Dawn couldn’t believe his threat. He’d go to war to keep her?
Torr jumped up. “It isn’t your choice or her choice; it is my father’s choice and if necessary we can always petition the King.”
Dawn had no qualms that she was merely a possession and had no freedom of choice but since being with Cree, she had grown—to a point—independent in thought, word, and lately, in action. So she didn’t hesitate to step around Cree and have her say.
She tapped her chest and her hands flew letting them know she did not like being treated like chattel and that her wishes should at least be considered, but mostly the decision should be hers to make and no one else’s.
“Slow down, we can’t understand you,” Torr said a bit apologetically.
“You riled her,” Cree said with a smile. “There’s no slowing her down when she’s riled.”
Kirk appeared upset. “I never knew what to do when Teressa got like this. How do you deal with her when you can’t understand her?”
“I get her best friend Lila to interpret for me,” Cree said.
“Could we do that now?” Kirk asked. “I would truly like to hear all she has to say.”
“Talk to her directly, not around her,” Cree said.
Dawn turned and smiled at him for being considerate of her, but then he had made that same mistake himself, though not often.
“My apologies,” Kirk said and Dawn stared at him realizing for the first time how truly difficult this must be for him. Here she was thinking how she felt when he too had only found out that she could possibly be his daughter. And Torr was concerned for his sister. They were doing what they thought best… protecting her. This was quite a mess.
Dawn had had enough. She didn’t want to talk to anyone about anything, anymore. She wanted to be left alone. She stepped aside and pointed at the door, looking to each one of them.
“I didn’t mean to upset you,” Kirk said and stood. “You should have some time to yourself to consider what you have learned and what might be. We will talk later.” He motioned for Torr to stand and he did so hesitantly.
Dawn kept her arm straight, her finger pointed at the door, and her expression stern.
Torr shot Cree a look. “She means you too.”
“I don’t take orders from my woman.”
Torr went to lunge at him, but Kirk’s arm shot out stopping him. “Since Dawn may be my daughter, I ask that you respect the possibility.”
“May be your daughter,” Cree said. “Until it can be proven, she is still my woman and even then it doesn’t change the fact that she is my woman and will remain so.”
“You are to wed another—”
Cree cut Torr off. “That doesn’t concern you. Now take your—”
Dawn stepped between the two squabbling men and shook her finger at the door, her face red with anger.
Kirk gave his son a shove to the door. “This will be settled soon,” —he looked to Cree— “and if it becomes necessary, I will petition the King.” He turned to Dawn. “I do not wish you harm; I do what I do to protect my daughter.”
Dawn kept her finger pointed at the door after the two men left and her head turned away from Cree. She wanted him to leave. She didn’t want him to see the tears filling her eyes. She wanted to be alone, not to think this through, but to go see Old Mary and see if she could discover the truth.”
She silently gasped when his arms went around her waist and he turned her to face him, though she kept her head down. He grabbed her chin forcing it up.
“Do you honestly think that I would leave you alone after what you have just learned?”
Her tears began to fall then, for he had stayed to comfort her, and she couldn’t help but think that he would only do that if he truly loved her.
His hands went to cup her face and his thumbs wiped away each tear that fell. “You belong to me and you always will. I will not let anyone take you from me.”
Every time she heard him say those words she imagined it was his way of telling her that he loved her and did not want to live without her. And she felt the same. She did not want to leave him. Her heart would break if she did.
She pressed her hand to her chest, then to his and shook her head.
He smiled and wiped away more tears. “I never thought for a moment that you wanted to leave me. We do well together.”
She smiled and nodded and he kissed her again, a lingering kiss that tempted and teased.
His hand slipped down to cup her buttocks and then he pulled her close against him He wanted her to feel how hard he was and how much he wanted her. He already thought about scooping her up, tossing her down on the bed, lifting her skirt and driving into her with fast hard thrusts that…