Page 82 of Taken By the Ruthless Highlander

“Oh, have I hit a nerve?” Cohen smirked. “Does she ken who ye really are? That ye’re a monster? I bet if she kenned the real ye, she would have run as far from ye as she could and never looked back.”

“Get out,” Ryder hissed, his fingers itching to curl around his dirk.

“It must hurt to ken that she can never be with someone like ye,” Cohen tossed over his shoulder as he walked to the door.

“And it will scorn ye to ken that we’ve consummated our marriage,” Ryder retorted, pride lacing every word. “Morgana is and will forever be Lady McKenzie.”

Cohen’s eyes narrowed as his lips pressed into a tight line. There was no hiding his rage this time. It was as if Ryder had stabbed him and watched him bleed out right there on the bear skin rug.

“Ye’re lyin’,” he hissed. “But it matters nae. I kenned Morgana well before ye laid eyes on her.”

“Give me a reason to kill ye,” Ryder bit out. “Ye think I have forgotten yer role, but I have nae.”

“By yer account, I’m the traitor and should be put to death. But here I am,” Cohen said with a smirk Ryder wished he could wipe off. “Still breathin’.”

“That can be remedied.” Ryder lunged at him.

Cohen darted for the door just as it flew open. It slammed into his face, making him stagger backward.

Felix stepped into the study, his eyes darting between them.

“Now, what is goin’ on in here?” he asked.

Ryder smoothed his hands down his kilt, composing himself. Although he hadn’t been the one to deliver the blow, it pleased him to see the blood trickling from Cohen’s nose.

“Cohen was just leavin’,” he answered. He grabbed a stunned and injured Cohen by the collar and shoved him out of the study. “And Cohen, if ye go near my wife, I will see yer head on a spike.”

Cohen snickered as he turned and stormed down the hallway.

Ryder’s rage flared anew, making it impossible for him to see straight. He wanted to break something. The fact that he let Cohen get under his skin irked him, but the gleam in the bastard’s eyes when he spoke of Morgana… it felt as if a load of lumber had been dropped on the inferno already raging within him.

“What did I just walk into?” Felix asked. “I just came to tell ye that Tormod and I are headin’ out again. We’re goin’ to Inverness.”

“That’s a journey,” Ryder remarked, trying to focus on his friend.

What if Cohen went scurrying to Morgana’s chambers? The thought drove himinsane.

Should he rush to her room? Or should he trust her to dismiss the bastard?

“Aye, ye still want us to look for the girl, do ye nae?” he heard Felix ask.

Ryder looked up at him and nodded his head. “Morgana needs her sister back…” he trailed off as Morgana’s plea to be reunited with her sister came back to haunt him.

He stroked the tip of his beard as he started pacing the room.

“I ken that look.” Felix folded his arms over his chest and shifted into the stance of a warrior, ready and poised for battle. “Talk to me.”

Ryder cast a glance at him. “It’s somethin’ Orella told Morgana.”

“Aye?” Felix prompted when he fell silent.

“Orella told Morgana that Feya could have been kidnapped, which is why nay one has seen her anywhere,” Ryder began, his chest tightening. “And now Cohen comes in here, tryin’ to convince me to show Nathan mercy.”

“And what are ye plannin’ to do about that? The castle is already whisperin’ about how ye havenae done a thing to clear yer name over the death of the previous laird, and now some are even sayin’ that Lady McKenzie has taken a lover.”

The news stunned Ryder into silence. There was no hiding the grin that pulled at his lips. “A lover ye say?”

“Aye, the servants said they saw Her Ladyship with her dress barely clinging to her body, her hair a mess, gigglin’ as she ran down the corridor last night.”