Total pages in book: 85
Estimated words: 83384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 83384 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 417(@200wpm)___ 334(@250wpm)___ 278(@300wpm)
I tell her this to placate her, so she doesn’t worry, but truth be told, I’m not at all confident he’ll hold himself back.
“Alright, then,” she says with a sigh. “Let me up to get ready for bed?”
“Aye.” I release her with reluctance. I like having her beside me. I lean back on my pillows, one arm beneath my head, and watch her. She leaves the door open as she wets a washcloth and washes her body, then brushes her hair, removes her makeup, and does all the little steps she takes before she gets ready for bed. I like watching her. It’s private and sweet, how she prepares for bed, with all her feminine routines. When she comes back to me, she wobbles on her feet a little and clutches her belly.
“Oooh,” she says with a frown. “Bit nauseous again.”
“Again? When were you before?” I get out of bed and reach my hand to her elbow to steady her.
“Before we went into town.”
I lead her to bed and help her in. “You didn’t mention anything to me.”
“Didn’t want to miss out going into town.”
“Aileen.” I don’t bother to temper my stern tone. If she isn’t feeling well, I want to know.
“I’m fine,” she says, climbing under the covers. “Well, after a good night’s sleep, I’ll be fine.”
“Don’t do that again, lass. If you’re not feeling well, you’re to tell me. Sebastian says you could have residual symptoms from your head injury. Nausea’s one of them.”
“Mmm,” she says sleepily, drawing the covers up over her shoulder. “Promise.”
She sniffs. Is she crying?
“Are you alright, Aileen?”
“I just… I’m fine,” she says through tears. “I’m just so thankful you take care of me. I don’t know why I’m crying. Again.”
“Ahh. It’s alright. A few tears never hurt anyone.” I wonder if sex makes her emotional, or it’s a side effect of the head injury. I’ve heard of such strange things before.
I get ready for bed myself, and climb in beside her. In silence, I hold her for a few minutes, until I realize in surprise that she’s already fast asleep.
I check my phone. A text from Nolan to me and Keenan.
Nolan: Found the reporter on our property tonight. Sorted her out.
I’m glad Aileen didn’t see that.
Keenan: Did she have any recording equipment with her?
Nolan: She did, she doesn’t have it anymore.
Keenan: Good. Will she be trouble?
Nolan: Oh, I’m sure of it. I’ll see to her.
Keenan: Did she tell you anything we need to know?
Nolan: Mentioned unrest with the O’Gregors but said she didn’t know anything more.
I frown, and shoot off another text of my own. She still on our property?
Nolan: Aye. I’ll escort her home in the morning, after I know she’s understood my warning.
I delete the text thread so Aileen doesn’t get her knickers all up in a wad again. We haven’t seen the end of this.
I roll over and hold my wife to me. She’s yet to learn the ways of our Clan. She’s yet to remember who she is, and what her place is here. Will she take to it? Or will she fight it every step of the way? I hold her to me. I have her for now, just like this, soft and supple in my arms. And like that. I fall into a deep and dreamless sleep.
Chapter 14
Aileen
I’m tangled in sheets covered in blood. Cormac’s naked and he’s fucking me, but it isn’t the sweet lovemaking of today. He’s pinning me down and he’s angry. I’m screaming, but no sound comes out. I try to push him off me, but it’s no use, he’s so much stronger than I am. Every thrust of his hips brings raw pain and rivulets of blood until I’m swimming in it.
“No!” I finally manage to say through the haze of silence that chokes me. “No!”
I wake suddenly, still tangled in the sheets. Cormac reaches for me.
“Easy, lass,” he whispers.
I shove him away, still caught somewhere between sleep and terror.
“Leave me alone,” I protest, slapping him away from me and trying to get away. There’s so much blood I feel as if I’m going to vomit. “Leave me alone!”
Still wrapped in the sheets that bind me, I try to get out of the bed, but he grabs me and yanks me over to him. Nausea rolls over me, and I struggle.
His voice is harder now. Louder. “Aileen. You were sleeping, lass. It was a dream.”
“Let me go!”
But he doesn’t. He holds me to him in an immovable grip. I struggle, but I’m no match to his strength. His deep, commanding voice makes me still.
“Relax, lass. You were sleeping. Easy, now.”
The darkened room is bathed in moonlight from the open window. I blink, finally fully waking.
There’s no blood on the sheets. They’re as pristine white as they were before I fell asleep. I exhale and finally do what he says. I relax.