To Steal a Highlander's Heart(5)

But he was swiftly upon her, this time using his full weight to pin down her legs. No matter how much she thrashed, she was no match for his brutal strength. Morgann slid up her until she was trapped completely beneath him.

“Damn ye, Morgann,” she hissed as he pressed the breath from her with his body.

Alana swiped at him but he curled a hand around one wrist, then the other, making her wince, and trapped them above her. Heavy breaths blew across her skin as he glared at her, nostrils flaring.

She gulped and gave another wriggle. The strongly clenched jaw, the anger in his eyes made her stomach tighten. She didn’t know this man, she realised. The playful friend she had once known had been replaced by a dangerous warrior. One intent on capturing her.

“Let me go,” she said feebly, biting back a whimper as her wrist throbbed. She attempted to draw her hands from his grip. “Yer hurting me.”

The grip tightened. “Cease yer fighting, lass. Yer going nowhere.”

“Never,” she spat. “I’ll no’ let ye use me as a pawn in yer power games.”

“Ye think this is about power?” He laughed dryly. “Alana, I have no wish to take land or start wars. But ye must come with me. ‘Tis the only way.”

Tired and confused, Alana relaxed against his hold. If he didn’t wish to barter her for a chance at some of her father’s land, then what did he want with her? What other reason was there for taking an enemy’s daughter? Revenge mayhap?

“What do ye want me for then?”

“Will ye cease fighting me if I explain?”

“Aye.”

The hold around her hands released as he watched her closely. But she knew better than to fight him. It didn’t mean she’d stop trying to escape. Nay, she just had to choose her moment more carefully. The warrior was obviously determined to take her.

She made the mistake of holding his gaze as he made to climb off and her chest tightened. He paused and they stared at each other. Emotion simmered behind his gaze, the anger gone, and Alana couldn’t tell if the emotion was targeted at her or something else. All she knew was the feeling of having his strong weight on top of her, his gaze boring into her, stole all sensible thought and turned her into one quivering mass of sensations.

Endless moments stretched on as she waited for Morgann to look away, to break the connection, but he stared brazenly on as his gaze trailed over her face. What did he see? As she gaped up at him, the irate warrior dissolved into a flesh and blood man and she recalled how much she used to adore him. When Morgann was banished from her father’s lands, she’d been heartbroken at losing her friend, but with the blazing sensation of having him flattened against her, she remembered it wasn’t just the loss of his friendship that hurt her so. She’d always silently hoped Morgann would play a bigger role in her future.

But that didn’t change the fact he was taking her against her will and she would not go meekly, regardless of what she once felt for him. She wouldn’t put herself and her clan in danger all because they’d once been friends. If only she could ignore the sensuous pull of his lips or the darkening of his pupils as a rough finger drew a path over her cheek.

A crack ripped across the sky and they both jolted. Pushing to standing, Morgann helped her up and grimaced as he eyed her. Aware of the mud coating her, she swiped a hand across her face as her cheeks heated. Tilting her head up, she hoped the rain would at least be useful for something and not only rinse away some of the dirt but also cool her down. The way the man made her skin blister was extremely disconcerting.

Morgann muttered a curse, drawing her attention back to him as he raked a hand through his hair and yanked some rope from the leather pouch hanging from his saddle. As he turned back to her, rope held out, Alana shrank away.

“Ye cannae mean to tie me up, surely?”

“‘Tis clear ye cannae be trusted. I’ll no’ have ye escaping me again.”

She pressed herself back as he approached her cautiously. “I thought ye were going to tell me of yer plans, not tie me up. If I’d have known ye planned that, I’d have fought harder.”

“I dinnae doubt it. Why do ye think I agreed to tell ye?”

Licking her lips, Alana darted her gaze around, looking for an escape. If he tied her up, all hope would be lost. “So ye dinnae plan to tell me aught?”

“I dinnae take pleasure in this, Alana, but I’ll no’ see ye harmed.” He grabbed a wrist as she attempted to dodge his reach. “I just need ye for a while.”

Why did those words send a flutter of excitement to her toes? She tried to run past him and tear herself from his grip but a strong arm came around her waist and held her back as he coiled the rope around one wrist.