“Beck wasn’t in cahoots with Sterling, he only made him believe he was. We had an ongoing skirmish. Who could best the other and I always won, not once did he win. That’s why he put me in that pit in the ground. He didn’t think I’d be able to escape, but just in case he dropped you down there with me.”

“Oh my Lord,” Willow said, her eyes turning wide with a revelation. “He knew you wouldn’t leave me there. You would have escaped if he hadn’t put me in that pit with you.”

Slatter lifted his wife’s hand off his chest and kissed her palm. “I had planned to escape the next morning.”

“You stayed for me?”

“I couldn’t leave you with him. Beck would have sold you to God knows who and I couldn’t let that happen to you. Though, he got greedy in thinking he beat me and won. So he upped the stakes, so to speak, and told me I could keep you if I could poke you while down in the confined pit. He lost and that didn’t set well with him.”

“So he faked a marriage between us to win?”

Slatter shook his head. “A fake marriage would have given me a way out. That wouldn’t give him a big victory. He not only bested me and won, forcing me to wed when he knew I never had any intentions of doing so while making Sterling believe otherwise. He told me one day that he’d get me good and he was letting me know that in the end that’s exactly what he did… except.”

“Except what?” she asked anxiously.

Slatter turned, easing his wife onto her back. “Beck never counted on me falling in love with you and wanting to spend the rest of my life willingly with you.”

Willow smiled. “So you do plan on sticking around?”

“Forever… if you’ll have me.”

A tinkle of laughter fell from her lips. “I had you as soon as I was lowered into that pit with you.”

Slatter shook his head and brought his face close to hers. “Not true, mo ghaol. I lost my heart to you the moment you entered my cell to tend my wound and completely ignored my attempts at charming you.”

Willow ran her finger slowly over his lips. “It’s not charming words I want from your tongue.”

“It isn’t?” Slatter asked, feigning shock, though his teasing smile said otherwise. “You better show me what it is you want.”

“First,” she said, tapping his lips with her finger, “promise me you will not sneak off anymore without letting me know where you’re going and why.” When he held his tongue too long, she understood why. “You won’t give me your word because you plan on going and rescuing Maddie, Kevin, and the others.”

When again he didn’t answer, she pushed him off her, though he moved only a little and she wiggled her way out from under him. She went and snatched her garments up off the floor.