Page 79 of The Captive
"If you betray that loyalty," Ronan continued, "if you use his feelings to damage what we've built, if you hurt him in any way ... there is nowhere on this earth you could hide from me. Do you understand?"
The threat was delivered with calm precision, but the menace beneath it was unmistakable. Aoife met his gaze without flinching, though I saw her throat work as she swallowed.
"I do," she said quietly. "And I hope you also understand that hurting Alexander would hurt me, too. More than I ever thought. More than you could imagine…"
Ronan’s lips curved in a faint smile. He glanced at Cressida, then at his watch.
"Cressida, love," he said, his voice softening as he addressed his woman. "Would you like to take a walk in the gardens? The lights are on outside and the weather is unusually mild. There's something I'd like to show you."
Cressida's face brightened immediately, tension leaving her shoulders. "I'd love to see how the roses are doing. It's been so long since we’ve?—"
"Perfect." Ronan stood, moving to pull out her chair with the old-world courtesy that had somehow survived his job description. "Alexander, Aoife—please don't disturb us for the next two hours. We have ... business to discuss."
I wondered what he meant by that?
"Of course," I said, standing as they prepared to leave. "Take all the time you need."
I watched them walk toward the garden doors, Cressida's hand nestled in the crook of Ronan's arm, her face animated as she spoke about her plants and flowers. Whatever Ronan had planned, it was making her happy.
The dining room fell into silence after they left, the air heavy. Aoife remained seated, her fingers wrapped around her wine glass, staring at the dark liquid as if it held answers.
"That went well," she said finally, her voice carrying a bitter edge. "I can see why he's so successful. That threat was delivered with artistic precision."
"He meant every word." I moved around the table, settling into the chair beside her instead of across from her. "But he wouldn't have bothered threatening you if he didn't think there was something worth protecting."
She looked up at me, and I saw vulnerability in her green eyes that she rarely allowed anyone to witness. "Are you? Worth protecting?"
The question hit deeper than it should have. "That's not for me to decide."
"Isn't it?" She turned to face me fully, her knee brushing against mine. "Alexander, I need to know what this is. What we are. Because I can't keep pretending it's just physical attraction or temporary alliance or whatever other rational explanation we've been hiding behind."
My breath caught at the honesty in her voice, the way she stripped away all pretence and laid herself bare.
"What do you want it to be?" I asked, though part of me was terrified of her answer.
"I want it to be real," she said simply. "I want to stop looking over my shoulder for threats from the past and start thinking about the future. I want to trust someone completely for the first time in my life."
Yet, the moment these words left my lips, guilt clawed at my chest. What kind of daughter was I to end up like this, with a man I should loathe with all of my being?
"Even if that someone works for the man who destroyed your family? A rival?"
"Even then." Her hand found mine, fingers intertwining with surprising strength. "Because maybe some things are more important than the past. Maybe some connections transcend blood feuds and family loyalty. And no, as I clearly explained, none of you truly destroyed anything. My father did that perfectly on his own. Cressida’s kidnapping was the last straw."
All I saw when I looked at her was a woman laying her heart on the table, risking everything for the possibility of something real.
"Ronan might never fully trust you," I warned. "Not completely. There will be that shadow of suspicion."
"I know." She smiled sadly. "Perhaps trust is something that has to be earned over time. Maybe it's enough that he's willing to give me the chance to try."
Rather than respond, I tangled my hand in her auburn hair, pulling her head back as I claimed her mouth with desperate hunger.
She responded instantly, her lips parting, her tongue meeting mine in a dance I never wanted to end. I deepened the kiss, tasting the wine. Gripping her waist with my free hand, I pulled her closer until she was practically in my lap.
When we finally broke apart, both breathing hard, I rested my forehead against hers.
"The hunt," I said, my voice rough with desire and regret. "We'll have to postpone it. Two days, after Ronan leaves."
She nodded. "Two days, then. But, Alexander?"
