Page 39 of Eternally Bound
Killean snorted. “I’d bet that’s the first time you’ve ever said that going by your reaction. I was wrong, you’ll be crying and calling your brother in five minutes.”
She opened her mouth to tell him where to go with that, but Ronan spoke first. “I won’t have her death on my conscience. She’ll stay.”
Her eyes swung to him, and for the first time in her life, she wanted to claw the eyes out of someone. “I can take care of myself!”
“It will be okay.” Declan touched her arm as he offered her some reassurance.
She’d been so focused on the two complete asses in the room that she hadn’t realized he’d approached her. She smiled hesitatingly at him, grateful for his reassurance. He was the only one who didn’t seem to hate her for what she’d done.
A low growl emanated through the room. Before she could comprehend where the sound had come from, Ronan stalked toward them. Declan’s hand slipped away and he stepped hastily away from her.
Ronan inserted himself between them, his hand encircling her upper arm as he moved her away from his friend. She frowned at him as she tried to figure out where his strange aggression toward Declan had come from. Declan edged further away, his eyes twinkling with an amusement Kadence didn’t understand.
“I’ll have Marta and Baldric set up one of the rooms for her,” Ronan said.
Despite her continued annoyance with Ronan for denying her freedom, a twinge of disappointment went through her. She should be grateful they were going to be in separate rooms while she remained here. Grateful he was giving her at least some distance.
She didn’t feel at all grateful though. She’d never admit it to him, but she’d enjoyed sleeping beside him.
She tugged on her arm to get him to release her. She had to put some distance between them if she was going to break free of this odd pull he had over her. He let her go.
“The three of you get ready to go out for the night,” he said to the others. “We’ll go hunting as soon as our guest is situated.”
Kadence scoffed. “Let’s not pretend I’m anything other than a prisoner here.”
He shot her a dark look, which she returned. “That was the choice you made when you pulled your little stunt earlier.”
CHAPTER 20
Ronan led Kadence to the room Baldric and his wife, Marta, had readied for her. He cursed inwardly when he realized they’d prepared the room next to his. The covers on the bed were already pulled back for her. Marta had managed to find more women’s clothes close to her size. They hung neatly in the wardrobe, the doors left open so Kadence would know they were there.
“I’m sure there are fresh towels and shampoo in the bathroom,” he said to her.
Kadence walked around the room before stopping to examine the clothes inside the wardrobe. “Whose are these?”
Ronan shrugged. “I don’t know. I suppose various women may have left them here.”
“You have that many women coming through here that you can’t remember their names or what they wore?” she demanded, unprepared for the flare of anger that realization brought with it. He was a vampire, he was old, he’d probably had countless women in his lifetime, but she didnotwant to be wearing their clothes!
Ronan leaned against the doorway as he surveyed her. He thought he’d detected a hint of jealousy in her tone, but her face remained blank. “I have had no women come through here, none of us have yet.”
“Then where did the clothes come from?”
“Left behind by the previous owners.”
“Why would they leave their clothes behind?”
“Because they left in a rush,” he replied.
Kadence gazed at him and then the clothes in confusion. Some of the dresses and shirts were really pretty. It wasn’t her style, she’d always worn simpler clothing, usually a plain skirt with a blouse, but sometimes she’d worn pants or a cotton dress. White, gray, or black were their options in the stronghold.
She had to admit, she was looking forward to trying on some of these more colorful clothes. Her fingers itched to pull the orange skirt and bright pink tank top out. It didn’t matter they didn’t match; they were so colorful!
“Why did they leave in such a hurry? What happened to them?”
Ronan really didn’t want to give her any answers, not after what she’d pulled earlier, but he found himself reluctant to leave her here.
He wasn’t going to tell her that they traveled so often they had numerous bases of location, none of them as ostentatious or ugly as this one. Most were simple homes, some condos, a few cottages, and a couple of chateaus and wineries that were more investment properties. He’d spent so little time in any of those places that he could barely recall any of them.
