“That was nae me intention.” She stepped toward the haybale. “It looked as if ye were trying tae get rid of some anger. Had ye had a real opponent, they would be dead.”
“Perhaps I needed tae vent a little rage.” He turned his back on Ava and the bale. The whole of the previous night, he’d had to watch Ava and Laird Grant together, making eyes at one another across the feasting tables. Kai hadn’t said a word. He’d sat there miserably, gripping onto his tankard so tightly that at one point, Thora had silently prized it from his fingers and pushed it away across the table.
It's torture tae watch Ava seduce another man.
“What rage?”
“It doesnae matter.” He turned to retrieve his blade, only to find that Ava had beaten him to it. She stood there with the sword in her grasp, bearing it toward him.
“Fight me.” She nodded at the blade.
“Ye saw what I did tae me last opponent.” He gestured to the bale.
“Then choose something else we can lose rather than blood.” She smiled freely at him, looking completely at ease. It was infuriating when all he wanted to do was shout at her, to demand to know how she could still really consider giving herself to Laird Grant for the rest of her life after all that had happened between them over the last couple of weeks.
No such emotion emanated from her though. She was determined, ready for the fight.
Just like at every other point in life, he couldn’t refuse her anything.
“Very well. What shall we wager?” He turned his back and picked up another sword from the racking at the side of the room.
“How about our freedom?” Ava’s question made him pause again. “Whoever loses, must agree tae be the other’s slave fer the day.”
Kai had a hard time keeping up for a second. Picturing Ava as his slave was making all sorts of naughty thoughts come to mind. Feeling his length harden in his trews, he cleared his throat and held his arm down in front of him to hide it from her.
“One day?” he clarified.
“Aye, one day.” She raised her sword. “Ready tae lose?”
“I’m ready tae win, Ava.” He didn’t give her much time to think and advanced toward her.
She knew his fighting style so well by now that she absorbed most of his blows. They lunged toward one another, sparring and battling, each one trying to gain dominance in the fight. At one point, they ended up close to the hay bale. Ava had to dart around it, hiding for cover, the movement offsetting his balance as he ran the other way to catch up with her.
Yet she moved so quickly that by the time he raised his blade toward her, she had already blocked the blow, absorbing the full weight of his strike by sinking onto her knees. They parried quickly, neither one of them willing to give up the fight. As Kai darted around the hay bale again to catch up with her, a thought occurred to him.
To make Ava his slave for the day was a highly enticing thought… but also dangerous. He could ruin everything she had worked toward for the last few weeks. Her whole intention to protect Lyla from an awful fate could come to nothing if Kai’s salacious wishes brought the two of them to bed.
If she and I ever cross that line, if I ever have her… Lyla will be doomed tae an awful fate.
It was a momentary decision he made, but one he had to act on.
I must lose this fight.
He pretended to trip in his haste to catch her. She took advantage of the moment and swung around with the blade high. He was forced to cower on his knees to avoid the blow, then she kicked his own sword out of his hand. It clattered away across the floor as he knelt before her, his hands up in surrender.
Ava froze, a smile growing on her face with the sword outstretched in front of her.
“I… win…” she panted, her chest rising and falling in the most distracting of ways.
“Aye, ye win.” He nodded firmly. “Ye ken what this means, dinnae ye?” She raised her eyebrows, urging him to carry on. “It means from dawn until midnight tomorrow, I’m yer slave for the day, Ava.”
Something briefly flashed in her eyes, but he didn’t need to see that expression to know she had also given way to some desirable thought. He felt it. It was like being cast in a great sunbeam, warming and deliciously exciting.
Whatever did ye think tae make me dae then Ava?
CHAPTER TWENTY-ONE
Ava looked across the table set for breakfast.
