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Alyssa gasped, shock blanching her with a chill "Were we?"

"Oh, yeah The look on your face" Tyler looked away "Luc kno ether Damn, Tyler was perceptive And no one had ever accused hi around the bush "No It’s that obvious?"

He scoffed in answer "That you’re wearing your heart on your sleeve? Yes"

Great She sighed "I don’t know if he feels the same"

"I don’t know, either He wants you Bad" Tyler shrugged "I think there’s s"

"Used to being the heartbreaker, not the heartbroken?"

A sheepish s like that"

"I have a feeling that, deep down, you’re a really bad boy"

"Knock, knock"

Alyssa turned to the sound of the fe from the doorway Kier woman with her auburn hair pulled away from her sweet oval face in a wholeso, lean body, which showed only a hint of a baby bu Luc had wanted out of life and lost to his cousin Yeah, on their wedding night, he’d told Alyssa that he’d never felt more for any other wo or just his attee work?

Resentment toward the other woman flared, and she sed to force it down

"Coraceful in an athletic way, as if comfortable in her skin "My brother wanted , too She probably sarden, had been a virgin for her husband, and was looking forward to PTA h She couldn’t be unkind just because her own insecurities were eating at her She looked deliriously happy with her husband, Deke, and never gazed at Luc like a lover The problem, Alyssa realized, was all her

"Fine Thanks How’s your brother?"

She rolled her eyes "Macho as always They wheeled hio, and he’s already wanting to leave Idiot He’ll be fine"

"He came in to save rateful"

"Saint Hunter, huh?" Kimber shook her head "No If there’s an adrenaline rush,fun!"

The sarcasm was thick, andthat an inferno was better than a hip party

"Hey, I resemble that remark!" Tyler protested

"Yeah," Alyssa shot back "And we’ll have words about it later"

His expression told her she’d be wasting her breath

Kiive us a minute?"

Alyssa frowned What could the other woman possibly have to say that Tyler couldn’t hear?

Her bouncer looked between the toed "Sure I’ll see if the doc is around to exaet you out of here"

"Thanks," she murmured, her attention focused on Kimber

The woman moved into the room to occupy the chair Tyler had just vacated and clenched her hands in her lap "I know I’m not your favorite person and that it’s none offor Luc"

Alyssa hesitated, filtered through Ki? I don’t knohat youhim play father to your baby He was so crushed when I wasn’t pregnant a few owhen he was still with Deke andhe can’t father one has nearly killed hi him this opportunity--"

"What?" Luc unable to father a child? That didn’t add up Of course he could; she was living proof But Kimber’s expressionout of her mouth "That’s not true"

Kimber raised her brows, then sent her a smile full of pity "You don’t have to pretend for me Luc has known for nearly twenty years that he can’t have children He’s been looking for alternative methods to fatherhood for the last few That’s why he was involved with Deke and me He didn’t love me, you know He just hoped the three of usWell, that Deke would get nant so Luc could be a daddy"

Alyssa blinked Blinked again Stopped breathing That hy he’d been involved in ht he was sterile? Oh, myIf Kimber could be believed--and ould she lie?--that nant by hih her, and she set a protective hand over her belly "This baby is Luc’s I haven’t--"

"It’s okay" Kirateful he is that you turned to him, instead of Tyler I’m sure it would have been easier to marry the baby’s father, but Luc needed this so badly"

"He told you that?" she repeated numbly He’d told Kimber that he believed he couldn’t have children, but hadn’t told his own pregnant wife?

Pain stabbed her in the chest Betrayal ripped across her heart It fucking hurt How could he deceive her like this? Keep such asince they married and, even when she’d asked, he’d refused to share Godda the child was anotherso ?

God, she was going to be sick

Kimber nodded "We’re so thrilled for you both Luc seeuilty when Deke and I paired off and decided tohiuy and he’ll ht Alyssa suddenly had doubts--ave a shit about her Hell, she’d bared her soul to hiiven every bit of herself to him He’d repaid her with deception

Tears threatened, and she blinked, holding therieve alone

Joshua and her mom had drilled into her head that she couldn’t trust anyone, no , jealousy, protective streak--all bullshit All manufactured lies to keep her deluded and by his side