Page 55 of Highland Ruse

Kaid nodded. “Aye, ye have our word.”

She should be skeptical, she knew—but then, they had trusted her and Leasa, hadn’t they?

She leveled a hard stare at him. “Then I will bestow upon you the same favor you granted Leasa and me.”

From where Leasa stood within earshot, she nodded at Delilah with gratitude. The decision was not made precipitously. If the men decided to escape, Delilah knew she was fast on her feet. She could catch Kaid at the very least. If she’d taken him down once before, she could do so again.

She leaned over Kaid and untied the rope she’d secured only minutes before.

The bulk of it slipped from his large shoulders and tumbled to his side. He shook the remainder of the coil from his torso and stood with a stretch.

They ate their dinner that night in silence. Even Donnan’s typical good humor and the light note of his whistled tunes did not grace the cool summer air. It all fell over Delilah like a thick, somber blanket.

After a gloomy supper which seemed to drag on for an extraordinary amount of time, it was finally time to sleep. Delilah had long since thought of how to handle their situation—not only to ensure the men did not escape, but that she would hear if they tried.

The only thing she could determine was to sleep side by side, and so that was what they did.

Leasa slept beside Donnan who slept beside Kaid who slept against Delilah.

And so Delilah lay nestled near the warmth of Kaid’s chest and tried to ignore the subtle male scent which triggered too many recollections of their shared pleasure. His breathing came deep and even, stirring the wispy hairs at the back of her neck and sending delicious little chills down her spine.

She squeezed her eyes shut, as if doing so could block out the sensations, the memories, the desire even now beginning to hum through her betraying body.

Suddenly she realized she was not truly afraid of holding them for the next two weeks, she was afraid of herself.

Could she truly spend another fortnight with them and still turn them in, knowing the harshness of the punishment they’d face?

Kaid.

His name in her mind squeezed at a secret place in her heart, a girlish place of hope which had somehow been left untouched by King James.

Kaid was the man who loved her as she’d always wanted to be loved, the man who drew her in the beautiful way she’d never seen herself. No, she reminded herself—the man who loved her when he thought her to be another woman.

Regardless, he did not deserve what awaited him in a criminal’s death.

Tears, hot and unexpected, blurred her vision.

Despite everything they’d been through—the passion, the lies and the insanity of how they’d met—could she truly allow herself to be responsible for his death?

Could she, in good conscience, further expose his people to more brutal slayings?

And in the depth of her heart, she did not want to answer.

• • •

Kaid sat on the horse behind Delilah, no different than they’d been the day before.

But it was different. Very much so.

Now he was the captured, or so he let her believe.

His gaze wandered from the road ahead to her glossy brown hair in front of him.

Not that she couldn’t best him in a fight. Obviously she could, or he wouldn’t be in this position now.

Granted, he’d held back, afraid of injuring her. No man was used to fighting a woman, especially not one with her fighting skills.

Delilah.