Page 23 of Craved By a Highland Beast

Is he sayin’ he kens more about me than he wishes tae reveal?

As far as Evan knew, there were no damaging or false rumors about him, despite what Ruthven claimed. Perhaps he was only trying to rattle him or to make him seem untrustworthy in Bonnie’s eyes. Either way, Evan didn’t like the insinuation and he was about to respond when Bonnie interrupted him, turning to Ruthven.

“I would love tae see the castle grounds,” she said, shifting the tone of the conversation entirely with a few well-spoken words and a warm smile. “Could that be arranged, perhaps?”

It took a few moments for Ruthven to drag his gaze off Evan, but when he did, he seemed to only have eyes for Bonnie. “Consider it done. I will show ye the grounds meself.”

Though Bonnie had saved Evan from saying something he could potentially regret, he wished she had said nothing. He was itching for a fight, his hands curling into fists under the table, but he wouldn’t get to release all this anger on Ruthven—at least not that day. If anything, his outburst had only served to get Ruthven and Bonnie closer, which was precisely the opposite of what he wanted.

Under the table, Alaric kicked Evan once more, this time preemptively, so that he wouldn’t say anything else that could offend Ruthven. Evan could have said a lot more—he could have pointed out there was evidence against Ruthven or made him see that Bonnie didn’t truly want to be around him. In the end, he decided it was best to keep his lips sealed for the rest of their brief breakfast, saying not a single word until Bonnie and Ruthven had left the table so he could show her around the castle.

It was then that Alaric turned to him, brows furrowed and hand reaching for his shoulder to catch his attention.

“What was that?” he demanded. “I ken ye are nae as foolish as tae speak tae him like that. What is the matter with ye?”

Evan swallowed drily, trying to push down his rage. His gaze kept drifting to the windows, but he couldn’t get a glimpse of Bonnie and Ruthven.

“It’s naething,” he said. “Let us go.”

Before Alaric could say anything else, Evan stood and stomped out of the great hall, heading back to his chambers. Behind him, Alaric’s footsteps echoed down the entrance hall as he rushed after him, catching up near the stairs.

Neither of them spoke until they were behind closed doors once more. Evan sat on the edge of his bed, but Alaric, too irritated by the situation, paced back and forth in front of him with his hands on his hips.

“Ye cannae claim it was naething,” Alaric said, stopping in front of Evan and throwing his hands up in exasperation. “I despise him as much as ye dae, but we must remember our place here. We must remember why we came. Dinnae allow yerself tae be controlled by yer anger.”

Does he think this is because o’ Ruthven’s alliance with Balliol?

Evan didn’t try to correct his brother. It was better if Alaric thought the source of his anger was Ruthven himself and not that jealousy that clawed at his insides, threatening to rip him apart. He doubted Alaric would understand, after all. Evan didn’t understand it himself, this all-encompassing desire, this unquenchable thirst for a woman he barely knew.

“Evan,” Alaric said, his voice adopting a gentler, mellower tone as he walked over to him. “This must stop or Ruthven will ken there is somethin’ wrong. We have worked too hard fer this.We cannae reveal ourselves now. Ye understand how much is at stake, dae ye nae?”

“O’ course I dae,” said Evan. He did; he truly did. There was nothing more important to him than their mission. Failing could mean the end for many Highland clans and many people had put their faith in him and Alaric. They couldn’t fail them. He couldn’t do anything that would jeopardize their plan.

Includin’ thinkin’ about Bonnie.

He had to cast her out of his mind once and for all. If he could help her avoid this marriage by revealing the truth about Ruthven, then that would only be a nice bonus. But he couldn’t allow himself to get too close.

“It willnae happen again,” Evan promised with all his conviction. “I will . . . I’ll make sure he doesnae suspect.”

“Good,” said Alaric, relieved. His brother never doubted him when Evan made a promise and it only made him want to keep that promise even more. “Good. This will be all over soon an’ then we can return home an’ ye willnae have tae see him again.”

“Aye,” said Evan, though he didn’t sound particularly enthused about it even in his own ears.

Slowly, Alaric came to sit next to him on the bed, pushing his shoulder with his. The wood groaned under their combined weight but thankfully didn’t give in.

“Are ye thinkin’ about the weddin’?” Alaric asked.

Alarmed, Evan’s head whipped to the side to look at him, eyes wide. “What weddin’? Bonnie’s?”

Alaric frowned in confusion, staying silent for a moment. “What? Nay. Yer weddin’.”

In all the chaos, Evan had forgotten all about the fact that there was a very good chance his council would have found him a wife by the time he returned home. It was something he didn’t like to consider often, something that had been easy to cast aside as he worried about the plan and fretted over his feelings for Bonnie, but now that Alaric had brought it back to the forefront of his mind, it quickly became yet another concern for him.

“I suppose I am,” he said with a shrug. “At least I’m thinkin’ about it now that ye reminded me o’ it.”

Alaric chuckled and gave him a pat on the shoulder before he stood, as if he couldn’t keep still, even if Evan was the one out of the two of them who had to be nervous. “It is only a formality.”

“Is that what ye would be sayin’ if ye were the one who had tae wed?” Evan asked, looking at his brother through his lashes. “Or would ye be doin’ anythin’ in yer power tae avoid it?”

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