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He didn’t hesitate "Of course I’d keep you alive, but I don’t like the idea of sharing you with that chef you married Besides, my wife hates mylittle toys"
His wife? She flinched What he planned was bad enough, but to desecrate his wedding vows, too? Then again, it didn’t sound like the first time he’d strayed
Joshua’s eyes flared with the promise of pain as he stalked toward her with a twisted smile She backed away "Leave me alone"
"I can’t do that After you left, I was a laughingstock a me so much that you left ho that would be unwise
"I began to wonder if ht have been a bit painful at first, you being a virgin, but I was sure I fucked you good"
He’d thought terror and anal bleeding were good? "That’s all in the past There’s nothing between us now, Joshua"
"I’m the one who decides that When you left, you took that control from me Then you shared your body with other ether "Very unwise, but thankfully, very teer boiled to the surface, rolling over the fear "Don’t you dare touch Luc!"
"He’s next on ood stripper you are and drop your clothes"
The time for talk was over Once Joshua decided that he wanted so deterred hiareedy bastard, wanting what he wanted now
Alyssa refused to play along
She had to find a way to defend herself and get out the door If she turned and ran, he’d only catch her She earing stilettos, and he’d been a track star in high school No contest Finding a way to even the odds was critical
Backing away from him, toward the door, she risked a peek over her shoulder The first thing to catch her gaze was shiny and silver and, she knew fro it, heavy
Thank you, Luc, for the wedding gift
She turned her back to Joshua and lunged for the frame As expected, he darted after her And she was ready When he approached, she clutched the heavy, scarred photo fra Joshua in the face
He stuht eye "Bitch! You’re going to fucking pay for that You don’t knohurt in the last fourteen years, but I’ll be damn happy to show you"
Alyssa didn’t stay to hear his disgusting tirade She kicked off her shoes and darted for her bedroorab a few strands of her hair in his fist Then he began to yank back
If she let hiood as dead Shedoithout a fight
Turning her head one direction, she yanked with all her ht in the other Pain seared across her scalp as the strands tore fro she was a second or less ahead of him, she darted out the door, into the darkened hall--and crashed into soht help?
"Shh," he whispered
Luc!
She wanted to ask a million questions, but there was no time Joshua’s footsteps resounded on the hardwood floor Luc shoved her behind hiainst the wall, out of Joshua’s path Alyssa prayed that in the dark, he wouldn’t see theainst Luc’s back, she was so relieved to see him--and worried for him at the same time Joshua wanted to kill him, and Alyssa had no doubt her stepbrother meant it
Luc pressed her deeper into shadow as Joshua approached, his pace slowing She could al the darkened hallway and held her breath, praying she and Luc would coed Alyssa in the stomach--hard, cold She squeezed a hand between theun!
He tensed as she touched the weapon, then gave her an infinitesio Guns weren’t her favorite, but hopefully Luc had a plan Wondering what the hell it ainst the wall, Alyssa panted, her heart thu in a staccato rhythm so loud she feared people in the next county could hear it
Joshua crept past them, then stopped at the top of the stairs when sirens split the air
The police are co! Thank God
At the sound, Joshua lifted his head, then growled "Fucking bitch! Where are you? I’d have heard you run down the stairs And now the fucking cops are on the way So to end you before they get within ten feet of saving you"
Without warning, he flipped on the hallway light And he had a gun pointed directly at Luc’s chest
Joshua looked taken aback to see her husband; then he smiled "Well, talk about an opportunity to kill two birds with one stone"
Alyssa couldn’t breathe Luc’s gun was still behind his back He’d never have time to pull it free and shoot Joshua in return Her stepbrother was one trigger pull away fro Luc And she knew Josh--he’d do it without reh
That could not happen If she no longer had Luc, she’d crumble, crackdie
She leaned around Luc’s left shoulder and glared at Joshua "Leave hiet in a car with you You can take me wherever you want, do whatever you want, if you’ll leave him alone"
"No!" Luc railed "Absolutely not"
For a second, hope sparked MaybeThen she remembered His concern was likely not for her but because she was pregnant "I know you’re worried about the baby You’ll find someone else and have another I know you will"
"Baby?" Joshua shouted, taking aknock you up?"
Luc eyed the gun, but otherwise ignored hi about the baby now I’o with hiain For me, there’ll never be anyone else I’ll love half asover her shivering skin like melted chocolate For that one ether--Alyssa hoped hechild, she mattered to Luc
Damn it, why did she have to realize that there was a chance his feelings were every bit as real as hers just when their ti?