Page 68 of Kingdom of Chains

‘You know why.’

She ran her thumb across his wet lips. ‘That was a good kiss.’

‘It was.’ He brought her icy hands to his stomach to warm them.

‘The kind of kiss they write songs about.’

He pushed back the hair that had fallen over her face and tucked it behind her ear. ‘Now the truth comes out about the kinds of books you read.’

She did not smile as expected.

‘He lost control tonight,’ she whispered. ‘In a way that shocked us both.’

‘Hodge?’

A nod.

‘Did he hurt you?’

She swallowed. ‘Yes.’

Blackmane’s body tensed involuntarily.

‘He thought he could fix it by marrying me—right there in the camp.’

It took a moment for Blackmane to process that. ‘Is that why you ran?’

Another nod before her eyes sank shut. ‘Will you sleep beside me?’

‘No.’

‘Will you at least lie beside me?’

‘No.’

Her eyes fluttered open. ‘No?’

‘But I’ll keep watch over you.’

Her eyes sank shut again, and sleep took her.

Blackmane gave himself two minutes. Two minutes to study her face and savour her sleepy breaths. Two minutes to swim in her scent and keep her warm.

When the two minutes were up, he climbed out from beneath the blanket and tucked it tightly around her, then kept watch over her for the rest of the night.

CHAPTER 21

Isabel woke to warm fingers brushing her cheek. She forced her heavy eyes open and found Blackmane seated next to her, framed by grey light.

‘What happened to your face?’ he asked, his voice like ice.

She pushed herself up into a seated position. ‘I already told you what happened.’

‘He did this?’

She nodded.

‘And the marks on your neck?’

---