who had taken his life. The same one who now held her life in his hands. She stared at his hands, remembering the sight of them and him covered in her brother’s blood that terrible morning.
Arabella did not realise she’d launched herself at him until they tumbled to the ground.
Chapter Nine
T he only warning he got that she would attack was the briefest flash of complete and utter devastation in her blue eyes. Then, her eyes darkened and she leapt from the back of the horse at him, throwing her full weight onto him. Her knee landed a blow in his gut and he could not breathe from the power of it. Then, she screamed unintelligible words as she clawed at him with her nails.
The black reacted, too, dancing and shuffling next to them—too damn close to them—as Brodie tried to get control over the she-demon who raked his face with her nails. If he did not get them out of the way, they would both be trampled to death by the huge stallion. And there was no way that the horse would not be injured in such a situation. A shrill whistle pierced the air, alerting him to help.
Brodie managed to get both of her hands in his and rolled over, straddling her in the muddy path. Rob ran to them, first throwing his hands up to try to scare the horse away and then, when it had backed up, grabbing the reins and bringing it down on all four hooves and trying to calm it.
As he did with the wild woman beneath him.
They were both covered in mud from the wet ditch next to the path that collected the rain. Her cloak had loosened and she lay there, struggling against his hold as she called him a murderer over and over.
‘Arabella,’ he ground out through clenched teeth. ‘Stop. Now.’ He leaned more heavily on her softness, trying to make her cease her fight and her accusations.
He wanted to stop her words. Others were gathering, drawn by the sounds of their struggle and her screams, and he did not want them to hear. They might all think the same thing. They might not believe him guilty, but hearing the claim spewed aloud before all of those who threw their lives and futures in with his was not something he wanted right now. Not here.
‘Stop,’ he whispered. ‘I beg you. Just stop.’
His quiet plea broke through her hysteria and she stilled. He knew when she had gained control over herself, for her eyes finally centred on his face. Everything in her gave up in the same moment. Her body softened beneath him, all trace of resistance dissolved away so quickly he thought she’d fainted. Her breathing came heavily then, moving her breasts against him and reminding him of his promise not to harm her.
Brodie eased up, releasing her hands slowly, ready to capture them again if he needed to. His face stung and his stomach hurt. Pushing to his feet and wiping the blood and mud off his face, he reached out to help her up. Her empty gaze filled with confusion and shame as she lay there unmoving.
Rob had taken the beast away and his men cleared out of the area, so Brodie leaned down and scooped her into his arms. She did not fight him—indeed, she did nothing but slump against his chest. Only then did he realise she wore another man’s garments and not her own gown. And he felt the outline of shapely, feminine legs on his arm and knew that he would feel much more if he moved his hands.
Walking towards the small cave he claimed as his, he nodded to one of his guards to follow. Once he carried her inside and let her stand, he returned with orders for buckets of hot water and cold and for Margaret to attend her.
* * *
The night was full dark by the time she had cleaned the mud and muck from herself and he’d used the nearby stream. The frigid cold water had shocked him back to his senses. He thought it might dampen the growing desire he felt for her, but that came roaring back as soon as he entered his shelter and found her there, sitting on his pallet, wrapped in a blanket and staring at the far wall.
He approached quietly but without
Arabella did not realise she’d launched herself at him until they tumbled to the ground.
Chapter Nine
T he only warning he got that she would attack was the briefest flash of complete and utter devastation in her blue eyes. Then, her eyes darkened and she leapt from the back of the horse at him, throwing her full weight onto him. Her knee landed a blow in his gut and he could not breathe from the power of it. Then, she screamed unintelligible words as she clawed at him with her nails.
The black reacted, too, dancing and shuffling next to them—too damn close to them—as Brodie tried to get control over the she-demon who raked his face with her nails. If he did not get them out of the way, they would both be trampled to death by the huge stallion. And there was no way that the horse would not be injured in such a situation. A shrill whistle pierced the air, alerting him to help.
Brodie managed to get both of her hands in his and rolled over, straddling her in the muddy path. Rob ran to them, first throwing his hands up to try to scare the horse away and then, when it had backed up, grabbing the reins and bringing it down on all four hooves and trying to calm it.
As he did with the wild woman beneath him.
They were both covered in mud from the wet ditch next to the path that collected the rain. Her cloak had loosened and she lay there, struggling against his hold as she called him a murderer over and over.
‘Arabella,’ he ground out through clenched teeth. ‘Stop. Now.’ He leaned more heavily on her softness, trying to make her cease her fight and her accusations.
He wanted to stop her words. Others were gathering, drawn by the sounds of their struggle and her screams, and he did not want them to hear. They might all think the same thing. They might not believe him guilty, but hearing the claim spewed aloud before all of those who threw their lives and futures in with his was not something he wanted right now. Not here.
‘Stop,’ he whispered. ‘I beg you. Just stop.’
His quiet plea broke through her hysteria and she stilled. He knew when she had gained control over herself, for her eyes finally centred on his face. Everything in her gave up in the same moment. Her body softened beneath him, all trace of resistance dissolved away so quickly he thought she’d fainted. Her breathing came heavily then, moving her breasts against him and reminding him of his promise not to harm her.
Brodie eased up, releasing her hands slowly, ready to capture them again if he needed to. His face stung and his stomach hurt. Pushing to his feet and wiping the blood and mud off his face, he reached out to help her up. Her empty gaze filled with confusion and shame as she lay there unmoving.
Rob had taken the beast away and his men cleared out of the area, so Brodie leaned down and scooped her into his arms. She did not fight him—indeed, she did nothing but slump against his chest. Only then did he realise she wore another man’s garments and not her own gown. And he felt the outline of shapely, feminine legs on his arm and knew that he would feel much more if he moved his hands.
Walking towards the small cave he claimed as his, he nodded to one of his guards to follow. Once he carried her inside and let her stand, he returned with orders for buckets of hot water and cold and for Margaret to attend her.
* * *
The night was full dark by the time she had cleaned the mud and muck from herself and he’d used the nearby stream. The frigid cold water had shocked him back to his senses. He thought it might dampen the growing desire he felt for her, but that came roaring back as soon as he entered his shelter and found her there, sitting on his pallet, wrapped in a blanket and staring at the far wall.
He approached quietly but without
Similar Books
