Chapter Eleven Patching Him Up
Chapter Eleven
Patching Him Up
Both of them were silent as they trudged back toward the keep.
Evander kept a tight arm around Alice. She felt warm and small in his arm.
And he had hurt her. That was the part that stung most. Not the bruised knuckles or the split lip.
Her face and the hurt in her eyes, would haunt his dreams for the rest of his days.
Every so often he would open his mouth to speak and then close it again.
I dinnae deserve to be able to explain m’self.
Slowly, the keep started to come into view.
The windows spilled golden light out into the dark night.
The tall silhouette would usually be a comforting sight, one that told Evander’s body that he was home, and it was safe enough to relax.
Not tonight. Alice couldn’t relax either.
Every bump made that woman’s smell leak off Evander’s clothes, mixed with the metallic tang of blood from the fight.
As they rode, she couldn’t help but replay her brother’s words. “He is not a gentle or kind man.”
Had Leopold known something like this would happen?
Had he known it was not his sister’s body that was in danger, but her heart?
She shook her head. Leopold would have made more overtures toward that if he had… At least, Alice had assumed he would. Now, she was not so sure.
Peggy trotted quietly next to them, occasionally nuzzling into Alice. It was comforting. More comforting than Evander’s arms were right now, which was not something she had expected to feel.
Eventually, they got to the main entranceway.
Evander got off his horse first, then helped Alice down.
A stablehand ran over, taking the two horses away.
Alice’s face was illuminated by the candlelight.
Her eyes were red, her cheeks still damp with tears.
Her hair had been blown around outside. Evander’s heart sank.
He gently ran a hand through her hair, trying to untangle the knots.
Alice stepped back. Whatever she had wanted at the start of the night felt much too far away for her to consider now.
Evander felt his chest ache but nodded, wrapping an arm around her shoulders and pulling her inside the keep.
“Catriona,” she called out to one of the maids. “Bring water and bandages to the laird’s chambers.”
“Aye, m’lady,” Catriona said before ducking away.
“Ye dinnae need—” Evander started.
“You are injured,” Alice said flatly.
“And that is my fault,” he replied.
“That does not mean your wounds do not need dressing,” she said, walking with him up the winding staircase.
“Ye should just go to bed,” he insisted.
“I need tae patch you up first,” she said.
“But—”
Alice pushed open the door to his chambers.
“Sit.”
Evander’s eyes widened. He had never seen Alice look angry before.
For a moment, he hesitated at the door before moving inside.
He took his seat at his desk, watching Alice guide Catriona inside.
The maid placed down the supplies before she scurried out of the room.
Alice moved next to him and took the washcloth.
“Take off your shirt,” Alice said. Evander hesitated, then pulled the garment off.
Alice’s breath caught as she saw his bare back.
It was a tapestry of scars and muscles. She gently ran her fingertips over his shoulder blades.
A long, thin, silvering scar ran from the tip of his shoulder down his spine.
For a moment, all she could do was look. Then, she took the wash cloth and pressed it hard against his bleeding shoulder. Evander hissed from the sting.
“What are ye—?”
“Cleaning the wound,” Alice insisted. “It is just a sting.”
“Alice—”
She took the washcloth off and reached for the bandages. He grabbed her wrist.
“Alice, listen tae me,” Evander said.
“I think you have said and done enough tonight,” Alice said, pulling her wrist away.
“Ye dinnae understand,” he said, trying to stand up. She put a hand on his injured shoulder, forcing him to sit back down.
“I understand enough,” she said. “You wanted someone else in your bed. You went to find her.”
“Alice, please,” he said, reaching up again, but she stepped away.
“I know my place now,” she said. “I will not get in your way anymore.”
“Dinnae say that,” Evander said, his voice plaintive.
“I am only saying the truth,” she said as she took the bandages and began wrapping them around his shoulder. She used more pressure than was perhaps necessary, some part of her saying that the sting and force was the least of what he deserved after tonight.
“Ye are nae listenin’ to me,” Evander said. “Tonight was not what ye thought it was.”
“And what was it then?” Alice snapped at him, her voice sharp. “You went to a place where you knew she would be, and you never thought that she would touch you?”
“I-I dinnae ken she would be there,” Evander said.
“That hardly matters,” Alice said. “Just the fact that you left me, that you went somewhere else for your pleasure, when I was all but begging for you…” She looked down at him, her top lip curling slightly. “That is not something a husband should ever do.”
His eyes widened and his heart sank through his stomach.
“Alice,” he whispered. “Please, let me explain—”
“There isn’t anything else to explain,” she said checking the bandage, walking away from him. “Goodnight.”
“Wait—” Evander said, getting up from the chair, grabbing her arm. She looked up at him in shock.
“Dinnae go,” he whispered.
“You are injured, you need rest, you do not need me bothering you,” she said.
“Nay, I need ye,” he said, falling to his knees, his grip moving to her hands.
“What are you doing?” she asked, eyes wide.
“I was a fool,” he said. “I cannae ask ye tae ever forgive me for what you saw tonight. I need ye tae understand that was not somethin’ I was proud of. I dinnae start the kiss, but I should have ended it. I am yer husband.”
“Evander, stand up,” Alice said, her heart racing.
“I made ye feel worthless. No. Less than that. I humiliated ye,” he kept going.
“I ken there is nothin’ I can do tae take away that moment from yer mind.
Nothin’ that can undo what I did. I have made ye feel unwanted since the day ye arrived here.
I never promised tae be a perfect husband, but I should have done better than that.
I have been a fool, and I have hurt ye. Ye deserved better than that. ”
He stood up again, still holding her hand tightly in his own. Her eyes widened and her cheeks flushed at the proximity. Her heart stuttered in her ribs.
“Why are you saying all this?” she whispered.
“Because it is the truth,” he whispered.
“Ye deserved so much better from me and this marriage,” he leaned into her shoulder.
For a few moments, he just breathed in her smell, letting it wash over him.
He had been so desperate for this smell, and now he had it, he never wanted to smell anything else.
“Ye said ye were ready for me, did ye not?”
Alice felt her knees go weak and warmth pool in her belly.
“I did,” she whispered. “But that was before…”
“She was a mistake,” he whispered. “Ye didnae see me trying tae push her away. I dinnae go there tae see her. I just needed tae clear my head. I shouldnae have lied about why I was leavin’.
I shouldnae have dragged you into this tonight,” he pulled back and looked her in the eyes.
Her breath hitched at the intensity of looking back at her. “Please. Let me make it right.”
“There is nothing to make right if you don’t want me,” she whispered, trying to hold onto the anger that had kept her going.
“I do want ye,” he whispered.
“No you don’t,” she said, trying to pull away from him.
“I do and that is exactly my problem!” he pleaded.
“No you—” she was cut off by his mouth finding hers.
She gasped, allowing his tongue to find hers.
She moaned, kissing him back, her arms wrapping around him.
He walked her back slowly, pressing her back against the thick doors of his chambers.
His large hand tangled into her hair again, gently tugging the strands to move her head so he could kiss her deeper.
She whimpered and moaned, the noises going straight to his manhood.
Alice whimpered, wrapping her arms around him.
He pulled back from the kiss, face flushed.
“I want ye,” he panted. “Please, stay.”
Alice bit her bottom lip and nodded. She only realized what she had done when his lips were on hers again.
Evander pressed her against the door and hooked his arms under her thighs, wrapping them around his waist. He pulled back again, moving to kiss her neck, one hand moving from her thighs to under her skirts.
“I will work tae earn yer forgiveness one touch at a time, wife. Do ye still want me?” he growled against her neck. His fingers hovered tantalizingly close to where she was aching. Alice whimpered, unable to hold onto the anger anymore.
“Yes,” she gasped. That was all he needed.
His teeth scraped her neck as his thumb found her slick heat.
He pushed one finger in gently. She cried out as he gently opened her up, his thumb finding the bud at the top of her folds.
Alice moaned and whimpered, utterly lost in the moment.
Evander moaned, wanting nothing more than to throw her on the bed and take her.
He knew she needed more though. He had hurt her enough tonight, he wasn’t going to hurt her doing what she had been begging for.
Slowly but surely, he worked her open. Her heat clenched around him, desperate for more of him.
He kissed her shoulder and sucked, leaving a mark there. He pulled back to look at the mark.
Beautiful…