Scold's Passions by Marie Hall

Author:Marie Hall [Hall, Marie]
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781645630531
Publisher: Blushing Books Publications
Published: 2019-06-26T04:00:00+00:00

Chapter 8

Xavier leaned forward and accepted the fresh rag from Gerald. Pressing the wet, cold cloth to his eye in hopes he might stop the throbbing and maybe be able to see out of it again, he settled back and checked to make sure the movement hadn't disturbed anyone.

"Want me to take the baby? At least," Gerald asked as he took a seat next to Xavier.

"No, if you move him and he cries out, it will wake her," Xavier said, still looking at his wife sleeping curled in his lap, the little boy everyone called Owl curled in hers, and the other two boys, Frog and Fox, asleep but still clinging to Io's legs.

"Might want to put that rag on your lip as well." Lucas chuckled as he dropped another blanket to try to cover the group without burying one or more under the covers.

"Does it still bleed?" Xavier asked and dabbed at the cut that made the swelling even more painful.

"A little," Jon said. "She really got you," he added, shaking his head.

"Yes, she did," Xavier admitted, trying not to laugh so he didn't wake anyone. "I was not at all prepared for her to actually hit me."

"Well, now, if you come at her like a fool, you know more what to expect," Roth said, leaning in to toss a log on the fire.

"You did go at her rather strong," Mark added.

"I did," Xavier admitted with a snort. "I was not thinking at all." Io's reaction was amazing in its fury and more so in its passion. He'd always suspected in her own way of understanding it, Io loved him. Maybe not as much as he loved her, but he always considered that a consequence of her not having love through her life. She didn't understand the concept and so she didn't gather all the things she felt for anyone and call those feelings by one simple name. Love.

Today, though, when she refused to leave him for dead, when she refused to shame either of them by showing fear, and when she emphatically denied he had the ability to command her to save herself at his peril, he knew, without a doubt, Io did love him. She may never say the word, may never acknowledge all those emotions had one title, but Xavier would not feel cheated by those things. He didn't need to hear the words 'I love you' from her. Not when she so easily said she'd rather be dead than without him.

"She is becoming quite a fighter," Ian mused.

"She is, though she still does little to defend herself," Xavier agreed. Io was making the transition from runner to confronter, although he didn't think she'd become an instigator. "What do you think?" he addressed the group. "If I were to start her on lessons, more formal, in battle and defense?"

"I can see no harm in it," Gerald said, and others muttered agreement.

"I can," Roth snapped. "You teach her to do battle, and she will take it upon herself to start trying to defend all of us.

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