Status Updates From Tempting Danger (Retributio...

The truth was, while it would probably be hard, she knew her child would be safe with Nika and Declan. She had no doubts about that . And she could definitely use a free night with her husband. She loved saying that word, husband. They’d gotten married about a month after Nika had. Andre had been so insistent on them being married before she gave birth, not that she’d resisted.

Watching her leave was one of the hardest things he’d ever done. He wanted to go after her and demand answers. But she’d just seen someone killed. He wouldn’t have thought it would have bothered her so much, considering... Hell, he couldn’t even analyze what was going on in her head right now. He just knew that he didn’t like the way she’d been pulling away from him, the way she’d decided not to come home with him.

For the first time in ages, Alena felt free to be herself. Andre knew the worst things about her and he still wanted her. She’d lied to him . She’d tried to kill his father. There wasn’t much worse she could do to push him away. She might hate the path that had thrown the two of them together, but she wasn’t sorry she’d met him or was having their child. Not even a little bit.

“This can’t be a shock to you.” His voice was dry. How could she not realize how much she still made him crazy? How much he still wanted her? How he wanted her right f-ing now? “Is this…you being jealous?” There was a note of hesitation in her voice. No sense in denying it. “Yes.”

She would be stronger, more rested & be able to get some distance from him. Distance from all these feelings that he evoked inside her. Then she had to figure out a way to get over him. Which seemed impossible, considering they were now tied together. But she didn’t want him to be with her for the reason he’d come up with. Obligation, whatever, it didn’t matter. She wasn’t going to settle for being his obligation.

When she got married, it would be for love. She might have only been 10 when her parents died, but she’d seen the real deal, & she wouldn’t settle for anything less. She hadn’t been sure it was even out there. Until Andre. But there was no way he could ever love her now. She couldn’t delude herself into thinking that. Could she marry him for the sake of their child? Hide her feelings for him for the rest of her life?

Even as he crossed the distance to her, he ached inside. He’d completely fallen for this woman. This beautiful little liar. And now she was carrying his baby. He wasn’t sure how to digest that information, or what the hell he was going to do about it. Slowly he reached out and cupped her belly, which was indeed a small bump.

He’d been miserable for the last 4 months. He couldn’t seem to get out of his own head. He was obsessed with thoughts of seeing Alena again. And like a masochist , he was headed to Miami tonight in the hopes of seeing her tomorrow. Pathetic. It didn’t matter if it was, he was still going. He needed closure. There were some things he wanted to say to her. Once he did, he’d be able to walk away. He was certain of it.

Andre, the man she was dating— and using as a means to an end— took her hand in his. For a brief moment she savored his touch, squeezed his hand gently. She almost wished he was more like his father. It would make using him a lot easier. As it was, he was a good man. Which made this so much harder to do. But there was no going back now.

"i"Nika pulled a gun out of the center console as Alena's fingers clasped around her pepper spray....Pop,Pop,Pop."