Page 121 of Auctioned to the Cruel Highlander
“Ye ken what I think?” he said dryly, groaning a little as he pulled the dog into a tighter embrace. “I think I had better spare meself the humiliation.” He paused beside Ava and laid a hand briefly on her shoulder. “Shout if ye need me.”
“I shall.”
He left with Bruce under one arm and the maid scurrying after him.
The door clicked shut, and the room felt smaller at once.
Ava folded her arms across her chest. “Ye look well.”
Ciaran cocked his head. “Ye and I both ken that’s nae true.”
Ava exhaled. “Say what ye came to say and then go.”
Ciaran did not move. “I am nae here to confuse ye again.”
She laughed once. It sounded sharp and tired. “That would be a pleasant change.”
“I am nae here to make any decision for ye either.” He reached inside his coat and took out something flat and wrapped in cloth.
Ava’s stomach tightened.
“I came to tell ye the truth,” he rasped. “Then ye may choose what ye like.” He held the object out.
She did not take it. “What is that?”
“Take it and see.”
“Have ye lost yer mind? Do ye think some trinket will fix this?”
His arm did not lower. “Take it, Ava.”
She hated that his voice still worked on her. She hated it even more that she crossed the room and snatched the thing from his hand.
The cloth came away under her fingers. Beneath it lay a star map, carefully made, marked in fine detail, the paper good and the edges protected for travel.
She stared at it.
For one second, she could not speak. Then the hurt came back twice as hard because the thing was beautiful and because she wanted it and because wanting anything from him felt like walking straight into another wound.
“So this is yer grand plan?” she asked, lifting her eyes to him. “Ye think a map of stars will make me forgive how badly ye wanted me gone?”
Pain crossed his face. He took it without flinching. “I bought it before.”
“Before what?”
“Before the cliff. Before ye left.”
The room went very quiet.
Ava looked back down at the map, trying desperately to ignore the way her fingers tightened around its edges. He had bought it before everything.
For some reason, that truth moved under her anger and made it less stable.
She hated that too.
“When?” she asked.
“The day I went to the market.”
