Page 90 of The Laird's Vengeful Desire
“Welcome tae yer new home, Lady Rhona.” Murdoch said with mock courtesy as he hauled her from the horse. “I trust ye’ll find yer accommodations… educational.”
Before she could respond, a figure emerged from the larger pavilion – tall, broad shouldered, with dirty brown hair and cold brown eyes that seemed to strip away all pretense with a singleglance. Even without the MacPherson colors he wore, she would have known him instantly.
Lachlan MacPherson had the particular look of a man who’d never been denied anything he’d wanted. He moved with a dangerous grace that reminded her of a wolf studying wounded prey. His clothes were finer than those of his men – velvet and silk that spoke of wealth and position – but his hands bore the calluses of a warrior. His gaze fixed on her with calculating interest while an unsettling smile stretched across his lips – never quite reaching his eyes. Rhona felt ice settle in her veins.
“So,” he said, his voice cultured but carrying an undertone of something dark and dangerous. “The famous Rhona MacAlpin graces me humble camp. How… fortuitous.”
“Fortuitous?” Rhona’s voice carried all the contempt she could muster. “Is that what ye call kidnappin’ innocent women?”
Lachlan’s laugh was harsh and sharp. “Innocent? There’s naething innocent about a woman who’s been warmin’ me cousin’s bed fer months. Tell me, daes he whisper sweet lies while he takes ye? Daes he promise ye marriage while he keeps ye as his whore?”
The crude remark hit her square in the chest, but Rhona steeled herself. “Ye ken naethin’ about Ian!”
“Och… but I dae.” Lachlan circled her slowly. “I ken he’s been keepin’ ye prisoner while pretendin’ tae be honorable. I ken yerfamily thinks ye dead while he uses ye fer his pleasure. And I ken that when the king investigates, he’ll see the truth of it.”
Rhona narrowed her eyes at him, realizing that Lachlan was behind all of the drama that had come to steal her happiness. “What dae ye want?” she demanded, lifting her chin despite the fear clawing at her throat.
“Lachlan’s smile was cold. “What I want, me dear lady is quite simple. I want everythin’ that should have been mine. Me cousin’s lands, me cousin’s title…” his eyes traveled over her with predatory interest. “And me cousin’s woman.”
“I’m nae yer cousin’s woman,” Rhona spat.
“Ye see, me lady,” he continued, his voice dropping into an intimate whisper that made her skin crawl. “Ian has stolen what’s rightfully mine. But, I am naethin’ if nae a fergivin’ man. Marry me, help me claim what Douglas promised me, and I’ll ensure yer family survives the comin’ war.”
“I’ll die before bein’ yers!”
“Och, I admire yer spirit! But ye will…” Lachlan replied with chilling certainty. “By choice, or by force, ye’ll serve me purposes. The only question ye have tae ask yerself is how much ye wish tae suffer in the process.
“And if I refuse?” The words came out much steadier than she felt.
“Then ye’ll watch as I destroy everyone ye love, one by one, until ye beg me tae accept yer surrender.” His smile widened, revealing menacing teeth. “Startin’ with that fool cousin of mine, who even now is probably ridin’ straight intae me trap.”
As armed men closed in around her, Rhona lifter her chin even higher, and met Lachlan’s cold stare with all the defiance she could muster. Ian would come for her – she knew it in her bones. But until he did, she would be damned if she gave this monster the satisfaction of seeing her break.
CHAPTER TWENTY-NINE
“Me laird, I urge ye tae think twice about what ye’re daein’!”
Tristan’s voice carried desperately across the courtyard as Ian strode toward the armory with deadly purpose, his face a mask of barely controlled fury.
Warriors scattered like leaves before a storm as their laird passed, recognizing the dangerous set of his shoulders and the way his hand rested readily on his sword hilt, as if he were already envisioning the carnage to come.
“I ken exactly what I’m daein’.” Ian replied without breaking stride, his voice cold. “I’m goin’ tae tear Lachlan MacPherson apart with me bare hands!”
“But the king–”
“Can go tae hell.” The statement cracked like a whip across the stone walls. Ian spun to face his trusted advisor, green eyes igniting with a furious rage that made Tristan take an involuntary step backward. “They took her, Tristan. They took Rhona.”
“I ken that me laird, but–”
“Dae ye?” Ian’s voice dropped to a whisper that was somehow more terrifying than any shout. “Dae ye truly understand what that means? What Lachlan will dae tae her?”
The images that flooded Ian’s mind were worse than any nightmare – Rhona’s big beautiful blue eyes wide with terror, her hands bound so tightly the ropes bit into her skin, her calling his name while some bastard dared to put his filthy hands on her… the thought made Ian’s vision blur with an anger so pure, it was nearly blinding.
She gave herself tae me freely,he thought, the memory of their perfect afternoon the day before cutting through him like a blade,and now she’s payin’ the price fer me failure tae protect her.
“Killian!” Ian bellowed, his voice booming and echoing off the castle walls.
The grizzled captain appeared instantly, as if he’d been waiting for the summons. “Aye, me laird?”
