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Biting back his iistered the fact the other ner-decorated apartmentto the bedroom

At the end of the hall, Luc ca stop There, Alyssa lay sprawled out across theone of his T-shirts that rode up around her waist, a thong, and nothing else She was out cold

Was this really what it looked like?

What else could it be, idiot? If she’d simply been scared, why hadn’t she called to tell hiet undressed and into Tyler’s bed?

Betrayal slaht of her so relaxed and tangled in anothered that her infidelity was better than her death But they’d been married less than teeks What the fuck did he do now?

"You look like I took a battering ralare around to the other man "Didn’t you? How did this work? She came home to find the house vandalized, and called you to protect her, giving you the perfect opportunity to help her out of her clothes? Or did you hit the house to scare her and hope she’d call you, then let you fuck her again?"

"Man, you just don’t get it"

What is there to "get" except the factanother man?

Tyler shook his head "Take her hoet the hell out of my face"

His words were dismissive, as ifwell, as if Tyler knew he’d see Alyssa--and have her--again Whenever he pleased Luc gritted his teeth He ought to leave her here with her lover He’d been stupid enough to fall for her--hard--and noas going to pay the price He’d etting an inside look at what it had taken for these two to conceive And didn’t it hurt like a bitch?

But if he’dto take her hoht share her body with Tyler, but Luc planned to dig out a place in her heart and make it his, find some way toache on her conscience

Gritting his teeth, Luc approached the bed and lifted his sleeping wife into his arms She barely stirred "What the hell did you do to her?"

"Nothing out of the ordinary She’s just exhausted"

Meaning Tyler often fucked her into a near co to piss him off

Luc jerked Alyssa closer to his chest And he couldn’t lie--even knohat she’d done, he was glad that she was safe and whole and close "Stay the fuck away fro someone else to take care of her And whatever needs she has"

Bullshit Luc had loved her furiously, desperately, the eles Could she really have had needs so overwhel in three days that she’d turned to another? Or did she have such feelings for Tyler that Luc’s absencein the other man’s bed both more convenient and a necessity?

He couldn’t stay here and listen to Tyler say another word or he’d turn hout, starting to bubble over As much as Luc hated hiain, if Alyssa was voluntarily fucking her bouncer so soon after their wedding, neither was she

"Fuck off"

Jack and Hunter backed down the hall quickly, leaving a path for hi into the late-afternoon sun Luc clutched Alyssa to his chest, purposely avoiding the pitying looks the other men shot him as he climbed into the back of the SUV

As he settled Alyssa into his lap, he wondered, now that he’d found her, as he going to do with her?

ALYSSA ith a headache and a h a thousand pounds each Her ether in her sluggish brain wasn’t happening

Gingerly, she lifted her lids, stunned to find it nearly dark in the shadowed roo inside her snapped to attention How had she gotten here? And when? God, it had to bewhat? Five thirty? Alht her back, he should know that she should have been at Bonheur hours ago With a gasp, she rolled over to peek at the clock

Instead, she found Luc sitting on the edge of the bed, stone still and silent If his sudden appearance here didn’t tell her so, his face said it for him

"Luc?" She scra Tyler’s T-shirt

In fact, now that she looked around, everything had changed The last time she’d seen this room, it had been all but destroyed Now the bed was made with fresh sheets and blankets It soing on?"

He looked gri in his fury "I think it’s time I asked you that question Someone broke in the house, and you didn’t call me You called nine-one-one and Tyler, then disappeared for nearly twelve hours You never called to tell me you were alive You never answered your phone"

"I was afraid andI must have left my phone in Tyler’s car I--"

"I assume you’ve been with him all this time" He fired the question at her, like a well-aimed laser

Her stomach pitched and rolled when she realized how this must look to Luc

"Yes But--"

"In all that tiht to call me to let me know the psycho who’d broken into the house hadn’t abducted you? Oh, that’s right" He snapped, the sarcas Tyler fuck your brains out to tell your husband where the hell you were and that you were alive I woke Jack up at an ungodly hour, walked away fro of my show to hop a plane, and flew across the country I told the press you wereAnd where do I find you but Tyler’s bed" He stood, fists and teeth clenched "Goddamn you!"

Alyssa closed her eyes Yes, Luc would jump to this conclusion He must have retrieved her from Tyler’s apartment Froet it through his thick head that, despite her "profession," she’d never step out on him?

"It’s not what you think Let me explain," she implored "I--"

"You’re addicted to his cock?"

"No" She sighed "Luc--"