“I didn’t think I had to. Didn’t your father have your mother stand to his non-dominant side?”
I can say one thing for Kieran. He will be adamant about protecting me if I become his wife… just as a husband should be. I liked what he said while I was in the shower. Not the part about my being his property. I liked him saying that I would be his treasure to protect and that he would place himself between me and whatever danger was presented. And that no harm would ever come to me or our children.
His drive to keep me safe is sexy. Very sexy.
I didn’t see that protective nature in my father, and it’s shameful to admit. “My father wasn’t concerned with protecting anyone but himself. He was a real jackass.”
“I never met your father, but I’ve heard many things about him.”
I’m sure that nothing he heard was good. “You didn’t miss out on anything except evil incarnate.”
“He was killed by Sinclair, his own nephew. That tells me a lot about Abram.”
“My cousin didn’t have a choice. My father told Sin that he was going to kill his twin sons and then join The Order to lead the fight against The Fellowship.” I’ve never told anyone about my father’s heinous threats to murder those innocent babies; he brought so much shame upon our family.
“Your father should have been killed. Probably sooner than he was.”
“He was evil, and I fully understand that, but I could never bring myself to hate him because he never mistreated me. I think he loved me the only way he knew how.”
“What about your mother? I’m curious to know what kind of woman marries a man like Abram Breckenridge?”
“A power-hungry one.”
“She should have married Thane if it was power she wanted.”
“It was mortifying to have the overbearing parents who walked around acting as though they should be the ones leading the brotherhood. Completely disrespectful. Thane was too kind to my father. It took a lot of work and patience on his part to keep Dad at bay, but he did it because he loved his brother.”
“I’m sure Thane has taken responsibility for your mum?”
“Yes, but not because he wanted to. He felt it was his duty, but that doesn’t mean he or Isobel are going to tolerate her shite. Believe me when I say that she pushes them to their limits, just as my dad did.”
“Isobel told me you were being saved for someone?”
“My father wanted me to marry Sin.”
I see the same puzzled look on Kieran’s face that I’ve seen on everyone else’s when they hear what my father was planning. “Your relation is too close for marriage.”
“Technically, no. My father was adopted so we aren’t genetically tied, but that never mattered to either of us. Sin and I are cousins. We were raised together. I could never think of him in any other way, blood relation or not.”
“I guess if Abram couldn’t be leader of The Fellowship, marrying you to Sinclair was his next best option. But why you and not your sister? She’s older.”
“He never said why, but I think it’s because he saw me as a better puppet. Evanna has been too selfish and spoiled to concern herself with Fellowship business. She wouldn’t have carried out his instructions because she’d have been too busy shopping or having her nails done.” My sister has been high maintenance in the past, but I’ve seen a change in her since she fell in love with Craig. He doesn’t have the money or status to maintain the luxurious lifestyle she’s been accustomed to. But she doesn’t care, which makes me so proud of her.
“Further evidence that you are the one I want.”
No man has ever spoken to me the way Kieran does. Telling me that I’m beautiful and that he wants me and that I’m going to be his. Feeling desired and wanted… it’s intoxicating, even if it is coming from this brute. It’s a nice change from being ignored by Fellowship men.
Kieran looks at my plate. “You need to eat to replenish your strength so Nan doesn’t figure out that we didn’t fuck all night.”
Bleu says that Sin’s mouth is filthy when they’re behind closed doors. Ellison says the same about Jamie, but this crude language coming from a man is new to me.
“And after I ate all of those oysters to get my womanly juices flowing.” I close my eyes and regret the words the moment they leave my mouth.
Kieran chuckles. “That was me who got your womanly juices flowing, doll. Not the oysters.”
“I should have known that you’d be crass and bring that up.”
“It wasn’t me who brought up your womanly juices.”
Dammit. He’s got me there. I walked right into that one because my tongue got ahead of my brain. I should change the subject to something else he’d be interested in discussing.
I hold up my hand and spread my fingers. “This really is a gorgeous ring.”
“Gorgeous ring for a gorgeous girl.”
I knew that would change the direction of our conversation. “No one would ever look at my hand and wonder if I’m taken.”
“A definite warning sign for other men to fuck off.” He reaches for my hand and looks at the ring. I think he really likes seeing it on me. “I will end any man who doesn’t heed this warning.”
I think he means that.
We finish breakfast and Kieran leads me across the property to another building. “This is my private indoor range. I’m the only person who shoots here. I thought you might prefer it over outdoor shooting since it’s so cold today.”
“I appreciate that. I’d probably make you miss your target because my teeth would be chattering so hard.”
“I never miss my target. My accuracy is spot-on.”
I haven’t practiced lately. “My accuracy is not spot-on.”
“You shoot?”
That caught his attention. I nod. “I do, but I’m not the best.”
“It isn’t possible for you to be the best because I’m the best.” Kieran isn’t all serious, all the time. I like this lighter side of him.
“Cocky much?”
He chuckles. “I’m very cocky when it comes to shooting a gun.”
“I think you’re cocky about more than shooting.”
“Won’t argue with you.”
I follow Kieran to a bay and he crosses one arm over his midsection. He pulls a handgun from a holster and then repeats the action on the opposite side. I did not see that coming. “I had no idea that you had those guns on you.”
“I always have guns on me. Always… unless I’m naked. But even then, they aren’t far from my reach.” He uses his finger to beckon me. I go to him, and he places a pair of safety glasses on my face. “Stand here and show me your stance.”
I move into the position Bleu taught me. Arms fully extended. Shoulders relaxed. Feet hip-width apart. Knees slightly bent. Upper body leaning forward ever so slightly. Weight balanced. Tight grip on my invisible handgun.
“Very nice, doll. Did Abram teach you?”
“No. Sin’s wife, Bleu.”
“Ahh… Bleu Breckenridge, the former FBI agent who fell in love with and married her target’s son—the next leader of The Fellowship. Only married a year and already breeding the next generation of leaders. Two sons and a daughter. That’s impressive.”
They took in an orphaned baby girl while Bleu was pregnant with the twins. I’m not a bit shocked that Bleu refused to give her up even though she already had two sons of her own on the way. Three babies. It’s like having triplets. Bairns moving in three different directions at once. I don’t know how she does it. I also don’t know how she could want more, but she does. “Their story is an unlikely romance.”
“As unlikely as the captive who falls in love with her captor? Or the wife in the arranged marriage who falls in love with her husband?”
I could never fall in love with him—the leader of The Order. The man who kidnapped me. The man who threatened to do whatever he wanted with my body against my will. But I can’t let him know that. “I suppose stranger things have happened.”
r /> Kieran holds up one of his handguns. “What kind of gun did you shoot when you were taught?”
“Beretta.” Bleu’s gun of choice.
“Both of these are heavier and more powerful, but this one will feel more like a Beretta in your hands.”
I take Kieran’s gun and wrap my hand around it the way Bleu taught me. “Definitely heavier.”
“The recoil is going to be stronger than a Beretta, so you must grip it tightly.”
I lift my arms and relax my shoulders. “I have a tight grip.”
“Set your sights on your target. Visually align it.” I nod. “Stop nodding. You’ll lose your alignment.”
I’m getting tired of being bossed around by this man. “Stop annoying me.”
“Your smart mouth is going to get you into a heap of trouble with me. Keep on and you might find yourself across my lap getting spanked.”
I should keep my mouth shut and not provoke him, but doing so does something to me. I can’t resist poking this bear. “That’s amusing. Maybe you can be a comedian if this Order thing doesn’t work out for you.”
“I’d spank you right now if you weren’t holding my gun.”
“You’d like that, wouldn’t you?”
“I’d like it far more than you know.”