by Mia Pride
Brennain looked at Caleb as if he wished to throttle the man, but Morna was tired of trying to understand what was going on, or why Brennain had sounded exasperated when she said Caleb was her former husband. Did he think she would try to get between him and Nola? Is that why he looked concerned when she dragged Nola inside? Perhaps he was worried Morna would fill her ears with lies… not that she ever would. What he did with his life was none of her business. And after all the graphic information Arline and Mavis had shared around the village about their night with Brennain, Morna wanted nothing to do with Brennain. He could bed any lass he wanted. He had had his chance with her but instead returned to Ériu without looking back. She still wondered why he so easily bedded any lass he saw but had never even attempted more than kisses with her.
Taking her daughter back from Caleb, Morna made a shooing motion to the men. “’Tis time for my daughter to sleep. You men can work out… whatever this is… without me.” She shut the door behind her, now stuck in a room with her mother who was blessedly silent… for now, her daughter and this poor woman who seemed so shaken that Morna wanted to wrap her up in a hug, but resisted the temptation to do so.
“Make yourself comfortable, Nola. I am going to put Glennis down to sleep. Mother, can you please boil the water?” Morna’s head was spinning and she felt all she could do was to keep moving and keep her mind active. Now that Caleb was home, she hoped he would be as uncaring as he had been before. She truly did not want to even try to save their marriage. He did not fool her. Mayhap he had been an informant for King Ailbert, but he took the opportunity and ran. He had no care for her or Glennis, despite his false display outside.
“My thanks,” Nola whispered as she buried herself in Brennain’s cloak once more and inhaled the scent of him on the fabric.
Morna felt slightly ill but continued to lay Glennis down. If she could handle the details Mavis had shared about her night with Brennain, she could survive this woman smelling his cloak.
She had so many questions for Nola, but she decided not to ask. Nola looked like she had been through the ordeal of a lifetime and she did not know Morna at all. It would not be right to make the woman speak of it.
Her mother brought a steaming mug of tea over to Nola and the woman smiled as she reached out a small dirty hand. “My thanks,” she murmured.
“Elsbeth, ‘tis my name, lass.”
“My thanks, Elsbeth.” Her mother nodded and walked away, giving the woman space.
A sudden knock on the door made Morna yelp with surprise. She covered her mouth, hoping she had not disturbed Glennis, who had fallen asleep instantly. Though she was slightly glad to have an excuse to move away from Nola, she dreaded opening the door. Most likely it was Caleb come to cause more trouble. To be honest, she was done with this place. Aside from Glennis and her mother, she had nothing left in this village. She enjoyed healing, but she certainly was not the only healer and since Glennis was born, it felt as if everyone sought out the older, more experienced healer so Morna could care for her daughter. While she appreciated the time with her child, she felt rather useless most days. In fact, it felt like the village begrudgingly cared for them out of some sort of obligation, yet there were few pleasantries. And with the nasty lassies like Arline and Mavis, and so many others who had bedded her husband and cruelly teased her, she had no true friends here.
Walking over to the door, she placed a hand on her hip and scowled. “What do you want, Caleb?”
Bright green eyes beamed at her and once again, it felt as if her heart was squeezing the life out of her. He affected her on a physical level to the point where she ached everywhere, but nowhere fiercer than her heart. How she longed to feel his kiss once more, but it would never be the same as it had been before. Before, he made her believe she was his world, that she was special. Now, she knew where those lips… and other parts of him had been, in the same places her husband’s had been, and she could never kiss him again. Her love for this man had been borne in ignorance and now she saw him for who he truly was: a beautiful man with a darkened soul.
“Not Caleb,” he said softly as she stared at him. His gaze skimmed down her body and she felt the heat in her cheeks.
“Are you here to see Nola?” She looked away from him, feeling dizzy and hazy in her mind when their eyes made prolonged contact.
“What? Nay. I wish to speak with you, Morna.” His voice was soft, and she felt his hand graze her knuckles still clutching tightly to the door.
Her first instinct was to refuse him and slam the door on his face, but she took a deep breath and forced herself to look at him. If they were to move on with their lives, it was best to talk and move on. “What is it you want, Brennain?” she sighed wearily.
“You. You are what I want.”
Chapter Seven
He saw the rise and fall of her chest and the pinkening of her cheeks. He also saw her twitch when he touched her hand, as if she wished to move away from him. It hurt that she despised his touch. What had he ever done to her? Aye, he had left and gone back to Ériu, but during their time together, he had been more respectful to her than any other lass and though he hoped to return someday, no promises had been given. It was she who had married Caleb. And now that he understood Glennis was not her true daughter, and with the knowledge of her separation from Caleb, he wondered if all he had heard was true. Had Morna only married Caleb to protect Glennis and give her a father? Was there any love for Caleb? She had been crying when he saw her last and she claimed she cried for her husband, yet even Caleb claimed that Morna hated him. Brennain needed answers.
“You. You are what I want.”
With his words, her blue eyes widened and more pink crept up her face. He needed to be direct and honest with her. There was no more time for stepping around this. Eoghann was now in King Ailbert’s custody and the king was deciding with his council how to proceed. If they imprison or kill him, Mal would surely come for his revenge and with him, mayhap the Rómánach. But could they simply let a man as dangerous and deceptive as Eoghann go? He was not sure, but this was not his tribe, therefore the decision was not his to make. He left the other men to their discussion, feeling his entire being pulling him back toward Morna. He needed to leave Miathi in the morning and before he could do that, he needed to tell Morna how he felt.
She just stared at him with her mouth open and all he wanted to do was take her mouth with his, to feel his tongue slide against hers as it once had. He had been her first kiss and the feel of her innocence had warmed his heart. She was not like any of the other lassies he had been with. Those women were often serving women or women who had long ago lost their innocence. In fact, he had never taken the innocence of a lass in his life. Though he had wanted to be the one to teach Morna the ways of love, he had a feeling Caleb had beat him to it.
“Step outside with me, Morna. Please.” He grazed the back of his knuckles against her cheek and she shuddered. He saw gooseflesh form on the top of her chest. Then, her resolve came back.
“All right, Brennain. We will talk.” She walked outside, pushing past him and he could not help but notice how straight her spine was or how tightly her arms folded across her chest. He also could not help but notice how that move pushed her breasts up higher. It was a painful reminder that he had never been able to touch those breasts, caress them or taste them. And the way she glared at him made him wonder if he ever would.
“I need you to know how I feel, Morna. I cannot leave here with you thinking ill of me.”
She sighed and lowered her head, her blonde waves falling like a curtain around her face. “Why does it even matter, Brennain? When you first arrived, I was so happy to see you, but you shut me out the moment you saw Glennis. The moment you heard I was married. You gave me nay chance to explain anything to you… not that I owed you an explanation. You are the one who shared the sweetest moments of my life with me and then left without a promise to return or an invitation to follow. Then, I tried to overcome my pride once
more and seek you out to explain my situation, but instead, I found you in between the two worst lassies in all Miathi. I wish I did not know what happened that night, but thanks to Mavis and Arline, the entire village knows every single detail. After that, I knew I was nothing to you if you could go off with them and do… what you did, so soon after dismissing me.”
Brennain frowned and crinkled his brow. What was she talking about? “If you know all the details of that night, you know I shouted at them for being cruel to you and chased them off. I ended up sleeping in a bed in the king’s home. I did not so much as kiss those lassies.”
She raised a brow and looked at him as if he was the worst liar. “That is not even close to the tale they told.”
“Then it was all tales, and naught more. I did not even want them. I was heartbroken and distraught and had thought to forget my pain by carrying on in my old ways, but as soon as I started, I knew I could not do it. I had only meant to walk them home and leave. I vow it, Morna.”
She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. “Why were you heartbroken?”
“Can you not tell? Really, Morna. I came back to Miathi because I was ordered to by my king, aye. But I jumped at the chance because I wished to see you again. I had planned to take you back with me if you would agree to marry me.” She gasped and covered her heart with a hand, but he kept talking. He had this one chance to make her understand and he would not mince his words.
“When your mother told me you were married, my heart shattered. It had not crossed my mind even once that mayhap you had moved on. You had every right to do so. It was my own pride that made me walk away from you instead of listening, and I am so very sorry. I understand now that Glennis is not your daughter by nature, and yet it would not matter if she was. She is beautiful and deserves the best life. I see why you married Caleb for her sake. Just tell me one thing. Do you love him?”
His entire world hung in the balance. Her answer could destroy his heart and crush his soul. Still, he needed to know the truth.
“Nay. I do not even like the man, let alone love him. I married him because my mother insisted we needed a man in the house and she wished to make Caleb care for his own child. Neither of us truly wanted the union, but he did it to save what little honor he had. I did it for Glennis. Nothing more.”
“You did not know he was an informant for King Ailbert?”
She shook her head. “I had not a clue. He did not say farewell. He was simply gone one day and never returned. I did not miss him, but I was furious that he had abandoned his daughter. Informant or not, I am certain he was glad to be gone.”
Brennain remembered how he found Caleb, beneath Nola as she less than passionately bedded him. He decided that detail was not important for Morna to know. His ways were nothing new to her and it was best not to add to her distress. “And now you are nay longer his wife.”
“Aye. I could not stand being his wife for one more day.”
He could not help it. The need to touch her, to feel her, consumed him. Reaching out swiftly, he pulled her to him. She gasped and splayed her hands across his chest and he could feel their heat through his tunic. “I want to kiss you, lass.”
Her eyes searched his and he saw reluctance in her gaze. She licked her lips instinctively and he stifled a groan when her tongue glided across her plump lower lip. Still, he felt her restraint as she stiffened and pushed away from him, shaking her head with resolve.
“Nay. It would hurt too much, Brennain.”
“I do not ever wish to hurt you, Morna. I meant everything I said to you all those moons ago. I meant it when I said you were the sweetest, most beautiful lass I have ever known. I meant it when I said your kisses healed my heart. I did not even know I needed healing, but the moment your lips touched mine, I was a new man. I meant it when I said I wanted to be with you.”
She sighed and stepped away. “And then, you left, Brennain. And you will leave again, will you not?”
“Come with me.” He grabbed her hand and tried to pull her close again, tried to hide the desperation in his need for her.
“I cannot just leave my home, Brennain. I am not even certain what there is between us anymore. There is a lass inside my home wearing your cloak. Care to explain that? I was not going to ask, as it is not my business, but you are asking me to leave with you, so I think it is now my business.”
“Marcella—”
“Nola. Her true name is Nola,” Morna corrected.
“Right. Nola was… I really do not know how to explain how I met her without sharing things that may hurt you.”
With that, he saw her eyes widen as she backed up once more, putting more space between them.
“Och, Morna. I found her in a place called a brothel at the Rómánach camp. She is paid to pleasure men.”
“Pay? What is pay?” she scrunched her face. He bit back his smile. Her reaction was exactly his own when he first learned the word.
“The Rómánach use gold coins for trade, Morna. She would receive a gold coin in exchange for pleasure.”
With a gasp, Morna looked at him with disgust. Before she could think or say anything, he put a hand up. “Nay. I did not bed her. I did not bed any woman and I did not want to. I was there looking for your cursed husband, Morna! I am sorry. I did not wish to tell you that, but there it is. I was informed he would be located at the brothel. When I found him, he was with her. She looked very upset to be there and when we took him away, she begged to go with us. Nola claimed to be enslaved and we could not leave her there, so we took her along. She wears my cloak because I am a man of honor and could not allow her to catch her death while riding in the cart, then upon a horse… with Reaghan,” he added for good measure. “I have nay interest in her aside from her well-being. I can assure you of that. I am sorry I had to share that with you. You are innocent, but I could not have you thinking I would be involved in such things.”
A wry smile spread across her face. “I am not an innocent anymore, Brennain. I am married, after all.”
She must have said that to get a rise out of him, and it worked. His stomach churned at the thought. It was worse than he could have ever imagined and, at that moment, he understood why she had been so hurt when she thought he had lain with Mavis and Arline. The difference was, he had not. Nor had he shared his bed, his life, with one person the way she had with Caleb. Despite her claim to not love him, she had lived with him, raised a child with him, shared her bed with him. It was too much for him to think on.
“Why were you seeking out Caleb at the… b-brothel?” she stammered at the new word. “Was he part of your mission?”
“Aye. He became part of my mission when I found you in tears over him before I left,” he protested. “You told me you missed him! I thought you were heartbroken!” he shouted. He knew he was raising his voice, but he had been gutted when she shed tears for another man. Brennain had spent so much time hunting that bastard down so he could bring him back to Morna, only to find out she did not want him back. Though relieved she did not want Caleb, Brennain’s emotions were on overdrive as he tried to process everything.
“I was heartbroken over you… you… you bloody fool!” Morna yelled back at him, pointing her finger into his chest. “Last time I saw you, you were walking away with two women grabbing your arse! I was crying because you broke my heart, Brennain Mac Greine!”
Without thinking, he grabbed her. She yelped as her body collided with his but when he slammed his lips against hers, clashing their teeth and frantically twining tongues, she did not fight him. She relaxed, and he felt her arms slide around his neck, bringing her closer to him. When she groaned into his mouth, he could not help the tightening in his trousers. Gods, he wanted her. All of her. He could feel her breasts pressing against him, smell the sweet scent of flowers in her hair. She gave back just as much as she took, and he reveled in the feel of her back in his arms once more.
“You move on fast, Morna.” Pulling away from Brennain, Morna was flushed and
her lips were swollen from their rough kisses. He may have sucked her lower lip into his mouth hard enough to bruise it, but she had not complained. Caleb stood by with his hands on his hips.
“What do you want, Caleb?” she groused, and stepped away from Brennain. He felt the loss of her keenly and wanted more than ever to beat Caleb to a bloody pulp.
“I have come to reclaim what is mine. My wife, my child, and my home.”
“What? Are you mad? You left us! We are no longer married!” Morna stomped her foot and fisted her hands.
“Think again. I did not leave you. I was on a mission for the king. He knew where I was. It is true that I was gone longer than anticipated. I could not leave until I found a way to stop Mal and his allies from sailing that ship full of cargo. Bryant and Brennain helped solve that problem, but now I am here. The king only agreed to our separation because he thought I was dead. But here I am. I am not dead, and I plan on continuing to be your husband.”
“Nay! I am no longer your wife and I will not ever be!” she screeched, and Brennain saw her face flushing again, but for a completely different reason now. He had never seen her so angry.
“You heard her, Mac Kenzie. Leave her alone. You left her. Do not forget how I found you. I doubt you would ever have come back had I not dragged you here.”
Caleb scoffed. “Stay out of this Mac Greine. This is between me and my wife. She knows about my needs and has never complained. I am here now, and that is what matters. As you say, you dragged me back to my life. It appears I must resume my old post as husband and father.”
“I will never share my bed with you again, Caleb!”
“That is really not an issue for me, Morna,” the man said with a sneer, and Brennain stepped forward with his hands clenched, ready to feel the man’s nose breaking against his knuckles. “I will say this once and once only. Glennis is my daughter. I married you because you wanted to help raise her. If you separate from me, I have the right to take her back. And I will.”