“New home?” Piper’s voice rose with panic. “I daenae… I never agreed?—”
His arm tightened around her waist, holding her securely against him. She could feel the solid warmth of his chest against her back, the steady beat of his heart.
“Relax, love,” Elijah said, his lips close to her ear. The warmth of his breath sent shivers down her spine. “I promise ye, ye willnae regret bein’ caught by me.”
And as the horse began to move, carrying them away from the hunt and into an uncertain future, Piper realized something terrifying:
Part of her wanted to believe him.
4
“If ye’re thinkin’ about jumpin’, I wouldnae recommend it.”
Piper jerked at the sound of the Laird’s voice so close to her ear. They’d been riding for hours—she thought, at least. Time felt strange, stretched and warped like honey in winter. The forest had given way to rolling hills, and the sun was climbing higher in a sky so blue it hurt to look at.
She hadn’t slept. How could she?
Every time her eyes had started to drift closed during the night, she’d jolted awake with her heart racing, convinced she was back in that cell. Or that the man holding her would finally reveal his true intentions.
Her entire body went rigid. She’d been so careful—hadn’t moved, hadn’t shifted her weight, hadn’t done anything that would give away what she was planning. Yet somehow, this infuriating man had known exactly what was going through her mind.
“I daenae ken what ye’re talkin’ about,” she said, her voice tight.
“Aye, ye do.” The Laird’s arm was loose around her waist, not restraining her, just… there. “Ye’ve been eyein’ that patch of soft grass we passed ten minutes ago. And that stream. And those trees that look easy to climb.”
Damn him.
“Maybe I was just admirin’ the scenery.”
“Were ye now?” She could hear the smirk in his voice. “And here I thought ye were calculatin’ how far ye could run before I caught ye.”
Piper said nothing. Because he was right, and they both knew it.
She’d been awake all night, her mind racing through possibilities. The forest was behind them now, replaced by rolling hills and open countryside. Harder to hide, but also harder for a horse to navigate at speed. If she timed it right, if she caught him off guard…
But even as she thought it, she knew it was pointless. He’d catch her. Probably within minutes. And then what? Would he still claim to be her savior? Or would the mask drop, revealing what he really wanted?
“I’m nae goin’ to hurt ye, lass,” he said, as if reading her thoughts again.
“So ye keep sayin’.”
“Because it’s true.”
“Then why are ye holdin’ me prisoner?”
“I’m nae—” He stopped, and she felt him take a breath. “Ye’re nae me prisoner, Piper. But if ye jump off this horse in the middle of nowhere with nay supplies and nay protection, ye’ll be dead within a week. Is that what ye want?”
“Maybe.”
The word came out before she could stop it, sharp and bitter. She felt Elijah stiffen behind her.
“What did ye just say?”
“Ye heard me.” Piper stared straight ahead, her jaw tight. “Maybe I’d rather take me chances out there than end up in whatever situation ye have planned for me.”
“I already told ye what I have planned. I’m takin’ ye somewhere safe.”
“Aye, toyercastle. Toyerchambers, most likely. Where I’ll be expected to…” She couldn’t finish. Couldn’t say aloud what she knew men like him expected from women like her.
