Then Caiden traced a finger along her jaw. "And a liar, too. Ye weave yer words so well." His voice dropped to a growl, the alpha in him savoring the battle of wills. "But I ken better. I can smell the truth beneath the lies, lass."
She jerked her head away, eyes flashing fire. "Ye're as blind as a bat if ye think I'm frightened of ye."
Her bravado was a shield, but Caiden could feel the flicker of doubt lurking beneath as he held her close, her body trembled slightly.
"Aye, ye are frightened. I can feel that much." His hand brushed her hair back, fingers grazing her neck with a rough tenderness that contradicted his harsh words.
"Ye're a rare one. Stubborn, fierce, and far too clever for yer own good."
"So, what now, then?" she asked. "Will ye keep me forever, or do have ye a better plan?"
Caiden's grin was wolfish, his eyes glittering with wicked intent.
"I have a plan, lass. But it'll take more than sharp words and a stubborn spirit to stop me from gettin' what I want. Ye'll talk soon enough, whether ye want to or nae."
The challenge hung thick between them. Caiden reveled in the hunt, the clash of wills sparking something far beyond mere information.
He felt the lass stiffen beneath his hold, her body taut like a drawn bowstring. It was plain to see the fear in her, unsure whether to fight or freeze, and yet he found a begrudging respect for her stubborn spirit.
Few dared stand against him this way, and it made the game more worthwhile. Still, he kept his grip firm but steady, knowing brute force would get him nowhere fast.
Eric's voice cut through the tense silence, sharp and urgent.
"Laird, there's a wagon headin' this way on the main road. We should turn off soon."
Caiden's jaw clenched, annoyance flickering across his face like a dark cloud.
"We'll take the game trail through the forest," Caiden growled, eyes narrowing toward the shadowed treeline. "Slower, aye, but the cover's better. I'll nae have folk spot us on the road."
"It'll add time to the ride, and it's nae exactly easy travelin'. The horses'll tire quicker on that path," Eric said.
"That's a price I'm willin' to pay," Caiden said, voice cold and decisive. "Better the horses wear out than be noticed before we arrive home."
Her voice rose sharp and demanding. "Where exactly is this home of yers, then? What place are ye takin' me to?"
Caiden's lips twisted into a dark smile as he shot back. "Ye shouldnae be askin' questions when ye'll nae answer the questions I ask." His tone was mocking, but there was a hard edge to it that brooked no argument.
She huffed, the annoyance clear in the stiff set of her shoulders. "I daenae like bein' kept in the dark."
Caiden chuckled low, eyes glinting with amusement and challenge. "Nae many do, lass, but life's nae always fair. Ye'll learn that soon enough."
The horses veered off the main road, plunging into the tangled forest where shafts of moonlight filtered through twisted branches.
Caiden's mind sharpened with the knowledge that the cover would keep them hidden, but it also meant the ride would be long and rough.
The forest closed around them like a dark, living wall, branches arching overhead and blotting out the moon.
As they pushed deeper into the woods, Caiden's thoughts drifted inward, the rhythm of the ride steady and relentless. He was a man forged in battle, a great warrior whose strength and skill had earned him his place as laird.
Yet beneath the hardened exterior beat a heart shaped by solitude. He preferred the silence of his own company, trusting few and keeping most at arm's length.
His loyalty, fierce and unyielding, was reserved for those few he deemed worthy, his clan, his kin. He was possessive not just of his lands and wealth but of the people who called them home. Tothose who wronged him or threatened what he held dear, he was swift and merciless, a storm that brooked no defiance.
Ahead, the trees thinned briefly, revealing a patch of pale moonlight pooling on the forest floor. Caiden urged his horse forward, muscles coiled like a spring, eyes sharp for any sign of threat.
The lass sat tensely before him, bound and silent, but still fiery in spirit. He could feel the tension in her like a live wire, and it amused him to know she was not yet broken. Any other lass would be sobbing and hysterical, but this one was strong.
Eric rode close, ever watchful, his rough voice breaking the silence now and then with quiet observations.
