Far Away (Gypsy Fairy Tale Book Two) by Dana Michelle Burnett Page A

holding me there on the cold ground.
    “Harmony, please.”
    “Let me go,” I demanded as I continued to squirm. “Let me go!”
    Alec shook his head and held me tighter, “Not until you listen to me.”
    I twisted my hands until I broke free, scrambling to my feet and backing away until my back collided with the trunk of the tree again.
    “What could you possibly say?” I asked. “These are the same people that tried to kill Kieran and me!”
    “I know that.”
    “And they hate the Tuatha De Danann and everyone associated with them.”
    He nodded, “I know.”
    I stared at him dumbly. Why was he being so calm? Why didn’t he argue and at least try to defend himself? “And they chased them from one of the world to the other.”
    “I know that too.”
    “Then what could you possibly have to say?” I asked as I spread my hands wide. “What else is there?”
    Alec stood and took a few cautious steps forward until we were only inches away from each other. He looked down into my eyes and sighed as if he had all the burdens of the world laid at his feet.
    “What if they’re right?”

 
     
     
    Chapter 13
     
    “Will you at least hear me out?” Alec asked as he dusted the snow off the front of his pants.
    I just stared at him. How could he think those people, the same people that thought nothing of shooting me, were right? Did that mean that he thought they were right to want me dead?
    He cautiously reached over and wiped some of the snow from my coat, “Let’s go get some coffee and talk about this.”
    I let him take my hand and lead me across the lawn to the diner. It seemed ironic that the diner was so close, near enough to walk to, but not a single person came out stop our fight.
    No one even looked up when we entered the diner. I glared at each of them as Alec pulled me along. They all went right on eating as we slipped into the booth closest to the door.
    It wasn’t until we were seated that I took my coat off that I realized how very cold I was. I shivered and my teeth chattered as I hated him from across the table.
    Alec ordered two cups of coffee, keeping a watchful eye on me. I was shivering too much to try to run, but obviously he hadn’t noticed.
    He waited until the waitress filled our white cups, smiling politely when she talked about watching him play ball back in high school.
    How could he stand that? How could he just smile when people reminded him about what is life could have been? And then I remembered that I hated him.
    I hope it kills you to hear about how great you were...I hope it eats at you with every limping step...It would serve you right...
    When she left us alone, Alec leaned forward. “Are you willing to hear what I have to say?”
    I said nothing. I didn’t even nod. I just wrapped my red and frozen hands around the hot cup.
    Alex sighed, “You were right, the men you saw yesterday are Mileans.”
    “Obviously.”
    “The group you saw are member of the O’Leary family, some of the most respected Mileans there are.”
    “So why are they here?” I asked.
    Giving me a pleading look and he went on, “It took a while, but when my uncle didn’t show up back in Ireland, the Mileans got suspicious. They suspected that he came to an untimely end.”
    I nervously looked up, terrified of what he would say next. Would the next person through the diner door be a cop coming to arrest me?
    “Don’t worry,” Alec said as he glanced around. “They don’t know any more than they need to.”
    I tried not to show how relieved I was, but a sigh I managed to escape my lips. “Thanks.”
    “I wouldn’t betray you like that.”
    I glared across the table at him, “Then what are you doing with them?”
    Alec spooned some sugar into his coffee, careful to avoid meeting my eyes. “They want me to represent my family and join them.”
    “What?” I asked, confused. Why him? Why did his family need to be represented? None of it was making any sense. “I don’t understand all of