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But still, I had to be ready if he lashed out…. at me, or worse, at her. Or her family.
If protecting her was my new purpose, then I was fucking fine with that. For her sake, I was all in.
Crouching in front of the stone fireplace, I made a stack of a few dense logs and set them alight. I waited until the fire started to draw and then replaced the screen in front of the flames so that no stray sparks arched from the logs into the room. Then I picked up my boots and approached the bed again, memorizing her beauty.
I’d be counting the hours until I was back here with her. Counting the goddamned minutes, even. I leaned down and placed a long kiss on her cheek.
But though everything felt like it had changed, she was still a wild little thing, and a night of life-changing fucking wasn’t going to change that. I hoped not anyway, because her wildness was at least half the fun.
It was, I had to admit, exactly as my mother had said. She was a match, even for me.
Like a new horse, needing to be broken in. And that idea made me remember some wise words from my father’s groom: “Wild young fillies stay wild, until they’ve been bred.”
Christ. I ran my hand down my jaw, grating my palm against my stubble, growing thick now over the last two days. The thought of breeding her made me fucking crazy, and it took all my strength to ignore my quickly engorging hard-on in my pants.
I adjusted my balls and forced myself to refocus on the problem facing me. As soon as Petre found out she had been with me, her freedom and very possibly her life would be in danger. And that was fucking unacceptable. I needed allies, and I needed them fast.
And there was only one person I knew of that could provide the kind of help I needed. Even though I knew his help wouldn’t come cheap, I had little choice.
Slipping out of the bedroom without waking her was easy enough. I left a note for her on the mantelpiece, explaining that I would be gone for some time and if she needed anything I had left her in the capable hands of the only other person at the estate.
But if there was one thing I knew for certain, it was that she wouldn’t wake anytime soon. Last night’s exertions had seen to that. By the time she did wake, I’d be halfway on my way to securing our futures. But I knew I couldn’t take her with me. Every moment I was gone was a moment she’d be in danger, but if she came along I’d be riding her right into the heart of it.
Outside, I braced myself against the cold and headed around to the stables. The wind had gained strength in the night, and had brought with it a few snow flurries, but the drive and the walk around the side of the house had already been cleared.
“Daniel!” I called out as I slipped in through the doors. My horse whinnied at the sound of my voice and I smiled. We’d been together long enough that she trusted me with her life, and I trusted her with mine. She’d carried me without complaint on our the three-day trip from the eastern edge of the country where I lived and worked for so long, returning here upon invitation to my brother’s upcoming nuptials two weeks ago.
My friendship with Vela was born of necessity, but it was one of the closest relationships I’d ever had until I met Valeria.
“My lord, I—”
“Daniel, I’ve told you not to call me that. And for fuck’s sake, take one of the bedrooms in the house, man. There are enough of them.” I shook my head at the sight of him in his working clothes already. “I assume it’s you that cleared the driveway already this morning? There’s no need when I’m at home, I’m perfectly capable.”
He chuckled. “I like it out here. Besides, since you took over the place, the stables cottage is as comfortable as any cottage in the village. Never would have happened under Lord fucking Barrington.” He met my eyes. “If you’ll pardon my language.”
“I fucking will not.,” I chuckled, kidding with him. “But seriously, take a bedroom. Take a whole fucking suite of them. You deserve it.” I clapped him on the shoulder. “I have a task for you.”
“Anything to do with the young lady?”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Sorry, I don’t mean to be out of line. When you brought Vela back last night, I watched you run. Wondered why, because...” He shrugged. “Being in such a rush, I wondered if something was amiss, my Lord—” He tried to clip the last word but old habits and all.
