“You wouldn’t even recognize me when it’s just the two of us. He brings me out of my shell.”
“He makes you feel safe?”
It was the first time I’d really thought about it, but he did. After he realized turning my ring was a security thing, and he did it when I was afraid on the plane, I had started trusting him.
I told Del about it, and she took a deep breath, like it was the first easy one she’d taken in a while. “He saved you from a life with Dermot.”
“Yes, and not because he’s using me as a pawn. He really wanted this—to marry me.”
“Did you want this?”
“No. Yes. I was—am afraid of it. It all happened so fast.”
“I agree. But sometimes life does. It just happens to us when we least expect it.”
A burning need to tell her about the castle, about my suspicions, seemed to be melting the box made from wax I was keeping all the secrets in, but I decided I’d talk to Cian about it. He was my husband, and this place kepthissecrets. The truth should come from him. All Del and I could do was speculate.
Maybe Cian would give Keenan permission to tell me. Or maybe one day he would tell me himself, if he was able.
Delaney sighed and stood. “Guests are starting to arrive—”
“Guests?”
“Seems like the village?”
That was odd. The castle was as locked up as Cian. I’d never seen anyone but Keenan, Fiona, Beatrice, and Henry step foot on the property.
Delaney seemed to notice the puzzled look on my face. “It seems like your new husband wants to let it be known he’s married, and he wants everyone to see how drop-dead gorgeous his wife is. It’s very romantic, if that’s why he’s doing it.”
It was, if that was why he was doing it, and I could see him doing it. I was almost positive he had a romantic streak. His face when I was reading him the novel…it was like he was absorbing every word. Like he was taking pointers from the pirate on how he was seducing the heroine. The pirate even said if the heroine was his fiancé, he would invite the entire island to the wedding to let it be known…
That was why I’d closed the book. We were close to the first sex scene.
“It’s a good thing you’re sitting down for what I’m about to tell you next.”
“Hmm?” I really looked at her. What happenedafterthe wedding, the weddingnight, was sending my stomach in a frenzy and my attention flittering like a hyped-up butterfly.
She grinned. “Don’t scream. I don’t want your new husband to rush into this room and behead me if he thinks you’re in danger. But…guess who’s here?”
“I can’t even take a guess because I honestly have no clue.”
“Ruairi Merrick!”
I blinked at her. “Nooo!”
“Yes!”
“You’re joking.”
“Would I joke about this?” She balled her fists and did an excited dance in place. “He’s here! But the thing is…he’s blindfolded. Robert thinks your man took him.”
“Took him?”
“Abducted. Snatched. It’s like they don’t want him to know where he is.”
Okay, if that was the truth, it was romantic in a twisted way, but still romantic.
She moved to the window in the sitting room, looking out. Never taking her eyes off the glass, she waved me over. I stood carefully, not wanting to trip. The dress was heavy, and I wasn’t used to walking in heels.
