Page 35 (1/2)

Coop stopped, his eyes widening "What the hell happened to put that look on your face?"

He’d lost his temper, and now he had to tell his brothers how screwed they were "We had an arguoing over his chest "She changed her mind about us We’re back here now, and she doesn’t want to be with a bunch of broken down old soldiers, right?"

His brain had gone there at first, too He couldn’t blame Lan "I don’t think that’s the probleuard and basically told Talib that it would be best if she didn’t see us again"

Cooper shook his head "That’s going to be hard since she’s pregnant"

When had Cooper figured that out?

Lan’s jaw dropped His eyes bugged out "Lea’s pregnant? How the fuck did that happen?"

Cooper shook his head "Okay, let’s talk about eggs and sperirl very much…"

Dane stopped Cooper in his tracks "This is serious, Coop She really was trying to send us away"

Cooper shook his head "She hasn’t changed herher out"

Lan’s calm broke, and a hopeless look filled his eyes "I caused this, didn’t I? I don’t know anything about this royal shit I’ll just screw everything up I almost did in Koror I love her, man I never loved anyone before, but I love her so damn much I don’t want to wreck her life And I don’t see e can do If she won’t marry us, we can’t force her"

Cooper’s eyes narrowed "No, but the sheikh can I read up a little on their laws, and I bet Dane did, too The sheikh can force members of his family to marry if he deems it critical to either state or fanant and unwed in this part of the world would be a huge scandal that could rock this palace Shit, Dane Did you pull him into this?"

Yeah, that here he’d probably screwed up "She didn’t leaveto us first I’ to be eliminated from our child’s life And she needs us, too"

Lan stood a little taller "Daht she does I can learn the press stuff I’ll take a class or son me up"

"I can’t wait to see your notes froht to bring Tal into this She’s stubborn as hell This way she can’t refuse and tell herself she’s doing it all for us I think she would have fought to protect us, even if it hurt her"

Knowing Cooper and Lan were standing beside hio into this alone, but I’m worried that she won’t accept us now We can force her to marry us, but we can’t make her like it Damn it, Coop, she’s had all her choices taken away before I hate to be the ain How the hell did she find out about how bad the press has gotten? I tried to protect her fro on with our fa in all this?"

Cooper was the one with so to lose Dane couldn’t care less if the press inconvenienced his father, but Cooper was still close to his fa theh escaped Cooper’s throat "Are you kidding? Have you met Colorado ranchers before? My un in her hands, and my brothers decided it would be fun to drive the herd their way Said they’d never seen a bunch of city folks run so fast And they want to be invited to the wedding so the guest list could get big, but I can’t let Moht a dress, but also because she still scares h, and Dane looked back at Tal, alking toward theht in his eyes "Rest assured, Cooper, that your family is more than welcome here I can’t wait to meet them"

Cooper reached out and shook Tal’s hand "I thank you for that And when the time comes, I’ll consult with the kitchen staff becausethat hasn’t been fried and sravy Now, do you happen to know if you have a battering ram handy because I suspect our fiancée is currently barricading herself in her suite as we speak"

"I have so equipment I can scale the balcony The doors into her rooh it and be in the room in about a ed a little when he noticed everyone was staring at hioing to lock us out?"

"I do not believe so," Tal said "I think the possibility of her pregnancy has made Alea rethink her position"

So she knew she needed a father for her baby It wasn’t all he wanted froht direction He still had to wonder if she would always resent hie Would he always be just another man who bent her to his will?

"She asked to start seeing the counselor again" Tal was practically bea

"She wants to talk about her captivity?" Dane had tried every sneaky trick in the book to get her to open up He wanted it to be him she talked to He was a selfish bastard, but he was also deeply in love He would take what he could get

Fuck He would take her any way he could and pray that he could make her love him He’d started their relationship with the firm belief that she’d have to take hie But now he realized that he would He refused to be another man who controlled her All his life he’d needed that control, craved it, but he needed her more He needed to be a husband and father entle set up and we’ve found so information," Riley said

Dane joined his partners and walked into the conference roout

Alea sat on the sofa in her living rooan to fall Pinks and oranges lit up the sky, and she took it in, feeling more settled than she had in years All the time she’d been held in that horrible brothel, she’d wanted to come back to this place, to this room When she’d made it ho all co for safety and peace and finding none because rooifts

People did Love did She’d been looking for so, the power to heal had been deep inside her Asking Tal to call the counselor had been a decision that only she could make A decision to really live A decision to be brave She could be hurt again Or her men could be hurt The people she loved could die Life had no guarantees

But she could control allowing herself to love, to build a future and to fight for it She could choose to face whatever future came with Dane, Cooper, and Landon, as well as the babies they had She could choose to love them and be the best wife and mother possible