Page 39 of Secret Pleasure (Bound Hearts 13)

Grief twisted Margot’s face.

“What’s happened to Alyssa?” The demand came as ice began to fill Summer’s veins. The deep southern accent she’d been trying to smooth slipped free as did the rein she kept on her temper. Alyssa was the only person in the world she totally trusted. If she was hurt …

“Oh, Summer,” Margot whispered, her breath hitching. “If only Alyssa had your courage.”

If she had what? Alyssa had immeasurably more courage than any of them. She put up with Margot’s ice, Summer’s antics, and still loved them all.

“This isn’t courage, Margot,” Summer assured her, the heavy drawl accompanied by a hard smile. “It’s straight up fuckin’ don’t give a shit. Alyssa’s the one with courage, because she dares to love you, you mean old hag. I’d have sliced your skinny neck by now. So why don’t you tell me what you did to Alyssa before I go find out for myself.”

“It wasn’t me.” Margot’s choked voice and tears caused fear to tighten Summer’s chest. “I’ve hurt her in the past, Summer; I know that. But she’s not hurt this time, she’s dead inside, and I would never do that to her. I would never do that to my baby…”

Summer didn’t make another demand or wait for an explanation. Turning, she moved quickly from Margot’s room and rushed to Alyssa’s. What had happened to her? She was fine in Madrid.…

She’d been quiet, though, very thoughtful. She’d ignored several calls and texts, and when Summer had asked about them Alyssa had just said she’d wanted to spend time with her. Summer had assumed it was Margot.

Stepping into Alyssa’s suite, she moved quickly through the sitting area and entered the bedroom before coming to a hard stop.

God, it was three in the morning and Alyssa was awake?

“Aly?” she whispered, moving closer as Alyssa’s gray eyes moved to her.

She could barely hold back the shock that filled her. This wasn’t her friend. Where was the laughter, the amazement that Summer was there? Where was the life?

“Darlin’,” she said softly, kneeling next to Alyssa’s bed and staring at her with rising fear. “What did you let happen to you?”

There was no laughter in Alyssa’s eyes. They were dull, the gray color so still and dark.

“I’m fine, Summer,” she said, her voice even and with little inflection. “You didn’t have to come here.”

She didn’t have to come there?

“Alyssa, do you want me to go completely postal here, darlin’?” she asked, the fear building inside her. “Tell me what happened to you, sweetie. And do it now, or you know how I can get.”

Alyssa looked so tired, so blank, as though she really didn’t care how Summer could get.

“I finally loved,” Alyssa stated as though she’d done no more than awakened that day. “I loved too deep and I lost too much.” Slicing agony flashed in her eyes as she focused on Summer. “I lost my baby, Summer. I lost my last hope.”

Her baby?

“Harvey’s baby?” How had that happened? She’d only married the bastard a few months before.

“Not Harvey’s,” Alyssa assured her.

“Whose?” Summer demanded.

“Go home, Summer,” Alyssa whispered, her eyes closing as though she were going to sleep. “I promise you, I’m fine.”

“You’re not fine,” Summer protested. “What happened to you, Alyssa? You have to tell me.”

But Alyssa wasn’t talking. She lay there, eyes closed, her breathing light, her eyes so shadowed they looked bruised.

“Summer,” Margot said her name softly.

Turning to her, seeing the motion Alyssa’s mother made for her to follow her, Summer moved quickly to her feet and into the hall. Closing the door softly behind her, she faced Margot, her fists clenched, fear for Alyssa raging through her.

“Whose baby?” she snapped.

And those tears fell from light green eyes that had once been icy, cold. They weren’t cold anymore.