Page 23 of Brigand

How had he ever hated her?

He changed his angle, deepened the kiss, infused it with allhis hunger, all his desire, all his want. She stroked the nape of his neck.When he cupped her breast, nudged a puckered nipple, she gasped and her nailsscored him.

“Aw, Violet,” he breathed.

She stilled and his heart gave a thud. Hell, had he remindedher where they were? Who he was? Determined to distract her, he returned hisattention to her neck, reveling in the quivers his nibbles evoked.

“Ewan.” A whisper.

Yes. Better. He sucked the velvety skin at her nape.

“Ewan.” She threaded her fingers into his hair…and tugged.

He, perforce, lifted his head. “What?”

“Someone’s there. At the door.”

He froze and a slight scratching from the hall floatedtoward him. He focused on the sound, willing his ears to hear more than rushingblood.

And he heard them. Whispers.

Like a cat, he leapt from the bed and tiptoed across theroom, shivering as the stone floor kissed his bare feet. He hovered by the doorand listened.

“You got it yet?”

“Not yet. Quiet. You’ll wake her.”

“Oh, I plans to wake her.”

Fuck. Rory and Tavish. Two of his youngest recruits. Andthey were trying to break in.

The idiots didn’t even realize the door wasn’t locked.

“I thought you said you snitched the right key from Morna.”

“I did.”

“You sure you didn’t wake her?”

“She was snoring like a hound. Now shut up and let me work.”

Ewan could take no more. He flung open the door.

The men, hunkered down on the floor, gaped up at him. TheirAdam’s apples bobbed in tandem.

“What the hell are you doing down here?” he boomed.

Rory fell on his behind. Tavish dropped the keys. “Uh,n-nothing, McCloud.”

A bold-faced lie. Ewan’s fury rose. “Did I or did I not givestrict orders that no one was to come to the cellar?”

“I-I… H-he… W-we…” Rory’s lips flapped.

“Go.” And when they didn’t move quickly enough, again, thistime a roar. “Go!”

They skittered up the stairs, not bothering to take theirlamp.

Hell. Hell and damnation. She wasn’t safe. Not even here inthe dungeon where he could lock her in.