Chapter 9
The knock at the door last night had rattled them, leaving everyone jumpy, ears tuned for any unusual sound.
Still, Liam’s quick thinking—rumpled hair, unbuttoned shirt, the illusion of interrupted intimacy—had been convincing enough to send the hunters away.
Sienna couldn’t stop thinking about how easily he’d played the role of her lover.
How natural it had looked when it was anything but.
“I keep expecting another rude interruption,” she said, focusing on drying dishes. “That was good acting last night.”
“Was it?” His voice was closer than she’d expected.
She turned to find him watching her, his expression unreadable.
“This isn’t working.”
Sienna returned to her task. “What isn’t?”
“This. Us. Whatever this polite dance is supposed to be.” He gestured between them. “Your mother thinks we’re mates, but we act like strangers forced to share a house.”
Her hand trembled as she reached for the last soup bowl, and she tried to ignore the sudden spike in her pulse. This was getting harder by the minute. Every time he spoke in the sexy accent of his…
“We need to talk about the sleeping arrangements.”
“I—why?” She wasn’t comfortable sharing a bed, not after what she’d done.
“You’re the one who abducted me. Isn’t seduction the next step?”
“You discovered I snatched you from everything you know. Aren’t you supposed to flee the lady kidnapper?”
His gaze stayed sharp, but a flicker of wry amusement—or maybe resignation—crossed his face. “A promise means something to me. Your father worries when he’s away, especially with things getting tense in the village. He and your brothers wouldn’t have left if I wasn’t here.”
“I can’t believe he trusts you.” She paused, biting her lip to rein in the resentment. She understood her father’s concern, but he barely knew Liam.
“And I won’t betray him. I assume others have.”
He grinned, and her heart skipped a beat.
Gorgeous. His eyes reminded her of a stormy sea today, more blue than green.
They lit up when he smiled, and the scar only made him more distinctive.
It didn’t repulse her, unlike the crude comment she’d overheard at the library.
Some local shifters whispered she’d mated a flawed man because she couldn’t do better.
They knew nothing. Not a damn thing.
“Thank you. Mama mentioned you’re running low on stock. If we have nothing to sell…”
“One of us needs to visit the camp and collect more. Tamsin and I discussed it during the walk back from the village. I offered to go.”
“Why can’t I?” Sienna bristled. It felt like he was pushing her out, which was ridiculous. She was the one who’d dragged him into this mess.
“Tamsin wanted to go too, but we risk meeting the hunters. The less interest they show in us, the better.” He paused. “Can you research this so-called billionaire tomorrow?”
“I will. Molly at work might have some useful info too.”
A thump at the front door made them whirl.
Another thump set Liam in motion. Tamsin appeared in the corridor, her hair mussed like she’d been sleeping.
A sharp pang of guilt prickled in Sienna.
Liam’s takeover irritated her, but the forced distance always ate at Tamsin. Their parents deserved peace. Safety.
“Hunters again?” Sienna whispered.
Liam didn’t think so—he recognized the scent. He opened the door, and a black leopard slipped inside. Liam shut it quickly after him.
Sienna’s worry increased tenfold. “Jago, what’s wrong?”
He let out a low bark, and she finally noticed the black pack he carried. Liam rapidly unstrapped it, and Jago shifted. Her mother handed him a pair of sweatpants, and he pulled them on.
“Jago, has something happened?” her mother asked, her voice tight with fatigue and anxiety.
A hollow ache settled inside Sienna. She should’ve noticed how much her mother was struggling. Consumed by the secret and Liam, she’d been blind. The man unsettled her, yes, but this failure was hers alone.
Jago flashed a smile. “Everything’s fine, and work is going well. We haven’t seen hunters near us—at least, not until tonight. I had to hide in the bushes while they were traipsing around the moor. Luckily, one of them tripped, and I heard before they spotted me.”
“They visited last night, offering a reward for information leading to the beast’s capture,” Liam said.
“It’s close to full moon,” her mother snapped. “Why risk coming home now when visibility is excellent?”
“We needed to check if our work is suitable for sale. Someone had to come, and since I’m the oldest, I volunteered. Besides, Papa was worried about you.”
“You’ve stayed away much longer before,” Sienna said.
Jago shrugged. “We don’t know what’s happening, and besides work, life at the camp is pretty monotonous.”
Sienna opened her mouth, ready to blast her brother, but her mother’s grip on her forearm stopped the words trembling on her tongue.
“What did you bring us?” her mother asked. “Are you hungry? Would you like soup?”
“Yes, please. In a moment. Look at what we’ve made. We think Kitto did an excellent job on the painting, but we wanted to check before making more.”
Jago opened the pack and slipped out a cloth-wrapped parcel.
The hearts came in two sizes. Kitto had painted some in blue and white, echoing their traditional pottery, and others in bright colors with flowers and local landmarks.
“They’re perfect,” Liam said. “All they need is a ribbon so ladies can wear them around their necks.”
“We made two special ones,” Jago said, handing a smaller package to Sienna and another to their mother.
Sienna unwrapped the fabric and stared at the heart. White and blue with small starbursts in a darker blue—it was beautiful. An understatement. It was a masterpiece.
Her mother’s heart was soft amber, decorated with two intertwined hearts.
“Papa made it for you. What do you think? Oh—we made hearts in three different sizes as keepsakes.” Jago handed those over for inspection.
“Brilliant job,” Liam said with a grin. “You’ve nailed it. These will sell very well.”
“Really?” Jago’s cheekbones held a trace of pink, while his mouth stretched in a smile.
Jago was basking in Liam’s approval, a reminder to Sienna of how isolated her father and brothers were by the locals’ outright rejection. Many men would’ve grown bitter, but her father never had, and somehow, he’d taught her brothers the same resilience.
“Yeah,” Liam said. “The hearts must be fiddly to make. How is production? Your mother and I are nearly out of stock. We were trying to work out how to contact you to get more product.”
“The hearts are quicker to produce, but decorating them takes Kitto extra time. Tomorrow, we’ll make more drinking cups. Probably platters, too. We’ve already made more hearts to keep Kitto busy.” He frowned. “We’re going to need more paint.”
“I can work as a go-between. Give me a list of supplies, and we’ll get them,” Liam said.
“I can help,” Sienna protested.
“We want to keep a low profile, and leaving Tamsin alone isn’t ideal. She’s not doing well without Hedrek,” Liam murmured.
Both siblings glanced at their mother, sharing a troubled look.
Tamsin had been fine during the market and the walk home, but now the strain was clear.
Understandable—between the hunters and the fear of exposure, it had to be taking a toll.
Sienna hadn’t stopped to consider how strong her mother had to be or how cruelly the locals treated her.
She nodded, chastened. Liam was right, and none of them had seen it. “If you’re certain.”
“I am. Jago, grab something to eat and rest for an hour. Spend time with your mother. Sienna and I will go for a walk and suss out what the hunters are doing now.”
Sienna let Liam usher her outside, her senses delighting in his nearness. She wasn’t sure what had come over her lately. She couldn’t stop thinking about him, imagining his touch. And now, he wanted them to keep sharing a bed. Not great for her sanity.
“Where are we going?”
Liam drew her close, resting a hand on her lower back. “Let’s walk beyond the village. We’ll play the courting couple, so don’t act surprised if I grab and steal a kiss.”
Sienna blinked once. Twice. She swallowed hard to regain her equilibrium. His touch did strange things to her knees, and the slow, rumbly voice and enticing accent whispering in her ear didn’t help.
“Do you think we’ll see them?”
“Possibly not,” he murmured, “but we’ll hear them. They’re unfamiliar with the terrain and stumble around more than shifters.”
Liam led her along the dirt path, keeping her close. “Who lives there?”
“The Carters. An elderly mother and her daughter. We don’t see them often because there’s another path to the village near their cottage. It’s the original track, but during severe storms, the river overflows, making the bridge impassable. That’s why locals built a second path.”
A faint flicker of light was visible behind the shrouded windows, but no one was visible as they strolled past.
“We could sit on the bench seat farther along the path,” she suggested.
“Good plan. We’ll sit and listen.”
They’d barely sat when masculine voices drifted closer. Liam cocked his head, listening intently, and she did the same.
“This is a waste of time,” one man grumbled.
“He’s paying us, so we’ll follow instructions.”
Another asked, “Do you really think a leopard is loose around here, or are we chasing ghosts?”
Three men.
Only two had come to their door.
“It’s them,” Liam whispered in her ear.
Then, louder: “Hello.”
The men fell silent, then appeared on the path seconds later. Two black-haired men with beards and a squat, bald man.
“What are you doing here?” the squat man asked.
His demand irritated Sienna. “How is that your business?”
“I’m the one asking the questions,” he shot back.
Sienna glared as he shone a torch in her face.
“We live with family and wanted privacy since we’re newlyweds,” Liam said, showing more patience. “I’m sure you can understand our need to be alone.”
The man released a coarse laugh. Sienna bristled inside but maintained a smile and fluttered her eyelashes. “Are you boys patrolling all night looking for the beast? Staying awake must be tough.”
“We’re getting paid,” one bearded man said. “Money makes it easier.”
Sienna frowned. “How do you search in the dark? Isn’t the beast meant to be black?”
“We have special gear,” he said. “Including night-vision goggles. If the beast exists, we’ll find it.”
“Plus, we have coffee to keep us awake.” The squat man patted his hip where a slimline flask poked from his jeans pocket.
“Wow.” Sienna giggled, feeling Liam’s hand tighten on her hip. He stayed quiet, so she focused on what info they could gather. Jago and Liam had to avoid the hunters.
“It sounds like lots of lost sleep.”
One bearded man shrugged. “I’ll keep going for as long as I get paid. Beats working at the local cannery factory.”
Exactly what Sienna feared—the time these men were willing to invest. Did they truly suspect shifters in the area, or were they chasing rumors? Staying hidden wasn’t easy in the modern world, and accidents happened, especially with younger shifters.
What worried Sienna more was the hunters’ capture of her father or brothers. Fear rippled through her belly, a sudden cold chill bringing a shiver.
“Thank you for checking on us,” Liam said, “but as you can see, we’re fine.”
“Some of the men are jumpy, so it’s probably best to skip the romantic walks for now,” the squat man said. It didn’t sound like a suggestion.
Their presence would make her family’s life difficult, and getting the products to the market would require extra effort.
Her shoulders slumped, and she burrowed closer to Liam.
His arm tightened around her, his quick squeeze giving her a shot of encouragement.
But at least a month of this. Their backer must have deep pockets.
The men called goodbye and moved purposefully along the track. Sienna waited until their footsteps faded.
“This is bad. The longer we must conceal Papa and my brothers, the higher the risk to all of us.”
“Yeah, if they catch us wandering at night, they’re gonna ask questions,” Liam said.
“It’s none of their business what we do, day or night. Yet they’re watching everyone like we’re criminals. It’s not right. They have no legal power over us.”
“What does the mayor say?”
Sienna snorted. “The mayor doesn’t talk to a lowly person like me.”
“Fair enough. So why don’t Tamsin and I ask questions? Stir the rumor mill. Maybe we’ll get a better sense of what is going on, and why the hunters behave as if they’re in charge.”
“Excellent idea.” Liam impressed her. He was smart, and she liked him way more than she was comfortable with.
Forcing her thoughts away from how decadent it felt to sit this close to him, she added, “I’ll do the same.
If nothing else, it might get the other villagers asking questions.
The longer the hunters hang around, the more dangerous it gets for every shifter. ”
“Are you positive your father and brothers are safe in their current hiding place? What if the hunters pick up a trail, especially since we need to get their products?”
“Papa says it is safe, but I worry. Mama does too, but what’s the alternative? We can’t move elsewhere.” This was why Sienna had taken a risk and attended the gathering. She inhaled before saying, “Liam, I’m scared for the future. That’s why I gave in to desperation and dragged you into this.”
Why was he still staying with them? He had his excuses, sure—but if she were in his shoes, she’d be furious, desperate for the answers she couldn’t remember. She’d have marched to Scotland and pounded on the castle gates, demanding the truth.
To her frustration, he didn’t say a word, just nodded.
“Do you have suggestions?” she asked.
“Not at present. It’s difficult when I can’t access my memory and experiences.”
Sienna pressed her lips together. He blamed her—of course he did.
On the heels of this thought, another heavier one came.
It was her fault he’d hit his head and lost part of his past. She should’ve researched those drugs before using them and suspected they were behind his lingering struggles.
Despite that, he was coping better than she would in his place.
“Papa and Mama haven’t come up with any alternatives, and they’ve tried.” Tears filled her eyes, and she swiped them away. She worried about her brothers’ futures. How could they meet mates? The village residents certainly weren’t helping.
Liam lifted his hand and gently cupped her chin. With slight pressure, he signaled he wanted her to look at him.
Sienna struggled for an instant before giving in to his silent demand.
“Aw, sweetheart. Somewhere, there will be an answer. We’ll find it.”
Sienna gulped on seeing the caring in his expression. She didn’t deserve it—not after ruining his life and destroying his trust.