Page 61 of To Charm a Highlander

“’Tis better to keep yer mouth shut, lass.Every time ye speak I will give ye another scratch with my knife.”He leaned in next to her ear.“I remember ye, lass.I owe you for stabbing me and leaving me to die in that cottage.”He pulled her closer and moved the knife flat against her throat.“Ye weren’t worth my time, ye ken.Ye were too scared, and nothing I hate more than a weeping virgin.”

“Ye should have let me go, then.”

“’Twas too much fun to watch the sister of the important Laird Sutherland at my mercy.”He leaned in even farther.“I had great plans for ye, lass.”

She struggled to keep her last meal down at the smell of the mon.

Please God, help me out of this without anyone being killed.

Despite feeling as though so much time had passed since Dorathia had left, ‘twas no more than five minutes when Haydon, Conall, and Callum crowded through the front door, their swords drawn.

“Ah, the Sutherland men.And my traitor brother who pledged his loyalty to the laird and even married wearing Sutherland plaid.”

Callum opened his mouth to respond, but Haydon placed his hand on his shoulder and pressed.“Do no’ provoke him.”

“I will kill him,” Callum muttered.

“Nay, traitor, ye won’t kill me because if any of ye move one more step forward, ye will watch as I slit yer wife’s throat.”

“Loosen yer hold on the lass, and then we can talk,” Haydon said.

Fraser complied and Callum drew a deep breath.

“What do ye want to let my sister go?”Haydon said.

“’Tis glad I am that ye asked.I want my horse.And my weapons.”

“Ye can have them.Just let Donella go.”

“Nay.Now ye see, I have a little problem that ye are going to help me with.I am taking the lass here to my castle where she will remain until I receive word from the king that I am the true Laird of Gunn and any charges against me for what happened to the lass has been dismissed.”

“Ye do understand ye are declaring war on the Sutherlands?”

“Aye, ye are correct.Mayhap I will keep the lass then for at least a year to make certes ye doona attack me.”

“Ye can’t keep her for a year.I willna allow it!”Callum shouted.

Fraser dragged her backward until he hit the wall.“Ye are taking a chance, traitor.Ye may think the three of ye against me will end with my death.That might be true, but I’ll take the lass with me to hell if even one of ye makes a move toward me.”

Donella could see the fear and anger in Callum’s eyes and stance.They were in a standoff.

“Ye will get me my horse and weapons, Sutherland, and call off yer guards.Yer sister’s life is at stake here.”Fraser studied the three men and tightened his grip on her body.

Haydon moved away from the door.“Take the lass outside and we’ll get yer horse and yer weapons for ye.”

Fraser shook his head.“Nay.I’ll stay right here until ye tell me the horse is ready and my weapons are at my side.And then I’ll only move if the keep is cleared and ye and yer men are nowhere in sight.”

Donella kenned she would not go with Fraser no matter what.She would rather he slit her throat than go through what she’d gone through before with the mon.

“Get his horse,” Haydon growled at one of the guards.

“And get my men up here,” Fraser added.“They’re still stuck in the dungeon.And I’ll want their horses and weapons returned, too.”

Donella’s heart pounded and her stomach cramped with fear.E’en with her husband two brothers in the same room with her, they couldna save her.One move from any of them and Fraser was crazy enough to kill her.

“When my men arrive, ye will all leave the keep and I doona want to see any of ye, or yer sister—andwife—” he glanced at his brother with a smirk, “will die.”

He stared at Callum and after a few seconds said, “How does it feel keening I had yer wife before ye did?”