Page 65 of A Wolf's Treasure
Duncan didn’t look her way. Instead, his glowing green eyes skated right over the prince and landed on Duana.
Ryanne fought back a grin. The insult was not missed by his royal ego-ness.
Duncan lowered his chin in greeting. “Princess.”
She didn’t return the greeting.
His eyes swiftly took her in, from the top of her head to her toes. “Ryanne, are ye all right, lass?”
He seemed okay. Was he okay? Leaning back on her rock, she stretched her legs out in front of her and crossed them at the ankles, mimicking his aura of calm. “I am.”
One side of his mouth lifted in a smile, then he raised a brow at the four wolves guarding her. “Who are yer friends?” He squinted at one of them and wagged his finger in his direction. “Wait, dinna I ken this one?”
“Yes,” she answered. “I believe you kicked his ass that night they interrupted our date.” She kept her tone playful. There was no need at all for everyone to know it was anything but that—a fun date.
“I believe yer right, Ryanne.” Then, and only then, did he acknowledge the prince. “Prince Nada.”
Her father had watched this entire exchange with an unhidden expression of delight. “Duncan!” he greeted him. “We were just talking about you.”
“Aye, I ken that. Ye were blethering on so much aboot me, ye did no’ hear me come in.” He casually took another few steps closer to Ryanne. “But I heard every word.”
That was the wrong thing to say.
Ryanne tried to catch his attention to warn him without seeming obvious about it, but he was watching her father. As he should be. The prince was not to be trusted. Ever.
“I’ll be taking Ryanne out o’ here, now,” Duncan informed him. “I ken what ye have planned for her—although I have tae admit I did no’trulybelieve ye when ye first told me—and it’s no’ going tae happen, yer highness.”
Stop talking.
Terrified her father would hurt him, Ryanne stood up, ignoring the warning growls of the wolves surrounding her. Dusting off her hands loudly by slapping them against her thighs, she ignored them. “Guess I’ll be seeing you later.” She smiled at her father and sister. “Don’t call me. I’ll call you.”
Her ploy worked. The prince’s attention was now solely on her. The amusement fell from his face. “You can’t leave yet, Ryanne. The fun is only getting started.”
A low growl reverberated through the cave. Duncan stood, alone and fearless, against her father and sister. “Ye will no’ harm a single curl on her wee head, prince.”
The prince took a step forward, opening his mouth to challenge Duncan’s statement.
Duana touched his arm, stopping him, and whispered something in his ear.
Ryanne risked a glance at Duncan. He was staring at her…and something in his eyes….
He was frightened.
But then he visibly swallowed. Running his eyes up and down her body, he clenched his jaw until she saw the muscles jump and turned his attention back to her father and sister.
She knew what it had taken him to come after her on his own, especially now that he knew it was her father who was responsible for what happened to him the first time.
Ryanne wanted to go over to him and rush him out of there. He shouldn’t have come. She could handle her father. After all, he was still her father. There had to be some type of sentiment for her somewhere beneath it all.
The tap-tap-tap of a cane heading in her direction alerted her, and she quickly schooled her features into a bored expression before turning to face the prince.
When he reached her, he looked at her for a moment much like Duncan just had before he began to speak, never taking his eyes from her face. “How about a trade, Duncan? Or an exchange, if you will.”
After a moment, Duncan’s voice broke the silence. “I’m listening.”
Ryanne had a very sick idea of where this was going. She shook her head. “No,” she told her father. “Do not do this.”
“It’s only fair, daughter. As it was you who broke my experiment.”
