Page 98 of The Winter Laird

He kissed the sensitive spot behind her ear, and she shivered. “Brianagh, I don’t know what Erin Donovan told you about that MacDermott lass,” he murmured, “but since the day I dragged you up from that hole in the stables, it’s only been you.”

She took his hand and guided it to her belly. “No, Nick. I mean…more than just me,” she said again softly. His eyes widened at his hand lying on her flat stomach.

Then his eyes flew to hers, surprised and amazed.

She nodded. “Once was enough, I suppose,” she said with a small smile.

His gaze intensified as he stared into her eyes. “Once will never be enough,” he said. “Forever will never”—he kissed the corner of her lips—“be”—he kissed the other corner—“enough.” He slid his tongue between her lips, and she sighed, giving him greater access. He deepened the kiss, his hand never leaving her stomach.

“NICK!”

“The man has the worst timing known to mankind,” Nioclas said against her lips.

She laughed, then wrapped her arms around Nioclas’s neck. “Can we ignore him and hope he goes away? That’s what my aunt always told me to do when someone was particularly annoying.”

Nioclas growled playfully. “If anyone bother you here, they’ll have to deal with me. I don’t, unfortunately, ignore annoyances.” He kissed her hard on the mouth, then rolled off the bed and stalked to the door. “What?” he snapped to Donovan and Reilly.

“We think Burke is still in the castle somewhere.” Donovan glanced down. “You might want to get dressed for this one.”

Brianagh sat up, her eyes wide. “What?”

Donovan nodded. “His horse is tethered—we found it in the forest not an hour ago.”

Nioclas swore, then grabbed his léine and began wrapping it around himself. “He could’ve left on foot.”

“Not likely,” Reilly replied, appearing at the door. “We also found this.”

Nioclas took the scroll from Reilly and unrolled it. His jaw set as he read it. “Cavan.”

“What’s Cavan?” Brianagh asked, waving them all into the room and shutting the door behind them.

“Who,” Reilly corrected her. “He’s a MacWilliam ally.”

“Or was,” Nioclas said. He handed the scroll to her. “He looks to be the next clan Burke wishes to bring against us.”

“This is a contract that if the other dies in a battle with the MacWilliam clan, the other is to assume lairdship until the battle for true laird can take place,” Brianagh said. She looked up. “I’m confused.”

“It’s the same agreement he had with Kildare,” Donovan said angrily. “He sends the laird and his men in to die, then assumes control of the clan once the dirty work is done. It’s his strategy for acquiring his own clan again.”

“Very bold,” Reilly agreed. “But effective. With the laird’s signature and seal, there’s no contesting this.”

“Which is why we think he’s still on castle grounds,” Donovan added. “He has nothing without this parchment.”

“Well, no time like the present to find the bastard,” Nioclas said. He shot a look at Brianagh. “We will finish what we started, my lady. I vow it.”

“I know how seriously you take your vows,” she replied with a small smile.

“And I know how foolish they are,” Reilly said pointedly.

Nioclas’s face turned to granite as he laced up his boots. “Not this time, O’Malley.”

Chapter 29

Brianagh sat in the kitchen, chopping vegetables to keep busy. Keela was working alongside her silently, and Kane guarded the door after he’d barricaded the other. Twenty other men guarded the kitchen area in various form. Despite Brianagh’s complaints, Nioclas refused to move on his stance. She was carrying his child and she would be protected at all costs.

She gave an extra oomph to the poor vegetable in front of her, then put her knife down and sighed.

“I understand the feeling, my lady,” Keela said, wiping her hands on the front of her apron. “But we must feed these men to keep their strength up. If we concentrate on that, it’ll pass the time.”

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