Book excerpt: The New York Times and USA Today–bestselling author of Highland Chieftain returns to the Scottish highlands for a stirring tale of passion and justice. Kirstie MacIye is lost in every way possible. Left for dead by a murderous husband, she has nothing left to live for except to avenge her honor by exposing her worthless spouse for the vile scoundrel that he is. And she knows just the man who can help her . . . Sir Payton Murray’s reputation as a keen lover is rivaled only by his lethal prowess with a blade. And though he risks angering his own clan, he cannot turn away from Kirstie’s desperate need—or her devastating beauty. But what neither Payton nor Kirstie know is that their now-mutual enemy is already moving against them. And their pact is about to become far more personal in every imaginable way . . . Beautifully combining breathtaking romance and bold adventure, this entry in her Murray Family saga is “one of Hannah Howell’s best books in recent years” (RT Book Reviews).