It made her breath shudder out of her. And the only thing she wanted to confirm was her thoughts.
Daenae do this,the voice at the back of her head warned.Daenae push him.
But she ignored it. She had already closed the distance between them. Now, the air around them tightened with heat and tension.
“If this concern of yers,” she said softly, “is truly for me sake?—”
He drew in a deep breath, silencing her. He broke eye contact, turning away from her and moving toward his desk.
“Leave,” he ordered, taking another breath that sounded more like a warning.
Clearly, he was dismissing her. But she was not finished.
Stepping toward the desk, she demanded, “Answer me.”
He was about to sit down, but her words had stopped him. He lifted his brown eyes to her, and she could see he had no intention of continuing this conversation.
“Get some sleep, Sorcha. I’ve nay answers for ye.” His voice was tight.
“Nay,” she said stubbornly.
His back stiffened, and irritation flashed in his eyes.
“I willnae,” she added nonetheless, refusing to soften it. “Nae when ye have Myles following me like a shadow.”
That did it.
William straightened to his full height, his hands slipping away from the dark wood. Silence settled between them, almost pressing against her ears. Yet, she moved amidst it, close enough until the edge of the desk brushed her thighs.
Defiantly, she flattened her palms against the surface and lifted her chin. “Danger follows me,” she said, her voice wavering despite her efforts. “It always has. So if it’s chosen me next, I wouldnae be surprised.” Her fingers curled slightly against the wood. “And I deserve to ken why.”
William did not respond. But his stern façade had faltered a little, enough to reveal what lay beneath: worry, real and unmistakable. The sight of it stole her breath.
“Ye do care,” she whispered, more to herself than to him.
That truth warmed and terrified her all at once.
“I am nae ready to leave,” she admitted, the words trembling free. “And I daenae wish to remarry.”
She paused, her fingers trembling slightly against the wood. She wasn’t sure whether to let him see this very part of her, to reveal her deepest fear to him, but something drew her to him. Even though it sounded foolish, something about him made herwantto trust him.
She took a deep breath, her lips parting slightly.
“Every time someone gets close to me,” she went on, her voice barely above a whisper, “evil seems to follow. As if I am cursed to bring ruin with me.” She swallowed hard. “If I return home, I’ll be married off again. And if disaster strikes after that… I daenae ken if I could survive it.”
Like a coin sinking into the water, sympathy replaced the irritation on his face. It was brief, but it was there. It was something dangerous that softened his expression in the rarest way. Something he clearly did not welcome.
However, almost immediately, he schooled his features, his jaw tightening as he looked away. And as though he were wrestling with a memory, his fingers curled into tight fists.
The sight made her concern flare before she could stop it.
“William?” she prompted quietly. “Are ye…”
She reached for him, as if to let her touch ask,Are ye all right?But the moment her fingertips brushed his skin, he recoiled, snatching his hand away as though her touch had burned him.
The softness on his face had vanished, only to be replaced by something colder. Sharper. Controlled.
Without a word, he stepped past her, reaching for the lamp on the desk. His hand closed around it, extinguishing the flame at once. It was instant, the darkness that rushed in.
