ia had lingered upstairs

aircase landing, "Heather

kley," Heather called back, h

ntation, and Alexia remained silent. The trio descended the stairs to the f

ather, in a final gesture of goodwill, stra

akably sexy voice called

hands stilled. That vo

and locked eyes with a man whose gaze was

ed to see her here. His look

rt raced, and she quickly looked

d abruptly left her two years ago, would appear at t

're the last to arrive. Everyon

ather and Cedric, he paused and

's trembling hand, Cedric respon

ked past, his disdain for Cedric brin

rt, leaned in and whispered, "What'

ed with a feigned casualness, "I'm just

uilt deepe

an?" Heather a

uncle, Jere

ned icy at the revelatio

do you

heavy with implication. She remembered her ex, a boxer she'd lived with abroad in a shabby apartment, who had be

a j

elationship, and it left him feeling uneasy. As the last of the g

pered. "We'll talk more af

edric avoided making any scenes, especially under Alexia's sorrowful

ecognized as the fut

o ignore the disdainful looks from some family

the influential Murphy family-a union well-regarded due to their wealth, powerful connections, a

nly stirred a sense o