Jack A Grim Reaper Romance (29 page)

Corwin had been watching the proceedings quietly, but he now stood and came to her side, his stride brisk enough to send his kilt swinging. “Are ye not being a wee bit hard on the lass? She’s been at it for hours without so much as a moment to catch her breath.”

Mason turned a hard gaze on Corwin though his words were meant for her. “Perhaps, my love, you just need a bit of motivation.”

Corwin threw his head back and screamed in pain, his legs buckling out from under him, dropping him to his knees.

“Stop me, love. I know you can do it.” Mason looked at her as if he had not a care in the world—as if he had nothing to do with the agony Corwin was in.

“Let him go!” When she lunged towards Mason, Pierce held her back with one arm tight around her waist and the other around her shoulders.

Mason shook his head. “It’s up to you, Lilly. You know what to do.”

She had not the time to make sure her technique was perfect, and could only hope her rage would be enough. Anger and panic coiled within her, built into a mass of pulsing light. She hurled it at Mason with all her might. He screamed out, releasing Corwin in the process. She tore herself out of Pierce’s grasp and dropped to Corwin’s side, his face still contorted in pain, his eyes squeezed shut.

“Well done, love. I knew you could manage it.” Mason’s breath was ragged and edge with pain, but she did not care.

“How could you?” Lilly shook her head, while Corwin gave him a hateful glare. She helped Corwin to his feet, her emotions a tangled mess as her anger consumed her. What type of person did such a thing? “I swear, Mason, do it again and I’ll not forgive you.”

“My dear, I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you from harm. Are we clear?” Mason held her gaze, but she’d be damned if she’d let him bully everyone just to get his way.

“I’m taking him home. Don’t wait up.”

***

Lilly was furious with Mason for using Corwin like he did. “I’m sorry about dragging you into my mess of a life.”

“Och, love. Dinna fash yerself.” Corwin linked his fingers with hers, and closed the distance between them, their bodies just touching. “Will ye also move back here?”

She couldn’t. All because of her farce of a marriage.

“No. I must live at Mason’s—though on days like this, I’m tempted to take my chance with the Elders.” When she looked up into those green eyes, the heat of a blush swept across her cheeks for she could not deny the attraction she felt when he was near. “What he did to you is unforgivable.”

“I’m fine,
a ghaoil
.” He rubbed his chin and gave her a sideways glance, his dark red locks long and unruly enough to fall past his eyes. “Ye’ll have to pardon my saying so, but I canna see the attraction. He doesna seem to make ye happy, my love. If anything, the two of ye seem completely at odds with each other.”

She threw up her arms, frustration mingling with her anger. “It’s true. He infuriates me, and I swear, I drive him to drink.”

“Ah! It must be true love then.” Corwin’s crooked smile made her heart race, and she was all too tempted to sort out exactly how she felt about him.

“Though I’m furious with him, he’s really not that bad once you get to know him.”

“A better endorsement I’ve ne’er heard.” He laughed when she playfully swiped at him.

“I know that doesn’t sound like much, but he has changed for the better. Just months ago, he never put anything before his work, yet now… you saw what the Elder’s did to him.” She choked on the words, for the thought of what he’d endured still haunted her.

He gave her hand a squeeze. “Och, love, I’m not saying that what he did wasna honorable, but I’d hope, at the very least, he’d value ye more than his work.”

“It’s not just that, love. He’s always been willing to take me as I am, rather than try and change me. It seems a simple thing but it isn’t a concession many men would make. Truly, he’s a good man despite his hard exterior and his surly ways.”

For some reason, she felt like she needed to convince Corwin that there was more to Mason than what he’d seen—needed to show him the reason he held her heart.

“Do ye love him then? For if ye do, I dinna want to interfere with yer relations now that yer married.”

“I do love him. But that’s not to say I don’t love you also. I just need to sort out my feelings for the two of you. Right now, my heart and head are a mess, and I cannot make sense of any of it.” She let out a weary sigh, wondering how she got herself in such a predicament.

“Aye, love. I understand. Ye hadna expected me to turn up, and ye hadna expected to find yerself married. ‘Tis understandable that ye feel torn, and I’m happy to help ye anyway I can.”

He brushed the stray locks from her face, before slipping an arm around her waist. With his body pressed against hers, he left her breathless. He was built lean and muscular, with a power contained in the grace of curves and elegant lines. He carried himself with the air of a sailor, confidant and strong. And the kilt he always wore? It only reinforced the effect he had on her.

Yet, Mason still niggled at her thoughts.

Determined to make some headway in deciphering her feelings, she reached up and pulled Corwin close, her lips on his in an attempt to shut Mason out. He deepened their kiss and set her passions ablaze, each nerve suddenly alive and tingling. She trailed her hands over his chest and gripped his shirt to steady herself, for he left her lightheaded. It was nearly impossible to resist the urge to drag him up to her bed. Yet, once more, there was Mason worming his way into her thoughts.

As if sensing her momentary hesitation, Corwin pulled away. “I’m sorry, aye? I shouldna have kissed ye like that.”

“Except
I
was the one to kiss
you
—and I’ll
not
be apologizing for it. Not to you and not to Mason.”

“Lilly, I know this isna easy for ye, but I can wait, aye? A year will be here and gone before we know it.”

She shook her head. “You cannot let a year of your life pass you by. We may have a hundred lifetimes to live, but the one thing I’ve learned from being a reaper is that each day is precious and should not be wasted.” She cupped his cheek, his stubble, red and gold, tickling her palm.

She desperately wanted to lose herself in his touch, but she knew her feelings for Mason would only get in the way. Nothing had gotten sorted, and she felt weary and exhausted, the day taking an emotional toll. In the end, all she wanted was a bit of sleep in comforting arms.

“I love him, Corwin. I truly do. But for now, I’m tired and I just want to lay my head down. I’m too weary to head back to him just yet.”

“’Tis yer home, aye? Ye can do as ye wish, my love.” He pulled her close and kissed the top of her head as she rested her cheek against his chest, his heart beating strong and fast. “Will ye let me hold ye while ye sleep,
mo chridhe
?”

As he held her close, she could not deny him, for she found him comforting and would get little rest knowing he was in the room next door. “Sleep and sleep alone.”

“Aye. Of course my love.”

Chapter Twenty-Seven

“Leave it be, Pierce.” Mason threw back yet another whiskey as he eyeballed his lieutenant. It was bad enough Lilly was with Corwin, without adding to his misery by discussing the matter. “Not another word.”

As if that would actually happen.

“I don’t understand you.” Pierce shook his head and plopped himself down in the chair across from Mason, having refreshed his drink. “You’ll regret not putting a stop to this.”

“What would you have me do? Burst into her home and uncouple them?” Tempting as it was, Lilly would murder him, resurrect him, and then curse him to hell. “She made it clear that she cannot commit to this relationship despite the marriage—not yet anyway. I just have to hope she’ll see sense.”

“Yes. Sense seems to be one of her many virtues.” Pierce propped a lanky leg across his other knee, sitting back to have his drink. “Why you decided to fall for her—for anyone, mind you—is beyond me. The girl has always driven you off the rails and you do nothing but infuriate her.”

A lazy smile crept across Mason’s lips as he lost himself in his thoughts. “Yes, but have you seen her when she’s enraged?”

He could never resist her when she had fury in her eyes. It made him want to take full advantage of all that heat.

Pierce scoffed. “One of these days, Mason. She’ll stick a knife in you if you’re not careful.”

“Ah, but it’d be well worth it just to have her nurse me back to health.” How angry would she be if he interrupted her evening? She’d been livid enough when she left.

As if reading his mind, Pierce said, “You’d have every right as her husband. No?”

Pierce’s words wormed their way into his thoughts, teasing his jealousy out of hiding.

“Indeed, I would. Not to mention, if the Elders catch wind of it, the consequences would be rather unpleasant.” Mason put his glass down with a thud and stood up. “Perhaps it’s time I paid my wife a visit.”

***

Consumed as Mason was with his thoughts, the ride to Lilly’s home took no time at all. He could only imagine what Lilly was getting up to, and the thought drove him mad. She refused to give their marriage the respect it deserved—never mind that it put her in jeopardy or that he’d gone through hell and back to keep her safe.

In the state he was in, it was easy enough to ignore that she’d made it clear she’d not commit to their marriage.

By the time he burst into Lilly’s home, he was incensed she’d take another to her bed and seek comfort in their arms—furious she’d give the Elders a reason to drag her before them.

Mason ignored Lilly’s footman who tried in vain to stop him from going up the stairs. However, the commotion was enough to alert Lilly. “What’s happened? Is it another murder?”

It was hard to ignore that Lilly wore little other than her shift with a dressing gown hastily thrown over it. “Get dressed. I’ve come to take you home.”

Now that it was clear there was no dire emergency, Lilly’s eyes narrowed and her hands clenched into fists.

“I
am
home, and I’m going nowhere. It’s late, Mason.” When he closed the distance between them, she took him in as if seeing him for the first time. “You’re drunk. I cannot believe you’re doing this.”

“Drunk or not, I’m still your husband, aye? And I’ll not have you spreading your legs—” Her slap snapped his head to the side, his cheek flaming hot from the impact. He rubbed it slowly, a smirk crawling across his lips. “Like that, is it?”

With Mason down a step or two, the difference in their height made it all too easy to toss her over his shoulder. So he did just that, with a hand on the railing to keep them from toppling down the steps. She squirmed and kicked in the most luscious manner as he carried her off, screaming like a banshee.

“How dare ye! Put her down this instant.” Corwin rushed out into the hall and down the steps, barely dressed.

Mason tried to figure out which room he’d come out of. Had it been Lilly’s or was it the guest room? Furious, he turned to face Corwin fully, tightening his grip on Lilly as she continued to flail and curse in a most unladylike manner.

“I’m taking my wife home. Certainly you’d respect that covenant. No? Or would you rather I bring you before the Elders for coveting my wife.”

It was an empty threat since taking Corwin to the Elders would only put their marriage under further scrutiny. However, if he knew Lilly, it’d not be a chance she’d take. The Elders did not normally care about such trivial matters as adultery, but their marriage and their motives were already being questioned.

“Mason, don’t.” Lilly quieted, and no longer fighting him, he carefully put her down on the step. “Please. He’d not survive going before the Elders.”

He looked her over and his heart ached. He wanted her to come home of her own free will, yet he could not sit idly by while she ran off with another. “Are you coming home then?”

“Lilly, I know ye love him, aye? But ye need not go with him when he’s being a bully and a brute.” Corwin reached out and took her hand, but she didn’t even look at him. “Dinna worry about me coming to harm,
a ghaoil
. Just stay… please.”

She moved to Corwin’s side, her hand on his cheek as she kissed him, her lips lingering for a heartbeat more.

“I’m sorry, love, but I cannot.” Lilly held onto him one last moment as she squeezed her eyes shut against glistening eyes. Then without looking at Corwin again, she turned to Mason, her gaze hard through her tears, her stance stiff. “Take me home.”

Ignoring Corwin’s pleas and curses, Mason draped her cloak over her flimsy garments and led her out of her home and into his carriage. She spoke not a word to him as they rode in deafening silence, and though he could see she was shivering from the damp cold of night, he dare not touch her. He took out his flask and handed it to her, knowing the brandy would help warm her. When she took it with a mumble of thanks, the weight on his chest lifted a little.

Once home, Lilly ran up the stairs towards her room, leaving Mason without so much as a glance. She slammed the door behind her, but Mason didn’t hesitate to let himself in.