Page 47 of How To Tempt A Bodyguard

"What kind of debt?"

"I rescued his daughter. Years ago. She'd been sold to a brothel."

Matthew absorbed this. A magistrate with a personal stake in bringing down traffickers. That explained the destination.

"And the man chasing you?"

"Carrick." She said the name flatly.

Time seemed to stop.

"Lord Alistair MacDonald Carrick. He's a trafficker," she said in a low voice. "Recruits girls from the Highlands and Northern England. Sells them to factories, households, brothels. Uses his legitimate businesses as cover: textile mills, shipping companies. Has judges and magistrates in his pocket across three counties. He's been trying to destroy my network for years."

Carrick.

Six years collapsed into nothing. The cell. The chains. The magistrate pronouncing sentence. The certainty that he was going to die.

"Our organisation has rescued over two hundred women from his network over the past six years. Each rescue costs him money. Costs him reputation with his buyers. And he's decided I've cost him too much."

"I know him," he said gruffly.

Her eyes narrowed. “How?”

"He's the reason I nearly hanged."

Her face went pale. "What?"

"Liverpool. Six years ago. I killed four of his men freeing a dozen girls from his operation." Matthew's voice was steady, but his hands had curled into fists. "He had me arrested. I was supposed to swing within the week when your network got me out."

Silence stretched between them. He watched her process it. He could hardly process it himself, the realisation that she'd led him back to the man who'd nearly killed him.

"I didn't know," she said quietly. "My God, I had no idea he was the reason."

He should be angry. Part of him was angry at the deception, at the danger, at the way she'd let him believe she was just a frightened widow with secrets. But the other part understood. Her need to ensure she could trust him, dole out information in pieces so he would never have the whole picture.

But Carrick.

Carrick, who'd nearly killed him. Carrick, who was hunting her.

“You mentioned we need to be in Scotland in three weeks. Why?”

"Seventeen days now. He took two of my girls fleeing with new identities. Their guide betrayed them." A pause. "He gave me an ultimatum. Marry him in three weeks with all the evidence against him or they disappear forever."

Marry him.

The words hit Matthew like a blade between the ribs.

"Say that again."

"Carrick wants me to marry him. Most likely so I wouldn’t be able to testify against him in court. He expects me to hand over all the evidence against him." Her voice was steady, but he saw the tension in her jaw. "If I refuse, two girls die."

Matthew stared at her.

"When were you going to tell me?" His voice came out low. Dangerous.

"I'm telling you now."

"After you let me…" His hands were shaking. He shoved them into his pockets. "After this morning. After last night. After all of it."