The horse came down hard,all four hooves hitting the ground with jarring force. Piper slid backward despite his hold, and Elijah tightened his grip instinctively, pulling her even closer.
Too close.
He could feelevery curve of her body now, could feel her trembling, could smell the faint sweetness of her hair. His body reacted immediately, and he cursed himself for it.
Nae now.For God’s sake, nae now.
“Are ye all right?”he asked, his voice rougher than intended.
Piper didn’t answer.She was still gripping his arm, her breathing rapid and shallow.
“Piper. Are ye hurt?”
“Why do ye care?”The words came out flat. Dead. “I’m just to be yer slave after all.”
Elijah went absolutely still.
“What?”
“That’s what I am,isnae it?” Her voice was emotionless now, carefully controlled. “Ye can dress it up with pretty words about protection and safety, but at the end of the day, I belong to ye. Ye bought me, same as the others would have.”
“I dinnae buy ye.”
“Then what am I?”She tried to pull away from his hold, but there was nowhere to go. “Ye keep sayin’ I’m free, but I have naymoney. Nay home. Nay family. So tell me, Laird McMahon, if I’m nae yer slave, what exactly am I?”
Elijah forcedhimself to release his grip on her waist slightly. To give her space, even though his instincts screamed at him to hold on tighter.
“Ye’re someone who needs help,”he said carefully. “And I’m someone who can provide it.”
“Out of thegoodness of yer heart?” She let out a bitter laugh. “Men like ye daenae do anythin’ out of goodness. There’s always a price.”
“Nae this time.”
“I daenae believe ye.”
“Then test me.”The words came out before he could think them through. “Right here, right now. I’ll prove ye’re free.”
Piper twistedto look at him over her shoulder, suspicion written across her face. “How?”
“I’m goin’to make ye a vow, lass. On me clan’s name—and a McMahon’s word is sacred, whether ye believe that or nae.” He held her gaze, willing her to hear him. Really hear him. “Ye are free. Right now. Ye can leave if ye want.”
“Leave?”She said the word like she didn’t understand it.
“Aye.Get off this horse and walk away. I willnae stop ye.”
Her gray eyessearched his face, looking for the trick. The trap. “Ye’re lyin’.”
“I’m nae.But I’m also nae fool enough to send ye off with nothin’.” Elijah kept his voice steady. “If ye choose to leave, I’ll give ye supplies. Money. Tell ye which villages are safe and which to avoid. I’ll point ye toward the nearest town where ye can find work, maybe even write ye a letter of reference.”
“Why would ye do that?”
“Because ye deserve betterthan what ye’ve been given so far.” He paused. “But I’m also willin’ to house ye at Castle McMahon until ye’ve recovered from yer ordeal. Feed ye, clothe ye, keep ye safe from anyone else who might come lookin’. And I expect nothin’ in return.”
“Nothin’?”Her voice dripped with disbelief.
“Nothin’.Nae yer body, nae yer servitude, nothin’.” Elijah forced the next words out even though they felt like broken glass in his throat. “Ye’ll have yer own chambers, yer own space. I willnae even speak to ye if ye daenae want me to.”
Piper staredat him for a long moment, and he could see her mind working. Calculating. Trying to figure out where the trap was.
