Page 64 of Highlander of Steel
She collapsed onto the bed, her hand flying to her racing heart, and smiled up at the canopy for a moment. If she had known it could get better than last night, she would never have left Killian’s side or told him to keep his distance.
“I think that was six,” he said, his lips grazing her inner thigh.
She laughed softly. “I lost count.”
A final gasp slipped past her lips as he slowly eased his fingers out of her and began to kiss his way up her body. As much as she loved the dress that Paisley had given her, she wished it were on the floor instead of creating a barrier between her skin and his mouth.
Kneeling once more, Killian took her hands and pulled her up into a sitting position. His head dipped to kiss her, his lips hot and urgent against hers, making that retreating storm pause for a second with the anticipation of a second tempest.
“Let’s get this off ye before I tear it off,” he murmured, his hands moving behind her to unfasten the ties.
He had just started to pull the laces loose, exposing her back to the slight chill in the air, when a loud knock sounded at the door.
Before they could reply, Peter ran in, his eyes widening as he saw Killian and Ailis on the bed. Immediately, his hand flew up to cover his eyes, his breathing ragged as he choked out, “We couldnae get her, me Laird. We couldnae get either of them.” He wheezed. “There were guards at every door on Her Ladyship’s map. We barely escaped alive.”
At that moment, another voice joined the chaos. Quieter. More solemn.
“Andthisjust arrived,” Paisley said, stepping into the room. Her face was pale, tears brimming in her eyes. In her arms, she held a box. “The note says that it’s a weddin’ present. I looked, me Laird. I ken I shouldnae have done it, but… I looked.”
Her legs gave out, but Peter lunged to catch her before her knees hit the floor. As she fell, the lid of the ornate wooden box fell away, and the contents spilled out.
A severed finger with a golden signet ring almost made Ailis turn away, until her eyes landed on the second ‘gift’—a tuft of dark hair, tied with a green ribbon. A ribbon that she had embroidered herself with a small ‘S.’
For Skye.
25
Ailis shoved Killian away and scrambled off the bed, sliding to her knees to pick up the shorn lock of hair. Her thumb gently caressed the silky ribbon, running over the bumps of the embroidered ‘S.’
“This was a mistake,” she rasped, terror rising as if she were back in the night-dark sea, being swept out of the cove. Helpless to stop it. “This was all a terrible mistake.”
Paisley hung off Peter’s arm, tears streaming down her cheeks. “Aye, it was.”
“I need to go back,” Ailis said, her legs shaking violently as she closed her fist around the lock of hair and lumbered to her feet. “Since we didnae consummate the marriage, we can say it isnae binding. We can undo this! It’s nae too late. I can still save her. And… and I can bargain to get Fraser released before they do anythin’ else to him.”
She had been a fool to think that nothing would happen.
Yes, her father hadn’t attacked the chapel or marched on Castle MacNairn, but she should have known better than to trust the lack of action. She should have known that her father was up to something more devious than an outright battle.
“Please…” Paisley murmured, breathing hard as if she might faint.
“She’s nae goin’ anywhere,” Killian interjected, striding across the room to pick up the severed finger and put it back in the box. “It’s a trick.”
Paisley glared at him. “It’s Fraser’s ring!”
“Aye, but we daenae ken if it’shisfinger,” Killian pointed out. “This is what he wants. He wants Ailis to go runnin’ back, and I’d wager he’ll punish her worse than anythin’ he’d dare to do to Fraser. Nay, nay one is goin’ anywhere until I’ve dealt with this.”
Ailis was shaking from head to toe, the lock of hair burning a hole in her clenched fist. “I have to fix this.”
“And I cannae protect ye if ye go there,” Killian shot back. “The moment ye set foot in that castle, there’ll be nothin’ I can do to help ye. I willnae let ye do this.”
Ailis met his gaze. “I’m nae askin’ for yer permission, Killian. Me niece is everythin’ to me, and if she’s hurt or scared or… worse,then I have nay choice but to go back to her.” She opened her fist to show him the ribboned curl. “They’ve done somethin’ to her, Killian, and I willnae stay here, pretendin’ that all is well.Imade a mistake by lettin’ ye take me from the castle.Imade a mistake by nae goin’ with me braither when he commanded it. Ihaveto return now, before this gets any worse.”
“Nay,” he growled. “Ye willnae play into that madman’s hands.”
“And ye cannae keep me here!” she barked, her heart breaking as she thought of her niece locked in a cell or a chest, terrified of what might happen to her.
Her father wouldn’t protect her. No one would, except Ailis, and she didn’t care what it cost her as long as that little girl was safe.
