Book 2 Liam - The library 1

Book 2 Liam - The library 1
Not long after Kara entered the Royal Palace

The incident at lunch had left Liam rattled and consumed with guilt over not being able to do anything for the two women.
The thought of Joziah taking a woman as gentle as Lady Ivy for his wife and subjecting her to unspeakable horrors kept him awake late into the night. Taking advantage of his wife’s absence from their marital bed, Liam decided to walk through the palace in the hope of clearing his head. Not that it helped. All he could think about was finding a way to save Lady Ivy before it was too late. He couldn’t allow his cousin to wed her.
Then there was the other problem—getting Rosalyn pregnant again. Joziah could father the child for all he cared because nothing could convince him to fuck his wife ever again.
Liam was heading to the library when he heard a noise behind him. He slipped into the shadows, his hand gripping the hilt of his dagger—walking around unarmed was a death sentence—and waited.
A woman with ash-blonde hair stepped into the dark hallway, her eyes darting left and right as she cautiously moved forward. She suddenly stopped, her right hand resting on her rounded stomach.
Rounded stomach.
It took Liam a moment to realize she was pregnant.
What was she doing there in the middle of the night, and who was she? More importantly, didn’t she realize the danger she was in by entering the palace in her condition, knowing full well it was teeming with demons?
“I know you’re there,” she said in a low voice, completely devoid of fear.
But Liam remained hidden, rooted to the spot.
“Reveal yourself,” she demanded, impatience creeping into her voice.
For some reason, Liam found her words rather amusing and decided to step into her line of sight to see what she would do once she realized who he was.
Her eyes narrowed as she studied him. Then she did something that took him by surprise—she sniffed the air. Her eyes flew wide as she clapped a hand over her mouth, a soft gasp escaping her lips.
She had recognized him indeed.
“Oh,” she murmured, loud enough for him to hear. “It’s you.”
Assuming she was referring to the fact that he was the king, Liam nodded. “It is.”
She placed both hands protectively over her stomach.
Was she afraid of him?
She stepped back. “I didn’t know,” she said, sounding frightened and heartbroken at the same time. “I thought–”
She fell silent as she glanced over her shoulder. “We’re in danger,” she said, urgency filling her voice.
“Quickly,” he urged as he hurried to her side. Taking her right hand in his, he nudged her forward. “This way.”
Despite hurrying her along in her condition, Liam was surprised by how fast she moved. When Rosalyn had been pregnant, she had spent most of her time in bed, too sick to get up. But this woman, whoever she was, might surprise him yet again before the night was over.
He guided her to the library, and once inside, he quietly closed the door behind them. Taking her to a secluded corner, he gently pressed her against the wall and placed a forefinger against her lips. Then he stepped in front of her, shielding her from any potential danger.
Straining his ears, he listened for any sound coming from the hallway. It didn’t take long for the click of the demons’ clawed feet against the marble floor to reach him.
His heart started drumming against his chest as fear settled deep in his bones—not for himself, but for the woman pressed against him.
She placed a palm against his chest, and little by little, his pulse returned to normal.
He remained where he was, even long after the demons had disappeared into another part of the palace, unable to tear his gaze away from her.
A few beams of moonlight spilled through a nearby window, bathing her face in a gentle glow and allowing him to take in every delicate feature. She was so… alluring, but what truly held him captive was her intense gaze.
Grey.
Her eyes were grey, and he was certain he had never seen anything more beautiful.
Without realizing it, his finger slid away from her lips as his palm cupped her soft cheek, his thumb gently stroking her skin.
He stilled when he remembered that he was wed, the vows he had made to Rosalyn rushing back to him.
If she wasn't faithful, why should he be? Not that he would ever think of taking this mysterious woman to his bed, given that she was pregnant. She was probably wed as well, and he would never claim another man's wife as his own.
“What is your name?” he murmured.
“Kara.”
“Kara,” he repeated, liking the way her name rolled off his tongue. “I'm Liam.” His thumb resumed its gentle strokes over her cheek. “What are you doing here?”
She hesitated before answering. “I'm looking for someone.”
“Who?” he asked, his voice laced with suspicion.
Again, she hesitated, which only deepened his mistrust.
She was, after all, a complete stranger, and Liam was beginning to believe she had entered the palace with a hidden agenda.
He was about to accuse her of working for the Order—he understood the desperation, as he too would do anything to protect Nolan—when she asked, “Can I trust you?”
“You can,” he replied truthfully.
Still, she hesitated. “Can I truly? Because once I tell you why I came here, you can either send me to the gaol or help me.”
“I promise I won’t send you to the gaol,” he said. “But I don’t know if I’ll be able to help you.”
She searched his gaze for a long moment, his thumb never ceasing its gentle strokes over her cheek, as though trying to soothe her worries.
Finally, she confessed, “I am here to rescue Ivy and Essy.”
He hadn’t expected that.
“Do you know how dangerous that is?” he inquired.
“I am aware.”
He ignored her answer. “Especially in your condition.”
She blinked. “My condition?” she asked, sounding genuinely confused.
“You’re pregnant,” he reminded her.
The moment the words left his mouth, something unexpected happened—the baby kicked.
Their bodies were pressed so close together, her stomach against his, that he felt the tiny movement.
It wasn’t his right to feel another man’s baby kick, but Rosalyn had deprived him of that joy when she was carrying Nolan, and he couldn’t find it in himself to move.
Not yet.
The baby kicked again. Harder.
She let out a soft grunt of pain.
“Are you all right?” he asked.
“Sometimes he kicks so hard it hurts,” she admitted.
It was Liam’s turn to hesitate. “Can... can I touch your stomach?”
She glanced away. “Are... are you sure? Even if I’m carrying another man’s child?”
“It doesn’t bother me,” he said, trying to ease her worries.
Her gaze returned to his. “You are not as I expected,” she murmured as her fingers wrapped around the hand cupping her cheek and guided it to where the baby was kicking.