\u201cAm I interrupting?\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan stiffened, jerking back from Jacqueline even as his head swiveled toward the voice. Sif stood in the doorway, looking tired and drawn, her face pale in the lamplight. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater, looking far more like an off-duty model than the deadly warrior Phelan knew she was. He managed to smile and shook his head, giving voice to the lie.<\/p>\n
\u201cNo, it\u2019s all right. I thought you were sleeping.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt\u2019s hard,\u201d she said, slipping past he and Jacqueline to slump into the chair Jac had abandoned. \u201cI just keep seeing him every time I close my eyes and I feel guilty that I\u2019m not right here.\u201d She scrubbed a hand over her eyes and stared bleakly at her onetime lover, looking more lost and afraid than Phelan had ever seen her before. \u201cI know where I need to be, Phelan, and it\u2019s with my ass in this chair.\u201d<\/p>\n
Jacqueline sighed, leaning against Phelan. \u201cSif, it\u2019s not going to do either of you any good.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cHow do you know that?\u201d Her gaze flicked up to regard Jacqueline warily. \u201cHow do you know how much good it\u2019s going to do either of us? I\u2019d rather sleep in this chair. I need him to forgive me. Don\u2019t you understand that? I need him to forgive me and tell me that everything\u2019s going to be all right. I don\u2019t care what happened in the past. It doesn\u2019t matter anymore.\u201d Sif looked away, looked back to Thordin, asleep in the bed, unmoving except for the slow rise and fall of his chest as he breathed. \u201cI just need him to forgive me for what I did and then maybe we can start over.\u201d<\/p>\n
Phelan touched her shoulder. She flinched, then reached up and covered her hand with his.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou still love him,\u201d Phelan observed.<\/p>\n
\u201cHow could I stop?\u201d Sif asked. \u201cIt wasn\u2019t in me, Phelan. His brother and I…that was only to save his son. I never would have betrayed him otherwise. Never.\u201d<\/p>\n
She shut her eyes against the tears that suddenly welled up in her eyes. \u201cI can\u2019t lose him. Not again. I just can\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\u201cAm I interrupting?\u201d Phelan stiffened, jerking back from Jacqueline even as his head swiveled toward the voice. Sif stood in the doorway, looking tired and drawn, her face pale in the lamplight. She was dressed in jeans and a sweater, … Continue reading