Page 61 of The Highlander’s Savage Vow

"Murray's desperate," the man finally spat, blood running from his split lip.

"Desperate how?"

"I couldnae tell. I was just given coins to stay here and let MacNab men in when the time was right."

"Double the watch," Ruaridh commanded as he emerged from the dungeons later, the taste of failure bitter in his mouth. "Triple it. I want every entrance guarded, every guest scrutinized. And send word to the neighboring clans—warn them that MacNab may try to use their delegations as cover."

Duncan nodded grimly. "What about the celebration itself? Should we cancel?"

"Nay." Ruaridh's jaw set with determination. "We proceed as planned. But we dae it with eyes wide open and steel ready."

By the time he climbed the stairs to his chamber, exhaustion weighed heavy on his shoulders. The day had been a nightmare of suspicion and betrayal, of discovering enemies wearing friendly faces. But at least now he knew the scope of the threat.

How many more are out there? How many other clans has Murray compromised?

He knocked softly on the door. "It's me, lass."

The sound of the bar being lifted was followed by Iona's worried face peering through the gap. "Thank God," she breathed, opening the door wide to let him enter.

He stepped inside expecting to find his sleeping blankets positioned its careful distance from her bed. Instead, he stopped short.

They were gone.

Iona stood watching him, and there was something different in her expression—a resolve that hadn't been there that morning, a decision made in his absence.

"Ye removed me blankets," he said quietly, not trusting himself to say more.

"Aye." Her voice was soft but steady. "I did."

He remained by the door, afraid to move closer, afraid to assume he understood what this meant. "Why?"

She was quiet for a long moment, her hazel eyes never leaving his face. When she spoke, her words were barely above a whisper.

"Because I couldnae bear the distance anymore. Nae after today. Nae after thinking I might..." She swallowed hard. "Nae after thinking ye might lose me. Maybe it's time we stopped pretending this is just a political arrangement."

Ruaridh's breath caught in his throat. After everything that had happened—the attack, the betrayals, the constant threat hanging over them—here was Iona, offering him something he'd barely dared to hope for.

"Are ye certain?" His voice was rough with emotions he couldn't name. "After what happened today, after⁠—"

"Especially after what happened today." She sat up fully, and he could see the determination in every line of her body. "I saw how ye looked when ye thought ye might lose me, Ruaridh. And I felt what it was like tae think I might die without ever knowing what it could be like between us."

Ruaridh moved to the edge of the bed and sat down carefully, close enough to see the rapid flutter of her pulse at her throat. The mattress dipped under his weight, and she shifted slightly toward him.

"I ken exactly what ye mean, lass." His voice was rough with emotion. "Seeing ye in danger today made something terrifyingly clear—I can nae longer pretend nae tae care. Nae tae feel." He reached out slowly, giving her time to pull away, and touched her cheek with trembling fingers. "I've been lying tae meself, thinking I could keep ye at arm's length. But the truth is, ye've gotten under me skin, into me heart, and I dinnae want ye anywhere else."

She leaned into his touch, her eyes closing briefly. "I'm still afraid sometimes. Of the memories, of what Murray⁠—"

"Then we'll go slow." His thumb traced the line of her cheekbone. "As slow as ye need. And if ye want me tae stop, at any moment, ye just have tae say so. Promise me ye'll tell me."

"I promise."

He leaned closer, his breath warm against her ear. "Tell me what ye want, Iona. Tell me what feels right."

"I want ye tae kiss me," she whispered. "The way ye did in yer study."

His lips found hers with infinite tenderness, a barely-there brush that made her sigh against his mouth. When she didn't pull away, he deepened the kiss slightly, his hand moving to cradle the back of her neck.

"Is this all right?" he murmured against her lips.