Page 36 of Hunted Temptation (Alpha Nights: Unlikely Heroes #4)

MARLOWE

Hale and I stare at one another. I've just agreed to marry him. There has got to be something wrong with me that I’m saying yes this way. Yes to this man who I’ve only known for a few months. Yes to a man who I haven’t even kissed. I want to kiss him, though. I want to kiss every inch of him.

He gives me a wink then takes a step backward. “Then I’ll get the paperwork started,” he announces.

I watch him go just as I hear chatter from the other room. There is Lucille’s distinct voice but also another woman’s. It must be Nadine. I don’t make a move, still contentedly feeding Stellan. When he finishes, I burp him, then quickly change him.

Only when he’s burped and changed do I make my way out to the main area, where I see a woman standing with Lucille. Both of their heads swing over to me. Although I’m not sure how they even heard me walk out of the filing room.

But they did, and their attention is focused on me and only me. Lucille smiles before she faces me completely. I watch as she makes her way toward me, the other woman at her back.

“This is Nadine. She’s with Grayson. You haven’t met him yet, but he’s one of the guys who is a partner in Securus,” Lucille introduces the woman behind her.

I assumed she was Nadine, and I was right. Giving her a smile, I introduce myself even though I’m sure she knows exactly who I am already. Nadine extends her hand, and I slip my fingers in hers before she squeezes.

“It’s really nice to meet you,” she whispers. “And Stellan.”

I’ve almost forgotten that I have Stellan in my arms. My lips curve up, and I dip my chin, releasing my grasp.

The moment feels a little awkward. I start to ask her if she has any advice or idea of how I need to do the filing so that Colette doesn’t get upset. I’ve been told she’s the one who has this entire place organized the way she likes it. But no words come out, because Lucille speaks next.

“And now Marlowe is going to be one of us. She and Hale are getting married.”

I don’t know how she found out so soon, but clearly, she knows. My throat is dry. I’m not sure how to respond to her. Yes, I agreed to marry Hale, but I’m not sure what kind of excited celebratory thing this is supposed to be. He’s marrying me to protect Stellan mostly, and me a little.

This is all about Stellan

It’s not like Hale loves me or anything.

We haven’t slept together. We haven’t kissed.

We’ve enjoyed some meals together, but that’s about all.

We aren’t a couple, even if he’s beautiful.

I am likely the last woman he wants. As a new mom, there were days when I didn’t shower. There is no way he finds me attractive.

I open my mouth to say all that when Nadine begins to speak. “Well, I can tell he’s been completely smitten by both you and Stellan since day one. I’m glad he’s finally doing something about it.”

I’m not sure what she means or how to respond to her. So I don’t. There is absolutely no way whatsoever that this man has been or will ever be smitten with me. I’m a high school dropout and a single mother.

No. Way.

He’s a businessman with a beyond successful company, a group of friends, and he’s sexy as sin. He doesn’t want me. Never did. He pities me. And that’s what I tell myself over and over every time I start to think maybe this is real. He pities me. And I keep that on repeat throughout the day.

HALE

Watching Marlowe move around the house as she does all the nightly routine things for Stellan, I can’t help but think that something has changed dramatically. Sure, asking her to get married was a big thing.

Also—even bigger—was telling her that I’d like to be declared as Stellan’s father on his birth certificate. She is lost inside her own head. I want to break her out.

“I’d like to find a place of our own after the marriage ceremony.”

Marlowe turns her head, her eyes find mine, and she blinks. “Our own place?”

My lips twitch into a smirk because I can’t believe that I didn’t tell her this wasn’t my place.

I guess I just assumed she knew. It’s not like there is anything personal here.

It’s a fully stocked house, but there aren’t even any personal pictures anywhere.

Not that my place has that, either, so maybe I shouldn’t be so surprised.

“This is a safe house. I wasn’t sure what kind of trouble you were in when I offered you a place to live. I wanted to make sure you couldn’t be found. Myla knew my name, and even if she couldn’t have found me, I have no doubt the men she dealt with could.”

Admitting that probably makes me sound like an asshole, but she needs to know the truth. “And you probably didn’t want some girl you didn’t know around your things,” she murmurs.

Without hesitation, I stand and walk toward her, bending my knees so I’m crouched down in front of her. Reaching out, I cup her cheeks, my eyes focused on hers and nowhere else.

“It had absolutely nothing to do with stuff. It had to do with your safety, sweetheart.”

“Did you sleep with my sister?” she asks.

As much as I want to lie to her, to tell her no, I decide to tell the truth. I thought she knew this already. I figured that Myla would have said something out of spite or anger. If Myla can even remember.

“It’s something I should regret.”

“But you don’t?”

I shake my head slowly but don’t break eye contact with her. I keep my gaze focused on hers, unable to look anywhere but at her. She is the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on. I don’t know how I even found another woman mildly attractive in the past, because now there is only Marlowe.

“I don’t,” I confess. “Had I never met Myla, seen her boyfriend slap her around, found out where she lived, and come to her place to offer her what I ultimately gave to you, I would have never known you existed.”

“You offered Myla to move in here?” Her lips part and her eyes widen.

I don’t know what she’s thinking, but I don’t let her think those thoughts for long. “I didn’t offer it to her. I came to your house to do that, but then you were there, and everything changed.”

“Hale,” she exhales.

“It’s been you since the moment I laid eyes on you, Marlowe.”

She shakes her head, her eyes filling with wetness.

The tears don’t fall, at least not yet, and for a moment, I wonder how the fuck I am this soft.

I’ve never been one of those soft men. My early life was one gigantic nightmare, and I didn’t think I could ever move forward from that.

Even seeing my partners meet and fall in love with their women, watching them have children and become fathers, I didn’t understand it. Not until it happened to me.

“How?” she asks. “I was pregnant… really pregnant.”

I clear my throat, and my fingers flex against her cheek as I lean forward and brush my mouth across hers, careful not to linger. This isn’t how I want our first kiss, not in the middle of a discussion like this one.

“Call it fate. Whatever it was, I knew the moment my eyes met yours that you were it for me. You were my future. Now that the future includes Stellan, I can’t wait until you’re both mine—forever.”

“Yours,” she exhales, and I’m not sure what she thinks I mean. If she thinks it’s a property thing.

It’s not.

“You’ll both be mine to protect, to take care of, to love, to honor.”