Page 35

His breath shuddered out. “He deserved worse.”

“Keir, where is he? Is he hurt? Taken away for killing Cormac?” she asked.

Liam shook his head, jaw tightening. “He didnae touch Cormac. Instead allowed me to punish the bastard.” He cleared his throat. “And he will nae dare to even look in yer direction ever again.”

A ball of heat formed in her chest, its comfort spreading through her entire body. She was safe.

Silence wrapped around them, a fragile, intimate thing. The kind that makes the air too thick, too warm. The kind that draws two people closer without thought. Beitris stood and reached for him. “Thank ye. I will nae be fearful of going out.”

“Beitris…” Liam whispered, the sound of her name almost breaking.

She didn’t ken who moved first.

Maybe it was him.

Maybe it was her.

But suddenly they stood with arms wrapped around one another. Neither daring to speak, nor wishing to make sense of what drew them.

Her heartbeat thundered. “Ye are hurt.”

“’Tis nothing,” he said softly.

She’d seen his bruised, bloodied hands. Perhaps a common occurrence for a warrior, however, it did look very painful.

She lifted her gaze and whispered, “Liam, look at me.”

He did.

Slowly.

As if looking at her cost him everything and gave him everything all at once.

Beitris reached up and touched the side of his face, her fingers trembling. “What of yer side? Is it painful?”

His broad shoulders lifted and lowered. It was not lost on her that they still remained with their arms loosely around each other. But she didn’t want to move away from him, from his warm strong body.

“No more than usual,” he said roughly, the corners of his lips curving just a bit.

His eyes fell to her lips, bruised, swollen, marked.

She felt the moment he lost control.

He cupped her cheek with a tenderness that made her knees soften, thumb barely brushing her skin, cautious of her pain. She leaned into him without thought, trusting him utterly.

“Ye should nae want a man like me,” he murmured, voice thick. “Ye deserve more.”

She pressed her fingers to his lips, silencing him.

A heartbeat passed.

Then two.

Then Liam’s resolve broke.

His mouth gently found hers, being careful of her cut.

She curled her fingers into the front of his tunic and kissed him back. Deeper and slower. Letting the longing she’d been fighting spill free. His hand slid to her waist, steadying her, holding her as though she were precious. Or as though he feared she might disappear.