Trapped with the Devil of the Highlands (Falling for Highland Villains #3)

Chapter 1

CHAPTER 1

Perhaps he willnae come at all…

As Amelia Black walked along the meadow, her hands skimmed the tips of the tall, wild grass that swayed gently in the breeze. The murmurs of the men behind her faded into a hushed whisper with each step she took further from them, leaving her with little else than the songs of birds and her thoughts. The afternoon sun was lazily descending towards the horizon, casting a warm glow over her face.

They had been in the meadow for hours. Waiting.

Ahead, a narrow stream trickled—the thin line that divided MacAllen lands from Dougal lands. Amelia stood there, on the edge of the water, watching as the rushing waves shimmered in the sun. The current and time had smoothed the rocks that lined the shore.

Slowly, she raised her eyes from the water to the land beyond—Dougal lands. The tree line had shadowed the grass, making everything dark and ominous, swallowing up any light. A small part of her wondered if this was a sign, a bad one at that. She was staring at enemy lands, after all.

Her heart was racing, a rapid drumbeat echoing in her ears, mirroring the mess of thoughts that were swirling through her mind. Laird Dougal… the name alone made whispers of dread ring in her ears, and she shuddered. As she stared down the tree line before her, stories of his bloodlust and cruelty flashed in her mind. He was the enemy, a monster.

And soon, she was to be his bride.

“Amelia! Amelia, get back here!”

Her brother’s sharp voice sliced through the quiet, pulling her back from her thoughts suddenly.

Glancing over her shoulder at Noah, she swallowed hard. He stood there with his man-at-arms, Callum. Both of them towered over the other men. Noah, with his broad shoulders and stern expression, looked every bit the Laird he was. He carried himself with an authority that he seemed to have mastered since their father had passed.

There was a time when she looked up to him, admired him, but now that seemed like some distant memory or dream. Now, she was not so sure that she could again.

Reluctantly, she turned to face him, though she truly did not wish to see him at all. In fact, she would be most content not seeing him again for some time. She could not muster the strength to look him in the eye as he approached her.

After all, he was selling her off to a monster.

“Amelia, stay with us, ‘tis nae safe,” Noah urged in a low tone.

Opening her eyes, she forced herself to look at him. “Safe? Now ye find yerself concerned with me safety?”

The words slipped out before she could stop them, and she could not mask the bitterness in her voice. Her voice, normally calm and measured, trembled with a subtle anger.

“Do ye think it pleases me? Do ye think I wish to give me only sister to that… that beast?” His voice broke, the heaviness of his words weighed him down and his expression shifted. “Amelia?—”

“Beast,” she echoed softly, the word sour on her tongue.

Laird Dougal’s reputation was indeed shrouded in shadow and blood. Tales of his ruthlessness and cruelty were enough to make her shudder.

“Ye ken why I must do this?” Noah asked.

She hesitated, gripping at the loose threads of her composure. Her shoulders dropped, and her eyes narrowed.

Of course I ken.

But understanding did little to dull the sting of what felt like betrayal.

“Aye, I ken,” she finally said, her words hollow.

Noah frowned but, he did not offer anything else.

Amelia did not trust herself to speak again. The lump in her throat was growing, making it hard to swallow. She turned away from him, facing the stream once more. She watched as the water flowed. A single green leaf floated along like a small ship, swirling as it went.

Then she heard it, the sound of movement through the trees. Amelia’s eyes slowly rose, scanning just beyond the meadow. From the shadowed tree line, a horse emerged, its coat as black as a starless night. With a defiant snort, the beast turned slightly, revealing its rider.

Her breath caught in her throat as she took him in, her eyes falling on perhaps the most handsome man she had ever seen. He was striking, his features chiseled and bold. And his eyes—cold, piercing, and haunting—held her own in a moment that seemed both too short and endless. Was it a second? Hours? Amelia could not tell. All she knew was that she could not look away.

Finally, he released her, his gaze shifting to Noah.

Her brother stood with his hand on the hilt of his blade, his posture alert and rigid. “Laird Dougal, how kind of ye to join us,” he greeted, his voice holding a politeness that was devoid of welcome and warmth.

Laird Dougal regarded Noah with an aloofness that seemed to reduce him to merely part of the landscape, insignificant and uninteresting. There was no shred of emotion on Jack Reed’s face, nothing to hint at what he was thinking.

He is terrifying.

Behind Laird Dougal, another rider appeared on a dusty mare. The man had shaggy-looking blonde hair and a face that was full of freckles. He eyed Noah with a look of uncertainty, his apprehension palpable—a stark contrast to his Laird’s composed demeanor.

As if on cue, more figures emerged from the shadows of the trees—men of Clan Dougal, Amelia could tell. They all wore a dark shade of navy, each on horseback. The realization slowly dawned on her—they were completely outnumbered by the enemy clan.

The air thickened with tension, each second stretching longer than the last. Whatever quiet there was in the meadow, was now punctured by the soft thud of hooves on the soft earth. The songbirds had stopped singing, and Amelia’s heart was thundering so loud that she was sure they all could hear it.

“Callum,” Noah called, his eyes still fixed on Laird Dougal.

Loyal as a hound, Callum moved to their side. “Aye, I’m here.”

“Take Amelia back for a moment… until Laird Dougal and I have had a chance to speak. In private. ”

Amelia managed to tear her gaze away from Laird Dougal, her brow furrowing as she looked at her brother and immediately shook her head. No, she wanted to know exactly what was said. She refused to budge. Her eyes shifted from her brother and back to the enemy, who was ignoring her entirely. Both men were staring at each other, sizing the other up.

To her, they appeared as two storms.

“Come, lass,” Callum whispered, reaching out to take her arm.

Amelia pulled back. “I wish to stay. I should stay. After all, this is?—”

“Go, now,” her brother said in a flat tone.

There was no room for argument, though she still did not like the idea of not being privy to whatever they would discuss. Something in his demeanor had shifted, turning darker.

Amelia hesitated. “But?—”

She was about to protest more, to push the issue, but her words were caught in her throat. Piercing, icy blue eyes locked on hers. Laird Dougal was glaring down at her in such a way that she wanted to retreat.

She took a step back without realizing it. “Fine.”

With Callum at her side, she made for the large oak tree where they had tethered their horses. Her own mare, a tan-colored sweetheart named Lily, watched her approach with a snort. Amelia reached out, stroking the beast along the muzzle as her mind wandered.

Glancing back over her shoulder, she could see her brother and Laird Dougal. The small stream still served as a divide, and neither had crossed it. There was a heaviness in the air, enough to make her muscles tense and her heart pound in her chest. Her eyes flashed to Callum, who was watching as well.

“What do ye think they are saying?”

Giving her a sidelong glance, he shrugged. “‘Tis nae our business.”

It should be me business.

Her brother stood rigid, his hand still plainly on the hilt of his blade. He was ready. But ready for what? She could only imagine. Amelia swallowed hard, squinting as she continued to watch. Her gaze turned to Laird Dougal, whose expression was made of carved stone. There was nothing, no hint of emotion despite his mouth moving as he spoke.

I wonder what he sounds like…

“If anythin’ happens, ye ride as hard and far as ye can,” Callum said.

Amelia frowned but nodded. “Hopefully it willnae come to that.”

It seemed that Callum was also aware of just how outnumbered they were. Amelia could not help but wonder, would they be outmatched? Her stomach churned at the thought, and she turned away to eye her saddle.

Should I run now?

She could not pretend that the thought was not tempting. If she were to simply get on her horse and leave, she could be gone sooner than they could blink. Or so she told herself. There was no doubt in her mind that if she did, she would have her brother chasing her down.

Maybe Laird Dougal wouldnae want me if I did.

“They’re coming,” Callum said in a quick breath.

Amelia turned, her heart leaping to her throat. She watched as Laird Dougal effortlessly slid from his saddle, his movements swift and full of surprising grace. As he walked, the wind picked up just enough to whip at his long, dark brown hair. He stepped over the stream, joining her brother as both men approached.

Shadows moved across his face as his eyes landed on her. She stood there, feeling much like a doe facing the jaws of a wolf. Amelia could do little more than watch as he came closer and closer, his height becoming more and more apparent. He towered over her, casting a shadow before him.

Amelia bobbed a reluctant curtsy. “Laird Dougal.”

He said nothing in response. Instead, his gaze flicked briefly to Callum and then to Noah.

Amelia swallowed back the feeling in the pit of her stomach, wishing to truly be as invisible as he had made her feel.

“The weddin’ will take place in a week,” Noah said in a stiff voice.

Amelia could do little more than nod, her throat tight with a mix of fear and resignation. Before her, Laird Dougal’s presence seemed even larger, or perhaps she simply felt as if she were shrinking in his shadow.

Noah turned to him, his movements rigid and decisive as he extended his hand—an offering, a truce, a seal on the grim pact that they had made at her expense.

Laird Dougal looked down at Noah’s hand, his expression still unreadable. The silence stretched as the tension built. Then, deliberately, Laird Dougal’s gaze shifted to Amelia. His eyes, sharp and assessing, seemed to look right through her, disarmingly raw.

Has he changed his mind?

“‘Tis only fair to shake hands with ye, since ye are on the other end of this… arrangement,” he said, his voice deep and low.

It was a voice that suited him, a voice that drew her in as well as made her shiver.

Surprised, and frozen, she blinked. His hand reached for her and she fought the urge to flinch. Gathering the shreds of her courage and composure, she placed her hand in his. His skin was calloused, warm, the grip firm yet unexpectedly gentle—as if he were wary of hurting her. Or perhaps she was simply imagining things.

Her heart pounded in a frantic rhythm against her ribs, each beat screaming louder than the next. There was a heated sensation running through her veins, setting on fire every part of her body.

Fear, ‘tis only fear that has me feelin’ this way.

He released her hand after a moment, a moment that seemed to stretch too long, but his gaze lingered on her. Amelia quickly averted her eyes, focusing on the ground between them as she tried to steady herself.

“Then we shall return to MacAllen Castle,” Noah said.

Noah. She had almost forgotten that her brother was there at all.

“Nay.”

Amelia blinked and looked up. Laird Dougal was now turned towards Noah, his face still void of emotion but his tone had been clear as day.

If he dinnae move, I would think him to be a statue.

Noah’s mouth tightened, and his eyes flicked from Amelia to Laird Dougal, anger and concern warring in his expression. It was clear that it was taking everything within him to be civil, but his patience seemed to be thinning with each breath he took.

“Nay?”

“I will be takin’ me bride with me.”