Chapter 2

CHAPTER TWO

H ome , Kai thought with a smile on his face. He was always soothed by the Highland air. As he rode atop his stead, he wondered how he had survived all this time away from his home.

Two farmers he knew as a child walked down the path he was taking. Kai waved to them, hoping they'd remember him, but they did not.

It has been four years , he thought bitterly as he watched the men go on their way without giving him a second look.

Despite the fact that it had rained the night before, the sun was terrifyingly bright the next day, and Kai had been riding for hours under it.

As he approached the village, he continued down the path, which was marked by forests. The air around itcarried the stories of various households, of bread and of burning metal, wet sand, and spices.

From afar, hecould see the castle he once called home. It was perfectly situated on a hill for all to marvel. His father was proud of the structure, which also served as a memorial to the clan lands. Kai learned to share those sentiments as he grew older, but after his father died and his mother soon followed, hefound the lands to be a bitter reminder of his broken family.

Staring up at the castle, his memories came flooding back to him again. They were memories that he had buried when he left, revealing one of the reasons he had not wanted to return: his brother.

Kai's older brother, Lachlan MacAdam, the then-young Laird, became Clan Chief as soon as their father died. Lachlan, despite his lack of concern for his own family, was a good laird, according to what Kai had heard while he was away. He could only hope that with his title in place and a new bride to look after, hehad becomea better person too.

Why did I come home? he asked himself again, holding tightly onto the reins of his horse, even though he knew the answer:

Helen Findlay, his betrothed. It was time for them to marry.

Kai had returned home because he needed to see his estranged brother. This allowed him to spend more time away from Helen before word reached her that he had indeed returned. And then he'd meet his fate and marry her.

She had been one of the reasons that he had left the clan lands in the first place. However, it was time for him to meet his own responsibilities. It was not that he wanted to escape them but to postpone the wedding as long as possible. And Kai knew that Helen's family would press him for marriage, as this was his last promise to his dying father, and she was well aware of it.

Helen Findlay , he mused as he rode. She had been his childhood friend, an offspring friendship born of the bosom friendship of their fathers. The two lairds had always encouraged the companionship of their children from a very young age, even before Helen had grown into her own character.

As she grew older, she, like many other young women her age, fell in love with Kai and chased the rest away.

Kai, on the other hand, never fanciedgirls when he was younger. He played with them as he would with his brother. But Helen's selfishness had become evident to him quickly. Nonetheless, hehad accepted his fate. She was to marry one of his father's sons, and she had chosen him.

He remembered the day as if it had happened yesterday. Lachlan had been standing outside the room, unable to look at their dying father, while Kai had remained by his side all along. The old man had been dissatisfied with death but had maintained a brave face for his son, and Kai could only hope he would prove as brave.

"I ken ye would be the one to sit by me when me time came. Yer brother—"

"He loves ye, faither," Kai had interrupted, but the old man's look showed disbelief. "He just dinnae ken how to show his support. Dinnae judge him."

"I love the two of ye, but ye share different destinies…" Kai had listened to the words that his father had told him for years. "Yer brother needs ye," he reminded him, in an attempt to fix a relationship that was barely existent. Lachlan was so closed off it was pointless to even try.

"If me brother needs me help, I shall offer it tae him," Kai had vowed back then, and even if it was a vague promise, it was one that he knew he could keep. He had never lied to his father, and he had no intention of doing so on his deathbed.

"I need ye to promise me, Kai," his father had started. Kai had feared the words that would come out of his mouth but nodded anyway.

"Promise me that ye will wed Helen," he had said, obviously expecting the frown on his younger son's face even before it had formed.

"Ye must think of the family now that me time has come. Me friendship with her faither protected this family. She chose ye. I ken that ye dinnae want to wed her, but people can change. Maybe with time, she will turn into the lass ye desire. If not, ye will at least know ye fulfilled yer duty as an heir of our strong clan."

His gaze was drawn to his father's withering face when the man squeezed his hand. A face and a pair of eyes thathad been filled with pain—pain that was far greater than the words he had spoken.

"Promise me, Kai."

"I promise I will wed Helen," he hadappeasedhis dying father, but hiseyes remained perplexed by Kai's evasive promise.

That was about four years ago, and Helen Findlay would be two and twenty in only five months. Kai had wandered around, spending his days as he pleased until he had to marry her.

Even after all that time, he knew something his father did not. Helen Findlay would not change. Every time they had met, she had grown more selfish and self-absorbed. The only constants had been her attraction to him and his refusal to marry her, but with the passage of time, Kai had come to terms with his fate. He hadn't met anyone while on his journey, so perhaps his path was really about fulfilling his father's death wish.

Mayhas love isnae me destiny.

A sudden rustle on the left drew his attention away from his memories. He immediately turned in that direction and saw a grey rabbit hop out of the bushes. The small animal looked at him, assessing his intentions toward it.

Kai tried to move his hand, but his fingers became entangled in the reins of his horse. He'd been so engrossed in his thoughts that he hadn't realized how tightly he was gripping them. The rabbit hopped across the path and into the bushes, turning away.

Hunting. Kai thought of an amusement that he could immerse himself into if the town was beginning to eat at him again. Riding through the hills always helped to ease his mind. When he kicked at the horseto get it moving again, itneighed in protest, but calmed down when Kai stroked its mane. The tall Highlander listened intently for the faint sound that had brought him to a halt.

"The brook!" he realized.

He drew his horse closer and tied it to a tree before walking into the bush to find the brook. The closer he got to the water, the more familiar he became with the bushes. There were new plants and shoots, but the trees remained to guide those who had been gone for a long time.

As he heard the gentle sound of the water and the chirping of birds in the trees around it, Kai felt the need to swim and wash away all the thoughts that plagued him. He knew that immersing himself into the brook was going to ease his mind and make everything feel a bit lighter, especially his upcoming meeting with his brother and his betrothal to Helen.

Kai saw clear water in front of him and closed his eyes as he inhaled the cool air surrounding it. Growing up in the clan lands, the brook had always been one of his favorite places. He had always known when it'd be devoid of peopleand he could have it all to himself and whoever friends he had chosen to accompany him at the time.

Suddenly, he heard a ripple in the air and turned to look. It was a woman, a naked woman to be precise. Kai was taken aback when he saw the beautiful lass emerge from the water in such a slow and majestic manner that he couldn't take his gaze away.

The brook had submerged the lower half of her body, revealing only her elegant back that stopped at her small waist. The Highlander knew he should have moved away, covered his eyes, but couldn't stop himself from looking at her.

She must be beautiful , he imagined even though he had not set his gaze upon her. His mind was so focused on the source of his curiosity that he thought no further to what might happen if she turned her face to him.

Her dark blonde hair was glued to her back, concealing the majority of it. But she didn't return his gaze. She soaked her arms in water that she scooped up with her small palms.

I shouldnae be here, Kai knew, wishing only to see the woman's face so he could find her again when it was more appropriate.

To get rid of some of the water, the woman in the brook pressed her hair down onto her scalp. Then she drew the locks away from her back so she could pat the length to squeeze out the drops as well.

Kai's groin tightened at the sight of her small pale back. At that moment, he knew he had to leave, but he couldn't think of a reason compelling enough to move him. It was illegal for him to be there, watching a woman who was not his wife bathe. Kai mustered the courage to turn and walk away unnoticed, muttering scolding words quietly.

Ye will be married to another in five months .

Kai took his first step and heard a snap. He had snapped a twig.

"How can ye be such a fool, Kai?" he muttered to himself, and froze immediately.

He turned to see if the woman in the brook had heard him, though he was certain she was already staring at him. When he shifted his body, their gazes locked. Kai couldn't take his eyes off her, captivated by her beauty. He opened his mouth to speak but was rendered speechless.

Her eyes stood out against her pale face and small pink lips. Time slowed—nothing else existed but the astounding lass inside the brook. Her hair glowed in the dappled sunlight, hair and hands over her breasts, her eyes captivating. He couldn't tell if they were blue or deep grey from where he was.

But time accelerated onceher scream piercedthe air.