Catriona shivered at his light touch. All she wanted to do was close her eyes and sleep away the rest of the day curled against his body. She considered telling him, but instead, shrugged and smiled as best she could. “I’m sore. I’ll be okay.”
“Ye shuid gang back tae yer kip.”
“Too much to do. We have to figure out what to do with Fiona, find out if Rune is actually dead, talk to Sean about whatever happened to him yesterday—”
“Throw her o’er the hall,” suggested Broch.
Catriona glanced at her own door, considering the guest apartment across the hall from their apartments. She assumed that’s where Broch thought Fiona should move, and that he wasn’t suggesting they chuck her down the hall—not that she was against that idea.
“That’s probably still too close to you.”
“Nah. It ainlie seems tae itch whin she’s in the identical room. Richt noo it feels fine.”
He glanced down at his tummy and Catriona did as well, happy for an excuse to stare at his ridiculous six pack a moment longer.
“Did they have sit-ups in ancient Scotland?”
“Whit?”
“Sit-ups. Did you do them?”
Broch scowled. “Ah dinnae ken whit ye mean?”
“Nevermind.”
Broch smiled, his eyes soft, and Catriona could see in his expression he thought of her as a wounded bird.
“Yer a weirdo, but yer bonny.”
She laughed and covered her swollen lip with her hand. “I’m not pretty. I look like beef that’s been left out in the sun.”
“Na. Ah dinnae see a single maggot oan ye.”
“Ew. It disturbs me maggots came to mind for you.”
“That’s whit happens whin ye leave oot meat.”
“I know but—”
Something rattled at the front door and both their heads swiveled. Catriona took a step toward it.
“Wait.” Broch came around the island as Catriona peered through the peephole. “Ah said hauld yer horses ye hard-headed wummin.”
“It’s fine. It’s just the FedEx guy.”
Broch turned to glance out the window. “’Tis early.”
Catriona unlocked her door. “Did you just look out the window to see what time it is by the light? There’s a clock on the stove, you know. We need to get you a watch.” She opened the door and bent down to retrieve the thin white package, her ribs throbbing as she moved. She straightened and closed the door behind her as she pulled the tab to open the package. She’d never pulled a tab so slowly. It seemed she’d torn her Package-tab Muscle.
“Whit is it?” asked Broch.
“I don’t know. Papers.”
“Whit kind of papers?”
Catriona turned over the sheet in her hand and began to read. She felt the blood drain from her cheeks, another ounce for every sentence she scanned.
“Oh no.”
“Whit is it?”
“They can’t be serious.”
“Whit?” Broch snatched the paper from her hand. She reached to grab it back but he held it over his head and stretching for it made her body ache.
“It’s a mistake.”
“Och. Let me read it.”
Catriona tried one last lunge for the papers and then grimaced, holding her aching ribs. “You can’t. We’ll get it fixed. It isn’t real.”
Broch moved far enough away so he could read without Catriona interrupting. A moment later he looked up at her, agog.
“Tis a marriage document?”
Catriona closed her eyes. “Yes.”
“This says we’re man and wifie.”
She nodded. “Apparently, when we stopped in Vegas for our fake wedding, I forgot to emphasize the fake.”
“Sae we’re married?”
Catriona had stopped listening, her mind trying to recall every step they’d taken at the little Vegas chapel. “I thought there were too many papers to sign. It should have hit me… ”
“Ye did it fer me?”
Catriona heard Broch talking and snapped from of her musing. “What?”
“Ye did it fer me?” He moved toward her and wrapped his arms around her, careful not to squeeze her bruised flesh, his chin resting on her head.
He’d been asking to marry her since they’d met. She felt it was ridiculously too soon, and his revenge had been to refuse to sleep with her, even though the sexual tension between them was enough to drive her mad.
But if we’re married now...
Hm.
She pulled back and stared up into his hazel eyes.
“I guess you won,” she said.
“Ah ken we both did.”
Catriona braced herself, certain they were about to throw themselves at each other and unsure how her battered body would take it. Not that she cared. She’d been waiting to climb this particular mountain for—
“Ew. What are you two doing?”
Catriona tilted to the left to see past the giant in her arms. Fiona stood at the bedroom doorway wearing the previous night’s clothing, fluffing her damp hair with her fingers. Her lip curled with what looked like disgust.
Nice timing, Sis.
Broch mumbled in her ear. “We hae tae get rid of her.”
Catriona nodded.
“Yep.”
Chapter Four
Rune’s tongue touched something dry and granular. Pulling back his neck, he spat and raised himself to his elbows. Dirt rained from the side of his head.
Where am I?
He felt weak and suffered a bout of dizziness as he shifted into a sitting position. Brushing his cheek, he chewed his tongue, summoning as much saliva as he could muster to swish the grains of sand crunching between his teeth. A pain throbbed where his shoulder met his neck.
He raised a hand to the ache and dabbed at the area with his fingertips.
It felt sticky.
Rune glanced at his fingers and found them dark with blood.
Fiona.
The memory of his wound’s origin swirled
