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didn't deserve to die like that. Not over me. Whatever will I tell his parents? His poor mother lives for
him. She'll never recover from this."
He nuzzled her head with his cheek, offering her what solace he could while bound to the wall. "Shh,
love. None of this is your fault."
"Aye, it is. All of this is my fault. I never meant for Ryan to die. He was an annoying pest, but still& "
"He loved you."
"Nay," she said, holding on to his waist as she buried her head against his chest, "not really. We were
childhood enemies in that our parents were always putting us together. We never got along."
Ewan glanced to Graham and Sean, who were arguing over what the letter to her father should say and
over how much money they should ask for.
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He had to find some way to get them out of this.
He wrenched at the ring that held him to the wall. It wiggled only enough to make him think that maybe
he could work it free. Provided the MacKaids didn't turn around and see what he was up to.
Nora saw him twisting at his ropes. She pulled back from him. "You'll hurt yourself."
"I'll heal."
She shook her head, then glanced around the overgrown floor where weeds and rocks were scattered.
She looked back at the MacKaids, who were still arguing, and motioned for Ewan to be silent.
He watched her go to a small pile of stones. After a few minutes, she returned with one.
But before she could hand it to him, Sean saw her.
"Give me that," he snapped, rushing over to them and pulling it from her hand.
"What is it?" Graham asked as he joined them.
"The little tart was trying to help him escape."
Rufus came forward with a snarl. "I say we tie her up with him while we write the note."
"Aye," Graham agreed. He pulled his belt off and handed it to Sean. "Then after we finish with the note,
what say we have a bit of fun with her?"
Ewan went cold. "Don't even think it."
Graham smiled evilly. "Why not? She's going to die as soon as we get the money. The only one who'll
ever know we tasted her is you, MacAllister. And you won't be able to tell anyone after we cut your
throat."
His smile widened as he eyed Ewan with malice. "That bothers you, doesn't it? The thought of us using
her? Aye. You used our sister and cast her off. The least we could do is return the favor."
"Your sister left him."
Ewan flinched at Nora's words.
Graham drew back to hit her.
Ewan slung his leg out, knocking Graham away from her. "You touch her, and by all the powers of hell,
I'll see you pay for it."
Graham walked over to Ewan. He raked a cold glare over his body, then kicked him hard in the ribs.
"Ewan!" Nora screamed.
Sean held her back.
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Ewan grunted at the pain as he tried to shrug it off.
Graham would pay for that. When he got free, he was going to make sure this was the last mistake
Graham ever made.
"You're worthless, MacAllister," Graham sneered. "There's nothing you can do to me now."
Ewan laughed at that, and the sound of it made all three MacKaids back away.
"You've no idea what I'm capable of, Graham MacKaid, because if you were, you'd be on your knees
praying right now for the Lord to send His angels to protect you from me. I will see you dead." He
looked to each of them. "All of you."
Sean actually crossed himself at those fiercely uttered words.
Graham spat on the ground and shoved Nora toward Rufus. "Secure the wench and let us finish our
business."
Ewan pulled at the ropes that held him. Somehow he was going to find a way to escape this. God help
the MacKaids when he did. They were all going to learn firsthand why no one crossed a MacAllister.
Only death awaited such fools.
Once Rufus had Nora tied up with Graham's belt, he sat her roughly next to Ewan, then returned to his
brothers to help write their note.
Nora licked her lips, but held herself together with a strength of will that amazed him. She was truly
spectacular given what she'd been through this day. Brave.
Even so, he could tell just how shaken she was from all this, and he ached to soothe her nerves. But he
doubted if anything short of their escape could do that.
"It's hopeless, isn't it?" she asked.
"Nothing's ever hopeless," he said with conviction. He would get her out of this no matter what it took.
She sighed and shifted her bound hands in her lap. "I don't know, Ewan. I'm thinking this is as hopeless
as it gets."
"Look at me, Nora."
She did.
"If this is as hopeless as it gets, you and I are in good standing. I promise you. This, in the grand scheme
of life, isn't so bad."
She shook her head at him. "You're a strange man, Ewan MacAllister. But I love you anyway."
His heart caught at her words. "What?"
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