Wait, I haven’t agreed,” Thane argued.

  “Like that makes a difference,” Sydney countered. “I’m not your chattel, which means you have no say in the matter.”

  Ainsley let out a giggle and Elspie reached over and high-fived Sydney. Thane good-naturedly leaned over and kissed Sydney. “Touché, baby.”

  Sydney smiled at her soon-to-be sister-in-law. “It’s a date, Elspie.”

  “Great. I’ll find a time and we’ll make it happen.”

  “I can’t wait,” Sydney said.

  Dinner wrapped up and Thane insisted on taking Sydney home before it got too late. Another storm was approaching and he didn’t want Wallace driving the back-roads in total darkness, so after hugs and promises of future get-togethers, Sydney followed him out to the car.

  “Your family’s amazing,” she said as Wallace guided the car over the drawbridge.

  “Aye, they are.” He smiled. “And, like I said they would, they adored you.”

  “Yes, honey, you were right.” Sydney giggled. “I adored them as well. I can’t wait for Elspie’s visit.”

  “I’m going to venture a guess it’ll be sooner than later.”

  “I hope so.” She cocked her head. “Has there ever been an instance where a Cauld Ane family doesn’t approve of one’s mate?”

  Thane shrugged. “I’m sure there has been, but can you imagine what kind of a position that would put the couple in? It’d be a bloody shame.”

  “What would you do?”

  “If my family didn’t approve of you?”

  “Yes.”

  He shook his head. “Sweetheart.”

  “What? It was a possibility.”

  “No, it wasn’t,” he argued. “But if by some far off chance they hadn’t approved, then I would have cut ties with them.”

  Sydney gasped. “You would?”

  “Of course I would.” He squeezed her leg. “You’re everything to me, Sydney. Don’t ever doubt that.”

  She smiled. “I love you.”

  “I love you too.”

  Arriving home, Thane left Sydney to change and she sighed in relief to get her shoes off. Just as she slipped out of her dress, her phone rang. It was Lucy. “Well, hello, cuz, how are you?”

  “Have you guys been watching the news?”

  “Nope.” Sydney dropped her watch onto the dresser. “We’ve been blissfully unaware of the outside world. Why?”

  “Ohmigod, Syd, the world is blowing up about you.”

  “About me? Why?”

  “Because you’re dating Thane Allen.”

  Sydney sat on the bed and rubbed her forehead. “Is it bad or good?”

  “Watch the news and entertainment shows and decide for yourself, but I’d suggest you get a game plan before you come home, because we’ve already started getting phone calls.”

  “Holy cow.”

  “Yep. Anyway, I have to go. Date night and all that, but I thought you’d want to know.”

  “Thanks, Luce. Love you.”

  “Love you too. ’Bye.”

  Sydney set her phone on the nightstand. Have you heard about the gossip surrounding us?

  Aye, lass. Pam filled me in yesterday.

  Why didn’t you tell me?

  Because you needed a break. Finish getting changed and we’ll talk about it over a glass of wine.

  Sydney sighed and took the time to remove her makeup and change into pajamas. This was all she needed, people digging into her life and invading her privacy. Just great.

  SYDNEY PUSHED THE door to Thane’s sitting room open and stepped inside. He was on his phone, pacing by the window and he didn’t look happy. “Damn it, Pam, why the hell aren’t they leaving it alone? I know, but it’s not that bloody interesting. Right. Aye. Fine. Yes, we’ll talk tomorrow.” He let out a long sigh. “’Night.” He hung up and faced Sydney.

  “That didn’t sound good.”

  “Just a minor nuisance, love.” He rubbed the back of his neck. “Nothing for you to worry about.”

  “Dismissing me like that isn’t the way to go here, Thane.”

  “It’s something my people will figure out, Sydney. Just drop it.”

  “Your people.”

  “Yes, my people. It’s not really something you can do anything about, so just leave it.”

  She crossed her arms and stamped down her irritation. “I think I should be filled in, you know, considering it involves me.”

  “Baby, I need you to calm down.”

  “Do not tell me to calm down, Thane!” she snapped.

  “Shite,” he hissed and dragged his hands down his face.

  “Just how bad is this?”

  In answer to her question, he grabbed the remote and turned on the television. He didn’t have to scroll far to find the first of several channels where Thane and his love life were the top stories of the day.

  “Who is this mysterious woman you ask?” a young female anchor queried.

  Sydney lowered herself slowly onto the sofa and watched as a group of men and women who didn’t know her discussed rumor and innuendo relating to who she was to Thane, complete with grainy and often times blurry photographs. “That was at the restaurant,” she whispered.

  “Aye, love. And at the premiere, and as we’re leaving the train station. Wallace intercepted a couple of drones as they tried to fly over the house.”

  “Intercepted, how?”

  “He shot them down. He’s always been an avid pheasant hunter.”

  Sydney covered her face with a groan. �
�I’m sorry, honey.”

  “Why the hell are you sorry? My people should have stopped this.”

  “Or, I should have stayed home instead of going to the premiere. I didn’t have to have a total meltdown on a public sidewalk outside of the restaurant, either.” She shook her head. “I just wasn’t thinking. Not to mention, if I’d traveled separately, you could have probably avoided all of this.”

  “Fucking hell, Sydney, this is not your fault.”

  “If it’s not my fault, why are you snapping at me?”

  He took a deep breath and sat beside her, linking his fingers with hers. “I’m sorry, love. I don’t mean to snap. With the worries your uncle has, and the fact that the media are jackals, I’m concerned for your safety and when I’m concerned for your safety, I tend to get a little irritated.”

  “A little?” she challenged, but gave him a slight smile.

  “Perhaps a little more than a little.”

  “Why are you so concerned?”

  “Because your uncle believes you or Lucy might have a stalker.”

  “What?” She gasped. “Seriously?”

  Thane nodded, pulling her against his chest. “It’s part of the reason he was happy to have you come with me this weekend. It means he can watch Lucy a little closer and I can watch you.”

  “Why didn’t he tell me?”

  “Because he wanted to be sure first. He hasn’t gotten to where he is by jumping to conclusions.” He rubbed her back. “We’re going to sort this out, sweetheart. I promise.”

  She lifted her head to look at him. “Do you think it was a reporter standing by the cottage?”

  “I don’t know. Wallace has sent the cigarette butts off for DNA analysis. If we can find the man, we will.”

  She relaxed against him again. “So, you worrying about the media thing isn’t about me dating you?”

  “No,” he assured. “It’s because they are mapping our movements to a certain degree. I need to keep you somewhat sheltered until we figure this out, but if reporters are following us, snapping photos and such, I can’t do that. I’m going to stay in my London flat until we sort this out, though.”

  “You have a London flat?”

  “Aye, lass. In Kensington.”

  “Then why were you at the hotel?” she asked.

  “My flat’s small and the hotel was the only place to accommodate everyone. I wanted to be close.”

  “Oh,” she said. “Makes sense.”