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"I’m from California, Alyssa’s home state"

Shit Luc did not like the sound of this "What the fuck did you do?"

"I used to be a vice detective for LAPD Now I’ust by a real wealthy prick to find Alyssa I was given a teenage picture of her and the information that she was so sister"

Luc went cold all over "Joshua"

"That’s him"

"Why didn’t you tell me sooner? Or tell her?"

"So she could throw ht I had the sitch under control"

"So you think Joshua could be inside?"

"I don’t know" He sighed "As soon as I found Alyssa for hiive hiraphic proof Son of a bitch asked me a million questions, like did she have a husband or lover, had I fucked her, was I aware of anyone fucking her He was obsessed, ut knotted "Damn it, we all assumed Pried, but I don’t think he’s eager to up his prison sentence with this prank You alht in here, but I’m close"

"I’m about five away"

For once, Tyler’s presence would be a huge relief "Once you figured out that Joshua was a scu, you stayed in Lafayette to protect Alyssa?"

"Yeah I couldn’t breach the confidentiality ofmy license For all I knew, he just wanted to knohere she was and to beat off to her picture every night Then when things started to get hot, I couldn’t prove who’d left her the knives and the threats So I stayed, called buddies back home periodically to check up on the bastard, make sure he was still in LA, and I did ht It would have been a shitload easier to safeguard her if I’d been her lover Nothing like twenty-four/seven protection"

Jealousy belted Luc "That’s not the only reason you wanted Alyssa"

"Oh, hell, no I’ve been in love with your wife alhed "But she’s always been into you I never had a chance"

"You ledher"

"I kept hoping you’d get pissed off, go away, and give me a chance But you were too tenacious, damn it"

And so the truth came out Tyler had never once slept with his wife Alyssa hadn’t been lying Luc gritted his teeth He’d been so fucking stupid to let his jealousy get out of hand

"Nor ao now," he vowed "The trapdoor that leads out of the crawl space is right in front ofDo I just push down and the stairs lower?"

"Should But you’ll have to be very quiet The wooden stairs will clatter on the hardwood floor if you don’t lower theain, this time a clear, plaintive wail "No! Don’t touch rowled in low tones "I don’t have tiot a call three hours ago froo"

"A feeeks?"

Tyler sighed "I didn’t think after all theseup as oftenMy fuckup, I know Anyway, Joshua told his wife he’d be on business in London, but TSA says he never left the countryIf that’s hi to want to ot over a decade worth of hard-on for Alyssa If he intends to kill her, it won’t be quick Take a deep breath and find so patience"

Tyler’s words ate at him Anxiety scraped hiht

"You got a way to fight him off? Any weapon?" Tyler asked

"I’m licensed for a concealed weapon in Texas, so I had it in htly illegal, Traverson"

"Had er that We have to end this call now You’ll need both hands to lower the ladder, and once you open the trapdoor, he’ll be able to hear you talk"

"Yeah" Luc gripped the phone, trying to cal heart This was it He

Deke had done a lot to prepare Luc for this Hand-to-hand sparring, karate, a near overdose of target practiceBut the fact was, Luc was a chef and, other than helping Tyler dismantle Peter in Alyssa’s office, Luc had never had to mop up an attacker and rescue someone--especially not someone he loved more than his next breath

"You can do it," Tyler assured "Keep calm and quiet Use the element of surprise if you can If not, just blow theRemy now The cavalry will be there in less than five Do whatever you have to do to keep her alive that long, and we’ll take care of the rest"

"Thanks" Luc may not be as well trained as Tyler, but he’d be damned before he let whoever this was kill his wife And if it was JoshuaLuc would be fucking thrilled to exorcise this ghost for her--for good

ALYSSA blinked Blinked again Her worst nightmare had come to life--and now stood in her bedroouess now I should just call you ‘whore’ "

Run! Her brain couldn’t make her body obey the commands as shock overwhels as she screa time to find you Over a decade, in fact Now that I’ve succeeded, ti to And yes, the ropes are for you Old times’ sake"

Her body trembled But when she saw the black-handled serrated knife in his hand--the kind that had been stabbed into her belongings--her world shook

"You’ve been stalking me?" Not Primpton?

His eyes sparkled with sickyou with all those notes Trashing your bedroom was fun, too But you weren’t as terrified as I wanted I’in, Lindsey"

She wasn’t But in that ain and stunned that her best friend was now her worst night her immense pain as he stripped away her innocence, one forced thrust after another

"Don’t do this, Joshua," she pleaded, willing to do anything to live for her baby’s sake

"Ah, so you do reotten your first Let’s see what else you re to kill me" It wasn’t a question She knew the answer deep in her bones