Kate Robbins - The Highland Chiefs Series 03 by Enemy of the Highlander

was at least a chance Fergus would entertain his idea of resolving this issue once and for all.
    “You look like hell,” Fergus said from the doorway.
    Ronan’s guts tightened. “Aye, I feel like it.”
    “What has happened?” Fergus asked.
    “This is not about my uncle.” He shoved his hands through his hair.
    Fergus’s brow furrowed. “Oh? Well then, what is it about?”
    Ronan had never suffered from a case of nerves before, but this morning, he was certain he would lose his belly at any moment.
    “Good God, man, sit down before you fall down.” Fergus sat, motioning for Ronan to take a seat across from him.
    Ronan nodded and sat at the table. He swallowed the knot in his throat. “It is about Freya, Fergus.”
    Fergus’s hands clenched into fists. “What about her?”
    “She is mine.”
    “She is promised to another man.”
    “She was mine first and I want to wed her. Today.”
    “Have you lost your wits?”
    “No. For the first time in a long time, I am thinking clearly. I should have never let her leave Dunrobin two years ago. We were lovers then, and . . . God helps us, we have rekindled that passion now.”
    Fergus stood, his chair toppling in the process. He put his fists on the table and leaned toward Ronan. “You have bedded Freya recently?” His voice was low and accusatory.
    “Aye. I have. You cannot marry her to another man because she might be carrying my child. Again.”
    Fergus’s hand closed around Ronan’s throat and he squeezed just enough for it to be uncomfortable, but he did not fight the man he hoped would become his brother-in-law. “Do you realize her promise is to secure an alliance with the MacKenzies and this clan? What do you expect will happen when that promise is broken?”
    Fergus loosened his grip when Ronan could only croak. “I have a solution.”
    Fergus released him. “You had better have a solution or else we will have enemies coming from all sides.”
    “My solution is, we defeat Alexander Sutherland, reinstate me as Earl of Sutherland, I take my sister to Dunrobin and befit her with a lady’s title and a large dowry and we marry the MacKenzie lad to her. I have what was mine and the MacKenzie gets more money than he could ever spend.”
    Fergus blinked several times. Ronan watched as he thought over the proposal. “And if we cannot defeat your uncle?”
    “Then we have bigger problems to deal with.”
    Fergus walked over to the hearth and placed his arm above it to stare into the fire.
    “Tell me, Ronan. What does it feel like when you are apart from my sister?”
    “Like every breath is filled with sharp blades.”
    Fergus turned to him. “Aye, I know that feeling well enough. Watching Nessia marry my brother was the hardest thing I have ever done.”
    “I am not as strong as you. I cannot do that.”
    “It cannot happen until the MacKenzie returns. I will not incite the man any further by acting without his agreement, which leads me to another matter. What does Freya want?”
    When she was in his arms she was without abandon, but he was not about to poke the boarhound in front of him any more than he needed to by telling him that.
    “She feels the same for me as I do for her, but is set to do her duty as you have outlined it.”
    “Christ’s teeth, she said that? Freya has never done a thing I have asked in her life and now she is willing to sacrifice herself for the clan? I find that difficult to believe.”
    “I have no reason to lie to you, Fergus. You are welcome to ask her yourself.”
    “Ask me what?” Freya said from the doorway.
    Ronan noted the dark circles under her eyes. She too had clearly lacked sleep the night before. He found small comfort in that. He let his gaze drift down across her lush curves and smiled, delighting in the flush that kissed her cheeks.
    “You had better sit, Freya,” Fergus said. “You two have created quite a mess that will need some negotiation to fix.”
    Freya locked gazes with Ronan and gaped.