“I need to see my father. Please. We can arrange for a neutral meeting point.”
“Why is this so important?” He stops cutting his steak, giving me his full attention.
“I know him. He hates your family with a passion,” I say. “The thought of me being married to one of you must be killing him - and try not to look so happy about that. It’s creepy.”
Dougal fakes outrage. “Creepy, lass? That’s downright cruel.”
“Please, they could put you in a garden of lollipops and you’d still look creepy,” I jeer before remembering that I’m trying to get a favor from him.
He isn’t creepy, not at all. Often scary. He has a somewhat sinister, deviant vibe to him, like he’d successfully murdered the gentle, charming part of him long ago. Dougal is actually much more straightforward than I’d expected him to be.
“I probably shouldn’t have insulted you while I’m asking for a favor, aye?” I smile weakly.
“It’s always best to wait until after the favor is granted to return to insults as your primary means of communication,” he agrees, smiling devilishly.
“All the same…” I take another gulp of wine, which is insulting to such an amazing vintage. “I’m sure we can arrange a neutral meeting place, out of both territories for a meal. Talking to my father and letting him see that I’m all right will go a long way to calming him down. I don’t know if our clans will ever be true allies, but it’s certainly better than the alternative.”
Running his thumb over his lower lip, Dougal considers what I’ve said. “Aye. I believe you’re right. Let me contact a couple of people and then you can call your father with the meeting place.”
“A neutral place,” I stressed, “hosted by someone you both know.”
“Agreed,” he said. “But there’s one more thing we need to address.”
The air between us is suddenly electric, like a storm is on the way.
“What?”
“Addressing your behavior. You tried to run away, Isla.”
“You said yourself that you expected me to,” I point out. Dougal’s not smiling anymore. He’s not angry, either. I can’t read him and that makes me very uneasy.
“That doesn’t change that you specifically violated my orders and worse, put yourself in danger. Instead of a sprain, you could have killed yourself.”
“That would have solved all your problems!” I shoot back, even while wincing inside.
“It seems, wife, that we’ll need to lay down some clear rules.” He counts them off on his long fingers. “One, you do not attempt to run away. Violating this rule can merit you anything from a spanking to being locked up in your room like a misbehaving child. Two, you do not lie to me. Ever.”
“Spanking? Sending me to my room?” I gasp, “I’m not six. You canna’-”
“I can, and I will to keep you safe,” he said coldly.
“I’m not going to let you spank me,” I shook my head violently. My parents had never used corporal punishment on me, not that it was necessary since my brothers were always creating the worst mischief. That meant my misdeeds were rarely caught.
“Before you can say somethingI’llmake you regret, I will tell you this is happening.”
This is a different Dougal. This is terrifying Dougal from that bloody night at the docks. His sculpted features settle into something cold and unforgiving.
“Now,” he continues, “you can choose where. In the study or out here where everyone can see you?”
My eyes are cartoonishly large, and I canna’ be hearing this right. “No! I’m not playin’ your game!”
I’m suddenly scooped up into his lap. “Very well, lass. Out here in the open.”
“Wait!” Now I’m well and truly panicked. “Not- not out here.” I’ll get him in the study where I can talk him down.
Lifting me from a seated position easily, Dougal strides into the house and then his study, slamming the door closed with an elbow. Before I can catch my breath, I’m over his lap lengthwise with my injured foot placed on the couch.
“You can’t just-” I’m trying to dig my way off his lap by shoving my elbows against his thighs and it’s doing nothing. One arm slams down like an iron bar over my lower back and his other hand is pulling down my leggings and undies. When I try kicking back with my good foot, he instantly wraps his leg around it, pinning me down.
