Total pages in book: 96
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 91416 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 457(@200wpm)___ 366(@250wpm)___ 305(@300wpm)
She hurried off the bed, away from him.
“You are right, Dru. It is your choice. I need you to obey me so that I can count on you when it matters. That I know you can obey the most difficult choices when necessary and ignore the ones that won’t matter.”
“I am not like your parents. I will never abandon you no matter what the circumstances,” she argued. “If we face starvation, then we face it together. No matter what the threat, we face it together. Never. Never will I abandon you.”
Her response was strange to him. He had not given thought to his own past and the damage done. He never expected anyone to ever be faithful to him, to forever defend him, to never abandon him. But she had proven otherwise even though she had left him that one time, it was out of love, a selfish act so that he might live.
Dru went to him and tilted her head back to look up at him. “I am yours and I will do my best to obey you, though since I know better, more times than you, that might be difficult.”
Knox gripped the back of his neck, “Good, Lord, but I love you.”
“Prove it,” she challenged once more. “I am dripping wet with desire for you.”
“Bloody hell, wife, how can you expect me to take my time when you say something like that to me?”
She grinned. “What makes you think I want slow tonight.”
He grinned himself. “You asked for it.”
“And I am still waiting for it.”
He yanked her up, dropped her on the bed and entered her so swiftly that she cried out with pleasure.
“Whatever you do, don’t stop,” she pleaded.
And he didn’t. He pounded her hard and fast, his passion as potent as hers.
He captured her screams of pleasure with his mouth afraid his own cries of pleasure would echo along with hers across the land. It was a soul-shattering climax, shared together, stealing their breaths and uniting their hearts.
They lay breathlessly beside each other when Knox finally slipped off her.
“This is what I want for us, for our life together,” Knox said when he was able to speak. “To feel such pleasure, know such contentment. Share such love.”
“Do you think it’s possible?” she asked apprehensively.
“We won’t know if we don’t try, we don’t fight,” he said, reaching over to pull her against him and the blanket over them. He turned his head to kiss her brow. “I know obedience isn’t easy for you, but there are times you need to weigh its necessity.”
“And times to ignore it,” she said, snuggling against him, enjoying the warmth of his familiar body.
“And wise enough to know the difference,” he reminded.
“I understand but—”
“You can’t get the innocent women—like Reena—out of your mind and those who may suffer because of your plight.”
“Aye. How do I prevent that?”
“First, by quelling rumors about Autumn while we search for who wants her dead and secondly, which you are not going to like, we seek Torrance’s help.”
“I feared you might say that,” she said with a heavy sigh.
“We have no choice. He is the only one powerful enough to help us.”
“And powerful enough for him to take me away from you,” she reminded.
“Trust me when I tell you that I will not allow that to happen.”
“Trust me when I tell you that my step-brother won’t care. He will have his way.”
“We will see,” Knox said. “Tomorrow is a new day. We will tackle our problems then, for now we sleep in peace.”
Peace.
She had found it in Knox’s arms, but would she be able to keep it?
CHAPTER 24
Soft kisses and tender touches woke her the next morning, and while last night was rushed, this morning they shared a gentle, lingering lovemaking. It was a memory Dru would always cherish.
However, they were reminded soon enough of their present dilemma and hurried to ready themselves to face the day when a knock sounded at the door. The monk from the night before delivered food and drink and informed them that Brother Edmund would be with them shortly.
Dru had no appetite. She nibbled on a piece of bread at her husband’s insistence as restless thoughts kept her pacing around the fire pit.
It wasn’t long before Brother Edmund arrived.
“I will take you to him now,” he said, then stepped outside and waited for them to follow.
Knox swung his cloak over his shoulders then grabbed Dru’s cloak off the bed and draped it around her shoulders, giving them a squeeze as he eased her out the door. He felt her tension, her worry, and he shared them.
Brother Edmund led them through the maze of makeshift shelters and soot-darkened camps, a makeshift world cobbled together in the shadow of the partially built abbey. Around it now stretched a sprawl of tents and lean-tos, and smoke curling into the gray sky. Men in plain, brown robes moved quietly, some tending fires, others hunched in silent prayer. The MacTavish brothers snored loudly around one fire all except Atley. He slept with his arms around Reena.