Highlander's Reckoning (The Sinclair Brothers #3) (12 page)

He walked calmly to the crumpled Englishman closer
to the copse. Despite the crack to his skull, he had rolled himself onto his
back and was trying to sit up. Without hesitating, Daniel drew his blade across
the man’s throat, just as he had with the first.

The only sound that pierced the forest was the
sickening gurgle coming from both men. Daniel re-sheathed his sword and quickly
ran his hands over first one slain man and then the other, presumably looking
for a letter or other indication of their purpose. Then he approached the copse
and pulled the branches back.

She looked up at him from her crouch on the ground,
stunned silent. He slowly extended a hand toward her to help her out of the
clump of trees.

There was blood on it.

She shivered and withdrew unconsciously. She crawled
backward away from his extended hand and the path he was making through the
branches for her. She was dimly aware that branches scraped and snagged her
dress and cloak as she backed out of the copse.

As she emerged from the trees, she felt like she
could breathe a little better, but then Daniel walked around the copse to stand
in front of her. His face was set grimly.

“I’m sorry you had to see that,” he said flatly,
looking down at where she still crouched.

“Why did you…” She swallowed, suddenly feeling as
though she might lose the contents of her stomach.

His eyes hardened. “This is warfare, lass. What
would you have me do? Let them find you and have their way with you? Let them
kill us both?”

“They were only scouts!”

She knew hysteria edged her voice, but she couldn’t
stop it. She’d never witnessed anyone killed before. Perhaps more disturbing
was how calm and unhesitating Daniel was about the whole matter. But he was a
warrior, and she was a sheltered girl, she thought dimly.

“Aye, and by their coat of arms they were sent by
Raef Warren.”

“But Lord Warren has a deal with my father. He means
us no harm. He just wants to collect a tax from us.”

Daniel’s face transformed from grim to enraged. He
bent down to where she knelt on the ground and pulled her to her feet.

“
Means us no harm
? Warren has been
slaughtering innocent Scots for years!”

“What?” She felt herself begin to shake as her
initial panic dulled to shock.

“Warren carved a path across Scotland five years
ago. He waged war on Sinclair lands. He slaughtered my people and anyone else
who got in the way. Ever since he fled from defeat at my family’s hands, he’s
been terrorizing the Lowlands at King Edward’s behest.”

She blinked in confusion. “He never tried to attack
us at Loch Doon.”

“Probably the only thing that held him back was the
knowledge that Loch Doon is Robert the Bruce’s keep. Warren would know that if
he openly struck the castle, the entire Scottish rebel force would come down on
him. But don’t be mistaken, lass. Warren will never be satisfied with simply
extracting a tax from Scotsmen. He wants every last one of us to rot and vanish
into nothing.”

“And…and those two?” She gestured with a shaky hand
toward where the bodies of the dead scouts lay behind the copse of trees.

“I’m not surprised Warren would have the area
watched. But those two were armed. They would have killed us to maintain the
secrecy of their mission, whatever it was. And I would kill a thousand more of
them to protect you and Loch Doon.”

Her eyes drifted down to his bloodied hands again,
and she shivered. Immediately, he removed his cloak and spun it around her shoulders.

“I don’t have time to bury them, so I’ll just have
to hide them as best I can. Stay back here.”

She nodded numbly and rubbed her arms. Once he had
gone around the copse, she could hear him slap the rumps of the scouts’ horses,
sending them off into the night. Then she heard him dragging first one man and
then the other into the clump of trees she had been hiding in mere moments ago.

Daniel came back around to her side of the copse a
few minutes later. Without speaking, he took her arm and guided her back toward
the village. But despite the added warmth of his cloak, she shivered again.

She’d thought she was in danger for practicing
falconry illegally. Tonight, though, she had seen two men killed and learned
that her nearest neighbor was a black-hearted murderer who was plotting against
them. Suddenly the world seemed far more dangerous than she’d ever realized.

“Rona, we need to talk.”

She looked up from her trencher, her face taut with
worry.

“Very well.”

This was the most they had interacted since the
night before when Daniel had killed two of Warren’s scouts. By the time they
had made it back to the castle, they were both so weary that they hadn’t
spoken, except for Rona’s half-formed excuse as she continued up the stairs
past his chamber to her own.

Even though a mere two weeks ago they hadn’t known
each other, her distance made him ache. When would they be able to rebuild that
delicate bond that had formed two nights ago when they’d made love? Would they
ever have a stable, close union, as Daniel internally hoped for?

He had to do something to try to close this awkward
distance. He stood and extended his arm to her. Though it was brief, he didn’t
miss her hesitation before looping her arm in his. He guided her down from the
dais and through the great hall where most of the castle’s inhabitants were
taking their midday meal.

Once they were in his study, he closed the door
behind them and turned to face her.

“About last night…”

Her bright eyes clouded with a depth of emotion he didn’t
know how to interpret.

“As I said, I’m sorry you had to see that, but I’m
not sorry I killed those men. I am a warrior, first and foremost.”

He braced himself for her reaction, fearing her
rejection.

She turned and went to the window. A storm had blown
in overnight, and heavy, wet snow now fell outside.

“I’ve…I’ve never seen anyone killed before,” she
began.

He clenched his jaw reflexively. Despite all her
bluster, all her willfulness and that flaring temper of hers, she was innocent,
sheltered. His mind flitted back to his young cousin Will. It seemed that
Daniel was doomed to be the one to educate the innocents of the world in the
ways of warfare, violence, and death. He didn’t relish the role, nor did he
enjoy taking lives. But he was a warrior, and he would fight for what he
believed in and protect those he loved.

That word came unbidden into his mind. Of course he
loved his family. And Rona was now part of his family…

He pushed the thought, and that complicated word,
aside and refocused his attention on her.

“I don’t hold it against you. I just…I wish these
wars were over,” she went on.

He moved to her side and tentatively brushed a lock
of red hair over her shoulder. “We all do, lass.”

Could a man trained to be a warrior and a leader
long for an end to the conflicts and wars? Contradictions be damned, Daniel
thought gravely, he wanted peace.

A somber silence filled the study as they both gazed
out the window at the falling snow. Reluctantly, Daniel steeled himself for
what he had to say next. She wouldn’t like it, but he had to make his
expectations known.

“I don’t want you going to Ian and Mairi’s cottage
anymore.”

She turned to face him, a look of confusion on her
delicate features.

“Why not?”

“It’s too dangerous.”

Now her confusion was turning into stubborn ire. She
crossed her arms over her chest in a stance he was coming to know well.

“You can’t just lock me away here in the castle. I
won’t be told not to see my friends or Bhreaca.”

He should be able to use logic and reasoning against
her, or to meet and overpower her will with his own. Hell, he should be able to
simply give her an order and expect her to follow it, as he normally did with
his men. But Rona was different. Something about her always seemed to make his
blood run hot.

“You’re damn right I can lock you up here, if that’s
the only way to keep you safe,” he said, matching her cross-armed stance. “Or
would you prefer that I let you roam the forests alone while armed English
scouts move about freely?”

“There have always been Englishmen in the area,” she
retorted, her eyes flaring. “I’ll not let you make me into a prisoner in my own
home.”

“And what if those Englishmen from last night had
found you alone? What do you think they’d have done to you?”

Her cheeks flushed but she didn’t reply, so he went
on, his voice tight with frustration.

“And even if they actually acted like the chivalric
knights they all claim to be, what if one of them saw you flying Bhreaca? He
would be bound by English law to report you and see you punished—along with Ian
and Mairi.”

She opened her mouth to reply but halted, suddenly
unsure.

He knew he still needed to drive his point home, so
he continued. “It is my duty as your husband to protect you in every way
possible. I would never renounce you and make your secret known, but I cannot
watch you endanger yourself.”

“You cannot take this from me,” she said, but now
desperation mingled with determination in her voice.

He turned and paced the length of the study several
times. Christ, was this what marriage was like? He longed for things to be
simpler, for her to just follow his orders. And yet, he was surprised to
realize that he
liked
her stubbornness, her strength of will, and that
steely spine of hers. He reminded himself yet again to thank the Bruce for
marrying him to a capable, smart wife rather than a simpering weakling of a
woman.

He would hate himself if he simply overpowered Rona
with his own stubborn will. He didn’t want her broken. But he needed more peace
between them.

As a starting point, he focused his mind on
overcoming their current impasse. He’d seen with his own eyes how alive she had
been when she flew Bhreaca. He also gathered that she wasn’t one to trust or
open up to people easily or quickly, yet she was as close to Mairi and Ian as
if they were her blood.

He halted his pacing and ran a hand through his hair
with a sigh. “What would you propose, then?”

She blinked in surprise, and her arms unconsciously
fell to her sides. He suppressed a tired smile. She was an expert at fighting
obstinately against being controlled, but he gathered that she’d rarely been
asked what she preferred instead.

“I want to keep going to visit Mairi and Ian and
Bhreaca,” she began, though she frowned uncertainly.

This was a start. Perhaps there was room for
negotiation after all. But he would never compromise when it came to her
safety.

“And what about the English? Or the risk that you’ll
be found out?” he asked cautiously.

She nibbled on her lower lip, and his attention was
tugged to her supple, soft mouth. Suddenly he couldn’t seem to focus on their
conversation. A spike of heat stabbed his stomach, and then traveled lower to
his groin.

“What if…what if I don’t go alone? What if you
accompany me?”

He tore his eyes from her mouth to try to clear his
head. They were making real progress. He had to stay focused.

“Perhaps. But that means no more disappearing. And
are you sure you won’t mind having me hovering around you so much?”

She lowered her eyes and smiled shyly.

“I wouldn’t mind. Perhaps I’d like having you near
me.”

Focus be damned, he wanted her. Badly.

He watched her closely as he stalked toward her one
step at a time. Instead of slaking his desire for her, their first night of
shared passion had only increased it tenfold. And something about their
clashing wills shot heat that had nothing to do with anger or frustration
through his veins.

“Would you, now?”

Her eyes flickered up to his, and shyness mixed with
desire in their blue depths. It was all the encouragement he needed.

He took a final step to close the distance between
them and snaked his arms around her waist, pulling her against him. He lowered
his mouth to hers but paused just before they made contact. He held them both
there, a hair’s breadth from touching, as he savored the anticipation.

She broke first. With a little noise of frustration,
she nudged her head up so that their lips finally came into contact. Her
boldness and urgency sent another hot spike of lust through him. Though she was
still inexperienced, he sensed a deep well of passion just below the surface in
her. And the temper that so often had both of their blood boiling could
apparently be transformed into white-hot lust.

Their mouths melded and their tongues mingled, but
he forced himself to let her lead. She was tentative at first, but as both of
their pleasure built, she grew impatient. She arched, pushing her chest into
his, and her fingers sank into his shoulders with delicious need.

He let his hands skim lightly over her waist and
down her hips, though he didn’t grip her and grind his pelvis into hers as he
longed to do.

His restraint had the desired effect. The lighter
his touches, the more demanding hers became. She grabbed one of his hands and
planted it squarely on her bottom, then laced her fingers in his hair, holding
his mouth to hers. He rewarded her with a little flick of the tongue, which
made her sigh softly. But then he withdrew his tongue, ceding the lead once
more.

“Don’t you want this?” she said, breaking their
kiss. A frown creased her brow.

“Oh aye. I’m going to prove to you just how much in
our chamber,” he breathed. “But I want you to show me what you like. Take your
pleasure from me.”

She nibbled on her kiss-swollen lower lip. “I like
it when you kiss my neck,” she said tentatively.

Immediately, he lowered his head to the slim column
of her neck and let his tongue and lips play across her skin. She inhaled and
shuddered slightly.

“And I like it when you touch me here,” she breathed,
moving one of his hands to cup her breast.

He swished his thumb over its peak and felt her
nipple harden through the thick wool of her dress.

Her head fell back under his kisses and touches. He
gripped her bottom with his other hand, holding her hips against his as she
grew increasingly aroused.

“I don’t think we’re going to make it to my
chamber,” he said huskily against her neck. She moaned in response, rubbing
against his already-hard cock, which was pressed into her stomach.

Suddenly he bent and scooped her up with a hand
behind each knee so that her legs wrapped around his torso. She gasped in
surprise and clung to his neck as he strode to the large wooden chair that
stood behind his desk. With one foot, he kicked the chair away from the desk.
Then he sat down with her straddling him.

“Can we…?” Her voice was surprised and unsure but
also breathy with desire.

“I promised we’d do some exploring, didn’t I? Now,
where were we?”

He brought his mouth back to her neck and nibbled
his way up to her ear, which earned him another moan from her. He loosened the
laces at the back of her dress just enough to pull the woolen garment down her
shoulders and past her breasts. Then he moved his mouth lower to capture one of
her nipples, which were rosy underneath the material of her chemise.

As he sucked and laved her nipple through her
chemise, she intuitively ground her pelvis against his cock. Holy hell, he
would spill his seed inside his kilt if this went on much longer.

With a growl of impatience, he yanked up her skirts,
chemise and all, and quickly pushed his pleated kilt out of the way.

She inhaled with surprise at the sudden contact of
their lower bodies. The head of his cock brushed against her damp curls, and he
nearly cursed in pleasurable agony.

Forcing himself to go slowly, he raised her hips
slightly and pressed the tip of his cock against her opening. Resisting the
urge to thrust up into her roughly, he lowered her gradually so that he inched
inside one ragged breath at a time.

She threw her head back as he filled her, thrusting
her breasts toward his face. He couldn’t resist. He took her other nipple into
his mouth, and he could feel her quake with pleasure.

He was finally inside her to the hilt, and he willed
himself to stay still and allow her body to adjust to his size. Even though he
remained motionless, she was breathing heavily, and her hands were like talons
on his shoulders.

She moaned in delicious frustration as he continued
to work his mouth over her breasts. Then she rocked her hips slightly and he
thought he would come completely undone.

“That’s it, lass,” he groaned. “Take what you like.
Take your pleasure.”

Even though his body screamed to lay her back on his
desk and thrust into her hard and fast, he wanted even more from her. He wanted
to give her control, to show her that he trusted her.

She rolled her hips again, then again, finding the
motion and rhythm she liked. He clenched his jaw, fighting to hold himself at
bay for as long as he could.

Her breaths were coming faster now as she rose up
and sank down onto his shaft, riding him. Unable to resist, his hips began
moving in time with hers, driving even deeper into her.