Bee Among the Clover (63 page)

“I’m sorry,” he murmured, leaning down and pressing a kiss to Aron’s shoulder before scurrying to his pallet at the foot of the bed.
Aron jumped when the door to the room crashed open and Wulfgar stood in the doorway, a huge grin on the thane’s face and a slight sway in his steps as he entered the room and slammed the door shut. Yes, Wulfgar was very much in his cups, and Aron’s heart pounded in fear as the thane approached the bed with a lusty grin on his bearded face.
Aron wanted to run, wanted to bolt or fight rather than let Wulfgar do what he was going to do, but he couldn’t. His family and his honor were on the line, and he had no choice. He could not help the way he began to tremble, his breath coming quicker, nor could he stop the flinch when Wulfgar dropped onto the bed beside him and hauled him close.
Aron had never felt more vulnerable, more helpless, and frankly terrified. This was a nightmare, one he could not wake from. He stiffened, eyes closing, and clenched his jaw when the thane began to devour his neck while removing his own clothes.
Roman screwed his eyes shut, trying not to hear the goings-on in the bed above him. The soft cries and bitten-off whimpers of distress tore at his gentle heart, and he wished he could have done more to ease this experience for the young thrall.
He tried not to think about what this would mean for himself or what changes Aron’s presence would wreak on his own life. Right now, it was all he could do not to burst into tears as the sounds and movements from the bed continued. His stomach twisted, and he drew his legs up against his chest, curling tightly in on himself and wishing he could slip away to the hall just so he did not have to listen.
Roman knew the thane intimately and, as he had suspected, it didn’t take Wulfgar long to find his release. Wulfgar’s growl of triumph cut through the air. Roman closed his eyes and prayed that the thane had had enough to drink that he’d rather sleep than play some more.
He tried not to listen as he heard the thane say something to Aron in a low voice. Roman started to add up figures in his mind, the logic and order of arithmetic soothing him as it always did until the sound of a hand striking flesh jarred him out of it. “Go, boy, join Roman.” Wulfgar’s voice was rough and sleepy, and Roman started to relax again as he realized that the thane had just slapped Aron lightly on the flank, as he was often wont to do.
Roman moved over to the side to give Aron plenty of room and kept his face averted out of respect as the other man awkwardly climbed down to join him. Roman’s heart ached for him until he thought it would bleed as Aron grabbed a fur and wrapped it around his trembling body.
He stared at the trembling outline of Aron’s body in the near dark, sympathy and dark memories swamping him. He reached out with hesitant fingers, brushing them over Aron’s shoulder. He knew very intimately just how he felt at this moment. Aron stiffened, and Roman let his hand drop, listening to the sound of Wulfgar’s snores filling the room. He hoped Aron would be able to fall asleep and that his exhaustion would ensure he had no nightmares.
Finally, he sensed Aron’s trembling stop. The sounds of his soft breathing told Roman he was fast asleep. He reached out in the darkness and ran his fingers through the unruly curls at the nape of Aron’s neck. He couldn’t sleep. He was beginning to fear the impact Aron’s arrival was going to have on his own life, and he was ashamed of that reaction. Aron didn’t want to be here, but still… Roman couldn’t afford to have Wulfgar’s attention turn away from him, and he hated that cold-hearted thought.