His lips pressed together. “I told ye from day one what I wanted and needed. That did nae change just because of whatever feelings I might have had for ye wife.”
She heard him loud and clear. And she was done fighting.
“I see.” She rose from the bed, dizzy with pain that was more than physical. She stood in front of him, staring down at her feet. “Thank ye for tendin’ to me wound, me Laird.”
With that, she made for the door.
At the threshold, she steeled herself and turned to look at him, only to find the same stony mask.
Fine, have it yer way, husband.
“I would like us to live separately from now on, as we agreed at our wedding.” She stood straight and waited.
Caden said nothing; he only nodded. His walls were up, and there was no point in trying to break through them.
“Although I have another stipulation.” She rolled her shoulders back. “I willnae give ye another heir, but I am happy to raise Nathan as me own.”
“Ava…” he sighed as she stepped into the hallway.
She paused, her back to him. “And I do have one piece of advice, as yer wife. Ye should leave the past behind ye. Ye arenae yer wounds, me Laird.”
She walked back to him and looked up into his face, searching for any sign that he would change his mind. Cold determination and distance were all she saw.
Gently, she reached up to his face and stroked his jaw just under the mask, before slipping a finger under the silk and slowly removing it. Gently, she traced a finger over the raised skin around his eye and across his cheek.
Caden did not move. Ava did not flinch or show surprise at the gruesome sight. It did not matter to her what he looked like.
“Ye are much more than yer scars.” She stepped back and walked to the door, allowing the pain to harden her heart.
The cold metal of the handle bit into her hand, strengthening her resolve to leave. Caden did not follow her. The click of the door echoed through the entire castle.
A sense of finality settled into her gut. It was over.
She walked down the torchlit hallway to Nathan’s room, needing to check that he was all right. She found him sleeping peacefully in his bed, the silvery moonlight highlighting his cheeks.
She was finally able to take a deep breath.
The events of the day flashed before her in rapid succession. It hit her like a punch to the gut: Gregor Kilmartin was Nathan’s father. The man she had feared marrying was the father of the little boy.
His men had shot her and meant to kidnap Nathan. Her husband had killed Kilmartin and saved her.
Despair wrapped its claws around her heart. She heard Nathan’s screams and sobs over the clash of steel. Visions of gore and blood played over and over in her mind.
How will he ever recover from this? How will we ever recover?
She crawled into bed next to him and pulled him to her, letting her tears spill over. She would only cryonceover Caden and what had happened today. She needed to be strong for Nathan, especially if she was going to raise him without Caden by her side.
I’m so foolish to think I could be happy in this marriage.
“At least I have ye,” she whispered softly while stroking his cheek.
“Ma,” Nathan sighed.
She held him tightly and cried herself to sleep.
Caden’s heart cracked, and he rested his head against his door. The right side of his face tingled in the cold air. Never had anyone seen his face and not had a reaction before.
The image of Ava’s hurt expression was seared into his mind. The pain in her shoulder, the hurt from his decision, then… nothing. There had been no emotion on her face. She had closed herself off to him, just as he had done to her.
