Page 28 of Craved By a Highland Beast

The door of Evan’s room had hardly closed behind her when Bonnie pulled the key out of her pocket and held it up triumphantly, grinning from ear to ear. She had been waiting all day to get him and Alaric alone, and now that they were done with dinner, she finally had the chance to slip into his chambers unnoticed.

Evan and Alaric both stood from their chairs and approached, Evan plucking the key from Bonnie’s hand to take a better look.

“Are ye certain this is it?” he asked.

“How could I ken?” Bonnie said with a roll of her eyes. “He said he always has it on him an’ that was the only key he had on him . . . in his coat, at least. It isnae as if I could ask him if it’s the right one!”

As she spoke, Bonnie snatched the key back from Evan, holding it behind her back. For a moment, he stared at her and when he lunged for the key, Bonnie was ready for it, taking a swift step back, much to his irritation.

“Why were ye watchin’ us?” she asked, knowing it would be more effective to hold onto the key if she wanted an answer from him. “Did ye nae think that ye could have ruined everythin’? After all the trouble I put meself through tae get this key!”

“Ye were watchin’ them?” Alaric asked, raising a curious eyebrow.

Evan stood with his hands on his hips, glaring at the two of them. “We are meant tae be watchin’ Ruthven, in case ye have forgotten. I was only doin’ what I was supposed tae be doin’.”

“Ye were glarin’ at him from afar,” Bonnie pointed out. “I dinnae understand how ye could ever think such a strategy could help ye.”

“Is yer strategy any better?” Evan asked.

“Well, I have the key, so I would say aye, it’s much better,” Bonnie said.

“Let us nae argue,” Alaric said, stepping between them to put an end to their argument. “Now that we have the key, we can go tae the room an’ see what we can find.”

Bonnie and Evan glared at each other over Alaric’s shoulder, at least until Alaric shifted to hide them from each other.

“Enough,” Alaric said, turning back and forth to face both of them. “We should go tae the room now.”

“Fine.” Bonnie handed the key to Alaric, giving him a smile that was more of a baring of teeth. “Here. I’ll be waitin’ fer ye.”

“Yer comin’ with us,” said Evan, in a tone that implied she had no other option.

Bonnie’s eyes narrowed, head tilting to the side. “What dae ye mean? Why would I come with ye?”

“Because someone needs tae keep guard an’ it’s better tae have two pairs o’ eyes over one,” said Evan wearily, as if it was perfectly obvious. “Alaric will keep watch an’ we will search fer anythin’ we can find.”

Bonnie shook her head vehemently. “Nay . . . nay, nay, I am nae goin’ there with ye. I already stole the key fer ye. Ye can dae this on yer own.”

“Yer comin’ with us,” Evan insisted.

“An’ why would I dae as ye say?”

“Be quiet, both o’ ye!” Alaric said, a hand coming up to pinch the bridge of his nose. “Yer givin’ me a headache an’ yer both shoutin’! What if someone walks by an’ hears ye? Be quiet!”

Bonnie’s and Evan’s mouths snapped shut immediately at the reminder that someone could hear them. At least they both had enough common sense to keep their voices down, Bonnie thought, even as they continued to glare at each other, neither of them willing to back down. She didn’t think she would ever manage to understand Evan fully. One day, he was leaning close to her to kiss her and now he was looking at her as though he wanted to murder her.

With a sigh, Alaric turned to Bonnie, giving her a gentle smile that she didn’t like at all, already knowing what was to follow.

“I understand that the idea o’ lookin’ around in Ruthven’s things isnae very appealin’ an’ may even sound dangerous?—”

“It is dangerous,” Bonnie corrected.

“An’ is dangerous,” Alaric said without missing a beat, “but we need ye. It will be easier with ye there. Faster.”

“I dinnae even ken what it is I should be lookin’ fer.”

“Neither dae we,” Alaric said with a small shrug. “We will ken when we find it.”

“I’d rather nae be involved in this,” Bonnie said, trying to refuse as diplomatically as possible.

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