Page 71 of Her Tempting Traitor
With a little noise of approval, she rolled to the side and took him with her. Tucking him up against her, she held the man she loved close as he buried his face in her shoulder and cried silently.
It was her turn to stroke his back, to whisper words of love and affirmation.
And silently, vow to fix this.
Tomorrow she had a letter to write to Bull—because hecouldfix this.
Cassian might have been sworn to secrecy about his friends’ deaths and the mission, but there was one person to whom hewouldtell the truth.
He would have to.
CHAPTER 13
“Laddie, why no’ run ahead and have the stable master ready our horses, eh?” Cassian offered his son a smile as they reached the stairs the following day. “I can tell ye’re frustrated by how slow I am.”
Gus immediately halted, his expression contrite. “I’m sorry, Da. I didn’t mean to leave you behind.”
Da.
Cassian doubted he’deverget used to hearing that name, and now he allowed his fondness to show on his face as he carefully gripped the banister and made his way toward the foyer. “I’m no’ hurt, honestly. Ye’re just much faster than I am.”
And besides, last night had proven that although he may not run again anytime soon, Cassian still had plenty of strength. Carrying Gabby from her room to his own had proved that.
But after…
Christ Almighty, what had he done to deserve someone like her? Brilliant, caring,andarousing as hell?
She was remarkable, and last night proved it.
Not just the way she’d come apart in his arms, screaming his name in the bath. But after, when she’d listened to his story, reallylistened…and said what he’d needed to hear. Hehadn’tallowed himself the chance to mourn for his friends, and last night…she’d made that happen. She’d forced him to acknowledge their loss—not as agents, not as pawns, but as men whom he’d cared for and cared about.
Men he was only now realizing—thanks to her—that he hadn’t failed.
The Prince had.
Last night, he’d told her he loved her. Aye, he’d blurted it out at an inopportune moment, and she’d replied with the fact that she was a liar, and he hadn’t repeated it. She’d confessed the truth, and then so had he.
It had been what he needed: a catharsis, to move forward.
The question was…could he?
Would he beallowedto?
“Look, Da! There’s Gabby! Can I invite her?” From the sly look on the lad’s face, he was well aware what finding the pair of them in bed together the other morning had meant.
And truthfully, Cassian didn’t mind. He didn’t mind that Dickie and Zilphia knew he was fooking Gabby either. In fact, considering how Hunter had acted yesterday, perhaps the whole damned castle knew it.
But what hewantedthem to know was that he’d lost his heart to the remarkable woman.
The woman who had broken him…and put him back together again.
“Aye, laddie. Let’s see if she’s available to join us.”
Gabby was speaking to the footman in the foyer. “—and remember, I need a response. You do not have to wait, because someone is going to deliver the message to my uncle Bull’s offices. But as soon as the response comes through, I want someone to deliver it here posthaste, and I will pay.”
“Oh, it’s nae problem, miss,” the footman said, taking the telegram from her and patting his pocket. “And I’ll make certain the letter gets mailed at the same time. With how fast our trains are running these days, yer uncle might get the letter before the telegram!”
“As long as he gets it,” she said with a firm nod. “And I know his plans.”
