Lachlan MacRae does not want a meek, grateful bride. He wants truth. Defiance. The spark that dares to meet his command and make him hungry for more. Behind cold stone walls and whispered clan loyalties, he sets his terms with ruthless patience: obedience is earned, surrender is asked for, and her body is never taken without her yes.

Isla swears she will survive without giving him her heart, even as his gaze undresses every lie she tells herself. Every brush of his fingers is a test. Every order is a temptation. And every night in his keep tightens the knot between fear and desire until she cannot tell where her resistance ends and her need begins.

He married her to claim what is owed.

He will keep her until she chooses to beg for what he truly wants.