Return of the Highlander

by Julianne MacLean

  “Which part?”

  She swallowed uneasily. “All of it. I’ve had time to think about it, and I’ve replayed everything in my mind a thousand times over.”

  “And?” he asked, still frowning.

  “And…I don’t believe you killed my father on purpose. I do know you better than that, Darach. I believe it happened exactly as you said it did—that he came at you from behind and took your knife.”

  A flood of relief washed over Darach, yet he was still angry with her for all the days she had not seen the truth.

  “What changed your mind?” he asked.

  “I don’t know. Everything. The way you showed mercy to Gregory Chatham that night at Kinloch when he begged you not to kill him. I was wrong to assume that you would. And the look on your face in the glade when I saw you kneeling over my father with the knife in your hand. You told me it was an accident and I should have believed you. And the mark you showed me at your neck when I found you in the crofter’s cottage. That was solid, tangible evidence, and yet I refused to accept it. I’m not sure why….” She strode a little closer. “Or maybe it’s just how I feel about you, which is not a factor of reason, but a factor of the heart. Also, what I know about my father—or rather, what I didn’t know. The fact that he kept me in the dark about his Jacobite plots is unsettling and astounding to me. You were right about that. I don’t believe I ever really knew him—at least not that part of him.”

  Darach’s shoulders relaxed slightly and he took a step toward her. “You did know him, lass. You knew the man he was, as your father, and that side of him was worthy of your love.”

  She wiped away a tear, then bowed her head. “Oh, Darach. How is it possible, after everything I’ve said and done, that you can be so forgiving—of both me and my father? You make me feel ashamed.”

  His heart split in two. “Why?”

  Her eyes lifted. “Because I was not forgiving toward you when you deserved so much more. You risked everything and gave up everything for me—your brother, and even your freedom—yet I was ungrateful. Untrusting.”

  “You were grief-stricken,” he said.

  She smiled with melancholy. “You have no idea what you’re doing to me.”

  He laid a hand on her cheek and felt all his anger slowly draining away. “What do you mean, lass? I’m not trying to hurt you.”

  She let out a sob that was half laughter, half tears. “You’re not actually hurting me. You’re making me want you even more when I am so afraid that you’ll never want me back.”

  “Why in the world would I not want you back?” he asked.

  “Because of how I treated you,” she replied with disbelief that he couldn’t understand why she was so forlorn.

  Darach nodded his head. “Aye, lass, you were a bit of a shrew, but I was not perfect either. I, too, owe you an apology for the things I said about your father the night we parted. I was very harsh. I didn’t mean it.”

  “Yes, you did,” she replied, “and you were justified. I cannot blame you for that. But you once told me that just because our fathers were enemies didn’t mean we had to be. I don’t want to be. None of that matters. It’s in the past. I know you for the man you are today and that is the man I love and respect. The man I want to be with.” She cupped his face in her hands and gazed into his eyes with passionate purpose. “Please, Darach, if you could only love me again. I would give anything….”

  “Love you again? My darling lass, I never stopped.”

  A tear spilled from her eye and Darach wiped it away. She gazed up at him with those big weepy eyes and he was done for.

  At last, he pressed his mouth to hers and gathered her into his arms with fierce, unruly desire. It took every ounce of self-control he possessed not to toss her onto the bed right then and there, because he wanted all of her, all at once. He could hardly believe she had come back to him.

  Her lips were so soft, so deliciously sweet, he wished he could devour her whole. Running both hands down her slender back and over the curve of her hips, he held her captive while he drank in the delectable taste of her.

  “Oh, Darach,” she sighed into his mouth, “I missed you so much. I don’t care where we are or who we claim to be, as long as we are together. Please don’t send me away. Let me stay.”

  Scooping her up into his arms, he carried her to the bed, set her down, and crawled onto the mattress to lay down beside her. “I wouldn’t let you go now if you begged me to.”

  “I won’t,” she replied, “but perhaps I will beg you for something else.”

  She gave him a look of sensual allure and reached up to pull him down on top of her soft, warm body. As she wrapped her legs around his hips, he kissed her deeply and wished he was inside her already.

  “I’ll never stop loving you,” she whispered, “not as long as I live.”

  “Nor I, you,” he replied, “and I still want to marry you, lass, if you’ll have me.”

  “Of course I will.”

  He drew back slightly and spoke with regret. “But you’ll be married to a fugitive.”

  “I don’t care,” she said. “And there are ways around it. I spoke to the duke last night about our situation. We could still have our freedom.”

  “How?”

  She inched up on the pillows.

  Curious, he sat up beside her.

  “Do you know what I admire most about you?” she asked, as if changing the subject.

  He shook his head.

  “You know when to let go, and when to move on, and you don’t get mired in the past. You tried to teach Logan that, but he was built differently than you. I believe, Darach, that you and I are similar that way. I don’t want to be mired in the past either. I want to spread my wings and fly, somewhere new.”

  Darach raised her hand to his lips and kissed it.

  “Did you know that His Grace has family in France?” she continued. “That’s where his mother came from.”

  “I wasn’t aware.”

  “Well, it’s true, and the duke is very generous. He has offered to send us over there with a letter of introduction. We would have to take the MacLean clan name of course, but we wouldn’t need to stay in hiding or live our lives on the run. Gregory would never find us there.”

  He stared at her, transfixed. “Are you sure you would want to do that, lass? To leave your homeland?”

  She smiled. “You were always asking me if I wanted what you were offering, and I always told you I didn’t know what I wanted. But I know it now. I want you, and that is all. Where ever we end up will be my home, as long as you are with me.”

  With a surge of greedy lust, Darach kissed her again and eased her down onto the mattress. “Does this bed count?” he asked, “even though you just arrived and I haven’t even shown you around?”

  “Why don’t you show me around the bed right now,” she suggested with an inviting grin that caused his romantic intentions to increase sizably.

  Not wanting to disappoint his future bride, Darach did exactly that for the rest of the morning. He showed her every nook and cranny of that big soft bed…until she cried out in ecstasy and begged to see more.

  * * *

  Read on for an excerpt from the next book in this series:

  TAKEN BY THE HIGHLANDER

  Excerpt from

  Taken By The Highlander

  Logan’s Story

  Available December 2015

  Chapter One

  Scotland 1730

  By the time Logan Campbell emerged out of the dark forest onto a wide river valley, the full moon was high in the sky. The pain in his arm was so severe, he passed out for a few seconds in the saddle and toppled off his horse. Landing with a heavy thud on the grass, he immediately regained consciousness, curled up in agony, and hugged his broken arm close to his ribs.

  God, have you no mercy? Logan knew that if he didn’t set the bone back in place soon, the swelling would make it impossible to do so. It might never heal properly. This was his sword a
rm. He couldn’t afford to lose it.

  He was kicking himself now. He shouldn’t have ridden away from the camp in such a fury. He should have stayed long enough to allow his brother, Darach, to tend to him, but Logan’s pride hadn’t allowed it—not when Darach had been the one to break his arm in the first place.

  Logan supposed he’d had it coming. As usual, he’d started the fight. Over a woman, of course. He had been first to draw a blade.

  Ach! The pain was insufferable. He couldn’t put it off any longer.

  Sitting up carefully on the grass, Logan reached into his boot for his knife and slid the well-worn, wooden grip between his teeth. He then felt along the length of his forearm, pressing as gently as possible with his thumb to locate the break, but he couldn’t find it through the rigidly swollen flesh. He had no choice but to press more firmly.

  Suddenly, an acute pain exploded just above his wrist and he knew he’d found it. The crunching grit of bone rubbing against bone nearly caused him to vomit.

  Bloody hell, what he wouldn’t give for a cup of whisky….

  Biting down hard on the handle of the knife, he rammed all his strength into the bone to set it back in place.

  Snap!

  Pain shot through his body like a cannon ball, from his wrist straight up to his brain where it reverberated against his skull. His thunderous, agonized roar echoed from one side of the glen to the other, then he collapsed onto his back, where he lay a long time in a stupor, blinking up at the stars, waiting for the pain to pass. He wondered what he would use to bind his arm in place—if he could ever stand up again.

  What was his brother doing now? Logan wondered groggily.

  Darach had probably packed up the camp and taken their hostage somewhere safe—a place where Logan couldn’t find her or use her as a pawn to gain entry into Leathan Castle, the Campbell stronghold that had once been Logan’s home.

  Their home, as brothers.

  Logan closed his eyes for a few moments and tried to drift off, but as luck would have it, the sound of a pistol cocking in front of his face got in the way of that goal.

  It was the second occasion that night where he’d been approached by someone with a gun. Last time it had been his brother, and all hell had broken loose.

  Pray God this would yield different results, for Logan was in no condition for fisticuffs.

  Opening his weary eyes, he found himself gazing up at a woman. A rather lovely-looking woman with dark hair and ivory skin that appeared to gleam in the moonlight.

  “I see you’re a MacDonald,” she said matter-of-factly, taking in the colors of his tartan and the polished brooch he wore.

  Nay, he was not a MacDonald. He was a Campbell by blood, but if anyone ever discovered that he was alive, there would be a price on his head to be sure. So he did what he always did. He lied.

  “Aye. I come from Kinloch Castle. I’m a scout for Angus the Lion.”

  “What are you doing in Campbell territory? Or maybe I should ask why you were shouting so loudly in the middle of the night.”

  “My arm is broken,” he explained, feeling exceedingly weary. All the fight was gone out of him. “I just set the bone back in place. It hurt.”

  Still keeping the pistol trained on his face, she glanced down at his bruised and swollen arm, which he held close to his chest. “No doubt.” She calmly released the hammer and lowered the weapon. “But you still haven’t told me what I need to know. What’s a MacDonald scout doing on Campbell lands? More importantly, what are you doing on my father’s property?”

  “Who’s your father?” Logan asked.

  “No one important,” she replied, “and I’ll be the one to ask the questions.”

  Pre-order TAKEN BY THE HIGHLANDER

  For more information about this book and the author, please visit Julianne’s website at www.juliannemaclean.com. While you’re there, be sure to sign up for her newsletter to be notified about new releases and special giveaways. You can also contact her directly through the site. She loves to hear from readers.

  Julianne is also on Facebook and Twitter.

  Other Books in the Highlander Series

  The first three novels are available as an ebook collection

  Purchase the collection

  The novels can also be purchased individually. Read on for more information about all the books in the series.

  Book One

  CAPTURED BY THE HIGHLANDER

  Lady Amelia Templeton would rather die than surrender to a man like Duncan MacLean. He is the fiercest warrior of his clan—her people’s sworn enemy—and tonight he is standing over her bed. Eyes blazing, muscles taut, and battle axe gleaming, MacLean has come to kill Amelia’s fiancé. But once he sees the lovely, innocent Amelia, he decides to take her instead…

  Stealing the young bride-to-be is the perfect revenge against the man who murdered Duncan’s one true love. But Lady Amelia turns out to be more than a pawn of vengeance and war. This brave, beautiful woman touches something deep in Duncan’s soul that is even more powerful than a warrior’s fury. But when Amelia begins to fall in love with her captor—and surrenders in his arms—the real battle begins…

  Purchase CAPTURED BY THE HIGHLANDER

  Book Two

  CLAIMED BY THE HIGHLANDER

  NIGHT OF CONQUEST

  With his tawny mane, battle-hewn brawn, and ferocious roar, Angus “The Lion” MacDonald is the most fearsome warrior Lady Gwendolen has ever seen—and she is his most glorious conquest. Captured in a surprise attack on her father’s castle, Gwendolen is now forced to share her bed with the man who defeated her clan. But, in spite of Angus’s overpowering charms, she refuses to surrender her innocence without a fight…

  PRISONER OF PASSION

  With her stunning beauty, bold defiance, and brazen smile, Gwendolen is the most infuriating woman Angus has ever known—and the most intoxicating. Forcing her to become his bride will unite their two clans as one. But conquering Gwendolen’s heart will take all his skills as a lover. Night after night, his touch sets her on fire. Kiss after kiss, his hunger fuels her passion. But, as Gwendolen’s body betrays her growing love for Angus, a secret enemy plots to betray them both…

  Purchase CLAIMED BY THE HIGHLANDER

  Book Three

  SEDUCED BY THE HIGHLANDER

  IN LOVE AND WAR

  The fierce and powerful Laird of War, Lachlan MacDonald has conquered so many men on the battlefield—and so many women in the bedroom—that he is virtually undefeated. But one unlucky tryst with a seductive witch has cursed him forever. Now, any women he makes love to will be doomed for eternity…

  IN DANGER AND DESIRE

  Lady Catherine is a beautiful lass of elite origin—or so she is told. Suffering from amnesia, she is desperate to find the truth about who she really is…or, at the very least, meet someone who inspires an intense memory or emotion. When she first lays eyes on Lachlan MacDonald, Catherine has a sixth sense that he can unlock the key to her past—and maybe even her heart. But how could she know that the passion she ignites in this lusty warrior’s heart could consume—and destroy—them both?

  Purchase SEDUCED BY THE HIGHLANDER

  Book Four

  RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDER

  A SCOTTISH PRISONER

  Nothing means more to Scottish heiress Larena Campbell than saving her father from the gallows. While on an urgent mission to deliver his pardon from the King, she and her English escorts are attacked by a pair of fierce Scottish rebels. When she is dragged unconscious back to the stronghold of Angus the Lion, a powerful and dangerous Scottish laird, she is furious with her captors and determined to escape at any cost…

  CAPTOR AND PROTECTOR

  Highland scout, Darach MacDonald, is suspicious of the beautiful and defiant heiress who clocked him in the head during the skirmish with the enemy Redcoats. He suspects she will stop at nothing to win her freedom. When he is assigned the task of shepherding the heiress back to her home, he quickly discove
rs that spending countless nights on the open road with a lassie as temptingly beautiful as Larena Campbell is enough to drive any hot-blooded Scot mad with savage desire. Suddenly he is overcome by a need to claim her as his own, but when they arrive at her father’s castle, all may not be what it seems…

  Purchase RETURN OF THE HIGHLANDER

  Book Five

  TAKEN BY THE HIGHLANDER

  A WARRIOR WITH A SECRET

  Logan MacDonald, fierce warrior and bold scout for Angus the Lion, hides a shameful secret. When he arrives injured at a crofter’s cottage in Campbell territory during a secret mission for his laird, he is immediately roped and bound….

  A WOMAN WITH A VISION

  Mairi Campbell has dreamed of a powerful Highland warrior who will rise up to rescue her clan from oblivion and reclaim their castle from the English. When she stumbles across the mysterious wounded Highlander in a moonlit glen—a member of an enemy clan—she is strangely beguiled and cannot resist the desire to unearth the secrets of his darkened soul. Soon, Mairi surrenders to forbidden passion in his bed, which thrusts her into the middle of a war—in a battle for Scottish freedom, and in a battle against the true desires of her heart….

  Pre-order TAKEN BY THE HIGHLANDER

  THE REBEL

  A Highland Short Story

  (approximately 30 pages)