The declaration settled over them, and for a beat, the only sound was their feet against the grass and the distant song of crickets. Wind rustled the leaves of the trees, and the moon lit their path. It was the closest to comfortable Flora had felt around Lucas, and a selfish part of her hoped that this feeling would last.
“We’re nae too far away now,” he said, nearly whispering as if he were afraid to break the spell that had fallen over them. “I ken the best place for stargazin’.”
Chapter Sixteen
Flora’s body was soft against his when they finally reached the clearing. Reluctantly, he let her go, putting a few inches of space between the two of them. When he glanced over at her, she wasn’t looking up at the sky but instead at the night-blooming flowers that surrounded them.
“There are so many of them,” she said breathlessly as she reached out to run her fingers over the delicate petals. “I dinnae ken this place was here.”
“I figured ye dinnae,” Lucas said, a possessive fondness blooming in his chest as she admired the space. “I’ve nae brought anyone here when the flowers were bloomin’. I think that Matthew and Annabeth may ken about this clearin’, but they’ve nae told me about it.”
“I wouldnae tell just anyone about this,” she said, finally looking back at him. Her eyes mirrored the light from the moon above,and the rays created a halo around her head, making her look even more ethereal. “I’m honored ye brought me here.”
“I told ye that we shouldnae waste the opportunity,” he said by way of explanation, shedding his cloak and laying it on the grass. Without looking away from her, he lowered himself to the ground. He raised an eyebrow, challenging her to join him. “I meant that.”
Flora hesitated for a moment, a flicker of the old nervousness dancing across her features. Then, she gave in, settling down next to him. She was closer than he anticipated her coming, her shoulder nearly brushing his.
“I daenae think I’ve ever set aside an evenin’ just to watch the stars,” Flora admitted, tilting her head back to take in the sky above them. “I’ve always looked through windows; only once did I sneak out to look at them properly. The moon was full that night, too.”
“Sounds as if ye dinnae have many chances to relax,” Lucas observed; he turned away from the constellations, observing the way that wonder painted her features.
“Aye, I started doin’ work in the house when I was a wee lass,” she said. Her voice sounded far away, like she was soaring amongst the stars rather than lying next to him.
He shifted his gaze back to the sky above them. There wasn’t a single cloud, and the moon seemed to be unnaturally bright. The scene felt mundane and monumental all at once.
“I can tell ye’ve been hurt before,” he said, the words probing and gentle. “Who did it to ye?”
Her breath caught. After a beat, she released it. Confused, she replied, “Ye ken who hurt me, Lucas. Ye were the one who saved me.”
“I’m nae talkin’ about yer kidnappers. I can tell that somethin’ happened to ye before.” He knew that he was pressing what could be a sore subject, but he needed to know each part of her past if he was going to protect her from it now. “Who was it, Flora?”
She went quiet once more, and this time the silence was charged. He couldn’t tell if she was gathering the strength to admit to something, or if she was figuring out how to tell him he’d overstepped. Just when he was beginning to think she would leave the question unanswered, she quietly admitted, “It was me faither. He… he wouldnae let me leave his house. He treated me as his servant, wouldnae allow me proper meals, and would beat me if he wasnae satisfied with the work I did.”
A low growl tore from Lucas’s throat. “If I ever find that bastard, I’ll kill him. I swear it to ye.”
“Ye… ye daenae have to,” she said, her cadence clearly an attempt to soothe Lucas’s anger. “I’m nae there any longer. I doubt he’s lookin’ for me. There’s nae reason to find him and do… that.”
“Ach, but there is a reason,” he argued, rolling onto his side, leaving hardly any room between the two of them. “He’s touched somethin’ that’s mine. Hurt somethin’ that’s mine. I willnae allow anyone to think they can get away with doin’ that.”
“Lucas,” she said softly, her voice shaking with an emotion that didn’t quite seem like fear. She kept her eyes turned stubbornly toward the sky. “I’m nae yers.”
The last vestiges of Lucas’ restraint snapped at that moment. He hoisted his body above hers, placing his hands on either side of her head. His knees bracketed her waist, but he was careful not to touch her. Despite all of the urges that flowed through his veins like lava, he wouldn’t make her believe he was going to do anything she didn’t welcome. Still, he wanted to ensure she looked at him as he spoke.
“Lass, if ye dinnae want to be mine, ye shouldnae be so damn enchantin’.”
Flora’s mouth opened and closed, though she stayed still beneath him. Finally, in a tone tinged with deep-seated shame, she whispered, “I cannae be yers, Lucas. I’m a ruined woman.”
Another growl tore free from his throat as his vision went red. He leaned down further, close enough that his breath ghosted over her face. Whoever made her feel this way needed to be torn limb from limb.
“Did they touch ye?” he asked, his fury building with each passing second. “Did they force ye to do anythin’?”
For the second time that evening, confusion settled over Flora’s delicate features. She shook her head as she said, “Nay more than the bruises ye saw. But I was captive for months. I’m… I’m ruined because of that.”
“That doesnae matter,” he said fiercely, his hands sliding closer to her head, his thumb rubbing against her cheek. “Ye wouldnae think that the other women were ruined, would ye?”
Her breathing stuttered as her eyes fell closed. She leaned into his touch as she admitted, “Nay. I daenae think they’re ruined. But they werenae raised as I was. For me whole life, I’ve been slowly tainted. Those months I spent in captivity only made that more certain.”
“What do ye mean ye’ve been slowly tainted?” he asked. “Ye’re faither?”
