Page 37 of Highlander's Rebellious Affair
Ian ignored him. “I ken ye took her, Lyall,” he said, daring to call his uncle by name. His rage controlled him, and he could not hide it. “If ye hurt her, then I will make sure ye pay.”
Lyall laughed. “I wanted the bonnie lass for myself, why would I hurt her? She is mine, and ye stole her.”
“Nay,” Ian’s voice boomed across the room. “Nay, she is mine… my wife and if ye harm her, then I willnae rest until ye are dead.”
He walked out of the court room, satisfied at the murmurs he heard from the other men. He met with Rhea when he walked out, and he saw the relief that flooded her when she saw him.
“I want to meet with Callum now.”
“There isnae much that ye can do tonight, Ian, let us rest the night and we will start the search for Hope by the morrow, please, night is upon us, and–”
“What if somethin’ happens to her before tomorrow?” His voice broke, and he felt his insides shake as the dread of losing Hope filled him.If anything happens to her, then what will I do? How do I live without her?
“Ian, please hear me out,” Rhea said again and touched his arm. “We will find Hope, I promise, but there is nothin’ we can do tonight.”
He battled with the raging emotions inside him, asking for him to go find Hope. Asking for him to do anything, turn the entire Galloway inside out if he had to, just to find her, but his sister was right. There was little he could do tonight.
She hugged him when he sighed and he held her close for a long time before they sprang apart. They walked back toward his wing of the Castle, and Ian went into his chambers while Rhea went to hers.
Inside, alone, he sat on the bed for a long time, his hands roaming the sheets as he thought of Hope and wondered where she might be.She must be so scared.
He wanted to scream out his frustration into the night, but he could only lay in his chamber and wait until dawn. He longed to have her in his arms, and kiss her while he slept, he had never imagined being without her since she had first slept beside him, and he hated the continuous painful throb in his heart as he lay without her.
In that moment, Ian realized he never wanted to be away from her ever. She was already a part of him, etched deep into his soul as his wife and soul mate and he could not think of losing her.
They should have a full life ahead of them, with children with her brown hair and soft, beautiful smile. He wanted to grow old with her.
I am in love with her.
The thought filled him, and made his heart ache more. He was in love with her, but he hadn’t gotten the chance to tell her this yet, and he hoped he was not too late.
Ian could not get decent sleep the entire night because he missed Hope. He tossed on the bed, took off his clothes at some point and hugged the sheets, inhaling deeply to fill his insides with the residual scent of Hope, but it was not enough. He craved her deeply, and he could think of nothing else.
* * *
Hope stirred awake with a loud moan as her temples ached when she tried to open her eyes. She licked her dry lips and pushed to sit up, then realized she was in a wide bed dressed with beautiful white sheets and wild rose petals all over.
Her eyes widened, and she gasped when she opened her eyes and realized she wore different clothes, a nightdress, and her hair was damp meaning someone had cleaned her up and dressed her. Hope scrambled out of the bed, panicking and began to search the chamber for her clothes.
Who brought me here? What is happening?
She tried not to panic and remember what happened. The ride back to the Castle with the guard, and then she fell off her horse. A soft knock on the chamber door shocked her, she whimpered and rushed back into the bed, then buried herself under the sheets and closed her eyes, pretending to be asleep.
She heard the creaking sound the door made as it opened and heard soft footsteps. Her heart was pounding so loud in her chest, but she forced her eyes to remain closed.
“She is still asleep? How hard did ye hit her?” the male voice asked. It sounded very familiar and she controlled her curiosity so did not have to open her eyes. It was Laird Galloway; she recognized the gruff tone of his voice. Her fear heightened and her palms turned sweaty.
“She should be up by now, My Laird,” another replied and she felt the sheets leave her body slowly, but Lyall stopped her.
“Leave her be,” another voice said, and Hope gasped. That was her father’s voice, she could recognize it anywhere. “Now ye have her here what will ye do?”
“I will make her mine,’ Lyall replied. “My nephew is a wee lad, he can do nothin’ to me, I am Laird and I will take whom I please.”
Hope listened to their conversation about her, and bile rose in her throat as disgust filled her.My father is behind this? He had his men kidnap me?
How can he do this to me? I am his daughter; he is selling me off like I am a piece of jewelry.
Her mind reeled with rage toward her father, and fear of what might happen to her in Lyall’s custody. She missed Ian, and she wanted him.
