Page 7 of Scot of Seduction

“Hurry, Catreena,” he urged.

“Oh aye. Little sister must dae what her braithers say,” she said mockingly, turning to the door and flinging it open. “Little sister cannae have an opinion, fer it’s always the braithers that decide her life, isnae it?”

“Cat!” Dunn called after her, his voice hurt, but she didn’t wait to hear anymore.

She closed the door between them and turned to march away down the corridor.

“Damn being a woman when yer body and life is controlled by men – oh!” she yelped in surprise as she walked into a wall of muscle.

“Well, ye look happy,” a familiar voice said as a pair of hands closed on the top part of her hips, holding her perfectly still. “I see they must have told ye the good news? Or is that because ye have bumped intae me again?”

Catreena looked up and stared up into Tad’s eyes. He had that lazy mischievous smile on his face as usual, his gray eyes staring down like starlit orbs into her own. Tongue-tied, she didn’t move, she didn’t say anything, as a fearful thought shot across her mind.

I have tae stay in his house… what if I succumb, like so many other women have done, tae his bed?

CHAPTER FOUR

“Must be me presence making ye so happy.” Tad raised his hands by an inch on Catreena’s hips.

What the hell is he doing?

She thrust hard into his chest, forcing him to back away from her. He stumbled away, laughing in that deep rumbling tone of his.

“The thought of ye making me happy is an aberration,” she muttered darkly. “I may have tae come with ye tae yer castle, but dinnae think I will go quietly.”

“I never thought anything otherwise, little Cat,” he whispered, winking at her as he walked around her, heading to the study door. “Nor would I have it any other way. Did ye think I wanted yer company fer ye tae be meek and mild? A little tip… very few men want that.”

What the hell does he mean by that?

Then he was suddenly gone, disappearing into her brothers’ study without knocking, for he was just that welcome in the castle. As the door closed between them, she cursed.

“What is wrong with me?” she muttered. It seemed she couldn’t resist lashing out at Tad. To her own ears, she feared she sounded petulant, but what else was she supposed to do? Was she supposed to accept her brothers ordering her around like some sort of marionette, pulling on her strings to make her act as they wished?

Intent on storming off to pack, she turned, only to see that in her collision with Tad, her dress had shifted out of place. The fabric across one shoulder had slipped to the side and the edge of her stays could just be seen beneath the neckline of the gown.

Had he noticed?

Feeling her cheeks raging with a sudden burning heat, she hastened to adjust the gown, flicking the shoulder into place and moving the neckline. In that brief moment where she lingered outside of the door, she caught the conversation within.

“All is set,” Tad said to her brothers. “We’ll be ready tae leave within the hour. That’s if ye have truly persuaded her tae come with me. Based on what I’ve just seen, she may run off intae the forest again.”

“She’ll go with ye,” Evander said, his tone rather dark. “She will go, even if I have tae drag her back out of the forest tae make her go.”

Catreena lost all interest in marching away. She turned to the door, her hands on her hips, as she considered bursting back into the study and throwing all her fury at Evander for thinking he could control her so.

“It’s the only way we can be sure she is safe.” Evander’s sudden softening of tone took the wind out of her. She stared at the closed wood, hanging on every word.

“She’ll hate us fer this,” Dunn declared knowingly. “It’s the fact we’re telling her what tae dae that she will detest, as much as the fact we are making her go with ye.”

“Aye, I ken,” Tad answered.

Catreena smiled a little. Her twin knew her very well indeed.

“We are agreed though,” Evander said, his words slow. “It is the only way.” It took a few seconds to get an answer, but in time, both Tad and Dunn agreed.

“Ye will keep her safe, willnae ye?” Dunn asked, his voice rather quiet.

“Ye ken I will.” Tad’s voice had sudden strength to it. Briefly, she was reminded of the flashing anger she had seen in his face the night before in the forest, when he was outraged that she was there alone. “I willnae let any harm come tae her.”