Captivating the Highland Rogue (Highland Destiny #3)

Chapter One

Sun dappled the white sandy beach on the private island Brianna Sinclair enjoyed as a guest of the man she was currently dating.

She stuck her toes in the sand, allowing the warmth to wash over her as she lounged back in the chair under the beach umbrella, a cold drink in her left hand, a large-brimmed hat on her head, wearing her favorite black-and-white polka-dotted bikini.

She stretched out her long sun-kissed legs, wiggling her toes deeper into the fine grains of sand and emitted a contented sigh.

For years, she had worked as an underwater photographer, capturing the essence of the crystalline waters of the Caribbean, from dolphins to schools of fish.

Until she caught the eye of one very rich, very handsome man who also happened to be a billionaire playboy.

Grayson Radcliffe had invited her to his forty-foot yacht named Fin and Tonic one evening which was supposed to be nothing more than a business discussion.

He wanted to hire her to go on deep-sea adventures with him and take pictures.

But as it turned out, she was wildly attracted to him and that business dinner had turned into a sultry night in his cabin.

Grayson had a reputation as a ladies’ man who dated super models and A-list Hollywood actresses. She, being nothing more than a free-spirited nomad, was his girl du jour. She was fine with that. Her first unbreakable rule was never get attached. Once he was finished with her, she’d move on.

And that was fine with her. The sex was hot and she was living her best life without a care in the world.

She maintained her independence by taking photography jobs whenever she felt like.

Grayson was willing to let her travel with him on his yacht and stay in his white-washed mansion on the private island he leased from the Bahamas.

Things had not always been sexy billionaires, cocktails, and surf-and-turf dinners.

When she was twenty-five, a car accident had claimed her parents’ lives, leaving her two fifteen-year-old twin sisters alone.

It forced her to pack up her beach life and head home to care for them as their legal guardian until they graduated high school.

Life was rocky then as she navigated probate for her parents who had left the world with no wills.

She put up with a lot of shit from her teenage sisters while they finished high school all the while longing to return to her island-hopping life.

For three years, she made sure they had a roof over their heads, clothes on their backs, food on the table, and everything else they needed to finish high school and graduate.

Then she sold their parents’ home, took her cut of the money, and left.

She hadn’t heard from her sisters much since then, knowing the rift it had caused between them.

When Chloe got her big-wig job in Edinburgh, Evie had called her to tell her the news.

Brianna was happy for her. Happy she was living the life she always wanted.

Evie begged her to come to Edinburgh with her, but she refused.

Why would she trade her perfect, beachy life for a place like Scotland?

She didn’t know why she was thinking of all this now as she sipped her drink and gazed out at the azure water, watching the tide go in and out.

Grayson used the morning to run on the beach.

She saw him in the distance, his toned physique gleaming with sweat.

He wore shorts and running shoes and nothing more.

Afterward, he would dive into the shallow water for a quick dip, then head into the house behind her to shower.

She’d follow him, they’d have a sexy romp and then sit at the glass table by the wall of windows in the dining room for a breakfast of poached eggs, French toast, and coffee.

She had everything she had ever wanted. When Grayson tired of her, she would pack her bags and be on her way. For now, though, she enjoyed his company and his money.

The morning sun made her drowsy, her lids drooping as she thought of the way her life turned had out and the choices she’d made. She was sure she had made all the right decisions.

Or had she?

As she dozed, her cell phone buzzed next to her. She cursed herself for even bringing it out to the beach with her, but she was expecting a call from a client. Glancing down at the screen, she noticed the strange number that appeared to be from the United Kingdom.

Odd.

“Brianna Sinclair,” she answered.

“Hello, Miss Sinclair. This is Detective MacDougal from the police in Edinburgh, Scotland. I’m afraid I have some difficult news about your sister, Chloe.” The male voice on the other end of the line had a Scottish brogue.

Startled, she sat straight up out of the chair, sloshing the drink over her hand. Her heart thudded wildly and her pulse raced. Despite the heat of the morning, icy pinpricks needled the back of her neck. Brianna clutched the phone so tightly her hand cramped.

“Is something wrong?”

“Aye, she’s missing.”

The blood whooshed out of her head, leaving her lightheaded. “What do you mean, missing?”

“No one has seen or heard from her for several days. Her job called to ask for a welfare check because it simply wasn’t like her to miss work. Her director worried her disappearance had something to do with the attack on the museum during their fundraising gala.”

“What attack on the museum?”

Worry pounded through her. Evie was supposed to go to Edinburgh to join Chloe for her big gala event. Brianna had declined to join them for the festivities, opting instead to remain in the Bahamas. Now regret shifted through her.

The detective explained a few nights ago—at the gala event—masked men with guns had invaded the museum. Though nothing was stolen, there was considerable damage. The museum was closed while they tried to sort everything out and get it back to normal.

“But your sister, Chloe, never showed up for work. The director asked us to do a welfare check. When we went to her flat, the door was bashed in and there appeared to have been a struggle.”

Numb, Brianna listened, her breathing shallow as she stared into the glistening surf, trying to make her mind understand what he was telling her. The thing that bothered her the most was Evie was supposed to be at that gala, too. What had happened to her, then? The detective hadn’t mentioned her.

“Have ye heard from your sister at all, Miss Sinclair?”

“No. What about Evie?”

“Evie?” he repeated. There was a faint shuffle of papers on the other end. “Och, aye, after the museum incident, Chloe was insistent her sister was still inside the museum but there was no trace of her. She filed a missing person report a day or so later.”

No trace of her. Chloe missing. What the holy hell was happening?

Brianna clutched the phone tighter. “So, detective, you’re telling me both my sisters are missing in your city. Is that right?”

There was a long pause on the other end of the line. “Aye.”

“And what are you doing to find them?” she demanded, her mother instinct suddenly kicking in. She shot to her feet, pacing the small area in front of her beach chair.

“Well—”

“It sounds like a whole lot of nothing to me.”

“Miss Sinclair, I assure you we’re doing everything we can to find them. But there aren’t a lot of leads—”

“Well, that’s not good enough. They’re my baby sisters and you’re telling me they vanished without a trace?”

“I—”

“Save it. I’m coming to Edinburgh.”

Her finger jabbed the end-call button with unsatisfying force, her chest heaving. She stared at the surf, the sunlight scattering across the waves glistening glass. Something inside her snapped, sharp and final, as she made the sudden decision.

The undeniable idea struck her like lightning.

Go to Scotland. It wasn’t a whim; it was a pull deep in her gut, an unshakable certainty.

If she didn’t go, regret would claw her forever, like it had when she ignored Evie’s call begging her to come.

That raw and relentless regret still ached. Like a wound refusing to heal.

She hadn’t thought of Evie and Chloe until today.

Why now? Why today?

There wasn’t anything significant about the date. It wasn’t the anniversary of her parents’ death. It wasn’t anyone’s birthday.

A shout broke through the rush of waves. Her head snapped to the left. Grayson sprinted up the beach, his hand lifting in a quick wave.

The unease didn’t fade, even after making her decision to leave. It coiled tighter inside her chest, demanding she check on Evie and Chloe. She sucked in a shaky breath, willing herself to focus, but her thoughts scattered. Before she could gather them, Grayson appeared.

“Hey, babe,” he said on a pant. When he realized something was wrong, his brows drew together. “You okay? You look like you’ve seen a ghost.”

“I need to make a phone call.”

Never mind she still held the phone in her hand as she spun and bolted up the beach toward the house, leaving Grayson behind without a second thought.

Her feet pounded against the sand, her breath coming fast and sharp.

She burst through the back door, barely registering the cool air inside as she dropped her icy glass onto the nearest table with a clatter.

Sand scattered in her wake, but she didn’t care.

In her guest room, she ripped off her wide-brimmed hat, tossing it aside without looking.

Here, in the solace of her room, her stomach tightened as she scanned the screen—no missed calls.

A sharp ache of dread pierced her chest as she jabbed Evie’s number.

It rang once, then went straight to voicemail.

“It’s Brianna. Call me back!” Then she hung up.

Her hands shook. Why, she didn’t know. But a sudden panic settled in her chest, making it hard to breathe. She dialed Evie’s number again. Again, it went straight to voicemail.

She stared down at the phone as if it were the problem. She sent a text to Evie that simply read, are you all right?