Highland Warrior Woman (Siren Publishing Ménage Everlasting) Read Free Page A

thank ye again for yer attentions, but we cannae share a bed again.”
    “Ye have found another woman ye want to share, Laird ?”
    Calum ignored the acerbic pronunciation of his title and stared into Lilith’s cold eyes.
    “Aye,” he answered, his eyes trailing over to the lass in his bed.
    “I see,” Lilith said, rising to her feet. “I’ll thank ye for the use of yer and yer brothers’ bodies. I best take my leave, Laird. I have much to do this day.”
    Calum sighed and watched Lilith leave. He didn’t like hurting her, and by the look in her eyes he knew he had, but she had known from the beginning that he wasn’t going to wed her and she had said that she wasn’t interested in marriage. Maybe he had been wrong to use her, but she had used him, too. There was nothing he could do about it now, so he thought over what to do with the lass in his bed.
    Calum heard heavy steps on the stone stairs and knew his two younger brothers, Ewan and Hamish, were about to appear in his bedchamber. When they entered the room, Calum met their gazes and held up his hand before the barrage of questions started.
    “Nay, she has no’ awakened, so I still donnae know who she is. I will no’ know if she doesnae survive.”
    “The lass is that ill?” Hamish asked.
    “She has the fever,” Calum answered. “We will need to watch her closely.”
    “I volunteer to help watch through the night,” Ewan said.
    “I as well.”
    “That will no’ be necessary. The lass is in my bed, and I will stay with her throughout the night.”
    “But…” Hamish began.
    Calum wasn’t interested in arguing with his little brother right now. “Ewan, take word to Laird MacTavish that one of his clan is here. The last thing I want is to give our neighbors a reason to declare war on our clan for something we had no part in.”
    “Let me go,” Hamish said. “I’m a faster rider.”
    “Ye want to do everything tonight,” Ewan muttered.
    Calum raised a hand for silence. “Ewan will go. Hamish, I know ye too well for this. Ye will goad MacTavish into a temper.”
    “As he might deserve!” Hamish replied hotly. “He dinnae look after one of his own.”
    Calum looked to Ewan. Ewan kept his emotions locked down tight and thought through situations logically. “I’ll go on the morrow,” Ewan said. “If MacTavish will allow it, I will bring him back to our keep.”
    “If he doesnae allow it, bring him back anyway,” Calum said with a growl.
    Ewan nodded and left the room. Calum turned his attention to Hamish, who was watching the woman in the bed.
    “She dinnae deserve this treatment,” Hamish murmured.
    Sighing, Calum sat again in the chair beside the hearth. “We donnae get what we deserve, Hamish. Not in this life.”
    At times like this, Calum felt ages older than his brothers. Ewan was only three years his junior, but Hamish had yet to turn seven and twenty. Calum just hoped that his younger brother would mature with a few more years.
    Even though Calum himself was only five and thirty, sometimes he felt more like he had seen six decades. The responsibility of the clan weighed on his shoulders at times like these. Usually he loved being in control and giving orders and felt it was what he had been born to do, but being the laird was a lonely position. He craved the attention of a soft, gentle woman by his side.
    His brothers did, too. Calum looked at the wee lass in his bed. His heart clenched at seeing her injuries. Protectiveness washed over him, and he wanted to scoop her up into his arms and offer her comfort. That surprised him. He’d always been protective of the women of his clan collectively, but never had he felt the deep-seated need to hold and nurture a woman. He was attracted to the little bundle in his bed and hoped he would have a chance to get to know her. He was concerned and didn’t know if she’d last the night. Although from what Lilith said she had no bleeding inside.
    “Donnae take it personally that I