Page 16 of The Cruel Highlander (From Enemies to Marriage #3)
CHAPTER 15
“This is yer home Aiden, so I daenae want ye to feel like ye need to be or act a certain way,” Valorie continued after a fairly long pause. She had so many feelings she wanted to express to Aiden that she was struggling to put them into words. Her first thought was clear though. Aiden was a survivor, and the strength of his character was unmatched.
“I’m never goin’ to ken every way ye’ve been impacted, but I am here for ye for whatever ye need. If there are ways that I can help ye or if ye just want someone else to ken, I’m here.” There was so much more to say, but Valorie started there.
“Thank ye lass. With this, I think it’s just nice that ye understand.” Aiden took another deep breath. “With me family, I ken that they feel some guilt for all the time spent captured. I daenae blame them at all; Myles was masterful in his plans, and I was reckless, but I try to keep some of these things from them. The energy it takes to hide my new habits, shall we call them, is…drainin’.”
“I don’t want ye to hide from me,” Valorie whispered. For some reason this moment felt sacred, and Valorie wanted to give it the respect it deserved. “I want ye to be yerself.”
Valorie resumed eating her stew while Aiden watched her contemplatively.
“Aye, that’s a relief Val; thank ye,” Aiden said openly.
Pleased with that result, Valorie smiled into her stew. At the very least, Aiden would hopefully be able to be himself over this next year. But she chastised herself for not thinking about what her presence in his castle would mean for him. It was obvious that he was used to being by himself, and even if he was lonely, he was comfortable that way.
Valorie’s presence could very well disrupt that careful comfort he had created for himself. Aiden had told her, clearly and firmly, he did not want to get married. No matter what she was feeling, or the confusion caused by their kiss and Aiden’s lingering looks, he had never wavered from that.
For both their sakes, they needed to stick to the plan. Even with Valorie’s reassurances, while she was here, Aiden would never have the same level of comfort that he experienced when he was alone. And Valorie would never have her freedom. Valorie needed to get them both back on track.
In the long silence that followed, Valorie contemplated all she had learned. Aiden was more complex than she had ever imagined, and no matter what he said, he was still healing. And if solitude was really what he needed for that, then that’s what Valorie would give him.
She would scrap her idea to fill this castle with people and stay the course of their fake betrothal. Hopefully her time spent disturbing him would not be too detrimental.
Finishing up her stew, Valorie slowly placed her utensil down and fully maneuvered to face Aiden next to her. She wanted to see his face as she said this next bit.
“We’ll have to be clever with how we end the betrothal without anyone knowin’ the truth. My faither cannae ken what really happened. I’m sure ye feel the same about yer council. Maybe…”
“Do ye hate me so much ye cannae stand the thought of bein’ married to me?” Aiden asked sharply, leaning closer to Valorie as he cut her off. Valorie withdrew her head quickly in confusion.
What was Aiden talking about? This was his plan, and he made it clear that he wanted to be alone at the end of it. He brought her here on the very clear plan that this betrothal was fake; Valorie suspected she was perfect for his purposes for that very reason.
Already twice-betrothed Valorie Grant was not who you went to with a serious marriage proposal. And Aiden Wright thrived on solitude. They were not to be married at the end of this.
“I daenae understand, Aiden. I thought ye dinnae want to be married? I thought ye liked bein’ alone! This was yer idea!” Valorie huffed. “Ye can’t just change the deal without talkin’ to me — we were supposed to be in this together,” Valorie said, exasperated with the back and forth from Aiden.
When it came down to it, was it any shock that Aiden was trying to make decisions for her again ? Here she was again, waiting outside the door of her own life. She deserved a say in this decision — it was her life too after all.
Aiden was vibrating next to her with some mix of emotion that Valorie couldn’t clearly read.
“I can always change me mind,” Aiden roared. With one quick sweeping motion, he sent all the dishes on the table scattering to the floor. The ceramic broke loudly the minute it hit the floor — Valorie watched as small pieces were flung throughout the room. At least, they were both thorough in finishing their stew.
Aiden was standing over her now, not once looking at the mess he had made but only watching Valorie. Valorie refocused on him. Her heart kicked up angrily in her chest like a racing horse, and there was something else too.
Something that only Aiden brought out in her. Something uncontrolled and primal. But still she felt no fear — never fear around Aiden. Not when he’d already proven himself to be a protector above all else.
The tight leash Aiden held on his control was snapping again, but since the result was so delicious last time Valorie thought she might like to let it happen again. So, she just stared back at him, not saying a word. Aiden didn’t seem to need any taunting from her this time to make his move.
“I might want ye as me wife,” Aiden announced before reaching down to grab Valorie’s hips. With strong arms, Aiden lifted her from her seat and placed her on the table in front of him. Aiden now stood between her splayed legs. Heat crept up her face and neck from the vulnerable position.
“I might want to take ye right on this table,” Aiden growled, surging to meet her equally desperate mouth. They connected passionately, harshly, angrily — the explosion of another heated argument and the spillover of their unresolved tension.
Aiden’s hands still held her tightly around the hips, encouraging Valorie to grind her hips against him. She complied readily. Aiden pulled back roughly, expelling a heavy breath. Before Valorie could question him, he cradled her neck to bring her head to the side, exposing her throat. And then his mouth was back — this time, kissing and sucking a very sensitive spot on her neck. The sensation caused Valorie to cry out.
Valorie held tightly to his hair with one hand and clenched her other on the edge of the table — she was desperate for something steady because Aiden had her spiraling. She wanted him to follow through on everything in that moment.
Thankfully, Aiden was determined — his free hand was moving up and down her ribs enticingly. Every servant in the castle could walk through the dining room doors right now, and Valorie didn’t think she would stop his next move. She didn’t think she would stop him from taking her on this table either.
* * *
Aiden struggled wildly with the ties of Valorie’s dress. Her words about ending their betrothal had set Aiden off. He didn’t understand how she went from comforting him in one of his most exposed moments to talking about leaving him.
Was she just pretending to be understanding of his past? That idea had Aiden frantic to show Valorie she was wrong — he was strong and virile despite what he had endured.
Besides that, the thought of Valorie back out at parties and feasts as an unmarried woman filled him with rage. And the thought of being alone in this castle again made him desperate.
The combination of all of that created the storm he felt now. He would prove to Valorie that she was his, and he would ruin all other men for her.
That was his initial plan, of course, but his plans never seemed to work out around this lass. Because rather than proving something to Valorie, Aiden was simply lost in her. Once again, she had him forgetting all sense and reason.
Aiden explored the curves of Valorie’s body with his hands as he attempted to remove her dress — the damned thing had so many ties. She was so soft and fragile underneath his touch, so womanly. The feel of her soft skin on his hands was a unique kind of torture. Aiden wanted to trace every inch of her body with his fingertips.
Aiden clenched his hands at her hips; she would surely have indents from his fingerprints tomorrow. He liked that; he wanted her to wear his marks. Everyone needed to know that Valorie was his, lest someone try and take her from him. No one else could have her.
Surely someone out there coveted this stunning woman in front of him. What if someone did try and take her? Could he protect her? Aiden had so few allies from his years of being alone; was he enough to keep Valorie safe? Flynn seemed to think so this afternoon, but what did he know?
Aiden was quickly reminded of the very real reasons for why he had been avoiding Valorie all day. The world had shown him only horrors, and here he was exposing Valorie to that risk. Life as a laird was neither a calm nor a safe one. Valorie would be at risk every moment she spent with him. Especially if anyone learned how precious she already was to him.
Even if Valorie had no enemies, Aiden certainly did. Lairds he’d snubbed over the years or their daughters. Was anyone from Myles’ clan still bitter? He couldn’t be sure — he kept on his mind anyone powerful, but people could always slip through the cracks.
Suddenly Valorie’s softness was fear-inducing. If he could mark her up so easily, Aiden could only imagine what someone with ill-intent could do to the lass. Instead of his fingerprints on her skin, he envisioned angry welts and bruises, and his desire turned to horror. He felt bile rising up in him at the thought.
When the memories of his past became too mixed in with the present moment, Aiden shook his head firmly and pushed away from Valorie roughly. He couldn’t do this. Valorie was too pure, too bright. His own hands on her were a smudge on her light. Aiden was dragging her into his world of horror without knowing with certainty that he could protect her.
“That will be all, thank ye, Valorie. Ye can leave,” Aiden said, devoid of any emotion. None of his fear bled into his tone, and he watched as Valorie’s green eyes flashed with anger again. A small part of him wanted her to fight him on this, to prove to him he was wrong, but as he gazed on, her expression went completely cold. Immediately, Aiden wished for her fire back.
“Well, if that’s all ye wanted,” Valorie said primly, lifting her chin and walking away. Aiden’s eyes trailed her as she strode out of the room; she didn’t glance back once.