Page 8 of Her Reluctant Highlander Husband

She gasped and stepped closer to stop him, but he’d already wiped the blade clean and sheathed it. Using a wet cloth, he smeared the blood around and wiped it on the blanket.

He looked at her. “Forgive me, but I need to mark you with blood. Your devil of a brother will probably check.”

She stood still as he lifted her skirt and smeared the blood on the inside of her thighs. And higher to the place between her legs. When she tensed, he apologized again and huffed. “Let’s get this over with.”

After cleaning his wound, he gathered the blanket and handed it to her so he could lift her to his horse. She was prepared for his hands on her waist, but not for the thrill she felt sizzle through her at his touch.

As they rode back, she held on to him tighter than before. She breathed in the scent of him. Earth, clean water, and sun. She probably smelled the same now since their time in the river.

The sway of the horse and the heat of his body nearly put her to sleep. She thought of the place he’d touched between her legs and the warmth that pooled there now. She’d never felt so at ease to be close to a man. She knew it wasn’t some huge change in her, but the difference between this man and the ones she knew.

At the castle, Rory winced as she dismounted from the horse and stumbled on shaky legs. The brow over his left eye—bisected by a scar she thought might have been her fault—rose and she noticed the glare he gave Bryce.

Her brother and Desmond came out to meet them, grumbling their displeasure over the delay.

“It took ye long enough,” Wallace spat as Bryce handed off his horse to a groom.

“Mayhap you McCurdys like to force yourselves on your women. We MacKinlays like to see to their pleasure,” Bryce taunted and took her hand. She didn’t understand the exchange, but it was clear his words irritated her brother, so she smiled. She was awestruck by the man beside her. The way he didn’t cower under her brother’s glare. The way he stood at her side as if ready to protect her, his hand casually resting on the sword at his side.

Any man who stood up to her family was a hero to her.

“Pleasure or no, I’ll see that it’s been done proper so we can take our fee and go.”

Bryce and Lach shared a look of unease. Lach cleared his throat. “Just remember that money is payment to book room for cargo on the next ship that comes to port. Make certain it gets back to the laird as part of our arrangement.”

“Aye. I remember. But there’ll be no agreement if he didn’t do the deed.”

Bryce handed over the soiled blanket. Wallace and Rory opened it to reveal the bloodstain.

Her brother turned to Bryce and nodded toward the binding on his wrist from the wedding. “I’ll see that your wounds haven’t been reopened.”

Glaring, Bryce unwound the cloth and held up his cut. Wallace turned on her and roughly tore her bandage off as well. Turning to the maid, he pointed to Dorie. “Check her. See that she’s no longer a virgin.”

When the maid reached for her skirt, Dorie pulled away. “Hold her,” her brother ordered. Desmond came forward, but Bryce held them off with a wave of his hand.

“I told you what would happen if you touched my wife again.” His words were low and filled with menace. Turning to her, he winked. “It’s okay. She’s just looking. She willna touch you.”

Dorie relaxed and the woman lifted her skirt high enough to see the blood Bryce had smeared on her thighs.

“It’s been done,” the woman announced.

Tension left the group and Wallace turned to Lachlan expectantly. The laird held out a leather purse, and her brother grabbed it up. “Let’s be away,” the man announced loudly.

“Someone will send word the next time a ship is expected so we can have goods ready to trade?” Lachlan said.

“Aye. We’ll let ye know.” They rode through the gate.

Rory waited a moment before mounting. “Goodbye, Dorie. I wish you well.”

She nodded and he was away. When they were gone, Dorie felt her body relax in a way it hadn’t since her mother had been alive.

She was free.

Chapter Four

Lach was the first to come up and shake Bryce’s arm. “Thank you for what you did for your clan today.”

Bryce glanced over at Dorie, who was petting the dog. “I would have been happier to take over their stronghold by force. The McCurdys are a blight on the Highlands.”