Page 46 of Confessions of a Highland Assassin

"What?" the figure whipped around, revealing long locks of plaited blond hair. “What dae ye mean ye cannae dae it anymore?” he growled. “I gave ye the payment of good faith! Ye took my money and agreed!”

“I will find a way tae repay yer money… but I cannae kill Boyd Cameron. He’s an innocent man. Naething he’s done tae ye can justify him losing his life.”

The figure stomped toward her and stopped a few feet away. The man was incredibly tall and towered over her like a bear. He balled his fists as he stared down at her, the hood shading his face. “Can it be that the mighty Ava Rose, assassin extraordinaire, has gone and fallen in love with her target?” he mocked.

“Nae, I…” her words caught in her throat as she processed what he’d just said. “How dae ye ken who I am?” her mind raced back and forth, searching for an explanation.

The man began to laugh again as he examined her confused face. The horrid sound sent chills of fear down her spine. “She’s gone and fallen in love with Boyd!” he laughed even louder and addressed the men who were standing around them in a circle.

The highlanders broke out in a chorus of laughter that filled her ears like thunder. It was then that Ava noticed that they were all wearing kilts of green and black. She knew she’d seen the colors somewhere before but couldn’t quite place it at present.

“I thought something like this may happen. I had one of my men follow ye back tae yer cabin, Ava Rose. It was just too easy from there tae discover everything else about yer life. And may I say that I was thoroughly impressed with the way ye and yer friend handled that fool of a mailman. Ye mak’ quite a team. I may just think of hiring ye both again if all goes well.”

Ava stared at him in disbelief. How had he followed her so well without her ever knowing? She was always so careful not to be seen.

The figure stopped laughing and lowered his voice. “This is what happens when ye ask a woman tae dae a man’s job,” he hunkered down before her, roughly grasping her chin with his calloused hand and yanking her face toward his. “Ye will go ahead with the plan, lassie. If ye dae nae, I will tell yer precious laird who ye truly are and kill the bastard mesel’. Either way, his heart will still be broken just the same.”

Ava noticed the way he spat the word ‘laird’ as if it were poison in his mouth. “I’ll do it,” she said angrily, gritting her teeth when his filthy nails dug into the soft flesh of her cheek. “I’ll kill Boyd. It needs tae be done by me own hand,” her mind was filled with fear as she pictured all the vile and cruel ways this man would make him suffer if he was the one to take his life. She could do the deed so he wouldn’t feel pain.

“Aye, ye will,” he said more quietly and nodded before pushing himself up from his knees and walking away again. “Ye will help me kill Boyd. Ye see, I kent that ye would more than likely fall in love with the bastard. So I came prepared,” he reached into his cloak and pulled a small parcel from his pocket. “I think ye will recognize this…” he threw the small package on the ground at her knees.

Ava stared at the tiny package wrapped in brown linen before reaching down and picking it up. The fabric was rough against her fingertips as she felt the strands of sackcloth that had been folded in.

“I kent very well who ye are, Ava Rose. So, I did a little digging and came up with something that would ensure ye go through with the plan. I cannae afford any more delays.”

Her hands trembled as she slowly undid the folds, allowing the cloth to fall open in the palm of her hand. The sight made her blood turn to ice in her veins as she took in a sharp breath.

“That’s right…” The man laughed again, letting his hood fall back just enough to reveal a nasty grin and large, yellowing teeth. “I have yer precious Neil…”

Ava stared transfixed at the clumps of dark, auburn hair in her hand. How was it possible that he had found Neil?

“I paid yer debts in full for that sniveling weasel of a brother of yers. He’s tucked away in one of my own dungeons as we speak, and will remain there until Boyd Cameron lays dead at me feet… And if ye have any funny ideas of how ye can get away with more clever plans, trust that I will have nae problem taking yer brother’s life. He means naething tae me, and I have nae need for ye after this mission.”

Ava felt the hot tears spill over her cheeks as she got to her feet and balled her fists at her side. “I will kill Boyd Cameron once we are married. That will be humiliation enough for ye, I think,” she said and clenched her teeth in anger. There was no way out of the mess she was in. “I will do as ye say. Just leave Neil alive. He has naething tae dae with any of this.”

The man laughed again. “Oh nae, lassie, ye will nae be thinking ye can slip him a potion and have done with it as easily as that. I ken ye will want tae mak’ his death quick.”

The men around the clearing laughed again and sniggered. Their dirty faces were grotesque with battle scars and pock marks as they laughed at her, sharing a joke that she couldn’t understand.

“There’s been more than just one development in the plans, ye ken,” the figure spoke again. “Boyd Cameron will die within the next few days. And by me own hand and blade. His humiliation needs tae be much bigger than just dying by the hand of the woman he loves,” he laughed softly and shook his head. “Ye will drug him with one of those fancy potions of yers and drag him intae the middle of the village. The entire town will see when I take his life.”

“What has Boyd Cameron done tae ye?!” Ava felt her rage boiling over as she screamed at the man. “Hasnae he been through enough after losing his bride and his parents?”

“Ye dinnae ken who that bastard truly is,” he said in a voice cold enough to freeze the air. “And dinnae talk tae me of his parents and loss, lass. I lost more than any of those backstabbing bastards ever could. They humiliated me. I swore they would all pay, and by God they will. It’s about time everyone kent the truth.”

Ava frowned in confusion. “Who are ye?” she asked him as she sought for a glimpse of the man beneath the hood.

“Dinnae fash about that, lass. I will reveal mesel’ in time ‘afore Boyd is dead. I want the entire village and the whole clan tae see who takes their precious laird’s life. I will humiliate them all, just as they humiliated me.”

Ava felt confused at his words but knew he would not reveal any more than he already had. Whoever this man was, he held a grudge stronger than any man she’d ever met before.

“Nae more than two days,” he stopped just as he was about to walk away from her. “And in case ye dinnae think I will follow through with me threat, I will be bringing young Neil with me tae the big show in the village.”

The figure laughed triumphantly when he saw the shocked look of horror on her face. “Nae more than two days and ye can keep that parcel as a reminder…” he called over his shoulder as he disappeared into the line of trees along with the rest of his men.

Ava looked at the hair laying on the cloth in the palm of her hand. She fell to her knees as she closed her fist and clutched it to her chest. Sobbing, she buried her face in her free hand.

What am I going tae do now?