Page 29 of The Laird's Dark Obsession

“I had always hoped that one day, a time would come that whether it was Hunter or another man, marriage would be a choice. A man who does nae wed me because of politics or familial pressure, but because of love and his own freewill. There had been a time that I thought it was possible for Hunter to make that choice in spite of all the other influences, regardless ot the pressure and politics at play. That he would just choose… me.” Kira wiped a stray tear away before it could roll down her cheek. “And I ken it’s nae possible now. He’s too bound tohatred. I dinnae think I have the gall to even ask for forgiveness. So why would I ever expect him to be happy to marry me?”

Edine patted her shoulder and let out a sigh. “I ken ye may nae believe me, but I dinnae think forgiveness is something he’s waiting for ye to ask for. Hunter might be wounded, but that does nae mean it cannot be repaired. He is a man of honor and even with the circumstances, it is nae in his character to take marriage lightly. I think that with time and effort, he can learn to trust ye… and ye can learn to forgive yerself.”

Her words struck Kira deeply, and it took effort for Kira to hold onto her composure. “Ye’re so wise for yer age,” Kira muttered with a smile, wiping away more tears before they could fall.

“Thank ye,” she replied, sounding proud and radiant. “I’ve had good role models, and my advantage over them is knowing they were nae perfect and learning from their flaws.”

“Wiser still,” Kira praised and wrapped her arms around Edine.

They embraced and squeezed one another. She was so grateful that even though just a while ago, Edine was ready to throw her to the wolves for stepping foot in the Galbraith Keep, their bond was easily mended.

“Aside from all the drama, I’m glad I’ll get to have ye as a sister after all,” she added in a whisper.

“Me too,” Edine replied. She gave Kira one more squeeze before holding her at arm’s length and giving her a smile. “Things are dark now, but brighter days are ahead.”

“Keep throwing words of wisdom at me and I’ll start to wonder if ye’re a reincarnated soul,” Kira teased.

They shared a chuckle and a little more idle chatter before Edine excused herself to head to bed. Kira stayed by the parapets for a bit longer, looking up at the sky in contemplation. Edine’s final words stuck with her as she stared up at the cloudy sky.

Scotland was always overcast, but right then she felt like the Heavens had intentionally blotted out the stars. If she wanted to navigate this tumultuous marriage of hers, she had to learn to have faith. The stars were still in the sky only obscured, just like the brighter days ahead. Kira couldn’t control the clouds or the atmosphere, but she could have faith that one day, the sky would clear.

With a much lighter heart than she had arrived with, Kira finally left the rooftop. Before she could approach her door, however, she noticed something unfamiliar out of the corner of her eye. Turning, she noticed it was Hunter’s bedchamber door left open, the lit hearth causing light to spill into the corridor. She bit her lip and pattered over, stealing a peek inside.

His shirtless figure was softly lit by the fire as he sat on a sofa. On the table in front of the sofa was a small, open box that she couldn’t quite make out the contents of. But as she watched himslowly unwrap the bandages from around his shoulder, she felt her feet carry her forward without any input from her mind.

“Would ye like some help?” she called as she entered the room.

Hunter turned his head and looked her up and down. Without saying a word, he only nodded in accepting her assistance. She approached slowly, the air immediately thick between them. Hunter was a beautiful man, the fire casting dramatic shadows over his face from his cheekbones and chiseled nose and jaw, accentuating his features.

But his eyes were forever dangerous.

They were always intense and focused, and in the glow of the fire, they were… primal. He reminded her of a predator in the wild, watching its prey, knowing for certain that it would get its kill in one fell swoop. And she was the meek doe, wandering too close even if she saw the danger emanating from the treeline.

She sat next to him, her hands working diligently and gingerly, not wanting to cause him any unnecessary discomfort. Once the wound was exposed, she took a moment to really get a look at it. Her chest ached, knowing that it was because of her that he had been injured. It was only a couple of inches wide, but she could tell it was deep from the soiled bandages.

She thought about asking him if he would be alright for the ceremony the next day, but she wasn’t sure if talking about their pending marriage was the right way to start a conversation withhim. Using a clean cloth from a bowl of warm water he had on the table, Kira tended to him.

Her eyes betrayed her by falling to the muscular ridges of his back. Every muscle was visible and well defined from the years of training Hunter had devoted himself to. And there in the soft firelight, she could see it, a mosaic of scars. None looked to be too serious, most likely gained in his early years of learning the sword. But they were cuts and scratches that told a story of determination and devotion.

It was in that moment, with her fingertips brushing along one of the white scars on the backside of his ribs, that she fully felt the weight of his pain. Hunter had pushed himself physically to protect those he loved so that an incident like the one that took his parents would never happen again.

And Kira had never loved something that intensely.

She loved enough to weep, to long in the darkness—but never to the extent of bodily modification and pain. Her entire life had been spent avoiding pain with all she had, and Hunter had embraced it as a necessary evil. Because of her father.

Because of her.

“What are ye doing?” Hunter asked.

Kira blinked, pulling herself out of her reverie. “Forgive me, I got lost in thought,” she admitted. Putting the soiled cloth back inthe bowl of water, she dried the wound before applying a balm carefully.

“What were ye thinking about?”

The question caught her off guard, especially with the way his voice was gentle instead of demanding and rough. Her eyes flickered to the side of his face, but he wasn’t so much as glancing her way.

“It does nae matter,” she murmured.

“Tell me anyway.”