Page 47 of The Ruthless Highlander's Hellion
Nicholas’s jaw tightened as he looked toward the closed gate. “Aye. And now she’s walked into the wolf’s den.” His voice was low, every word heavy with the need for justice. “But she did it with her head held high. That takes a kind of courage most folk never find.”
Alexandra turned her face up to him, her eyes swollen but full of fire. “We’ll find her, won’t we?” she asked, the barest edge of hope clinging to her words. “We’ll nae leave her to that monster.”
He met her gaze without hesitation. “I swear it, Alexandra. I’ll tear his world down stone by stone if I must, but I’ll nae let him keep her.” He pressed a kiss to her forehead, grounding her again. “For Erica… and for ye.”
The wind picked up again, cold and sharp. But Alexandra leaned into Nicholas, her heart battered but unbroken. They had lost something this day—but not each other.
Nicholas turned to Marcus, his trusted man-at-arms. The rage in his eyes had not cooled since Erica had vanished with the villain. Every muscle in his body was clenched with fury and the ache of helplessness that rocked Alexandra.
“Track him,” Nicholas growled. “I want eyes on Leo and his men the whole way. I daenae trust that blackhearted swine tae leave peaceably.”
Marcus nodded once. “Aye, Laird. I’ll see to it meself. I ken the kind of man he is—he’ll nae leave without schemin’.”
Nicholas gave him a hard look. “Stay out of sight. I daenae want Leo noticin’ we’re watchin’ him. If he suspects we’re on his heels, he may do somethin’ foolish.”
Marcus turned and began barking orders to the nearest guards. “Kellan, Brodie, Ruaridh—arm yerselves but keep light on yer feet. Nay colors. I want silence and caution, understood?”
Nicholas watched with narrowed eyes, absorbing every detail with the scrutiny of a man who knew one mistake could cost lives. The men scattered with haste, the air buzzing with a sense of urgency. Horses were brought from the stables, saddles flung over backs, straps tugged and cinched tight. The clang of blades being sheathed and packs being thrown over shoulders echoed off the stone walls.
He addressed Marcus, giving more orders. “Make sure they stay off the main roads,” Nicholas said, his voice low but firm. “Have them move through the forest’s edge, keep their distance but never lose sight.”
“Aye,” Marcus replied, grabbing the reins of his own horse to position it for mounting as a stableboy ran up with the bridle. “We’ll follow them as ghosts.”
Nicholas stepped forward and put a hand on Marcus’s shoulder. “Bring me a good report, Marcus. I’ll nae rest until I ken what Leo’s plannin’—or where he means tae strike.”
With a final nod, Marcus swung into the saddle, his men falling in behind him like shadows. Nicholas stood there, heartpounding, and watched them disappear through the side gate that led toward a back road, swallowed by the mist curling off the hills.
Nicholas steadied Alexandra as they crossed the courtyard, her steps weak and stumbling with grief. Her hand clung to his sleeve like a lifeline, her face pale and streaked with tears. He held her close, shielding her from the curious eyes of the few guards still lingering near the gates. When they entered the castle’s dim corridor, she finally found her voice.
“Why is Marcus followin’ Leo?” she asked, her voice raw from sobbing.
Nicholas didn’t hesitate. “’Tis always wise to stay one step ahead of the enemy,” he said, his tone quiet but firm. “Especially one as slippery as Rankin.”
He led her into the great hall and gently guided her to a chair by the long oak table. She sat down heavily, her shoulders shaking, her fingers twisting the edge of her sleeve. Her sobs came harder now, as if they’d been waiting for a safe place to fall. Nicholas turned from her and strode toward the rows of casks in the corner.
He poured a generous mug of whiskey, his jaw clenched as he listened to her quiet cries behind him. The burn of fury toward Leo Rankin simmered beneath his skin. He turned back and placed the mug before her without a word, his hand lingering near hers. She reached for it with trembling fingers and took a deep swallow.
“What’s to be done now?” she asked hoarsely, lifting her eyes to meet his.
Nicholas sat across from her, leaning forward with his elbows on the table. “We daenae act without thinkin’,” he said. “Leo’s a snake, and snakes strike when ye step too close. I’ll nαε risk walkin’ into a trap.”
“But Erica—” Alexandra’s voice cracked as she pressed the mug to her lips again. “She’s been taken. I cannae just sit here while she’s in his clutches.”
Nicholas’s gaze softened, though a storm brewed in his eyes. “I ken what she means to ye, lass. But ye cannae charge headfirst into fire without a plan. I need to hear what Marcus learns first.”
She shook her head, a tear rolling down her cheek. “I should’ve stopped her. I should’ve gone instead.”
Nicholas reached across the table and caught her hand, his grip gentle but grounding. “Nay, ye shouldnae have. She made her choice, and I believe she did it to protect ye.” His voice lowered. “And I’m glad ye stayed.”
Alexandra stared at him, her lips trembling as more tears spilled over. “She’s me closest friend, Nicholas. She’s been with me a long time. I dαεnae ken how to breathe without her beside me. She's fragile."
“I ken,” he said quietly, brushing his thumb across her knuckles. “And we’ll see what we can do to get her back. But I’ll nαε have ye sacrifice yerself in the process. It is obvious to me that Erica has her own family secrets she wants to deal with, and she chose now to do it. Let her figure out her brother's injustices to her and her maither and faither. Let her have that. I ken she's stronger than ye give her credit for."
The fire crackled softly in the hearth, casting long shadows on the stone walls. Nicholas sat back, watching her with a measured look. He could see the weight on her shoulders and the war in her heart. But he also saw her strength.
“When Marcus returns,” he said, “we’ll ken more of what's to be done. Until then, we watch, we wait, and we prepare.”
Nicholas poured her another measure of whiskey and nudged it toward her hand.
