Lily swallowed around the lump in her throat. “Was I supposed to let you get shot instead?”
“Aye!” His eyes narrowed as he thundered the words.
Lily’s pulse jumped at the intensity of his yell, and as she stared deep into his eyes, she thought she saw traces of panic there.
“Killian—”
“When ye see danger, ye run. Ye shouldnae risk yer life to save me or anyone else… Do ye understand me? If ye died, I would never forgive myself. Dinnae do that to me again, please…”
His eyes pleaded with her. Lily would usually have a reply lined up for him in her head, but to this, she had no words. There was something intense about his eyes on hers at that moment.
Like he is terrified.
“I dinnae want to lose anyone else I…” Killian trailed off.
He growled, rose to his feet and combed his fingers through his hair. He paced around the chamber for a long time, and when he paused and faced her again, his skin had reddened.
“Are you all right?” Lily questioned. He seemed distressed, like he had a lot of words to say but couldn’t piece them together.
“I shall be outside with the villagers. They have gathered on the fields, and I wish to help them. I have sent word to my castle. By dusk, tomorrow, carts of crops and wood shall arrive. My men and I will build them sheds where they can sleep and feed them for as long as we can.”
“I want to help,” Lily said and tried to sit up again, but he hurried back to the bed and stopped her.
“Dinnae move from this bed unless I order ye to do so.”
He pinned her shoulders down on the bed again, and she struggled.
“Let me go,” she said, breathless, her head spinning a little. She did not feel strong enough to fight with him, but she also could not lie here and do nothing while the villagers were in need. “Killian.”
“I mean it,” Killian answered gruffly. “If ye move, I will tie ye to this bed and make sure ye never leave this chamber.”
“You cannot keep me here,” Lily huffed, her hot breath puffing out of her lips harshly when his grip on her tightened.
His glare intensified, and she feared he would move closer than he already was to her. Her insides began to boil over. Just thefeel of his hands on the bare skin of her shoulders was enough to make her melt on the bed.
“I do not take orders from you,” she managed to retort, her voice weaker now. He stared at her lips, and she let her gaze flicker to his.
“Ye must take this order,” he answered in a husky tone.
The air around them was charged with tension. Somehow, the sheets wrapped around her body had moved during her struggle, and her thighs were now exposed.
Lily swallowed hard. “All right,” she relented. “I shall not move.”
Killian hesitated to release her. His eyes did not leave her lips. When he lifted a finger and gently trailed it over her lower lip, she froze.
“There’s a guard outside watchin’ ye at all times. If ye make one wrong move, I shall know, and I will return to make sure ye return to the castle, where ye will be safe.”
Lily’s lips stayed tightly drawn when he finally moved away from the bed. He left the cabin without another word to her, and she did not see him for the rest of the night.
It was late the next day when Lily gathered the strength to move around the chamber. A guard had brought her some soup earlier, and she had eaten only a little of it.
She decided to wash herself and had managed to unwrap the cloths around her chest and head when a raspy knock sounded at the door. It opened before she could respond, and Killian walked in, halting in his strides when he saw her struggling to undo the sash of her undergarments.
Lily dropped her hands to her sides and stared right back at him. Her heart pounded, every part of her burned with need for him. She held her breath and waited to see what he would do next.
Killian didn’t move for a long time, and when he did, his steps were uncertain. He got to her, but he stood still, his eyes taking in all of her. The sheer fabric of her undergarments evaporated beneath his scorching gaze.
Lily could feel the throb of desire in the nub between her thighs. These were sensations she had never felt before. They confused her and sent shocking waves of hunger mixed with panic through her.
