I smile, even though it hurts, and place my hand on his cheek. “You’re so sexy when you’re all angry like this, do you know that?”
He cracks a smile, that dimple forming in his cheek. I sigh.
“I love you.”
“And I love you.”
“Let’s run away together. Just me and you, Mac.”
He holds me, and I feel a bit nauseous. Not just from the sedative, but because I need to know what happens next, how we get out of this.
“We won’t have to, Bryn. Leith has worked out a compromise with your father,” he says.
“Has he?”
“Oh, aye,” Mac says soberly. “Your father put a hit on me. Clan bylaws say we have a choice. We either go to war, or his life is forfeit.”
I look up at him and blink. “Really?”
“Aye.” He smiles. “But we managed to work out a third option.”
“And what’s that?” I sit up, wincing as my head moves.
“Poor lassie,” he says softly. “We’ll get you some pain meds, love.”
“Tell me the plan, Mac.”
He smiles. “Leith has managed to convince your father that if you marry me, we’ll forgive his grievances against us.”
My jaw drops. “Marry… you?”
He grins. “You act as if that’s the worst possible choice.”
“Oh, God,no,Mac! It’s just that… how will my father agree to that?”
He shrugs. “Well… it’s a bit archaic, but Leith has offered an ample dowry, and your fuckin’ father’s easily swayed when it comes to money.”
“Ample dowry. Forme?” It feels bittersweet, but the momentary stab I feel at being literally—bought?—quickly dissipates at the possibility before me.
Me. Married to Mac. A member of the Cowen Clan?
He scowls. “Of course for you! Jesus, woman. Do you doubt your worth?”
I love him.
I shake my head. “But Mac, this is so confusing. I thought you broke up with me. I thought you didn’t want anything to do with me. I don’t understand…”
He closes his eyes briefly and holds me to him again. “I’m so sorry about that, sweetheart. So bloody sorry. It was Leith’s idea.”
“Leith has a lot of ideas,” I say, frowning. He grins.
“Aye, love, but he’s also fuckin’ brilliant.”
“He told you to break up with me!”
“But listen, lass, it was temporary and there was a reason.” He explains everything, and when he’s finally done, I mull it all over. “But still,” he says when he’s done. “That was bloody awful, I’m fully prepared to fucking grovel for you.”
Swoon.
