Read Online A Flame Put Out by Erin S. Riley - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Erin S. Riley
Ads: Link
inflict pain on him the way he had hurt her, and acting with kindness. She looked down at the beautiful babe sleeping in her arms, biting her lip in indecision. Why should she care about Ulfrik’s feelings? He was a liar. He deserved to feel pain. “He is a boy,” she told him. “His name is Geirr . . . Geirr Alrikson.”
He went still and quiet, until she finally brought her gaze to meet his.
Ulfrik’s face had shuttered. “My brother is a spiteful bastard, but I wouldn’t have expected you to go along with something like this—”
She cut him off. “Alrik did nothing out of spite. This is his child and he claimed it.”
At his narrowed gaze, she squirmed, willing him not to read her mind.
“Why are you doing this, Selia? Not that long ago you were eager for me to take Muirin and the child away. Now you’re willing to raise a child that isn’t yours, and probably isn’t even Alrik’s. Do you hate me so much that you would steal my child from me?”
She clutched Geirr to her breast. “I didn’t steal your child. When Muirin was dying she told me the babe was Alrik’s. She only let you believe it was yours because she was in love with you.”
Ulfrik didn’t take his eyes from hers. “I can tell you’re lying, Selia.”
“Why?” she retorted. “Because you’re such an accomplished liar yourself?”
Ulfrik leaned in, thrusting his face so close to hers that she took a step backward. “It would be unwise to anger me. Do you realize how easily I could take both you and the babe right now, and sail off with Gunnar?”
She swallowed. “Alrik would find us,” she whispered, “and he would kill you.”
“He could try,” Ulfrik retorted.
“I would kill myself before I would go anywhere with you.”
He blew his breath out forcefully as he rose to his full height. “Why can’t I just be through with you, Selia? Why do I keep doing this to myself?” he muttered. “All I wanted was to make you happy. And I could have, if you had only given me the chance.”
Ulfrik slumped on the bench behind them, looking forlorn. A tiny flicker of sympathy arose in her, unbidden. Once, he had been her only friend and confidant. He’d understood her in a way no one else ever had, maybe not even Ainnileas. She thought of how patient he had been as he taught her Norse, and their games of tafl, and the laughter they had shared.
Her heart gave a bit as she met his gaze. How could she hate him? He was still Ulfrik. He was still her friend. Tentatively, she opened her mouth to speak. Then she saw a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes as though he sensed her uncertainty.
Selia’s mind suddenly flooded with the memory of those blue eyes glinting in the same way just before he had kissed her. She fought back a flush, remembering the unwilling response of her body.
No.
What was she doing? Ulfrik tried to manipulate her, exactly what he had done to her before . . . what had ultimately led to the incident at the cove.
She hardened her resolve and her voice. “I won’t fall for your tricks again, so you can stop.” She shifted the heavy Geirr to relieve her numbed arm from carrying him for so long, reluctant to put him down with so many men milling around.
“Tricks. You think it’s a trick, when I tell you I love you?” he asked. “Is it a trick when I tell you I think of you endlessly? The scent of your hair, the sweetness of your mouth, and the softness of your skin—”
“ Stop ,” she growled. “You have no right to say those things to me.”
“If I’ve done anything to hurt you, I will be sorry for it until my last breath. But mark my words, Selia. Alrik won’t live forever. The instant he dies, I’ll be there waiting.”
She blinked at him as her mind sorted his vow. Surely he wasn’t threatening to harm Alrik? Her grip must have loosened on Geirr, because suddenly the babe was lifted from her arms.
Startled, she looked up to find Gunnar One-Eye holding the infant against his burly
He went still and quiet, until she finally brought her gaze to meet his.
Ulfrik’s face had shuttered. “My brother is a spiteful bastard, but I wouldn’t have expected you to go along with something like this—”
She cut him off. “Alrik did nothing out of spite. This is his child and he claimed it.”
At his narrowed gaze, she squirmed, willing him not to read her mind.
“Why are you doing this, Selia? Not that long ago you were eager for me to take Muirin and the child away. Now you’re willing to raise a child that isn’t yours, and probably isn’t even Alrik’s. Do you hate me so much that you would steal my child from me?”
She clutched Geirr to her breast. “I didn’t steal your child. When Muirin was dying she told me the babe was Alrik’s. She only let you believe it was yours because she was in love with you.”
Ulfrik didn’t take his eyes from hers. “I can tell you’re lying, Selia.”
“Why?” she retorted. “Because you’re such an accomplished liar yourself?”
Ulfrik leaned in, thrusting his face so close to hers that she took a step backward. “It would be unwise to anger me. Do you realize how easily I could take both you and the babe right now, and sail off with Gunnar?”
She swallowed. “Alrik would find us,” she whispered, “and he would kill you.”
“He could try,” Ulfrik retorted.
“I would kill myself before I would go anywhere with you.”
He blew his breath out forcefully as he rose to his full height. “Why can’t I just be through with you, Selia? Why do I keep doing this to myself?” he muttered. “All I wanted was to make you happy. And I could have, if you had only given me the chance.”
Ulfrik slumped on the bench behind them, looking forlorn. A tiny flicker of sympathy arose in her, unbidden. Once, he had been her only friend and confidant. He’d understood her in a way no one else ever had, maybe not even Ainnileas. She thought of how patient he had been as he taught her Norse, and their games of tafl, and the laughter they had shared.
Her heart gave a bit as she met his gaze. How could she hate him? He was still Ulfrik. He was still her friend. Tentatively, she opened her mouth to speak. Then she saw a glimmer of anticipation in his eyes as though he sensed her uncertainty.
Selia’s mind suddenly flooded with the memory of those blue eyes glinting in the same way just before he had kissed her. She fought back a flush, remembering the unwilling response of her body.
No.
What was she doing? Ulfrik tried to manipulate her, exactly what he had done to her before . . . what had ultimately led to the incident at the cove.
She hardened her resolve and her voice. “I won’t fall for your tricks again, so you can stop.” She shifted the heavy Geirr to relieve her numbed arm from carrying him for so long, reluctant to put him down with so many men milling around.
“Tricks. You think it’s a trick, when I tell you I love you?” he asked. “Is it a trick when I tell you I think of you endlessly? The scent of your hair, the sweetness of your mouth, and the softness of your skin—”
“ Stop ,” she growled. “You have no right to say those things to me.”
“If I’ve done anything to hurt you, I will be sorry for it until my last breath. But mark my words, Selia. Alrik won’t live forever. The instant he dies, I’ll be there waiting.”
She blinked at him as her mind sorted his vow. Surely he wasn’t threatening to harm Alrik? Her grip must have loosened on Geirr, because suddenly the babe was lifted from her arms.
Startled, she looked up to find Gunnar One-Eye holding the infant against his burly
Similar Books
