expecting
guests."
“Aye, Milord." Flanna and Ivy left the room.
“Who is coming?"
“Your father and brother are to be our guests this
evening.”
Asilinn's eyes sprung open in surprise. “They are
coming into the castle?"
“Your father sent me an ultimatum. I returned an
invitation. I'm sure he'll come. I told him of our marriage and invited him and
your brother."
Asilinn took a deep breath. “What am I to do?"
Jared's face hardened. “Your choice was made when you
spoke your wedding vows Asilinn. You are my wife. Naught will change that.
Dinna think you can leave with them."
“It is a lot to ask if your peace is
unsuccessful."
“I dinna ask, I just state fact." He pulled her
into his arms. She tried to push him away, but he found her mouth and kissed
her.
Jared released her reluctantly, fighting his own
battle over whether or not to press the point. Deep down he knew he could prove
his claim on her body if he gave it his full effort. But he should not be
swayed by his lust for her in his negotiations, he let her go. Asilinn wiped
her mouth with the back of her hand as if his lips had soiled hers.
Fighting down his irritation, he took a few steps
away from her. “I will talk to your father and brother alone first. Then I'll
have Wynne fetch you."
“I would be present for all, Milord. Am I not deeply
involved in this mess?”
“There may be harsh words between us when I first
meet them. I will not have you hear their curses.
“I have heard the like before."
“I wilna have you there."
“He is my father!"
“Aye, and I dinna have to let you see him at all. I
will speak to them first and I'll send for you. Afterward you may see them
alone if you wish.” He watched her face for a reaction.
Asilinn's jaw drew taut. “I forget my place, Milord,”
she said sarcastically. “Your whore-wife apologizes for her mistake.”
“You are my wife! Dinna forget your station or your
purpose.”
She held her stance but he saw the tremor rippling
through her. She was afraid and with good reason. “I wilna forget.” She drew a
ragged breath.
“Good, because if you call yourself a whore one more
time I may be tempted to let you become just that.”
Would he share her with his men? Asilinn blanched at
the thought. She must try to keep her tongue in check.
He grasped her face with his hand and stared down
into her eyes. “Do you hear me? I’ll not have my wife called whore not even by
her own lips. One such wife was enough.”
Asilinn tried to suppress her shock. His first wife,
the one it was rumored he had murdered, had been a woman of ill repute in his
eyes. God’s teeth, she played with fire if she stirred his ire. “Aye, I hear
you,” she said. “I wilna insult you again with my careless anger, Milord.”
He glared at her in silence for a full minute before
he responded. “Good.”
***
Jared waited in the main hall. By his own order, he
stood alone to await the arrival of Laird Innes and his son Ian. Morven and
Keith had been sent to greet them and Liam awaited his command outside the
door.
A commotion from below told Jared his guests were on
the way. He heard Flanna offer them welcoming refreshment, but Laird Innes'
gruff voice ordered her out of the way. Jared braced himself for the upcoming
confrontation.
The fierce-looking, blond warrior with a full beard
and ice-blue eyes barreled through the doorway. His son followed and Liam
brought up the rear. Jared stood at the front of the hall on the raised
platform. He waited for the angry Scotsman to approach him.
“Greetings, Laird Innes."
“Where is she?” Angus thundered. “I dinna have the
time or the disposition for idle conversation. Give me my daughter and I'll
leave this house of the devil!”
Jared's face tightened. “Asilinn is now my wife.
Would you have me cast her aside now I have taken her innocence?”
“Liar, my sister wouldna lay with the likes of you.”
“If you have hurt her,” Angus snarled, “you'll be
guests."
“Aye, Milord." Flanna and Ivy left the room.
“Who is coming?"
“Your father and brother are to be our guests this
evening.”
Asilinn's eyes sprung open in surprise. “They are
coming into the castle?"
“Your father sent me an ultimatum. I returned an
invitation. I'm sure he'll come. I told him of our marriage and invited him and
your brother."
Asilinn took a deep breath. “What am I to do?"
Jared's face hardened. “Your choice was made when you
spoke your wedding vows Asilinn. You are my wife. Naught will change that.
Dinna think you can leave with them."
“It is a lot to ask if your peace is
unsuccessful."
“I dinna ask, I just state fact." He pulled her
into his arms. She tried to push him away, but he found her mouth and kissed
her.
Jared released her reluctantly, fighting his own
battle over whether or not to press the point. Deep down he knew he could prove
his claim on her body if he gave it his full effort. But he should not be
swayed by his lust for her in his negotiations, he let her go. Asilinn wiped
her mouth with the back of her hand as if his lips had soiled hers.
Fighting down his irritation, he took a few steps
away from her. “I will talk to your father and brother alone first. Then I'll
have Wynne fetch you."
“I would be present for all, Milord. Am I not deeply
involved in this mess?”
“There may be harsh words between us when I first
meet them. I will not have you hear their curses.
“I have heard the like before."
“I wilna have you there."
“He is my father!"
“Aye, and I dinna have to let you see him at all. I
will speak to them first and I'll send for you. Afterward you may see them
alone if you wish.” He watched her face for a reaction.
Asilinn's jaw drew taut. “I forget my place, Milord,”
she said sarcastically. “Your whore-wife apologizes for her mistake.”
“You are my wife! Dinna forget your station or your
purpose.”
She held her stance but he saw the tremor rippling
through her. She was afraid and with good reason. “I wilna forget.” She drew a
ragged breath.
“Good, because if you call yourself a whore one more
time I may be tempted to let you become just that.”
Would he share her with his men? Asilinn blanched at
the thought. She must try to keep her tongue in check.
He grasped her face with his hand and stared down
into her eyes. “Do you hear me? I’ll not have my wife called whore not even by
her own lips. One such wife was enough.”
Asilinn tried to suppress her shock. His first wife,
the one it was rumored he had murdered, had been a woman of ill repute in his
eyes. God’s teeth, she played with fire if she stirred his ire. “Aye, I hear
you,” she said. “I wilna insult you again with my careless anger, Milord.”
He glared at her in silence for a full minute before
he responded. “Good.”
***
Jared waited in the main hall. By his own order, he
stood alone to await the arrival of Laird Innes and his son Ian. Morven and
Keith had been sent to greet them and Liam awaited his command outside the
door.
A commotion from below told Jared his guests were on
the way. He heard Flanna offer them welcoming refreshment, but Laird Innes'
gruff voice ordered her out of the way. Jared braced himself for the upcoming
confrontation.
The fierce-looking, blond warrior with a full beard
and ice-blue eyes barreled through the doorway. His son followed and Liam
brought up the rear. Jared stood at the front of the hall on the raised
platform. He waited for the angry Scotsman to approach him.
“Greetings, Laird Innes."
“Where is she?” Angus thundered. “I dinna have the
time or the disposition for idle conversation. Give me my daughter and I'll
leave this house of the devil!”
Jared's face tightened. “Asilinn is now my wife.
Would you have me cast her aside now I have taken her innocence?”
“Liar, my sister wouldna lay with the likes of you.”
“If you have hurt her,” Angus snarled, “you'll be
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