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Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

Watching Valorie walk away was quite the sight. She seemed to be heading outside for some air, but the way her hips swung made Aiden think she knew he was watching. Before his thoughts could delve too far into the improper, Valorie was out the door. For the best probably.

Aiden took a quick stock of the room with a scowl. Everyone that had been watching them dance quickly averted their gaze when faced with Aiden's ire. For once, Aiden wanted to laugh at everyone's reaction to him, but it served his purposes, so he didn't dare break a smile. Confident that his glare would keep everyone away, Aiden took his seat again at the far end of the table.

Where was Flynn? He could use another whiskey after that dance. Valorie was even more spectacular up close. The way her breasts heaved when he dragged her close had him tightening under his kilt; the long garment was loose around his body, but Valorie threatened to make it indecent.

One person failed to recognize the inherent danger in Aiden. He watched as Valorie's father warily approached his table and sat down. Thankfully for Laird MacCrimmon, Aiden was waiting for this exact conversation. He knew that his dance with Valorie would get the Highland gossip mill churning, but he didn't particularly care what most people thought.

"Laird O'Donnely, I must say I was shocked to see you among the dancers this evening." Aiden was not looking forward to hearing this same comment from everyone he knew, but he was deeply curious to know what Valorie's father thought of the spectacle. Hopefully, Laird MacCrimmon was desperate enough to save his daughter's reputation that he would ignore Aiden's.

Aiden just nodded in response. Despite wanting this conversation to go well, Laird MacCrimmon's statement didn't call for an answer. Besides, he was keeping an eye on the door Valorie had recently walked through. Would she want to dance with him again when she came back in?

"I saw ye out there with me daughter," the other laird said, pausing. When Aiden simply stared at him, he continued, "Me daughter… Valorie."

This was tiresome. Aiden desperately wanted to roll his eyes. He danced with one woman the whole night; of course, he knew who Laird MacCrimmon was talking about. He wished for the man to just get to the point. Conversations like this were exactly why Aiden avoided leaving his castle for anything besides battle. Men with swords usually didn't drone on the way they did at feasts.

"Aye," Aiden reluctantly responded to the other laird's statement after another long pause. Aiden had been a chieftain long enough to know he would be best served waiting for Valorie's father to propose what Aiden hoped was an alliance. All the better if he came into this from a position of power. Laird MacCrimmon had no need to know that Aiden wanted this betrothal as much as the other laird did.

"Well, if ye have an interest in an alliance between our clans, she is still unwed, ye ken?" There it was. Perfect. Aiden was pleased that Laird MacCrimmon didn't continue his posturing. They both knew why he was over here.

The conversation couldn't have gone better for Aiden. Without having to betray his own interest, the laird had offered up his daughter, and all Aiden had to do was accept. Valorie would probably need to drag out this betrothal a little longer than her others, but as long as it got the council off Aiden's back…

Still watching for Valorie's reentrance to the ballroom, Aiden noticed an older laird heading out that same way. The laird was stumbling outside, but Aiden noticed a determination that immediately put him on edge.

"Excuse me." Without an answer to Valorie's father's proposition, Aiden stood and stalked towards the door.

"Help!" a female voice cried from outside. Aiden broke into a run.

Valorie desperately needed the fresh air after spinning around the dance floor with Aiden. Her face and chest were hot, and she wished for a cold bath. This changes nothing , she thought determinedly. She had only just gotten her independence back; she would not be ensnared by another laird. Still, Valorie put a little spring in her step on her way out the door to the balcony.

Standing under the night sky, Valorie took a deep breath and leaned gently against the railing. The chill was sobering her thoughts, and she resolved to put the mysterious Aiden out of her mind. But she still felt the lingering effects of dancing with him. She should really find her father and mother and head home, but she was quite happy looking out at the stars over Laird Doyle's vast lands.

"There ye are," slurred a man from behind Valorie. Deep in her thoughts, she hadn't noticed his arrival.

"Evenin', sir," Valorie responded as sweetly as possible as she spun around. She had seen this older laird before but couldn't remember his name. Still, better to not have a drunken laird at her back, no matter who it was.

"I've heard all about ye, ye ken?" He leered at her.

"I'm not sure what ye mean," Valorie tentatively responded, still maintaining some semblance of a smile.

"Now that ye've broken off two betrothals maybe ye're looking for somethin' else," the laird whispered in what he probably assumed was a seductive tone. It only made Valorie shiver in revulsion. Misinterpreting her movements, the old laird leaned even closer to Valorie, nearly pinning her against the railing.

"Maybe ye're lookin' for somethin' a little more… personal?" Valorie scoffed at his forwardness and tried to force him away, but the older man stayed firm. His arms caged around her.

"None of my betrotheds ever laid a hand on me!" Valorie yelled. She hoped someone might hear her, or the laird would finally get the idea and leave her be. The laird just laughed cruelly and pushed himself flush against her. Valorie could feel the entire length of him against her body. His breath was sickly against her face, and Valorie knew she needed to act.

Sinking into all the training her father drilled into her as a child, Valorie vowed she would not let this man take what he wanted from her.

Using the railing behind her as leverage, she replied to the laird's taunts by jamming her knee forcefully between his legs. With a squeal, he crumbled pitifully to the ground.

Sensing this was her moment to escape Valorie pushed off from the balcony ledge. Mid-step the laird on the ground grabbed her around the ankle. With momentum on his side, the laird pulled Valorie down to the ground next to him. The shock of the fall reverberated through her body, and she lay immobile for precious seconds. That short pause gave the laird the time to roll himself on top of her. Once again, she was trapped against his body.

"Help!" Valorie screamed as loud as she could, determined to be heard this time.

Suddenly, the heavy and foul-smelling weight of the laird was lifted off of her. With a single hand, Aiden pulled him up and harshly shoved him against the wall of the castle.

"We daenae touch women when they daenae want us to. Do ye understand?" Aiden's measured voice was calm but deadly, Valorie thought. His low and level voice betrayed no anger but was more frightening than a shout. The reddening of the older laird's face gave away the force with which Aiden held him against the wall. Valorie looked on as Aiden's forearm bulged, trapping the other laird to the wall by his throat.

"She was askin' for it!" the older man croaked, struggling for breath. He appeared terrified of Aiden already but searched for some defense for his actions.

"I was nae!" Valorie yelled, bringing herself to her feet. Aiden looked back at her, and the reminder of her presence put him in motion. Still crushing the man against the wall, Aiden used his spare arm to punch the older man right in the face. Aiden let his forearm drop at the same time, and the other laird collapsed to the ground once more. This time the fight seemed finally out of him.

"Do ye understand now, or do I need to repeat meself?" Aiden said viciously, still keeping his voice down, but there was a clear threat in it. With his eyes downcast, the older man nodded meekly. He dragged himself up and quickly scurried off.

Valorie slowly walked to where Aiden vibrated with anger. She felt none of the fear from moments ago, but she approached Aiden like she would a wild animal.

"Thank ye, Aiden," Valorie said sincerely. "I had it under control, of course, but thank ye," Valorie joked to her savior in an attempt to lighten his mood. Aiden barked out a short laugh. His low voice was even more delicious in laughter, and Valorie was determined to hear that sound again.

"I do have a question though," Valorie said. Aiden nodded to her, still smiling, and she continued, "Why was that laird scared of ye before ye even hit him?" With that, Aiden's smile turned sad, and he took Valorie's hand in his.

"Allow me to introduce myself properly, lass. Aiden Wright, Laird O'Donnely," Aiden said and kissed the back of her hand with a roguish grin. Aiden held her eye as if daring her to argue against his gentlemanliness. She knew who he was, of course. Everyone had heard of Laird O'Donnely.

Valorie couldn't believe that she danced with and was just saved by the most feared and cruel laird in the Highlands. She understood now why she didn't recognize him. Rumor was that he avoided any social interactions and barely left his castle, but he must have been dragged here by one of his sisters. Now that she thought about it, Aiden looked strikingly similar to his sister, Astrid.

Still, decorum required that Valorie introduce herself as well, besides Aiden would probably never be that feared laird in her eyes. To Valorie, Aiden was her hero. She looked earnestly at Aiden and said, "Valorie Grant, thank ye again, Laird O'Donnely."

"That willnae do," Aiden said seriously.

"Excuse me?" Valorie replied, shocked. She still didn't fear Aiden, but Valorie didn't like where this conversation was headed.

On his way towards the door, Aiden winked at Valorie and declared, "Ye owe me now, lass."

The next day, Aiden sat in endless council meetings. His councilors updated him on everything from the state of crops to skirmishes along the borders of the clan lands. Normally, Aiden paid closer attention, but the previous night circled in his mind.

Everything from the feel of Valorie in his arms to Laird Campbell crumbling at his feet was plaguing him. Aiden succumbed fully to his rage last night. It wasn't until Valorie spoke up from the ground that he even remembered she was there. When he walked out onto the balcony and saw Laird Campbell pressed tightly up against her, Aiden saw red. Everything from that point on was reactionary.

Why had he reacted so strongly to that laird's actions? When had he ever felt any emotion that fierce? Aiden was staunchly protective of his sisters; likely he was just upset that someone threatened Keira's celebration. Simple.

For him to go from that level of rage to laughter in a matter of minutes though was equally shocking. Aiden couldn't remember the last time he laughed. The sound was unnatural and foreign to his ears, but Valorie brought it out of him.

"Laird?" One of his more loathsome councilors interrupted Aiden's musings.

"Aye?" Aiden responded curtly.

"What do ye think?"

About what? Aiden wondered silently. Best to wait it out and have someone else fill in the blank. It was likely obvious that he wasn't listening, but his councilors were used to Aiden responding curtly or not at all.

"About selectin' a lass to marry? The absence of an heir is yer people's biggest concern right now. They want continuity and the security that an heir brings," another of his councilors explained.

Aiden smiled, something that probably scared his councilors more than his ire, and announced, "I have found me bride."

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