Beyond(25)
He runs his hand over his jawline, looking like he’s about to tell me every juicy detail when Dane walks in, raising an eyebrow when he sees me standing before Sam. I probably look like I’m about to interrogate him, which I was.
“Do I want to know why you’re alone in here with my woman?” Dane asks, stepping behind me and kissing my nape.
“She was my friend before she was your woman. I still have rights,” Sam replies, lip twitching with amusement at Dane’s possessive side.
Dane scoffs. “You have the right to keep your hands off her.”
I roll my eyes. “Two of the strongest men we have in this castle--listen to the two of you.”
“Did you just threaten Vera to send her to the brothel that doesn’t even exist anymore?”
I turn to look at my husband. “And if I did?”
Hazel eyes sparkle. “Kind of genius.”
He kisses my lips and I hear the chair scrape on the floor as Sam stands. Stepping to the side of Dane, I narrow my eyes on my friend. “Where do you think you’re going?”
“I’ll come and see you later. I’m supposed to be training some of the teenage boys.”
I nod. “Archery right?”
“Yeah, let’s hope some of them are as good of a student as you were.”
He waves and then leaves the room.
The second the door closes, Dane kisses me, deeply this time. “I missed you.”
“I can see that,” I say when he ends the kiss. “How’s your day been?”
“Was checking out our weapons. We need more. Pointed spears will have to do, since there’s a lot of trees around. And more bows and arrows, since those can be made.”
“Planning for war?” I ask with an arched brow.
He shrugs his broad shoulders. “You know you can never be too careful. We can’t get too comfortable, thinking no trouble will ever come our way.”
I nod my head, knowing he was right. “True.”
I was teaching some of the younger women basic first aid, how to dress and clean wounds, and everything else I knew. Sharing knowledge was important here, in our situation. If we had only a few people with a certain skill, and something happened to them, we were screwed. Knowledge was power.
It was survival.
“I actually came here for a reason,” he says, rubbing the back of his neck. His bicep bulges and my gaze lingers there.
“What?”
“We’re going to need to head out in a couple of days. Look for food and supplies. I’ll leave men behind to guard everyone, take about fifteen with me.”
“You’re going?” I ask, even though I know the answer.
“I have to, you know that. I can’t send the men out there without me,” he murmurs, running his hand up my arm. “It will be a short trip. A couple of days the most. We won’t venture out too far this time.”
“Okay,” I tell him. “Are you taking Sam?”
“I’ll leave him to keep an eye on you.”
“You know damn well I can protect myself.”
He chuckles at that. “I know but I’ll feel better with Sam around.”
I smile at that. “Dane.”
“Yes wife?”
“Feel free to take Jase with you.”
Chapter Twelve
The next morning, I walk to Sam’s room. I know he wanted to tell me something yesterday, but when Dane arrived he wasn’t able to. Lifting my hand to knock on his door, hoping he wouldn’t still be sleeping, I jump when the door opens before my knuckles even touch the door.
“Oh my god,” I say when I come face to face with a surprised looking Lars. “But… but…”
Lars grips my wrist and pulls a shocked me inside Sam’s room, closing the door behind me. Sam sits on his windowsill in nothing but his underwear, a surprised look on his face.
“Oh my god,” I repeat. “I did not see this coming.”
“Fuck,” I hear Lars grit out behind me. “Olivia--”
“Are you telling me that,” I start, cutting Lars off, my eyes solely on Sam. “Lars is your mystery man?”
Lars was gay? No wait, didn’t Gina elude to something about Lars being with her?
I spin to face him. “You hurt my friend and there is no one on this earth that will save you from my wrath.”
“Olivia--” Sam says in a soothing tone.
Lars swears again, apparently unable to come up with anything else to say.
Sam puts his hands on the back of my shoulders. “Calm down Olivia.”
I point at Lars then turn around and look at Sam. “I really didn’t see this one coming.”
Sam’s mouth twitches. “I can see that. You can’t tell anyone about this.”