13
She felt like an idiot.
Finley forced herself to move when Erik did, her body heated from his kisses. She had asked him to give her a taste of what it would be like to be with him, and he had declined, which could only mean one thing to her.
He was still in love with Isabel and seeing her had all but squashed any feelings he might have had for Finley.
The truth hurt, and it would take some time for her to get over this. “Dinnae apologize,” she said stiffly, glad that the lighting was low so that he couldn’t see the tears forming in her eyes. “I understand.” After all, why would he want an untried warrior with an ugly scar when he could reunite with a beauty like Isabel? If her stories were true, then she wanted out of her marriage, and Erik would be the perfect replacement.
He moved his head to the side. “Wot do ye understand, lass?”
She drew in a breath. “That ye are still in love with her.” She didn’t need to be specific with who. He knew who she was referring to.
“Finley,” he started, but she shook her head, not wanting to hear the words out of his mouth.
“I dinnae trust her,” she said softly, searching his eyes. “Why would she turn tae ye now?”
Erik frowned, and she could see the conflict in his eyes. “Because I know her plights.”
“’Tis not a reason tae believe her now,” she replied, wishing he would see that Isabel was not the same lass she had been.
His jaw worked. “I dinnae know, lass. Those bruises...”
He wasn’t going to believe her. Finley felt the last shard of her heart that she had been clinging to fall, and the pain was unlike anything she had experienced. Isabel’s claws were deep in Erik, and nothing she said would change the way he felt about his former love.
“Finley,” he began, but she was already striding away, her fists clenched at her sides. She had been wrong to think that she could drum up any emotions within Erik that could be lasting.
She strode into the keep, ignoring those that were around her, and only wanted to make it to her chambers so she could cry herself to sleep. Erik wasn’t going to give up the fact that Isabel could be using him, and Finley would never convince him otherwise unless he saw the woman that his former love had become.
Finley had no proof, but she knew that Isabel was preying on Erik’s good nature, of what they had before this moment, and if she could do that, then she was not the sort of person that Erik needed to be around in the first place.
However, he was refusing to listen to Finley, and if he didn’t see the danger, she was never going to make him see it.
Her heart ached at the thought. It wasn’t about losing him to Isabel. Erik wasn’t hers to control, nor would he likely ever be. It was more so the fact that he deserved better. He deserved someone to care for him, to see him as more than just a pawn or someone that could be manipulated.
Someone who could see him as the man he was, the good warrior that he was.
The way that she saw him.
“Finley.”
Finley saw Leeth striding toward her and knew she couldn’t avoid him. So, she slowed her steps and straightened her shoulders, hoping that he wouldn’t look into her eyes and see the devastation that had been laid there.
“Aye?”
He looked over her shoulder as if he were expecting someone with her. “Where were ye?”
She frowned. Not once had he ever questioned her whereabouts, nor should he. He was only her mentor, not her father.
“Why do ye need tae know that?”
He eyed her, exasperation in his expression. “Just tell me, lass.”
“I was walking with Erik,” she finally responded, seeing that he wasn’t going to let it go or let her go until she did. “Around the perimeter of the keep.”
“Ah,” he replied, arching a brow, but not at all surprised by her admission. Had he seen them leave together? Was that what this was about? “I want ye tae be careful around Erik.”
“Careful?” she asked, surprised. She thought that Leeth liked Erik. Plus, there was no reason for her mentor to be concerned with her personal affairs. She could handle herself. Besides, Erik would be gone in two days, and none of this would matter.
