He held her gaze for a long moment, then nodded.
“Nay,” he added. “Ye are nae.”
“What are ye doin’ here, Ryder?” Megan managed at last, getting shakily to her feet.
Ryder’s gaze fell on her like a weight. She forced herself to meet it, swallowing down anxiety and a traitorous fluttering in her chest.
“I came to speak with ye,” he said.
Alaina glanced quickly between them, her expression sharp and unreadable.
“I’ll take meself off, then,” she said at last. “Dawn is only a few hours away, and I want me bed. Ewan will oversee the guests leavin’. Goodnight, Ryder. Goodbye, Megan. I hope I will see ye again.”
“I hope for that too, Alaina.”
Ryder said nothing, only nodded, his gaze never leaving Megan’s face. Alaina slipped out of the room, closing the door softly behind her.
They were alone.
CHAPTER 28
There was a long,taut silence after Alaina left the room. Megan let out a long, ragged sigh and folded her arms, meeting Ryder’s stare head-on. The hours that had gone by since they last met had steeled her, or so she hoped.
I’ve cried me tears,she told herself firmly.I’ve got me thoughts in order. I ken that he doesnae care for me, and I ken that I cannae stay. I’m at peace.
Well, more or less.
“What exactly is it that ye want?” Megan asked heavily. “I’m ready to go. I’m packed and poised. I just need to wait for dawn.”
A muscle jumped in Ryder’s cheek. He watched her closely, like a wolf watching a hare. It was hardnotto feel like a prey animal under his stare.
“Ye cannae leave,” he said at last. He said the three words simply, as if they were obvious.
Megan narrowed her eyes. “Excuse me?”
He shrugged. “Our bargain was that ye would stay for three months.”
“Or until we caught the culprit,” she countered. “The culprit has been caught. Alaina is safe, and so is Clan MacCulloch.Thatwas our deal.”
“Then I want to change our deal.”
She gave a bark of laughter. “What for? I daenae understand ye one bit, Ryder. I have given plenty of meself to ye, but none of it is enough. Ye daenae want a bride, ye said so. That’s yer prerogative, of course, but I cannae stay here as a… as a playthin’!”
“Ye are nae a playthin’ to me or to anyone, Megan. I’d nae allow it.”
Megan groaned aloud, pressing her hands against her face.
“I simply cannae understand what ye want of me.”
“I didnae understand it either. I still daenae.”
She glanced up at him at that, frowning. “But what do ye want, then?”
“Ye,” he answered simply. “Forever.”
There was a long silence. She wasn’t sure how long it stretched on for. A minute? Two? It felt like an eternity, but at the same time, no time at all.
“I daenae understand,” Megan repeated. She’d lost count of how often she’d said those sad little words in the past five minutes.
