The Highlander's Forbidden Bride Read online

  Lachlan only growls into me, tonguing my ass and sending the most thrilling, forbidden waves of pleasure crashing over me that I’ve ever even imagined. I drop my mouth back to his cock, slurping wetly on him as my hands tease up and down his shaft. I slide one lower, cupping his heavy balls as I swirl my tongue around his head, and when his tongue darts back to tease my clit, I start to shake.

  It’s like a horse on a runaway gallop as we move faster and faster, our moans of pleasure filling the room and our bodies rocking together. My mouth slides up and down his fat cock, my tongue dancing over him as his swirls around my clit. He sucks the little bud between his lips, sucking gently and making me squeal in pleasure as I start to fall towards that sweet release.

  There’s no time for words, or to tell him how close I am. And besides, he knows it anyways. He can tell by the way I’m shaking, and trembling, and the way my thighs are slowly squeezing down on his head. His hand spanks my ass, making me cry out around him, my lips stretched around his big cock. He spanks me again, and when his tongue teases and swirls around my clit, I know I’m going to fall.

  His big hand swats down on my ass once more, his mouth sucking on my clit as his tongue dances around it, and suddenly, I explode.

  I scream around his thickness as the pleasure thunders through me, shamelessly bucking against his mouth as I come again and again and again. Lachlan grunts, his hips rising as I wrap my lips around his head and suck, my tongue swirling around and around his swollen head. I feel his heavy, swollen balls draw up in my hands, tightening and pulsing, and when his shaft throbs in my mouth, I feel it.

  Lachlan groans into me, his tongue still driving me wild as his cock suddenly spurts into my mouth. I whimper, sucking and swallowing eagerly as rope after sticky sweet rope of his hot cum splashes into my mouth. His tongue pushes me into yet another orgasm, making me tremble and shake atop him a I just keep swallowing and teasing him, until slowly, we both pull away, panting. He pulls me around, and gently wraps me in his arms, tugging me close to him. And when our lips meet, I kiss him eagerly, moaning gently into his mouth as I snuggle close to him.

  “You’ve got good ears,” he growls, making me giggle as I squirm against him and kiss him again.

  “Just things I heard,” I whisper. “There so many things I want to try, and so many things I don’t even know.”

  “Perhaps someone should teach you,” he growls, grinning into my lips.

  “Perhaps someone,” I giggle, poking his hard chest. “Should get on with teaching me.”

  “I’ve nothing to do the rest of the day,” he purrs.

  “And I’m locking myself away alone in my room to ponder my horrible fate of being compelled to marry a much older man for ‘political reasons,’” I say with a cheeky grin.

  Lachlan growls, his eyes flashing and his cock swelling against me, making me gasp softly.

  “Oh, horrible, is it?”

  “Terrible,” I whimper, gasping as his hand slides between my legs.

  “Maybe I should ease the sting a little,” he groans, stroking my slick pussy with a finger.

  “I—oh God—I think it’s only fair,” I moan.

  Lachlan grins as he leans in to kiss me slow and deep.

  “My little love,” he growls. “We’ve only just begun.”

  Chapter 11

  Iona

  Needless to say, we end up disappearing for the rest of the afternoon. To the world, Lachlan sends word that he’s out for a ride alone—ostensibly, to clear his head before his wedding. And I let it be known to some of the ladies in waiting on my way to go meet Lachlan secretly in my quarters that I’m going to spend my afternoon reading—also clearing my head before the marriage.

  I wish I could say I feel guilty about the lie, but alas, I don’t. Or, if I did, the guilt is soon forgotten with Lachlan’s mouth all over me once we’re alone.

  Hours later, my body practically trembling, and my heart begging for a breather, we finally part ways before we’re to have dinner. And when I manage to put myself back together and regretfully put clothes on, I finally go down to meet everyone else for supper.

  It’s the eight of us—Lachlan and I, Cat and Callum, Rhona and Tor, and Una and Hamish—and Lachlan has dinner laid out on a small terrace overlooking some of the back gardens. And where I might have been awkward, or blushing, or stewing in self-doubt and guilt before, now, it feels like I’m free of it all.

  …Well, that’s not entirely true. I’m still blushing like crazy as my mind replays the ways Lachlan made me moan and whimper and come with his fingers, his mouth, and his cock all afternoon, to the point where I was literally begging him to take me right then, any way he pleased. But he just chuckled, shaking his head as he teased me some more.

  “When we’re married, lass,” he’d growled. “Then I’ll be taking you, every which way.”

  Mercifully, it’s dark enough with the candlelit dinner on the terrace that no one can see the heat on my face. But every time I look up to see Lachlan looking at me from across the table, or every time I feel his foot slide over and touch mine beneath it, I know he knows just how warm my face is.

  There are toasts to the coming wedding—first from Hamish, and then Callum, and then even Tor does a traditional Norse cheer that involves pounding your cup on the table and yelling, which is frankly a lot of fun. Wine is drunk, food is enjoyed, and I’m smiling ear to ear as I look around at all my friends and the loves they’ve found. My eyes linger on Cat, and I know, even if I’m scared, that it’s going to be okay. I’m going to tell her, tonight. And I know she’ll understand.

  Lachlan’s in the middle of pouring some more wine, when suddenly, there’s a commotion as some of his guards come charging out onto the terrace.

  “My lord!” one barks breathlessly, and instantly, Lachlan’s scowling, his face turning serious.

  “What is it?”

  “Sire, there’s a wagon and accompanying guards at the front gates, demanding to speak to you.”

  Lachlan raises a brow. “Who—”

  “It’s the Lady Campbell,” one of the men says lowly. His eyes dart to the two other guardsmen with him before he clears his throat. “Your, uh, your former—”

  “Darcy,” Lachlan growls, a shadow crossing his face and a twisting feeling clenches my gut.

  I know there was nothing ever between them, least of all love. And I know he never shared a bed with her or touched her in any way the entire time they were married. But still, it’s an unpleasant feeling, and a sourness to this night having her show up like this, on the eve of my marriage to him. Like somehow, her infringing on this casts a sort of tawdry pallor of the whole thing, which makes me furious.

  Lachlan’s eyes dart to mine, his jaw clenched.

  “Let me deal with this, lass,” he growls quietly, his eyes saying a lot more as he rises.

  “I’ll come too—”

  “No,” he says gently, shaking his head. “I don’t want her…” he frowns. “Just, stay here, please?”

  I nod, swallowing, our eyes locking. And again, more than the words he’s said out loud passes between us. That look says “I don’t want her to ruin what we both have here,” and I understand it.

  “I’m coming with you,” Callum growls, standing as well, a dark look on his face.

  “Aye, and me,” Hamish pushes his chair back, leaning over and kissing Una’s hand before he stands as well.

  Tor sighs, giving Rhona a smile as he stands. “This witch sounds amusing.” He frowns, shooting me a look. “Apologies, my lady.”

  I roll my eyes, shaking my head. “Please don’t. She deserves anything you have to say.”

  He grins. “She sounds like fun. I think I’ll come along to watch this.”

  Lachlan nods stiffly, turning to Cat. “Stay here, please. Let me go deal with this swiftly.”

  He and the other men sweep from the terrace along with the three guards, storming away.

  I groan when they’re gone, slumping in
my chair and reaching for my cup of wine.

  “Well, leave it to Darcy to lay a shadow over a wonderful night.”

  Cat makes a face, getting up and taking what was Hamish’s seat next to me.

  “I’m sorry, Iona. She’s…”

  “Awful,” I mutter. “The word you’re looking for is awful.”

  Cat smiles wryly, taking my hand. “My dad will take care of it. You know she’s just here because you’re about to destroy the Campbells’ hopes at shaking him down for coin and lands.”

  I sigh, giving her a look. “I’m sorry my family is so terrible.”

  She just smiles. “Family can be who you choose, you know.”

  I bite my lip as I give her hand a squeeze. “Well, I chose this one as mine a long time ago.”

  She laughs. “Well, and tomorrow it’ll be official!”

  Cat turns away to reach of her wine, and when I glance across the table, I catch Rhona’s eye. She arches her brow, nodding quietly at Cat, and I take a deep breath.

  It’s time.

  “Hey, Cat, I…”

  My friend turns back, her brow raised innocently, waiting for me to continue.

  “I have to tell you something.”

  Her brow furrows slightly. “Anything. You know you can tell me anything, Iona. What is it?”

  I look down, my hands twisting in my lap. “I… um. It’s about the wedding. Well, about your dad. And I just… I mean—”

  My horrible stammered words are suddenly cut off with the sharp, loud thunking sound of a piece of metal clanging to the floor of the terrace. All four of us gasp, whirling at the sound. I stare at the metal hook, and when it suddenly jerks back across the ground and clanks against the stone railing overlooking the garden, I suddenly notice the rope attached to it.

  Una stands, frowning.

  “What in the devil is—”

  A man suddenly lunges over the railing, and four of us scream, lunging to our feet and sending wine splashing across the table. My chair falls back as the four of us rush for the doors, but there are more and more men hurdling the railing onto the terrace, and three of them get to the doors that lead back into the castle first.

  I scream—or at least, I’m about to scream, when suddenly strong hands grab me, yanking me around as a cloth is shoved across my mouth. I scream anyways, mutely, into the cotton, shuddering, my eyes wide in terror as they dart over the hand clamped over my mouth to see my friends being held by other men in the same way, all of us squirming and trying to break free, but without a prayer of hope. My pulse races as another grappling hook clanks over the side of the terrace, and when this final man pulls himself over the edge, my eyes go wide as he grins wickedly at me.

  “Hello granddaughter.”

  Chapter 12

  Lachlan

  She smiles at me, and like every single time I’ve ever seen that smile, it brings a sense of foreboding, and dread. Not joy. Not happiness. No, when Darcy Campbell smiles, it’s the smile of a spider about to ensnare its prey. It’s the smile of creature, plotting its attack.

  …She’s up to something, and it’s more than just trying to be the storm cloud on tomorrow’s sunny day, when I marry Iona.

  “Wait here,” I growl at my three friends at the doorway to the sitting room where my guards have escorted Darcy. Her entourage of a few guards I’ve made stay outside, because I don’t trust them in the slightest not to try something foolish.

  “Lachlan,” Callum says lowly, narrowing his eyes past me at Darcy. “I don’t trust this.”

  “Nor do I,” Hamish mutters.

  I shake my head. “Let me handle her. Trust me,” I say thinly. “I’ve had practice. She’s up to something. Now it’s time to find out what.”

  Tor growls under his breath. “Let me alone with her for five minutes,” he mutters, loud enough for Darcy to hear. She scowls at him, sitting up a little higher in her chair at the table.

  “Lovely company you keep these days, Lachlan,” she says icily. “Fraternizing with savages now, are we?”

  “Oy, woman!” Tor barks, so sharply that Darcy goes a little white as she sits bolt up-right in her chair.

  “I’ll show you savage if you don’t spit out what devilry you’re up to!”

  I suppress my smile as Darcy swallows thickly. She turns her gaze to me, narrowing her eyes. “Are we going to speak or not, Lachlan?”

  “Aye, Darcy,” I mutter. “Believe me, we’re going to talk.”

  I turn back to my friends. “Stay out here. I’ve got this.”

  “You sure?” Tor grumbles. “I’m betting I can scare her into pissing herself.”

  I chuckle under my breath. “A bet I won’t take, because I’m sure you can.”

  “Come now, Lachlan,” Tor says especially loudly. “It’s been far too long since I’ve drank human blood!”

  I hear the gasped peep from Darcy behind me, and Hamish and Callum turn away to hide their snorted laughs.

  “You’re an arse,” Callum chuckles under his breath.

  Tor grins. “Aye, but this is fun.”

  “Enough for now,” I chuckle, glancing over my shoulder at the paled, nervous looking Darcy. “Let me find out what she’s after so I can send her on her damn way, and we can get back to dinner.”

  Callum nods. “We’ll be out here. Call if you need us.”

  I nod, turning and stepping into the room. Darcy’s color seems to come back as I close the door on Tor’s scowling face.

  “Brutes,” she mutters testily. “I can’t believe you let those marauding savages stay on the very borders of your land.”

  “They’re neither savages nor marauders, Darcy,” I say evenly. “Which is more than I can say for your own people.”

  Her scowl deepens.

  “You brought it on yourself.”

  “Oh, did I? After ten years of giving you more than you ever deserved. Through all of your lies, and your scheming, and your infidelity?”

  She sneers at me. “Jealous, Lachlan?”

  I smile. “Hardly, my lady. Can you recall a single time when I even attempted to touch you?”

  She starts to open her mouth, but I cut her off.

  “No? Could it be that I’d rather have lain with a bloody corpse than you?”

  Her face turns red, her lips pulling back in a sneer.

  “What do you want, Darcy.”

  “I believe my father has made it quite clear what—”

  “I mean what are you doing here, the night before my wedding.”

  Her face darkens, and her lips pull back from her teeth in a hiss.

  “And how is your new bride-to-be?”

  “Fine,” I say flatly, sitting across from her and steepling my hands together. “Now for the last time, what do you—”

  “Oh, is she, Lachlan? Is she fine?”

  I frown. “What?”

  Darcy’s smile thins, her eyes cold. “Well, you’re here, with me, with your little friends right outside the door, no doubt trying to listen in on our conversation.” She laces her hands together. “So, is that backstabbing, ungrateful little bitch of a daughter of mine—”

  “You will bite your tongue!” I roar, lunging to my feet, my chair falling backwards onto the floor.

  Darcy flinches, but she covers it with a smirk.

  “So, is she fine, Lachlan?”

  I scowl. “Spit it out whatever in God’s name you came here to—”

  “These young girls,” she sighs flippantly. “They can get such cold feet before something like a marriage, you know.” She smiles wickedly. “It’d be a shame if she just ran off now wouldn’t it?”

  Something cold slices through me, and my blood turns to ice. Something’s off. I’m used to Darcy’s cruelness, and her little mind games, but this is feels different.

  …It feels practiced.

  And suddenly, dread settles over me. I growl, leaning onto the table on my fists, my teeth bared.

  “What are you up to, you witch?”

 
; She laughs flippantly.

  “Me? I’m sitting in here with you. Lachlan. Perhaps it’s Iona you should be worried about.”

  The cold knife in my gut twists, and my whole-body freezes.

  “What have you done.”

  Darcy just smiles even wider at me, and suddenly, my rage explodes.

  “What have you DONE!?” I roar, flipping the table between us. But Darcy’s just laughing as the door crashes in with my friends charging into the room.

  “I’ve been sitting right here, Lachlan!” she chirps, laughing away.

  I whirl to see three of my guards running into the room after my friends.

  “Chain her,” I snap.

  Darcy’s face pales.

  “Excuse me?!”

  The guards grab Darcy, and I whirl to my friends.

  “Let’s go, now.”

  My pulse thunders as I run through my halls, my very skin crawling with dread as I crash through the doors and out onto the terrace again. And my heart stops.

  There’s twenty of my guards out here, and torches being lit below in the gardens. Catriona, Una, and Rhona are in tears, and they run to us as we tumble out onto the terrace.

  …I don’t see Iona.

  The dread sinks into me, almost bringing me to my knees as I whirl, the entire world blurring around me. Rhona runs to Tor, Hamish scoops Una into his arms. Catriona runs to Callum, bawling into his chest before she turns and throws her arms around me.

  “Dad!” She sobs as I hug her close.

  “What—tell me,” I croak.

  “They took her!”

  Her sobbing cry sends a blade through my heart, and I stagger.

  “Dad, she’s gone!” she screams. “They took her!”

  Chapter 13

  Lachlan

  Fire burns through me, every damn muscle in my body clenched tight, and pure rage boiling inside. My friends, and my guards, and everyone is talking around me, but I’m standing there at the foot of what was our happy dinner table on the terrace. It was the place where I sat staring across the table at woman I love.