Chapter 14
“There were men watching the castle, Braither,” Finlay said urgently as he burst into the room.
Caden’s head snapped up. “What?”
He could not understand what had just happened. One moment, he was breathing the same air as Ava, about to kiss her; the next, she was gone.
“Braither, are ye listening?” Finlay shook his shoulder lightly.
Caden was still kneeling in front of Ava’s chair.
He could feel the warmth lingering in the cushions, and he longed for her to be back.
He longed to kiss her little smirk when she challenged him.
He took pride in his self-control, but he never really knew what it meant until they sat together like they had moments ago and he did not tear her bloody gown apart.
“Why… are ye kneeling in front of a chair, Caden?” Finlay’s brow creased with confusion.
Caden shook his head and stood. “It’s nothing.” He cleared his throat. “Ye were saying something about men?”
“Aye…” Finlay looked warily at him. “MacAinsley men were spotted outside the castle and at the village borders.”
The feud between the two neighboring clans went back many years.
Each wanted to claim the fertile land between their territories.
Neither was willing to give it up. In fact, each argued that their claim went back more than one hundred years.
Caden had heard the story so many times he was sick of it.
The MacCabes were the true owners of the land.
Granted, it had passed through many hands after battles won and lost. At some point, it had even been controlled by the MacAinsleys.
But for the past fifty years, the land had returned in the MacCabes’ possession, and Caden had no intention of that changing.
It was won in a battle his grandfather and father had fought valiantly. His grandfather had lost his life in that battle. It was their homeland, and they were not going to give it up. Caden would rather die than lose the land for which his family had fought so hard.
Often, he would task Finlay with keeping an eye on the MacAinsleys and their movements. However, at this moment, he could not care less. Their tactics had grown dull as of late. His mind was rather fixated on a redhead whose lips he needed to claim.
“Och, nay need to fret, Braither. I’m nae. Our men are strong. Even if MacAinsley declares war, we will win.” He waved a dismissive hand.
“I’m nae fretting; they’re all dead,” Finlay said, as if he should care.
In reality, Caden was not listening to what his brother was saying at all.
“Good. Good work, Braither,” he said absent-mindedly, before rising to his feet and making his way out of the study. He did not see the curious look on his brother’s face.
The entire time he was getting ready for bed, images of Ava flashed before him like fog above the loch. He had been certain she was going to kiss him tonight, especially after he so clearly gave in to her rule. Not that he offered to help her sister just to steal a kiss. He would do so anyway.
But he hated being wrong. Hated her for getting into his head.
Desire smoldered from deep within him and turned the hatred into something entirely new.
Longing and possessiveness curled through his chest. His imagination ran wild with what he would do to her when she finally let go and surrender her mind and body to him.
He could see she wanted to. He just had to wait.
He tossed and turned in his bed, unable to sleep.
I have to do something about these blasted thoughts sooner or later. She is me wife, after all.