Page 13 of The Laird's Dark Obsession

Edine batted his accusatory hand away. “Do ye really think yer sister daft enough to forget such a fact?” she snorted. Whenall he did was glare in response, she let out another sigh. “It’s nae like I’m her friend or forgetting what her faither’s done, Hunter… It just dinnae sit right with me when I thought something had happened to her. And I saw the panic on yer face as well in that moment, so dinnae bother lying.”

At last, he looked away from her. He didn’t like being so transparent to others, even if the person was his sister. He thought about biting out words about not being worried for Kira but for his plan, but it was pointless. Even if there was some truth to that, Edine knew too much about him and Kira to ever believe it was only his plan he had worried about.

“None of that matters, Edine. Ye need—”

Edine interjected. “Ye care for her, Hunter. That most certainly matters and completely complicates these plans of yers.”

She was stern, matter-of-fact, and royally pissing him off. Something snapped in him like a cornered dog who decided to bite instead of cower, and a side of him he never liked to show in front of Edine was brought out.

“What I care about is what she can do for me. Kira Fairbairn is a tool, nae a pal. Nae an ally. A tool. Dinnae find yerself pitying her, Edine. She is nae longer the fragile girl ye once kenned.”

Edine’s brows grew together and her eyes narrowed. “I dinnae know what version of Kira ye remember, but she’s never been fragile.”

Hunter held in a scream of frustration. Of course Edine still had a little bit of her that idolized Kira, she had been a big-sister figure for her.

“Do ye hear yerself, Edine? Ye’re defending a woman who watched our parents—”

“I dinnae need the reminder,” Edine snapped. “I’m merely pointing out that… that…”

“That what? It’s fine to fraternize with the enemy?” he barked. “She’s already in yer head, Edine. Ye cannae spend time with her.”

Edine scoffed. “Mighty large talk from the man who has a portrait of her hanging in his bedchamber.”

“It’s nae like that,” he growled. “It’s there as motivation. To remind me of my plans.”

Edine rolled her eyes with flair and took a step in his direction, patting his shoulder. “Whatever ye say, brother. Stay out of my affairs until ye sort out yer own. Ye look foolish.”

And with that, his little sister left. Hunter was twitching with anger and frustration, unable to believe that his little sister managed to get the best of him like that.

This was all Kira’s fault.

He wasn’t sure what they had talked about in that room, but he knew his distrust deepened. Kira was charming and beautiful, but dangerous all the same.

A terrible temptation I mustn’t fall for, he told himself before turning his back on her door and storming away.

6

Kira sat on the edge of the bed, bouncing the foot of the leg that dangled from her cross-legged position as she eyed the stern man seated at the little desk, chair turned to face her. Captain Calum had been there for over an hour and hadn’t said a word, other than he was there on Hunter’s orders.

She remembered him from childhood. He was a few years older than Hunter and was his sworn protector as soon as Hunter was walking, the maids used to say. Kira remembered the days that a wooden sword hung from his belt and that wild ginger hair hung down in his eyes.

Before her was a man, his hair still wild but cropped short atop his head so it didn’t block his vision. He must have been around thirty but looked older than his age. No doubt from all the stress that being in the Galbraith clan brought.

His bright-green eyes remained as cold as two pieces of jade as he stared back at her. “Did Hunter let ye keep your tongue when ye were sworn in as Captain, or do ye merely lack any communication skills?” she said at last.

The staring had gone on long enough and Kira didn’t want him to see her squirm. Instigating dialogue between the two of them would be the only way out of it.

“Collecting trophies is a hobby for Hunter, but he’s nae got one from me.”

His voice was gruff and his expression still flat, but at least he replied.

“Comes as a surprise to me,” she said, smoothing the skirt of her dress.

Goodness, she must look ridiculous. She hadn’t been given the option to bathe or change since being there and the best she could do was freshen up at the small basin in the corner and plait her own hair.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Calum snapped. In the next moment, he finally looked away from her and rubbed his face. “I am nae here for your accusations and taunts. I am here on Hunter’s orders and nothing more. If there will be any talking, it will be to get information about yer faither’s forces.”

How boring and annoying—but the silence was still a touch worse. “Ask yer questions then, maybe I’ll answer,” she said, leaning forward to rest her head in her hands.