Page 4

“What the hell is happening in here?”

CHAPTER 2

Léonie

My breath still caught in my throat every single time I saw him, butterflies fluttering low and dirty in my stomach to remember that he was mine.

Étienne was wearing a white shirt that seemed molded to his body, that accentuated every ridge of his muscles and his coiled, tense power.

But his dark brows were drawn together and he looked livid with anger.

“What the hell are you doing in this room with my brother?”

“Étienne, I—nothing, of course!”

For a minute, I foolishly wondered in my innocence what in the world he could be talking about.

Then, as Mano only leaned back against the wall and didn’t say anything, I realized in our half-dressed states that my husband thought this looked—incriminating.

“Nothing happened here!” I cried. “Your brother was in here when I came in.”

“So naturally you undressed in front of him,” Étienne retorted, his hard eyes flicking between the both of us.

“Of course not—I mean, I didn’t see him right away! Not until only a few seconds before you came in.”

“Oh,” he said coldly. “Of course. That seems likely.”

He stalked into the room and I shrank back against the door.

“How long has this been going on?”

“Nothing is going on! You can’t possibly think anything is going on!”

Other people were in the doorway, I realized. Placidie. Faustine. In my panic I couldn’t see who else.

Please, don’t let my family hear until I can get this straightened out!

“Come on,” Faustine said, her overlined lips curving up at me. “You didn’t think you could hide him forever from your husband?”

“Hide what?”

Étienne looked at the unmade bed and flicked the covers aside, where I saw—a torn condom wrapper!

“Wh—what could that be from?”

“I don’t know,” Étienne said coldly. “Why don’t you tell me why I found you undressed with my brother.”

“You can’t—possibly believe! You aren’t seriously suggesting⁠—”

Always shy and awkward, now I was almost inarticulate with confusion.

To my horror, I began to see my family fill the doorway too.

The whole Pinoteaux family was different shades of red—from deep silvery auburn, to light strawberry blonde, and the bright flaming red of my brother.

What were they all going to say now?

I had been so incredulous and in shock the day my father had told me Étienne wanted to marry me.