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“Thank you.” Ray nodded to him.
“Thankyou, son.” He wanted to get to Madeline, but there was something he needed to know. “Are you all right with me remarrying someday?” He hadn’t convinced Madeline to marry him, but that wasn’t the issue right now. Right now, he needed his son’s insight. As a rule, Ray was logical and unselfish.
Ray studied him, thoughtful. “I don’t need a mother figure in my life like Kiera, Macey, or some of my siblings or in-laws seem to, but I like and respect Madeline. And the most important thing is … she makes you happy.” Ray granted him a rare half-smile. “You’ve been strong on your own, and working many hours as you always did, but without Mum…” He clenched his fist. “I could see the toll it was taking on you and that you were lonely. You’ve kept going for our family and for Augustine. But the past month … you’ve been happy.”
It was a long speech for Ray, and it touched Nolan deeply.
“Thank you.” Nolan couldn’t resist embracing his boy. Ray was thirty-one, married, the general of all their armed forces, as tough and no-nonsense as anyone Nolan knew. Besides special occasions, he didn’t embrace anyone besides his wife and Kiera.
Ray returned the hug for half a second. Then he cleared his throat and stepped back.
“Talk to you soon.” Nolan lifted a hand, spun, and ran down the hall.
He had to get to Madeline.
He pumped down the staircase and was outside her suite and pounding on the door before he could stop himself.
Yanking his hand back, he clenched his fists like Ray would’ve. Madeline had been attacked. It washed over him in a horrible wave of agony. If only he could pound the man who’d hurt her. That was very uncharacteristic of him to even think. He was fit and strong, but he’d never been a brawler. He’d been raised from birth to be a genteel king. His parents had believed in hiring more guards, not learning to protect themselves. Ray had been the one to teach him to spar and how to protect himself physically.
The door finally swung open. Madeline was in a robe, her hair piled on her head, her face solemn, her green eyes wary.
“Madeline,” he groaned.
She gave a little cry and flung herself against his chest.
Nolan had no problem wrapping her up tight and holding her close. He gently ushered her into the room and closed the door behind him, continuing to hold her. She leaned against him, almost as if she couldn’t support her own weight. Some man had attacked her, threatened her.He didn’t rape her.Those words were somewhat reassuring, but not really. How far had the man gone? What external and internal injuries did she have?
She suddenly pulled back, and her emerald eyes filled with fire. “Nolan! You can’t go hiking anymore. That awful man is after you. He wants me to get you alone, away from your guards, and then he said he’ll take care of the rest.” She shuddered. “You may not leave the castle. Unless you have a whole platoon of guards. Ray will agree with me.”
Nolan stared at her. “Madeline…” He had to clear his throat to continue. “You were attacked by this man, and you’re worried about me? Love … I’ll be fine. Ray taught me how to fight and he never lets me leave without guards. It’syouwe’re all worried about.”
Madeline blinked up at him. She was the most perfect mixture of tough, sassy, independence, brains, innocence, and alluring beauty. “Nolan …” Her eyes were bright, and her lower lip trembled.
She stepped farther away from him. All he wanted to do was reach for her, but she’d been attacked and he didn’t know if she would welcome his touch, or if any man’s touch would remind her of the assault right now. He knew she was fiercely independent, but he wanted to be there for her. How in the world was he supposed to help her right now?
He waited, but she only stared at him and then tears traced down her smooth cheeks.
“Madeline.” He couldn’t take it. He scooped her off her feet and cradled her against his chest. She was taller than Kiera, but she didn’t weigh much more. She felt perfect in his arms.
“I’m fine,” she insisted, brushing the tears off her face. “I don’t cry. I’m fine.”
“It’s okay to cry, love. You’ve been through something horrific.” He carried her to the couch they’d kissed on last night. Settling down, he held her on his lap. “Are you all right with me holding you? Am I hurting you in any way?”
“How could you hurt me?” she demanded, sounding more like her feisty self.
“I don’t know where your injuries are, and if you’re hurt emotionally, I don’t want to push you too hard.”
Madeline drew in a breath and then jutted out her chin. “It was awful. The man was awful, but I’m all right.”
Nolan wasn’t sure how to proceed, but at least she was letting him hold her. “Do you want to talk about it?”
“No.” She shook her head and then leaned into him, resting her head against his neck. Her silky hair brushed his skin. A minute of quiet peace passed, then she started talking slowly, calmly. “I was out running. I slammed into this monstrous man. He was as big and strong as Ray.” She shuddered. “He said … lots of awful things. About you, and me, and what he wanted to do to me …” She broke off and burrowed into him as if she couldn’t get close enough.
Nolan cradled her against him and tried to push away his fury at that man. Minutes ticked by and he simply held her, not sure how else to help. Her hand slid up his chest. He captured her hand and lifted it to his lips, but stopped short when he saw the scrapes on her palm.
“Ah, Madeline. Your hand.”
She finally glanced up at him. “I’m a little scraped up, but I’ll be fine.”
