The Apprehension (Unexpected Circumstances #6) - Shay Savage Page 0,10

the skin of my back.

“We should not need her services any longer,” I said quietly, baffled. He seemed so hesitant with an answer I would have thought obvious. Did he wish to keep her as his concubine?

“No,” Branford said softly, “we do not need her.”

He pushed away from me and sat up, placing his head in his hands as he bent over his knees. I looked at him, confused and concerned by his reaction. Did he wish to keep her with us in case I was unable to bear a child regardless of Janet’s treachery? Was there some other reason he wanted her here?

“We never needed her!” Branford yelled suddenly, and I jumped as I stifled a small cry. “I did not have to do any of it! It was completely needless, and I never had to touch her at all…”

I brought myself up onto my knees and placed my hands on Branford’s shoulders, feeling relieved he did not want to keep Hadley as his concubine and at the same time, concerned at his outburst. He lifted his head to look at me, and I could see the slight shine from wetness at the corner of his eyes. He quickly looked away from me again, placing his forehead on his knees and wrapping his arms around his head.

“It was all for nothing,” he whispered. “I hurt you for nothing.”

“You did not know, Branford,” I said softly as I tried to keep my own tears in check. “None of us did.”

I felt his muscles tense under my fingers.

“Could she have known?” Branford turned to me, and his eyes were dark and terrifying. “Did she know what I was doing was for naught? She came from Hadebrand, Alexandra. If she knew…if she lay there while I…knowing all along…”

His words were frightening, for I knew what he was saying and the implication that went along with it. If he believed Hadley to be involved, her fate would be the same as my handmaid’s.

“Branford,” I said, trying to keep my voice soft and calm, “I also came from Hadebrand.”

His gaze locked with mine, and for the briefest of moments, I regretted my words. Reminding him at this moment of where I grew up was likely not the wisest of words to come from my mouth. I held my breath, waiting for his reaction and feeling—for the first time in many months—somewhat afraid of my husband’s temper.

Slowly, his gaze dropped back to his hands resting over his legs, and his eyes closed. I felt his shoulders rise and fall with his breaths. When his eyes opened again, he turned where he sat and placed his hands on my hips.

“I hate what I did,” Branford said, his eyes closed tightly as he touched his forehead to mine, “and to discover now how pointless it had been. To know it was not necessary…it makes me…makes me want…”

I slid my fingers up the tense muscles of his arm, over his shoulder and jaw until I cupped his face with my hands.

“It is behind us now,” I told him. “We have another chance. I may still bear your child.”

“You will,” he said with conviction as his mouth covered mine suddenly. His words became muffled against my lips as he angled me backwards against the mattress. “You will have my child…no one else. No one…ever…I swear…”

“But what if I cannot—”

“Hush,” he said, and his mouth covered mine again.

“But we do not know—” Again he cut off my words with his mouth. His tongue touched my lips for a moment before he moved slowly to my chin and up my jaw.

“I will never, never touch another woman,” Branford whispered with hot breath into my ear. “I would die before I ever let that happen again. It almost killed me, knowing what I was doing to you…”

“I know, my Branford,” I replied.

“I hated it…hated what I was doing…hated myself for not knowing what else to do…”

“Hush,” I whispered, repeating the word he had used with me many times before. My lips trailed over his neck. “No more. It is only us now…”

“How can you not hate me?” He wrapped his arms tightly around me, and his body stilled completely atop mine. “After so many mistakes and so many failures, how can you still trust me to provide for you and keep you safe? How can you even believe the words that emanate from my mouth?”

Our eyes met, and I could see the sorrow darkening the green of his irises.

“I love you, Branford,”