Page 10 of My Alpha Stepbrother's Dirty Secret 2

"Mom.Is Ryan here with you?"

"Yes.He is.What about Liana.Is she okay now?"

"Yes, Mom, she's fine.She's right here beside me."

There was a pause like she was trying to decide whether to ask something deeper, but instead she said, "That's great.Ryan's with me.Do you want to speak with him?"

"Yeah, please."

I heard her call Ryan in the background.A few seconds later, his little voice came through the phone.

"Daddy!"

God, I missed that voice.

"Hey, buddy," I said, smiling as I turned to look at Liana."You okay?"

"Yes, I'm fine.I was just playing with Grandma.Where are you?Is Mommy there too?"

"She is.Hold on."I passed the phone to Liana, and the way her eyes lit up just hearing his voice made my chest tighten.

"Baby?"she said softly."Are you being a good boy?"

"Yes, Mommy!I helped Grandma make cookies!"

She laughed a little."That's good.Don't disturb Grandma and Grandpa too much, okay?We'll come pick you up soon."

"Okay, Mommy.I miss you."

"I miss you too, sweetie.Take care, okay?"

"Okay.Bye!"

She handed me back the phone and wiped at her eyes quickly like she didn't want me to see how emotional that made her.But I saw it.And I felt it too.

I ended the call and tossed my phone on the dashboard."You okay?"

She nodded, but her lips trembled just a little."He sounds so happy."

"He is.He's safe.and he'll be even happier when we're all back together."

She didn't say anything, just reached out and grabbed my hand.Held it tightly.I squeezed back.

Without another word, I started the engine, pulled out of the parking lot and turned the car toward the most expensive boutique in town.I knew exactly where to take her.If she was going to be on my arm tonight, she was going to look like the goddess she was.

And this time, I wasn't letting her walk behind me.She was going to walk beside me.Where she belonged.

–

The moment we stepped into the boutique, I already spotted a few familiar faces, pack members who lived scattered across the city but never missed a biannual meeting.They stood straighter the second they saw me, eyes widening just a little before they bowed in quiet respect.

But then their gazes shifted.

To her.

To Liana.

I felt her tense beside me.She noticed it too,.the way their eyes lingered just a little too long, the way a few of them narrowed their gaze slightly like they were trying to figure out who the hell she was.Because they knew Cynthia.Cynthia had walked these halls.She had stood beside me before.But this...this was someone new.