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Luc took another long swig froet it In your head, we’re from different worlds You’ve put ain" She stiffened her spine and headed for the stairs, then turned back to him "For the record, Tyler’s visit was about the break-in at the club At tonight’s sweep, he thoroughly investigated the entire upstairs Seems that my stalker left me another knife and ‘love note’ embedded in the pillow of my bedroom at the club And this one not only called ood very soon"

Chapter Six

ALYSSA marched up the stairs One foot in front of the other Get to your bedroo Luc Traverson her tears She’d already given hihtlessly

"What did you say?" he derabbed her, spinning her around to face him "The same pervert who broke into your car broke into your club?"

"And threatened me No need to trouble yourself with ht Now, if you’ll excuse rasp His heat andeyes, his tautlyher weak-kneed

Never had she thought of herself as one of those stupid women who stayed in a destructive relationship with someone who held more contempt for her than affection Apparently her heart was as susceptible as anyone else’s

It was a bitter pill

"Luc, let go"

He shook his head, took her face in his grasp "I can’t"

On the shadowy landing, Alyssa saw the intent in his glittering eyes a moment before he lowered his head God, she wanted his kiss so badly Muscle, bone, blood, all strained forward to join with hi he wanted

Why did he suddenly want her?

Because he fears Tyler just had you

She turned away, biting the inside of her cheek against the pain of denial A debilitating pang settled in her chest As his lips fell to her cheek, tears stabbed her eyes

"Don’t do this," he begged in her ear, pulling her so tightly against hirass on his clothes and the whiskey on his breath His touch was riddled with desperation as he wiped her tears away Alyssa felt herself weakening

God, how could she want a ard? She was supposed to be too same

"You can’t want me only because Tyler does" She sobbed "I’ coo"

She tried to wriggle free, ed her to seduce Luc in the first place, to lure hiht fall for her He probably wanted soht future and a squeaky clean past So of former lovers and a résumé in the sex trade

If that hat he wanted in a woman, Alyssa was coht her face back to his

"You’re not a trophy to ht to tell you what to do" He brought her even closer, and even in the dark, she saw pain contort his face "I was jealous So fucking jealous, it was eating ave him what I so desperately wanted"

Jealous? Maybe he cared a little bit

"I offered myself to you--more than once" The words caentlee and plunder you again I didn’t want you to think I was a caveman or a madman I didn’t want to lose control I have a specific future in ether in that picture But" Pain laced his voice; then he exhaled raggedly "I can’t ignore or deny what I feel anymore I’ht of this sick stalker getting his hands on you and hurting you I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you safe"

Whatever it takes He sounded as though she really did matter Yes, it hurt to hear that she didn’t fit into his future, but for the right here and nowHis words tugged at her heart, broke down the da her emotions in She was moments from a flood of tears "Luc--"

"I can’t live anotheryou I need you more than my next breath"

Raw honesty ripped across his features as he leaned in again, thu her jaw His touch, like his stare, pleaded Alyssa didn’t have the will to refuse him

She thrust her hands into his hair and pulled hi of lips, aof alcohol and need burst across her senses Luc threw his arainst him, as if he could suddenly s around him He was there to support her with a hand beneath her ass and another blistering kiss

He sank deep, desire searingly evident in the way he fused theirhad ever been so intimate He kissed as if he wanted to savor every bit of her, meh she’d o

In her head she knew this eht not mean to Luc all it did to her Clearly, he wanted her--at least for now But what did he really feel for her? Anything?

Wasn’t she too far gone to care?

Toh, and with it, a load of recriminations But fro again

Luc slanted another kiss across hertheir bodies together Alyssa sucked in a breath at the incredible friction He was really here With her She held hi kisses up his neck, across his five-o’clock-shadowed jaw, until she , open and voracious She ht

Moments later, her world tilted; then the bed was at her back, and Luc was above her, propped on his arht

"I’ve wanted you again since the second I walked in your club"

She loith raw passion and truth He meant every word, despite what else he believed about her Despite what he thought she had done with Tyler tonight Despite the empty months since they’d last joined

"Me, too," she confessed

In fact, she’d yearned for Luc since waking up alone threeback