Chapter Seventeen

Chapter Seventeen

LUC couldn‟t have heard her right. “What?”

How had she known he had a secret?

He shook his head. The honesty of their moment was so real, and the

truth sat on Luc‟s tongue. But he stopped. First, Alyssa had endured

enough today, and with the bleeding scare, the issue of the baby‟s

parentage and the inevitable arguments were best left for another day.

Second, what would telling her that the baby couldn‟t possibly be his

accomplish except to tear them apart?

In the back of his head, he wondered if there was a possibility, even a

remote one, that the baby could be his. She kept swearing she and Tyler

weren‟t lovers. Luc understood his wife now in a way he hadn‟t until tonight.

Alyssa wasn‟t a liar. What if his “virtual impossibility” had indeed become

possible?

He couldn‟t know the answer to that question unless he visited his

doctor and submitted to the humiliating battery of tests. Again. For her and

their marriage, he would. But this miracle he didn‟t dare hope for. He

wanted to—desperately. But likely, it would lead only to disappointment.

There was probably another explanation for her pregnancy. Maybe Peter

had actually raped her when he‟d attacked, and Alyssa had blocked out the

trauma? Perhaps her memory of the event had been muddled by her

concussion . . .

But until Luc had answers, he must avoid this dangerous chasm of a

topic. He‟d tell her the truth soon, when they were a bit stronger. When he

could say that he didn‟t mind that another man had planted his seed inside

her and not want to rip the bastard‟s head off.

Today wasn‟t that day.

married, me moving here. The new show and Bonheur are added stress.

The baby and your health are always huge concerns . . . If I‟ve been

distracted, I‟m sorry.”

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Alyssa gave him a doubtful stare, but let it go. “If there‟s more, and you

want to tell me, I want to hear it.”

Luc tightened his arms around her. “I‟m fine. Sleep. I‟ll be here as long

as you need me.”

AS Monday became Tuesday, it was an unusually rowdy weeknight at

Sexy Sirens. The holidays were often insane, and with Thanksgiving right

around the corner, the weather had turned too brisk for outdoor activity—so

all the rowdies had crowded under her roof. Lucky her.

her office.

every door and window, most likely.”

Tyler laughed. “Luc got you some real hard-core bodyguards. But Jack

and Deke look downright relaxed compared to Hunter. He‟s a mean

motherfucker.”

She winced. “Sorry if he‟s interfered with your routine. I just . . . With

Luc back in L.A. taping, I know he‟ll feel better if I cooperate. Probably

better for me, too.”

same in his shoes.”

Alyssa softened. Tyler had feelings for her, and he didn‟t go to much

trouble to hide them. And she felt guilty that she couldn‟t have reciprocated.

He was a good guy who deserved a woman who loved him madly.

A moment later, Hunter seemed to materialize out of thin air from a

shadowed corner. She jumped in her chair, slapping a hand to her chest.

standing there?”

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doors and windows. Twice.” Hunter never wore emotion on his face, but

Alyssa thought she saw a hint of a smile. “I‟m touched by your buddy

Tyler‟s opinion. „Mean motherfucker‟ is actually kinder than most peoples‟

descriptions.”

Alyssa had no trouble believing that. “I probably need to be here

another hour or so. Books are a mess. Sorry. I know it‟s late.”

He shrugged. “I‟m here for as long as you are.”

Yes, he‟d become one of her three shadows. Between Deke, Jack,

and Hunter, someone had eyes on her twenty-four/seven, at least until Luc

returned on Friday night.

He hadn‟t wanted to leave her and resume taping his show, but she‟d

insisted. This show was too important to his future. He‟d finally agreed to

go—if she agreed to his security detail.

Hunter drilled her with a flat stare. “I don‟t, actually. If I was in Luc‟s

place, you‟d be in a secure facility with at least double the guards. I‟d never

let you out of my sight.”

She raised a brow. “A tad paranoid.”

downsides of pregnancy.

discussion.

Alyssa sighed and swallowed a quip about his demeanor scaring

women away. Just a guess, but Hunter would enjoy the verbal sparring. Or

he might just look at her with that dead stare. She wasn‟t in the mood for

either.

The click of her heels on the concrete floors backstage echoed in the

eerily silent club. She was so used to the walls thumping, the music blaring,

the patrons howling. Being here alone—or mostly so—often gave her a

shiver.

pee.”

Again, that ghost of a smile appeared. “I could.”

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But he wouldn‟t. She pitied the poor woman he fell for someday. He‟d

dig his teeth into her and never let go.

Rolling her eyes, she shut and locked the squeaky door, then set

about her business.

Her head was filled numbers and stacks of receipts when she heard a

thumping noise. As she washed her hands, sounds outside the little room

were muffled. She shut off the water, and heard Hunter‟s voice clearly.

Then a gunshot. Startling, deafening, heart-jolting.

Complete silence.

Shit! Someone was in her club with a gun. And he must have shot

Hunter or she was sure the Navy SEAL would be busting here even now

and getting her out.

Most likely, she was on her own.

Tamping down her fear, she looked around for escape. The bathroom

had no windows, and if the shooter didn‟t know where she was already, it

wouldn‟t take him long to figure it out. And she‟d left her cell phone at her

desk.

Stupid!

That familiar voice scraped down her senses, leaving behind

disquieting fear. Primpton? With a gun?

and won‟t be coming to your rescue. I haven‟t killed your bouncer. Yet. I

might spare him if you face me like the Jezebel you are and pay for your

sins.”

He hadn‟t killed Tyler but would? Did that mean Hunter was dead?

Likely so, or he would have taken Primpton down. Oh, God.

Biting her lip, she held in a cry of panic. There was every chance that

the zealot would kill Tyler no matter what, but maybe she could buy Tyler

enough time to get the two of them out of here. Right now, it was her best

hope. She couldn‟t sneak out, even if the squeaky door let her, and leave

Tyler to die.

Slowly, she pushed the door open. Predictably, the creaking alerted

Primpton to her presence. He whipped his gaze around. The gun followed.

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The councilman stood near the back door. Tyler was lodged just in the

open doorway, flat on his back, his entire body boneless and lax. Was he

passed out? Had Primpton hit him on the head? Drugged him?

Not two feet away, Hunter lay on the floor, blood pooling under a bullet

wound in his shoulder. The red puddle seeped across the floor, spreading

across the blue T-shirt that stretched across his wide chest.

Fear gripped her throat, choked her. Dear God, she‟d always known

Primpton was whacked, but a murderer? He‟d truly come here to kill, and

she was at the top of his hit list.

put on this earth to tempt men to sin. But I must stop you. I‟m ashamed to

admit that I‟ve taken my own flesh in hand with thoughts of fornicating with

you. For that alone I would punish you. But now . . .”

Blech. The mental image of Primpton masturbating while fantasizing

about her nearly made her ill. Wait! Had he been the one to break into her house and ejaculate all over her lingerie?

Likely, but not important now. How many steps to her office? Could

she make it and lock the door before he got down the hall? What would he

do to Tyler if she tried? What would he do to her if she didn‟t?

Christian men and destroy their marriages.”

Alyssa eased a step closer to her office, and popped out a hip.

Predictably, Primpton‟s gaze followed the motion. She tossed her hair over

her shoulder and crossed her arms across her chest, plumping up her

cleavage. “Meaning?”

lusted after you so impurely that his wife has filed for divorce. You led him astray.”

Randall. The one who paid top dollar for the nastiest lap dances every

Saturday night, then attended church every Sunday to repent for his sins?

Leaning yet closer to her office, she gave a pouty shake of her head, a

moue of disagreement. “God gave these men free choice.”

luring them into sin.” He raised the gun a bit higher.

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thigh, lifting her skirt a fraction to show off her red garters.

Primpton choked. “I won‟t fornicate with you, whore!”

His erection made it clear that his urges had other ideas, and

somehow she had to use that against him.

She dropped one shoulder, and the strap of her tank fell down her

arm, revealing her black lacy bra strap and additional cleavage. An instant

later, his gaze was fused to it. “I would never ask you to go against your

principles. And I‟m a married woman now.”

and probably this one, too.” He pointed at Hunter.

Primpton was fucking delusional, and she had to get to her damn

phone fast. Hunter was losing blood every second.

Alyssa edged closer to her office door under the guise of shifting her

legs, sticking one out for his visual feast. It creeped her out to have the

psycho leer at her, but she‟d done worse in the name of survival.

Immediately, he shook his head. “This club needs to end. You must

die. These are the missions God has given me. I am his Christian soldier.”

He was going to strike—at any second. Alyssa would have liked the

chance to move a bit closer. As it was now, she had to hope he had no

ability to sprint and couldn‟t hit a moving target.

Behind him, the wind howled and the back door flapped open,

crashing against the wall. Primpton whirled to the sound. Using the

distraction, Alyssa dashed to her office, running much faster than she ever

had on stilettos.

Just before she shut the door and threw the dead bolt home with

shaking hands, she heard Primpton yell. “God will damn you, whore, for

tricking me. He‟ll damn you to hell, and I am the sword by which you will be

consigned to burn for eternity.”

With that pronouncement, he shot the doorknob. The handle jiggled,

wiggled—something clink ed on the other side of the door. Had he

dismantled the handle on the other side? Carefully, she approached the

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door and examined the handle. It hung loose and she could see a crack of

light through the hole it left in the door.

Then he shot the dead bolt. She leapt away from the door, her heart

thumping erratically. A scratching sound reached her ears next. A scrape,

followed by his maniacal laugh. What the hell was the psycho up to?

Before she could begin to figure it out, she heard Primpton‟s rapid

footsteps as he prowled up and down the hall, heard a faint splashing

sound. Liquid?

What the . . . ?

Frowning, oddly terrified with the door separating them, she panted.

More of the splashing she‟d heard earlier sounded again, this time closer.

Then the smell of gasoline hit—strong—a wave of petrol that burned

her nose, her lungs.

In the next moment, she heard an ominous whoosh, the sound of

starting fire. The bastard meant to fry her alive.

Heart kicking into overdrive, she tried to open the dead bolt and

escape the room before the licking flames she heard got any higher. It

wouldn‟t budge. It was jammed. Disabled. Something. How the hell was

she going to get out?

Alyssa grabbed the dangling door handle, but the metal was already

turning hot, and she yanked her hands away.

She tried not to panic. 911. She‟d call them. Her cell phone was on her

desk. Hopefully they‟d get here in time.

But when she turned to her desk, her phone was no longer there.

ALYSSA woke by degrees, too afraid to open her eyes to the pounding

headache crashing between her temples. She was someplace that smelled

like rubbing alcohol. Whatever she was wearing twisted around her. The

bed—clearly not hers—had scratchy sheets. Every muscle in her body

screamed.

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She took a deep breath—and immediately started to cough. Her lungs

burned as if she‟d smoked a whole carton of cigarettes in a day.

Her eyes flashed open in reflex.

God, was that croak her voice?

She frowned, trying to sort through scattered memories. It was a

jumble of panic and haze.

there, growing and well.”

Oh, thank God. Relief doused her, and she melted into the bed.

Primpton being at Sexy Sirens?”

Then it clicked into place. The club. The gun. Hunter lying in a pool of

his blood. The councilman threatening to kill her. The fire.

out in the doorway. He knelt down to see if I was okay, and the bastard

shot him from the alley. Superficial shoulder wound. He lost blood, but the

paramedics got to him in time. His sister is down the hall fussing over him

now.”

She relaxed against the bed, releasing the breath she hadn‟t realized

she‟d been holding; then a new fear gripped her. “The club?”

Please God . . .

sorry. The fire department tried . . .”

Anguish gushed through her blood, like sizzling acid destroying her

veins. Her club, her refuge, the place that represented her broken past and

its bridge to her stronger present, no more. All because of one crazy

zealot‟s delusions.

No, Sexy Sirens wasn‟t gone forever. Not if she had anything to say

about it.

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He held up both hands, stopping her concern. “Bump on the head. As I

opened the door to leave, the asshole hit me on the head with the butt of

his gun, knocked me out. After he started the fire, he darted out the back

door. I came to and saw Primpton was gone, and Hunter had his eyes

open, assessing the sitch. I grabbed my cell, dialed nine-one-one, and

handed it to him while I got him on his feet. I went to get you, and the stupid

SEAL followed me instead of getting out.”

stayed to help her?

rock into your dead bolt‟s casing, but I got it out. I wasn‟t leaving without

you.”

Tears stung her eyes, and she held out a hand to him. “You‟re a

wonderful friend to me.”

Pain ripped across his features as he shot her a tight smile. “That‟s

me, a real pal.”

It had been the wrong thing to say, she realized. He loved her, and she

hated in some ways that she couldn‟t reciprocate. But she‟d given her heart

to Luc long ago, probably because she‟d known from their first meeting that

he was the sort of man who wouldn‟t care about a woman because she

looked hot. He would fall only once he knew her deep inside.

Was there any chance Luc had actually fallen in love with her? All his

concern, his tenderness, constant phone calls, business help, fabulous

home-cooked meals, and everything else had to be based on more than

the fact she was pregnant, right?

murmured to Tyler.

The nurse broke in and checked her vitals, asked her if she needed

more pain meds. Alyssa shook her head. All she wanted was out of here.

especially after the drama of her last “disappearance.”

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Of all people to call her husband but his former lover. She winced. And

wouldn‟t the producers of Luc‟s show be thrilled? He‟d been back for all of

two days . . . “He should have stayed there.”

Tyler‟s mouth dropped open. “Are you serious? Though I wish he had.

At least then I could make the argument that he didn‟t give a shit about

you.”

Still didn‟t mean he‟d come back for her. The baby had to be on his

mind, too.

emotional conversation about Luc, and she was likely break down and

cry—and reveal just how scared she was that her husband didn‟t love her

the way she loved him.

At that, Tyler smiled. “Cops nailed him about fifteen minutes after he

fled. He was home with his wife, trying to pretend he‟d been sleeping the

night away. But they found his clothes and shoes with traces of gasoline,

along with his gun.” Tyler‟s smile died. “Baby, they also found a nook in the

back of his closet. It was like . . . a shrine devoted to you. Sick bastard had

fantasies of making you his sex slave. He had all kinds of pictures of you.”

Something crossed Tyler‟s face that seized her heart. “Pictures?”

He shuddered. “Some he‟d clearly Photoshopped so they looked like

pictures of you bleeding under his whip, bowing at his feet with hands

cuffed.”

Everything inside her recoiled.

bash.”

She shuddered at his delusion and thanked God that he‟d been

caught. “Guess we know who wrote all those notes and broke into my

house. Fucking bastard.”

Tyler nodded. “That‟s the police‟s theory. Mine, too. They‟re going to

run forensics.”

A technicality, most likely. Alyssa realized how lucky she‟d been. She‟d

never taken Primpton very seriously, failed to see him for the true whack

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job he was. Underestimating him could have cost her both her own life and

the baby‟s. Thank God for Tyler and Hunter.

And now that Primpton was behind bars, maybe she could rest easier,

stop looking over one shoulder, lose the fear of being attacked again.

Tyler tapped his foot on the tile floor, and she recognized the gesture

as a nervous one. “What?”

bedroom at the club. It looks like he took them through the alley window.”

Alyssa gasped, shock blanching her with a chill. “Were we . . . ?”

how much you love him?”

She pressed her lips together. Damn, Tyler was perceptive. And no

one had ever accused him of beating 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.”

there‟s more there, but I‟m not the expert on guys‟ feelings.”

A sheepish smile crept across his mouth. “Something like that.”

Alyssa turned to the sound of the female voice coming from the

doorway. Kimber. She was very nice, but Alyssa looked at the younger

woman with her auburn hair pulled away from her sweet oval face in a

wholesome ponytail and tensed. Luc‟s former lover had a long, lean body,

which showed only a hint of a baby bump so far.

Kimber was everything 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 woman. But who knew if that was really his heart talking

or just his attempt to make their marriage work?

Resentment toward the other woman flared, and she swallowed to

force it down.

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Kimber drifted in, graceful in an athletic way, as if comfortable in her

skin. “My brother wanted me to check on you. You okay?”

And caring, too. She probably smiled while giving the perfect blow job,

kept a gorgeous garden, had been a virgin for her husband, and was

looking forward to PTA meetings.

Alyssa released a shuddering sigh. 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.

She rolled her eyes. “Macho as always. They wheeled him out of

surgery to remove the bullet half an hour ago, and he‟s already wanting to

leave. Idiot. He‟ll be fine.”

always be grateful.”

adrenaline rush, my brother will run to it. Burning building? Big fun!”

The sarcasm was thick, and made Alyssa smile. She could actually

picture Hunter thinking that an inferno was better than a hip party.

His expression told her she‟d be wasting her breath.

Kimber turned to Tyler. “Can you give us a minute?”

Alyssa frowned. What could the other woman possibly have to say that

Tyler couldn‟t hear?

Her bouncer looked between the two women, then shrugged. “Sure. I‟ll

see if the doc is around to examine you so we can get you out of here.”

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 of my business, but I wanted to thank you for

what you‟re doing for Luc.”

Alyssa hesitated, filtered through Kimber‟s statement a few times, then

frowned. “What am I doing? I don‟t know what you mean.”

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He was so crushed when I wasn‟t pregnant a few months ago . . . when he

was still with Deke and me. Luc has wanted a baby for years, and knowing

he can‟t father one has nearly killed him. But you giving him this

opportunity—”

could; she was living proof. But Kimber‟s expression made it clear that she

absolutely believed every word coming out 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 us . . . Well, that Deke would get

me pregnant so Luc could be a daddy.”

Alyssa blinked. Blinked again. Stopped breathing. That was why he‟d

been involved in ménages? Luc genuinely thought he was sterile? Oh, my .

. . If Kimber could be believed—and why would she lie?—that meant Luc

Cold nausea rushed all through her, and she set a protective hand

over her belly. “This baby is Luc‟s. I haven‟t—”

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.”

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 a monumental

secret. She‟d known he was withholding something since they married and,

even when she‟d asked, he‟d refused to share. Goddamn it! How could he

marry her, believing the child was another man‟s, and play along so

masterfully?

How could he be so wrong?

God, she was going to be sick.

Kimber nodded. “We‟re so thrilled for you both. Luc seems so much

happier now. I felt guilty when Deke and I paired off and decided to marry

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and raise our own family. Knowing that you‟re giving him what he needs

means everything to us. Luc is a wonderful guy and he‟ll make the best

father ever. I have no doubt.”

Right. Alyssa suddenly had doubts—many of them. First and foremost

that he gave a shit about her. Hell, she‟d bared her soul to him, told him the most painful, intimate parts of her life, given every bit of herself to him. He‟d

repaid her with deception.

Tears threatened, and she blinked, holding them at bay. Not until

Kimber was gone. Not until she could grieve alone.

Joshua and her mom had drilled into her head that she couldn‟t trust

anyone, no matter how close the ties. Luc‟s tenderness, hot lovemaking,

jealousy, protective streak—all bullshit. All manufactured lies to keep her

deluded and by his side.

Fucking bastard.

Just then, the doctor knocked, Tyler in tow.

The woman left with a giggle. As if she hadn‟t dropped an enormous

bombshell on Alyssa that shook the foundation of her very life.

Luc had married her for this child, which she‟d known. She‟d had no

fucking clue he genuinely thought the child was Tyler‟s. Or some other

man‟s. His initial reaction to the news of her pregnancy now made sense.

And . . . you’re here because it’s mine?

She‟d heard the doubt in his tone and misunderstood it, written it off to

his belief that she was a whore who slept around. Which he still must

believe.

But it hadn‟t taken him too long to sing a different tune with her.

The best birthday present ever . I don’t want you to call me when the

baby is born. I’d like to be involved in this child’s life. I want to be there every step of the way . . .

She snorted. It all made sense now. If he thought he couldn‟t have a

baby and would accept another‟s as his own, then marriage, even if he had

to fake feelings for his new wife, was the price of f atherhood.

A new wave of nausea hit her. From start to finish, this marriage had

been about this baby and placating her so that she‟d share the child with

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him. He‟d lied to her with every whispered word, every touch. All that

jealousy? Perhaps feigned to make her believe that he cared. Or maybe he

hadn‟t wanted anyone touching the woman he‟d given his name to or

endangering the child to whom he planned to devote himself.

She‟d been used for a lot of things in her life, but never her womb.

Somehow, this felt like the worst violation of all.

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