Highland Vows of Betrayal

HIGHLAND VOWS OF BETRAYAL He was the bane of her existence, the one she’d never love without stepping onto pieces of a shattered heart… SHONA THOMPSON CONTENTS Thank you Love & Lies: The Chattan's Clan Secret Tales About the book Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 — Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9 Chapter 10 Chapter 11 Chapter 12 Chapter 13 Chapter 14 Chapter 15 Chapter 16 Chapter 17 Chapter 18 Chapter 19 Chapter 20 Chapter 21 Chapter 22 Chapter 23 Chapter 24 Chapter 25 Chapter 26 Chapter 27 Chapter 28 Chapter 29 Epilogue Extended Epilogue Afterword Love & Lies: The Chattan's Clan Secret Tales Do you want more Romance? A Kilted Marriage of Convenience Never miss a thing Thank you About the Author THANK YOU I want to personally thank you for purchasing my book. It really means a lot to me. It’s a blessing to have the opportunity to share with you, my passion for writing, through my stories. As a FREE GIFT, I am giving you a link to my first novel. It has an average rating of 5 out of 5 It is called “Highlander's Unfaithful Bride”, and you can get it for FREE. Please note that this story is only available for YOU as a subscriber and hasn't been published anywhere else. Please click on the cover to download the book LOVE & LIES: THE CHATTAN'S CLAN SECRET TALES Book#1 (this book) Highland Vows of Betrayal * * * ABOUT THE BOOK She tried to push him away with all her being, yet she was addicted to the pain of loving the one, she’d never have… Never in her life did Scarlett Shaw think she was born into a wealthy family. However, when her long-lost twin sister appears out of thin air and asks to switch places, Scarlett realizes there is more to her past than she knows. And the offer on the table is too good to refuse: enough money to start anew, far away from her troubles and a life she never wanted. All she has to do is meet her sister’s betrothed and pretend she is his bride… There is one thing Noah Chattan despises more than an arranged marriage: meek women. So, when he’s betrothed to a docile lass, he vows to make her life unbearable and push her away, so he can focus on his only goal; avenge his father's murder. But his bride turns out to be a fiery beast rather than a timid beauty. And the problem is that he falls for all her sharp edges, only to learn she's not the one he thought she was… Scarlett finds herself in a whirlwind of deception and desire, ending in the safe haven of Noah’s arms. But alas, she has to leave before shattering all hearts at stake. Little does she know that her past is entangled with Noah’s in a tale of pain and betrayal, dooming their love forever… He was the bane of her existence, the one she’d never love without stepping onto pieces of a shattered heart… * * * PROLOGUE Carrick, Highlands, 1741 The wind blew tirelessly along Loch Goil, causing the water to roil. The man beside him shivered as well and wrapped his cloak tightly around himself, pressing against the wool to keep warm. Tonight was strange, not only because of the task he'd been assigned, but there was something in the air too. Many of the superstitions his mother had told him about were at work tonight, he knew. There was a new moon in the sky, indicating impending doom. The persistent cold in the summer was also dangerous. His mother once said that such weather predicted a harsh winter and dark times. “Aye, something is ill at work tonight,” he muttered, looking from the water to the surrounding woods. The forest was black, the trees sucking out whatever light there was. If the person he was to meet didn’t come soon, he would abandon the task. “Little good will come from tonight. I am sure of it,” he muttered again, hoping danger didn’t lurk nearby. A twig snapped under footfall, and he turned, peering into the darkness. But nothing moved which reminded him of another tale. When sounds occur without movement, a ghost or a witch is at work. He brought his cloak tighter once more and paced, breaking twigs under his own heavy boots. Soon, someone else’s footsteps neared, and he stopped, squinting to see through the thick shadows. At last, a hooded figure appeared, their features masked entirely, holding something tightly. “Who goes there?” he called, praying no ghost walked toward him. “The person ye have come tae meet,” she answered, her voice soft and lyrical in the night. It was such a contrast to what he expected that he angled his head to gain a better glimpse. She walked through the trees before stopping at the loch, mere inches from the water’s edge, when she turned to face him, lifting her head. She didn’t drop the hood, but she was close enough him to see something of her. Two large blue eyes stared at him, unblinking. Her features were bold and distinctive. Her lips were pressed together, and her cheeks were flushed, suggesting she had hurried to meet him. “Ye ken what I have come tae ask of ye?” she asked, stepping forward once more. “The message I was given, it was…” he trailed off, his eyes darting down to what she carried. When he first heard about a woman who wanted to give her child to another, he couldn't believe it. He now realized she was carrying two babies in her arms. They were just bairns, only a few days old at most, possibly less. “Ye wish tae be free of one of yer children, ma’am?” “Tae hear the words spoken in such a way,” she paused and closed her eyes. Only when she opened them again did he see