Chapter Twenty

Chapter Twenty

Lucien opened the door with a push then stepped back to let her enter. The spacious room had been done in forest greens with amber edging. On one wall were paintings of mountains. The windows were large and open, which allowed the cool country air to come in. Large cushions lay scattered on the benches under the windows and on the floor by the fireplace.

“It’s beautiful. Thank you. We will be very happy here tonight.”

Lucien didn’t tell her about the adjoining rooms. His rooms. He stepped into the room behind her and shut the door. Given that he stood at her back, he let his gaze flow over her body. Her top fit looser than he remembered over her usual buckskins. He draped her cloak over a chair and watched as Faolan and Kosse settled under the windows.

Ciara stepped toward him and grabbed his waistcoat, yanking him near. Not expecting the attack, Lucien stumbled forward. Before he knew what had hit him, she had latched on to his lips with her own. She moved her hands up and tugged on his hair as she tried to pull him in closer.

With a growl, he wrapped his arms around her and kissed her back. He jerked at her top. Ciara shook her head as she whimpered her need into his mouth.

“Now.”

As he braced her body with one hand, he freed himself from his breeches and lowered hers seconds later. Lucien turned and put her back against the wall by the door. She had slipped one leg out of her buckskins and without hesitation wrapped her legs around his waist.

He felt her moisture and his member swelled as it bobbed up and down. She yanked his hair as she pulled his mouth back to hers as he plunged into her with one fierce thrust.

She bit his lip, drawing blood as she tried to keep quiet. He pounded into her, pressing her harder and harder into the wall, Not caring one iota that the windows and curtains were wide open in the room, exposing them to the outside world. When they came it was within moments of each other. It was like an explosion had gone off. Both were breathing hard as their gazes met.

Panting with exhaustion, Ciara smiled at him as she unlocked her legs from around his waist and slid to the floor.

“I didn’t expect that to happen.” Ciara straightened up and swallowed.

Lucien looked at himself, covered in their combined juices, and shook his head. He had treated her no better than some dockside doxy. He’d had her up against the wall like that. He smiled as he touched his lip and saw the blood. Maybe she didn’t care. Perhaps she had wanted it as much as he did. That quick liaison had left him more breathless than a night with one of the mistresses he’d had over the years.

He found a cloth and cleaned himself off then refastened his pants before he tugged her down on a green and amber chaise. Lucien snuggled her in the crook of his arm. He just sat in silence as they brought their breathing under control.

“Why didn’t you tell me about Brenden?”

With one hand he stroked her arm. There were wide bands under the sleeves of her shirt by her wrists and he wondered what they were.

“Marie said I should. We come from two different worlds. I guess I was scared.”

“I know what I said, but I would never take your son away from you. Tell me about him. What was he like as a baby? Why did you name him Brenden? Thank you for naming him Brenden.” His son carried his name and for that he was forever grateful.

“Bryn was a very happy baby. He still is. I am sorry that I kept the knowledge from you but I am not sorry that I didn’t bring him here to you. Your family is so full of hate. I wanted him to grow up with the love that I had. As for his name, I don’t know. It just fit. I have liked it since I heard it in your name.”

“You don’t think that I would have loved him?”

“I wasn’t thinking of you at all. I know that is selfish of me. I remembered the hate in your eyes when you spoke of your family. I did what I thought was best for my son—”

“Our son.”

“Our son, and I would do it again in an instant.”

“Where are you staying?” He changed the subject, not wanting to think of her leaving him again, especially since he now knew about his son.

“I am staying in the country with some people.”

“Who?” This was all country.

“Friends. Leave it at that. You have no claim on me, so don’t pretend to be jealous of something that you have no right to.” Faolan rose from under the window and gazed at the door with a stance that made her rise right away.

“What do you mean by that?” He had every right to place his claim on her. “Where are you going?”

Ciara swung on her cloak and opened the door, following her animals down the stairs without giving him a response. He felt the change in her—she became cold and withdrawn in a second.

Lucien followed her, not sure what had happened to elicit this abrupt change in her demeanor. Weeks saw her approach and opened the door. By the time she hit the bottom of the steps she was in a full run. The animals matched her strides. Toward a small shed by the stables her powerful legs carried her. Lucien ran after her.

Faolan stopped in front of the door. His growls sent chills up Lucien’s spine as he neared Ciara. Kosse’s low growl echoed the wolf’s with frightening menace.

Lucien watched as Faolan and Kosse crouched in position to attack. He heard cries coming from inside the shed accompanied by adult voices. His father came up behind him followed by Rafe and Devonna.

Ciara flipped her cloak back so her arms were free. Before anyone could move she had kicked the door to the shed. It splintered under the force of her single blow and fell to the ground.

Four coachmen of the duke’s had Bryn trapped in the shed. They were beating him with whips, calling him names like ‘gypsy boy’ and much worse. Ciara moved with blinding speed, Lucien saw, as she flicked her arms and sent the daggers that had been concealed in her sleeves flying toward the men who were hurting their son. Faolan and Kosse hadn’t even waited for the door to hit the ground before they attacked.

Each animal took a man and her daggers found their marks in the other two. A rage unlike any that Lucien had known, flowed through his veins. They had attacked his son. He stepped forward to intervene as well but, just like at the cabin, she didn’t need his help.

Ciara yelled a command and Bryn was instantly surrounded by the animals. He didn’t even cringe away from the blood on their mouths, just delved his hands into their thick pelts. He stood tall and silent as tears fell from his lapis eyes.

An unholy light burned within the amber eyes of his mother that turned them almost yellow. She flew across the room and picked up the one who had been doing the actual whipping of her son when she entered and threw him to the other side of the small shed.

“Mama?”

Ciara spun, opening her arms to him as she sank to her knees on the floor. Bryn launched himself in her arms and shook with what Lucien assumed to be fear and pain.

Lucien got the four rounded up. He turned on his father. “These are your men. This is on your head. They will die. That was my son they were whipping.” A wind picked up, bringing with it a chill that coincided with his tone.

His old man didn’t speak.

Ciara rose and strode out of the building, her son once again safe and protected in her arms, flanked by her loyal guardians. The iciness in her gaze could have frozen hell. Her gaze flicked to Devonna who without a word stepped forward and took a very reluctant Bryn from her.

A motion of her hands sent Faolan and Kosse with them. She continued on her path toward the men. She had punched one in the face before Lucien got behind her. It took both him and Rafe to bring her under control.

His father spoke. “You slept with that. No woman should be that strong. Why would you want to claim her, son? She is no better than a slave.” A mistake he would surely never repeat for now he was the object of her anger.

“You! You bastard,” she seethed. “Of course a woman should be weak, that way they can’t defend themselves against you. I hold you responsible for this attack against my son. My son. He has done nothing to you.” She raged against the holds of Lucien and Rafe, but their combined strength defeated hers, though only just. “Unlike you, I love my child, you heartless bastard of a man.”

Her voice lowered so it was borderline noticeable. “I swear by all that’s holy if you come near my son again I will kill you. That goes for your servants as well. Heed my warning for it is my vow.” She turned her head and spoke a sharp word to Faolan. He sprang away and disappeared into the shadows of the forest.

The duke’s face grew mottled. His eyes grew dark with anger as he raised himself up to his full height and glared at her. Sebastian pinned her with the look that quelled many people who would dare question a duke.

“You little bitch. Do you know who I am? I can have you imprisoned. You are threatening a member of the peerage. You are nothing, do you understand me? Do you think I am scared of you?” He jabbed the air with one finger toward her to punctuate his statement.

Ciara hissed at him as her eyes spit venom. “You are so brave when they have a hold of me. Say those words to my face when two men aren’t holding me back. I would love to show you just how scared of me you really are. Tell your son to release me. I am not nothing, I am a mother and you…you threatened my son. I would chase you through the deepest, darkest pits of hell for that alone.

“You don’t have the first idea of what it is to be a parent. And you have no idea what I am capable of. I am not scared of you. You, I would bet, are petrified of me. I may be a woman, but I will not cower before you.” She struggled again. “Damn you. Let me go.” Lucien and Rafe loosened their grips. As soon as they did, she made for the duke with her hands curled into claws. Lucien caught her at the last moment. She was inches away from the duke.

Lucien watched in amazement as his father paled at her words and stumbled back from her actions. It was the first time he had ever seen fear flash across his father’s face. Lucien met Rafe’s gaze over Ciara’s head and saw the shock and admiration that he held for the woman he’d helped to restrain.

“Let me go. Let me go! I want my son.”

He released her once more, still ready should she go after his father again.

She went over to Devonna and took her son out of her arms and held him. Ciara walked away from them with Kosse and sat down on a bench and rocked him back and forth as she hummed to him.

Lucien turned his gaze to his father. “Leave. Now.” Now that the danger was past, his anger surfaced again.

The duke had the grace to look ashamed. “I will see that they are punished. Let me stay for a week. Please, son. We should talk about this. I will make it better, I will take care of it.”

“Son? I am not your son. You have never been anything but a tyrant to Devonna and me. Stay if you wish, but stay out of my sight.” He turned and walked over to where Ciara sat with her child. Their child. He had not been able to protect his own child from his grandfather’s anger and hatred.

“I’m sorry, Ciara. The men will be punished. Is he all right? Is he hurt?” Lucien sat down on the bench next to her.

“I can’t stay here. We are leaving as soon as Faolan gets back.”

“You said you would stay the night.”

“That was before my son was attacked. I told you I would do whatever necessary to protect him. It is obvious that he isn’t safe here. Your father’s hatred is too much when it includes my son.” Bryn’s eyes were closed as he was snuggled up to his mother.

“Our son, Ciara. Don’t forget that.”

“Keep your mouth shut. He doesn’t know,” she snapped at him.

A new pain washed over Lucien. His son didn’t know about him. She hadn’t told him. He was losing her for a second time but this time there was also something more to lose. A son.

Bryn stirred in her arms and mumbled something that he couldn’t understand. She answered him in the same language. He cuddled up closer to her in a manner that broke Lucien’s heart.