DevilsHeart by Laura Glenn

fingers into her other wrist.
    His eyes nearly blackened as he glared at her. “Drop it.”
    A whimper of frustration and pain vibrated in her throat.
With her heart almost bursting from her chest, she forced her fingers open,
allowing the knife to tumble to the ground.
    Shaking his head as he eased his grip, he glanced down at
the knife and then back up to her face. “You could not skin a rabbit with that
dull blade, let alone fend off an attacker. What were you thinking?”
    His arrogant, reproachful tone pricked her pride. She shrank
back against the tree, centering her gaze on his chin so she wouldn’t have to
witness the fury emanating from his eyes.
    She swallowed hard, her voice small and shaky as she spoke.
“After last night, I realized if I wanted to go home, I had no choice but to
get there on my own.”
    Rathe’s jaw tensed. “After all of my warnings, you still
thought this was a good idea? God’s blood, woman!”
    “I have been just fine up to now, thank you,” she muttered,
half under her breath.
    He threw back his head, his chest shaking with laughter.
“You think the mormaer would tolerate bandits on his land? You have no idea
what lies outside his borders!”
    His criticism stirred a deep irritation within her, but she
remained silent. Perhaps it wasn’t her most brilliant plan in the world, but at
least she was doing something now instead of waiting for someone to come to her
rescue.
    Tears welled up in her eyes and one dropped onto her cheek.
“You don’t understand. There is something I need to find. Something that will
take me home.”
    “The pendant only works at certain times. It will not help
you now.”
    Her lashes flew up in surprise. “How—how do you know about
the pendant? What else do you know about it?”
    “The mormaer told me.” His tone was laced with impatience.
“I know very little, but I do know it will not take you home. It is too late
now.”
    “No, that’s not possible. My mother and sister—”
    “What of them?” he demanded in an exasperated tone. “Do they
depend upon you to take care of them? For food? Shelter? Protection?”
    “Well, no, of course not. But they will be worried.”
    “Then let them worry! It is better for them to wonder than
for you to risk your neck on a fool’s errand!”
    She squeezed her eyes shut, her stomach heavy with remorse
and confusion. “No, I must go home.”
    He grabbed her chin, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Look at
me.”
    With reluctance, she forced her eyes open. The unexpected
tenderness now in his gaze caused her breath to catch in her throat.
    “This is your home now. Here. In Scotland.”
    “But—”
    An intense flash of determination glowed in his eyes as he tightened
his fingers on her jaw. “If you dare to run again, I will hunt you down. Make
no mistake about it, lass. I will find you. There is no going home. Not ever.
This is your home now.”
    The desperation in the pit of her stomach subsided as they
stared at one another in silence. A strange, undefinable emotion passed between
them, but when Leah attempted to hold on to it so she could understand it, it
slipped away and was replaced by an acute awareness of Rathe’s hard, lean body
pressed up against hers. His eyes dropped to her lips as though he could read
her thoughts and she licked them, her breathing quickening.
    Oh God. Not again…
    His lips swooped down upon hers, claiming them in a searing,
hungry kiss that weakened her knees. She grabbed fistfuls of his tunic to
steady herself, parting her lips beneath his as her abdomen swirled with
renewed desire. He thrust his hardening cock against her stomach and she
groaned. Releasing her chin, he plunged his tongue between her parted lips as
he grabbed at her skirts, raking them up her legs.
    She quivered, torn between the desire ripping through her
and the intelligence of allowing this near stranger such unfettered access to
her body. Pulling her head back and pushing against his chest, she broke