Page 67 of Claimed By My Fiancé's Brother

“I…” Eleanor blinked and cleared her throat, her cheeks flushed. “Is the war over?”

My gaze dipped from those stunning emerald eyes to where Eleanor’s hand lay on mine.

The sight of our hands intertwined made something inside me twist almost painfully.

Pulling my hand away from hers, I put up the wall in my mind brick by brick, until the bond between us stopped confusing me.

“What were you doing at the border?” I demanded.

Eleanor stared at me for a moment, obviously confused by my sudden shift in attitude.

“I was going for a run,” she said finally.

It was a plausible enough explanation, but for some reason, I found it hard to believe.

“A run?” I deadpanned. “Late at night, at the boundary that borders rogue territory?”

Eleanor flushed harder, and when her gaze met mine, it was with more than a little indignation.

“I can go wherever I want whenever I choose to, Alexander.”

Something in me snapped at her words.

“Even at the expense of your life?” I growled. “You could have died!”

My voice must have given something away because suddenly, Eleanor’s anger vanished. She stared at me with an emotion in her eyes I hadn’t seen in years.

“Thank you,” she whispered. “For saving me.”

I almost wavered.Almost.

“I wouldn’t need to save you if you didn’t keep putting yourself in harm’s way,” I snapped.

But Eleanor didn’t back down. She sat up and turned to face me fully.

“Why do you?” she asked. “Save me, that is. You…wehate each other, so why do you keep helping me?”

She stared at me, her eyes searching mine for the answer to her questions.

“Does the thought that I could’ve died really bother you?”

I didn’t respond, and that moment of silence seemed to stretch on forever.

Eleanor’s eyes stayed locked on mine. Her breath came fast and her pupils dilated. Her intoxicatingly sensual scent was heavy with anticipation.

The look in her eyes reminded me of the one she’d given me in the bathtub when she said the words that had completely sundered me.

I think I’ve always wanted you.

“You are my mate.” My words came out harsher than I intended them to. “My responsibility, as unfortunate as that may be. You getting hurt while you’re under my protection will bring shame to my name.”

The light in Eleanor’s eyes went out.

“That’s all I am to you,” she breathed. “An unwanted responsibility and continual source of shame.”

I said nothing more, and Eleanor’s features hardened further.

Turning away from me, she attempted to get out of bed. She stumbled, a sharp gasp of pain slipping past her lips.

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