“I...pray, dinnae tell him,” she begged.
He ground his teeth and stared at her.What was with this woman and her need to put herself at risk all of the time.Would she run across the Highlands alone and risk death to escape Gillean’s clutches?Or Ivar’s clutches now, he corrected himself.Dread twisted his stomach as he imagined the Norseman taking her as his slave.He saw large hands groping her.The Viking demeaning her, breaking her spirit.As aggravating as it was, he wasn’t sure he wanted to see that spirit lost.
“I will say naught.But dinnae involve her again.Ye placed her in grave danger.”
“I know.”Lorna ducked her head before lifting it.“Ye really willnae tell Gillean?”
“I willnae.”
“I thank ye.”
“For what?”
“Yer mercy.”
He snorted.Mercy?Is that what it was?He wasn’t sure he knew how to be merciful.A hardened warrior, that was his role.What role did mercy have in a place like this?
“Dinnae mistake me, I am no’ merciful.The laird doesnae need to be dealing with such matters at this time.”
A hint of a smile teased her lips and she sighed.“Ye are a better man than ye think ye are, Logan.If only ye would see it.”
Unsure how to respond to this, he scraped a hand through his hair and pointed wearily toward the keep.“Get inside before I have ye locked away for good.”
She nodded, snatched her skirts and made to hurry away, but not before pressing a hand to his arm and murmuring, “Thank ye,” again.He remained motionless and waited for her to disappear into the castle.His arm burned and tingled at that small touch and her words rang in his ear.A better man?How was that possible?
Chapter Thirteen
Lorna froze on the top step when a figure lurched out of the shadows at the end of the gallery.A hard knot gathered in her throat as Ivar stepped forward.His gaze glittered in the torch light.She considered turning around and scurrying downstairs, but that meant she risked meeting Logan again, and at present her heart could not bear it.She glanced behind her and let out an unsteady breath.Most were abed and even if they were not, none would interfere with this Viking taking whatever he wanted.
And he wanted her.
She already knew that, but dark lust simmered in his gaze now and it seemed he did not intend to wait to take her away from here before indulging that need.Shoulders tight, she considered running again—Logan be damned—but her room was closer.If she was quick, she might make it into her chamber and be able to shut the door on him.
They eyed one another and he licked his lips, a grin flickering on them.He enjoyed this—the thrill of the chase.Like prey toying with his food.The faint trudge of feet outside the keep and the occasional pop of wood punctuated her thickening breaths.Around her, servants slept on, men continued to patrol the walls.Life continued, oblivious to the peril she was in.
Hand curled tightly around the banister, she watched the Viking crook his neck and seem to shake loose his muscles, as if readying himself for battle.
He knew.He knew she intended to run.So why not make a move and take her now?
Lorna released the wood, finger by finger, and tensed.She snaked one hand down to grip her gown and sucked in a breath.Held it.Ignored the sweat prickling down her spine.Tried to suppress the sickening thud in her chest.Ivar’s grin widened.
Heart in her throat, she lunged, racing across the wooden floorboards to her chambers.So close.The door was mere paces away now and she did not even know where the Viking was.
Until his hand closed around hers as she gripped the door handle.She went to let out a scream, an instinctive reaction but a meaty hand closed around her mouth.The slick texture of it meant she almost managed to slip her face free, but he gripped tighter and she battled to draw in breaths.His body came next, pinning her to the door.Her breasts crushed against the wood while he eased his hips against her rear.Her stomach bottomed out and bitter liquid rose in her throat.
He was aroused.Through her skirts and his thick jerkin, it was obvious how much he wanted her—how he enjoyed the game.The shock of his attack dissipated and her head cleared.Forcing her thoughts away from what he intended for her, quashing the images of bruised, naked skin and a hulking Viking on top of her, she freed a hand from where it was trapped between her body and the door and flailed for some kind of purchase.
Her fingers met rough fabric, and she gripped and tugged it.This apparently only drew amusement from him as he chuckled and grabbed the hand, drawing it up painfully behind her back.
“Do not move, my lady.I would not wish to break your arm,” he hissed in her eat.His warm breath made her shudder and the sting in her throat increased.
She protested against his hand, begged him to release her, but the words were muffled and useless.Once again, she was at the mercy of a man.And he would take little pity on her.Her sister by marriage had nearly been a victim of the Norse and Scotland had suffered their ambition for hundreds of years.Would she be yet another victim of a Viking?
“I am going to release your mouth,” he told her, “so I can open this door.A noble lady like yourself at least deserves a bed, do you not think?Should you make a noise, I will break your arm.”
The cold way he said it left her in no doubt he was serious.The urge to fight burned strong in her chest.She had to keep herself from trying to bite his hand or scream to the rafters as he lifted it away, but if she was to fight him off, she needed to be in a less vulnerable position.A broken arm was the last thing she needed.
Lorna remained tense, aware of the throbbing pain in her shoulder while he slowly twisted the door handle.Metal clunked and his breaths rasped in her ear.Ivar kept himself pressed against her, and his lips teased the back of her neck.A shudder ran through her, but this was no pleasurable shudder.When Logan’s mouth touched her skin, her skin blazed and a beautiful unfurling sensation eased into every inch of her, but these lips made her grit her teeth as chills traversed her spine.Her body shook more than she would have liked.
