Brynn suddenly comprehended. “That was why you didn’t want Gray moved from the caves.”

“Yes,” Lucian replied. “Then you agree to my plan, Sir Grayson?”

Gray looked at Brynn, who nodded, unable to speak for the tears in her throat. Lucian had given her brother a reprieve. She could not have imagined he would be so generous. She returned Lucian’s gaze fervently.

“Thank you,” she uttered, her heart filled with gratitude.

Gray echoed her sentiment. “Yes, I thank you, my lord. I know I don’t deserve such leniency. As for your plan, I will do whatever you think best.”

Lucian seemed to brush off his thanks with a hard stare. “You should have come to me first. I trust I needn’t warn you of the consequences if you ever dare involve your sister in treason again?”

Gray’s mouth curled in a harsh smile. “No, I need no warning.”

“Very well then… I expect you will want a few moments to say farewell. I have some matters to tie up, so I will leave you two alone.” His glance went to Brynn, but she couldn’t read his expression. “We still have a great deal to discuss.”

“Yes,” she murmured.

“Perhaps you will await me in your rooms. I will join you there when I can.”

“Very well.”

Brynn bit her trembling lower lip as she watched him leave, not knowing how to interpret Lucian’s sudden coolness.

Realizing her brother was watching her, though, she forced herself to wipe her eyes. “I can scarcely credit Lucian is letting you go free,” she remarked, trying to summon a smile.

“It is solely for your sake, Brynn. I think he must care for you a great deal.”

She bit her lip, unable to let herself hope. “We should have gone to Lucian from the start, I see that now. It might have spared us a great deal of terror. Perhaps if you had told me earlier what you were facing…”

“I’m sorry for what I put you through,” Gray said quietly.

“I know, dearest.” Bending, she embraced him carefully, mindful of his injury. “But if you ever dare become involved in something so dangerous again and try to shoulder the burden all yourself, I swear I truly will shoot you myself.”

A short while later she stood at the window of her bedchamber, waiting for her husband to come… for her fate to be decided.

Her farewell to Gray had been bittersweet, filled with both relief and sadness. She’d watched as her brother was carried away on a stretcher, knowing how fortunate he was to be given a second chance.

Would she be given the same chance?

Brynn shivered as she stared out at the night. The storm had apparently passed them by, leaving a few clouds of mist scudding across the dark sky. The faint moonlight painted the ocean silver, transforming it into a cold, flickering mirror.

She felt just as cold; she felt empty, aching. She wouldn’t blame Lucian in the least if he hated her for what she had done.

Trying not to think about it, Brynn busied herself stoking the fire. She froze when she heard the door to her bedchamber open and then slowly shut. Hardly daring to breathe, she turned to face Lucian.

He stood just inside the room, his features eclipsed by shadow, much as he had looked earlier in the evening when she’d attempted to drug him.

Was that only hours ago?

He was the first to speak. “How is your arm?”

“It throbs a little, but it’s nothing, really. Merely a flesh wound.”

His eyes narrowed as he stepped into the light. “I don’t consider a bullet wound ‘nothing.” That was a damned foolish thing to do, Brynn, lunging in front of me.“

“You’re welcome,” she retorted, stung to defiance by his criticism.

His voice was unnervingly quiet when he replied. “You could have been killed.”

She couldn’t tell whether that prospect would have saddened him or not. “Would it have mattered to you?”

“Certainly it would have mattered.” There was a moment’s pause before he added, “You are carrying my child, did you consider that?”

Brynn’s hand went to her abdomen in dismay. “No, I didn’t stop to think.”

He moved toward her, his gaze piercing as it bored relentlessly into her. “You didn’t realize you were endangering our child?”

“Not at that moment. All I thought about was that Jack meant to shoot you and that I had to stop him.”

Lucian halted a short distance from her. She could see the tightness in his face, could sense the thrumming tension coiled in his hard, elegant body.

She regarded him in mute wretchedness. He cared deeply about their child, she knew, but did he care about her in the least? Perhaps he couldn’t forgive her for her crimes after all.

“I’m sorry,” she said finally, miserably.

To her shock, Lucian reached up to touch her cheek. “No, I am the one who should be sorry. For doubting you. You saved my life, Brynn.” Her breath caught as his thumb brushed the corner of her mouth. “You terrified me,” he whispered. “I thought I would die of fear when you stepped in front of that bullet.”

She returned his searching gaze, unable to speak for the hope filling her.

“My dream was wrong, wasn’t it?” Lucian murmured. “In my nightmare, you are standing over me as I lie dying. You want me dead. But you couldn’t want my death if you were willing to give your life for me.”

“That dream is terribly wrong.” Brynn felt tears spring to her eyes. “Your death is the last thing I would ever want.” She gazed up at him earnestly. “I know I betrayed you, Lucian, but I only wanted to keep you safe. Even if you can never forgive me… I did it for you.”

“I know that now, love. I regret I ever distrusted you. I should have listened to my heart, not my head.”

She gazed at him with longing. “Your heart?”

Taking her hand, he pressed her palm to his chest. “I love you, Brynn. I have for a long time, even though I refused to acknowledge it.”

For a long moment she simply stared. Then blindly she walked into his arms. Burying her face in his shoulder, she gave a sob. “I thought you hated me…”

“No, I could never hate you.” His arms wrapped around her, holding her close. “Even when I thought the worst… Ah, don’t cry, Brynn.” He could feel love and despair pulse through her body, feel her trembling.

“I fought against loving you,” he murmured. “I tried to convince myself that what I felt was merely an obsession. But I should have realized the truth much sooner.”

She shuddered. “The thought of you hating me tore me apart.”

He drew back, gazing down at her, seeing her lashes spiky with tears. Her hair in the firelight shimmered like molten embers. Gently he touched her face. “You arouse any number of feelings in me, siren. You make me burn with passion or fear or fury, but never hate.”

She gave a shaky laugh. “Certainly fury. I’ve given you ample reason to be furious with me.”

“Even so, I’ve loved you almost from the first time I saw you.”

Slowly Brynn shook her head. “It was only the curse.”

“No,” he said gravely. “Perhaps a spell could make me want you, desire you, but it couldn’t make me love you. I love you, Brynn, not because of any Gypsy spell or your physical allure, but because of the woman you are. You make me feel complete. You fill the part of my soul that was missing.”

“Oh, Lucian…”

He took a deep breath, seeking courage. “Brynn, I know ours was to be a marriage of convenience, that you wanted us to live apart after our child is born, but I hope to God you will reconsider. I want to be your husband, Brynn. Loved, honored, cherished for all the world to see.”

Her expression softened. “You are loved, Lucian. I told you the truth earlier tonight. I love you. I was afraid to admit it only because of the curse. I hope you believe me.”

“How can I not believe you after tonight?” Lucian asked, his voice suddenly husky. “You proved your love more than adequately, throwing yourself in front of a bullet meant for me…” He shuddered with soul-deep terror, realizing how close he had come to losing Brynn. He had wealth, titles, all the privileges money and rank could buy, but they were all worthless if he lost the one thing that mattered most. And he knew Brynn felt something similar if she had been willing to sacrifice herself for him.

His brows drew together as he recalled something she had said earlier. “What was it the Gypsy at the fair told you? That you must be willing to give your life for me?”

“That I had to love you enough, yes.”

“If her prophecy is true, then the curse should be broken.”

Her eyes widened. “Perhaps it is,” she said in wonder.

Lucian held her gaze. “So you don’t intend to leave me?”

“No. I never wanted us to live separate lives. I only thought I must to protect you.”

“The best way to protect me is to stay with me. I might as well cut out my heart if you leave me.”

“I won’t ever leave you, Lucian. I can’t live without you. I know that now.”

The soft light in her eyes reflected her quiet smile, catching his heart and sending it thudding after his racing pulse.

He drew her into his arms once more, pressing his lips against her hair, his relief overwhelming. Only now was he realizing how desperately he needed her love, how rare and precious that love was.

Brynn stood in the warmth of his embrace, cherishing the feel of his hard body against hers. She could feel her fear easing. Perhaps the curse had indeed been broken because she had risked her life for him. If so, then she was free to love Lucian with all her heart.

“I love you so much,” she murmured, repeating her own declaration of love.

That made him raise his head. His voice was gentle, as were his eyes. “I’m not certain I know why. I’ve never given you any reason to love me.”