Page 46 of Love Me Forever (Highland Duo #2)

“And it gives us time knowing she will defend herself. Arran found my wife offensive with the way she spoke her mind. When Brianna does the same with him, he will not know how to react He did not know how to react to Moira, and it was obvious he was uncomfortable around her.”

“But Brianna was once his wife. Will that not make a difference?”

“Arran preys on the weak, those unwilling or unable to defend themselves, those with strength he cannot tolerate.”

Royce gave that thought. “Yet he leads me to his destination.”

“He thought you would follow the other trail.”

“Did he?” Royce grew silent.

“One trail was meant to divert.”

“Was it? Or were two trails meant to divert?”

“Two? Where then, would Arran go?”

Royce grew uneasy. “I do not know, but suddenly I feel we are being led astray and Arran has gone in another direction.”

“But where? Where could he go? Where would he go? Brianna is heavy with child. He wishes to ransom her and be rid of her so that he may have his freedom.” Ian grew quiet for a moment. “Something is not right.”

“Aye, I feel the same as you. Something is wrong with this whole situation.”

“Arran often deceived. I think he deceives us now.”

“Purposely,” Royce said. “He purposely wants to keep us from finding him, and he purposely sends no demand for ransom yet.”

“He requires time.”

“Aye, but for what?”

Royce knew but feared voicing his concern. “He wants the babe born.”

Ian’s blood ran cold. “He cannot mean to harm an innocent babe.”

“You said yourself that Arran loves no one and therefore can do what is necessary. Two hostages are always better than one.”

“So he sends us on a false chase while he waits somewhere else with Brianna and waits for the birth of your child.”

Royce nodded, his hands forming fists and squeezing tightly. “We go where he wants us to, but he will not be there.”

“Brianna must realize this by now.”

Royce did not want to think of how frightened she must be.

He wanted to know that she was strong and would do what was necessary to survive and give him time to reach her.

He grew furious thinking of her giving birth to their child alone.

He had told her he would be there with her, and he had wanted to be there with her.

He could not take away her pain, but he could hold her hand and help her bear the pain.

“We need to think of where he would take her.” Royce stood and paced in front of the rock. He was annoyed with himself, anxious to amend his destination and adamant about confronting Arran. The man had consequences to face.

“It could be anyplace,” Ian said, standing and pacing beside Royce.

‘Tell me more about Arran.”

“What more is there to tell?”

Royce was insistent. “There must be something that would help.”

“He charms, he is deceptive, and we have determined that he loves no one?—”

Royce interrupted. “And he does not care to appear the fool.”

“I would agree with that. He thought himself wiser than most and I suppose he makes choices others would not.”

“Brianna and I made a fool out of him.”

“Aye, he would see it that way.”

“And he would want revenge.”

“But he gets revenge by abducting Brianna,” Ian said.

“But his pride has been damaged, and that does not sit well with him. So what does he do?”

“He attempts to make you look like a fool.”

“Right, but how?”

“He diverts you to a bogus destination.”

“That is not enough for him,” Royce said and stopped pacing, though he ran his fingers roughly through his long hair. “He wants to humiliate me.”

“He does that to you by sending you to the wrong destination.”

“I might look foolish, but not humiliated.”

Ian shrugged. “How could he humiliate you? He has already abducted Brianna and leads you astray. Anyone would feel a fool. I did.”

“As do I,” Royce admitted, “a seasoned, legendary warrior like me unable to deal with one single man.”

“But you do, you go after him, track him, and find him—that is inevitable.”

“He leads me on a chase, the destination being my final humiliation.”

“Your keep?”

Royce shook his head. “It would be known the moment he set foot on Cameron land. There is no way he would slip past again.”

Ian rubbed his chin. “He wants to humiliate you. He wants enough time to pass so that Brianna will give birth, which means that he must make certain you are drawn away from his intended destination.”

“That means we are going in the wrong direction.”

“What if we are wrong and this is the correct direction?”

“That is solved easily enough,” Royce said. “I send men one way and I go another.”

“It means you go alone. You will need help.” Ian could see that Royce paid him no mind, but he was insistent. “I know how you feel about finding Brianna, but do not allow your anger to make foolish decisions. Arran will be heavily guarded. He is not stupid, and he probably hopes that you will be.”

Royce laughed. “You are as good as your wife in making someone see reason.”

“I learned well from her.”

“And I should have learned by now that you intend to remain beside me until your sister is found.”

“I am glad you finally realized that, though I still advise a group of men to go with us.”

“I agree, but give me your word that Arran will be left for me to deal with.”

Without hesitation Ian said, “You have my word.”

“Good, then in the morning we divide and change direction.”

“That is fine, but do we know what direction we go in?”

‘To know where Arran goes, one must think as Arran does.”

“Think like a madman? I have come to realize that Arran is not only devious but?—”

Royce finished. “Deranged. I have already reached that conclusion.”

“So where, then, does a deranged man take his wife to hide her from the man who loves her and whose child she carries?”

“Back to where it all started, back to where I upset his plans and back to where I humiliated him.”

Ian shook his head confused. “Where it started? Upset his plans? What are you talking about?” Then it dawned on Ian, and his eyes widened and his voice rose with his temper. “Arran was responsible for my sister’s accident?”

Royce nodded. “Aye, I believe he was, though the accident did not go according to plan. The men he hired probably caused a worse accident than planned, and when my presence became known they were frightened away.”

“You think he knew you were at the cottage?”

“I think he discovered our whereabouts the same time Blair did.”

“Then he waited after that, but why? Why not appear right away?”

“It is beneficial to wait at times, especially if Arran thought he could fatten his purse.”

“After hearing there was to be a possible wedding, he thought to get more coins from you than from me.”

“He was in no great hurry. The coins are what matter to him.”

“So, he is patient again and takes Brianna to birth her babe where the babe was conceived.”

“And memories born. I only hope those memories of our time together keep her strong in her resolve and courage. I hope she remembers all I told her when we were there; if she does, she will know that I come for her. She will remember how very much I love her.”

“So he returns to the scene of his crime.”

“Aye, he returns to the cottage, and we will follow.”