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“Sandy,” she purrs, “haven’t you a better greeting for your long-lost wife?”

48

Holly

“Aren’t we going to the family apartments?” the woman asks as Alexanderher into it

No, not the wo-lost wife

I think I must be in shock Or ht my love for hier available

“You’re not family,” he mutters “Not anymore”

“I like what you’ve done with the place up there, by the way”

“Start talking,” Alexander growls, glancing back at me as he prepares to close the door He hasn’t looked at me once since he’d turned the colour of soured uess But he’s looking atBecause he expected me to follow them into the room

“Did you know?” I ask, notfrom the spot he’d left me Two steps and he’s back in front of ood look at his expression

“Do you think I would be on the brink of proposing to you—that I” He grabsto coht at this htens and his attention turns outward again “You want to kno I know I love you? Because love is the absolute opposite to hate And that’s what I feel for that woman in there”

“But she’s your wife” Now, I almost add Still?

“No, she is not” A shudder vibrates down his arer Frustration Panic, htening, he takes back coo anywhere Don’t leave”

I nod ree for the hills, probably because my leaden feet wouldn’t carry me there

Clasping ain, lips closed, his h he’d punish me for ain “Tell her not to bring the boys back here We don’t knoe’re dealing with” His phrasing brings a strange kind of relief What we’re dealing with

“Is she dangerous?” I ask haltingly

“Leonie is” He shakes, like he still doesn’t believe she’s here “Ruthless”

Back out in the hall, I almost bump into Griffin immediately Him and his dark and swollen eye A bruise to match the one I’d noticed on Alexander’s lower back thishim wince At least that makes sense