Being a bride is a state of mind, not of body. Evander hit the road to seek adventure after a conventional and boring upbringing. He wanted no ties and the liberty to wander wherever his fancy took him. The misery he found among people too powerless to defend themselves, however, has led him to create a band of brigands. They waylay rich travelers, taking their money to help the poor, who are being robbed through taxation by their baron. With the situation growing more desperate, he reluctantly decides to kidnap someone from a rich family and hold them for ransom. Luck is with him when the baron's youngest son comes his way. Destiny delivers a stunning blow when he finds the boy beguiling and irresistible. Rory has cultivated a reputation as a spoiled brat. Deep in his heart, nothing could be farther from the truth. His father's cruelty caused him to erect emotional barriers and pretend he cares for nothing and no one. When he falls into the hands of a brigand, he puts his studied arrogance on display. His act becomes harder to maintain under the watchful and captivating eye of his captor and his growing understanding of how great his father's viciousness truly is. Evander and Rory are two men with a similar enemy. Together they can give their people a brighter future-if they can learn to trust each other.