wasn’t Nathan’s impressions of scenes and words that presented the problem. They soon had to admit defeat, and Lydia, gracious hostess that she was, offered the best player to pair with Alyssa for the next round—Piper. Nathan’s younger sister popped up from her chair and strode with purpose over to Alyssa. She all but dragged her toward the door, calling over her shoulder, “Quick strategy session,” and the others, including Leo, burst out laughing.
The second the door clicked closed behind them, Piper dropped her hold on Alyssa’s arm. The woman’s entire visage transformed into one of dislike and suspicion. “What are you waiting for?”
“Excuse me?”
Piper lowered her voice. “You heard me. What are you waiting for? We both know what you saw back at the restaurant, so why haven’t you told my family? I thought that’s why you kept Nathan talking in the car after Mom and I got out, but he didn’t say anything to me or act like he knew my secret.”
Alyssa rocked back on her heels and folded her arms over her chest. “It must have killed you waiting for us to come inside, huh?”
“Don’t play games with me, bitch.”
Alyssa laughed. “Go ahead. Please get in my face. I dare you.”
Piper seemed to think better of stepping to Alyssa, and she took a couple steps in retreat. “I get it. You want to hold it over my head a while, waiting for the right time, when it benefits you the most.”
“Wow, is this how you all are? Trusting no one, assuming the worst?” Alyssa shook her head and turned toward the living room, her hand on the knob. “I don’t give two figs about what you do with your personal life. If you haven’t come out to your family, that’s your problem. If you think I’m lying and that I’m just waiting for the right time, I don’t give a crap about that either. Stay in the hall sulking like an infant if you want to. I’m going in.”
Alyssa put on a smile and rubbed her hands together as if she had the greatest plan in the world to overthrow Nathan and his mom. “Ready, you two? You’re going down. Just want you to know this.”
Nathan cast her a curious glance, but then smiled in return. “Not on your life, baby. You’re beautiful, but I have to show you who has the upper hand.”
“Aw, that’s the sweetest thing to say,” Lydia purred.
“My boy,” Leo echoed.
Alyssa rolled her eyes. “How was that sweet? The man wants to control me. You don’t know who you’re dealing with, Mr. Nathan Corde.”
A challenge reflected in the hazel eyes locked with hers. “I’m beginning to find out, and I think I will continue.”
The game progressed, and a short while later, Alyssa whooped in triumph. “See, I told you! We schooled you, Nathan and Lydia.”
“Yes, you did school us, dear,” Lydia admitted.
Alyssa burst out laughing at the woman’s use of slang. Nathan conceded defeat with less aplomb. She stuck her tongue out at him, and he nabbed her before she could scurry away. He captured her chin and lowered his head as if to kiss her, when Lydia cried out.
“Leo, are you okay?” The terror in those high-pitched words tore across Alyssa’s chest. Nathan released her and spun on his heel to his father.
“Dad?”
All three Cordes bent over Leo, who had paled more than he already was. His hands shook with violence, and he seemed to have trouble catching his breath. Nathan’s gaze bore into hers. “Get Aziz now!”
Alyssa nodded and fled the room, shouting for the butler. As Nathan carried his father to the car, Aziz screeched to a halt at the front of the house. Alyssa realized Felix did not live in the house like the other two did, nor did the cook and the assistant maid who helped Talia during the day. Aziz would drive.
Alyssa hung back as the others piled into the car, and Nathan took her hand after he’d buckled his father inside. “Get in,” he commanded. She didn’t protest when his grip tightened to the point of pain. The set of his jaw,
The second the door clicked closed behind them, Piper dropped her hold on Alyssa’s arm. The woman’s entire visage transformed into one of dislike and suspicion. “What are you waiting for?”
“Excuse me?”
Piper lowered her voice. “You heard me. What are you waiting for? We both know what you saw back at the restaurant, so why haven’t you told my family? I thought that’s why you kept Nathan talking in the car after Mom and I got out, but he didn’t say anything to me or act like he knew my secret.”
Alyssa rocked back on her heels and folded her arms over her chest. “It must have killed you waiting for us to come inside, huh?”
“Don’t play games with me, bitch.”
Alyssa laughed. “Go ahead. Please get in my face. I dare you.”
Piper seemed to think better of stepping to Alyssa, and she took a couple steps in retreat. “I get it. You want to hold it over my head a while, waiting for the right time, when it benefits you the most.”
“Wow, is this how you all are? Trusting no one, assuming the worst?” Alyssa shook her head and turned toward the living room, her hand on the knob. “I don’t give two figs about what you do with your personal life. If you haven’t come out to your family, that’s your problem. If you think I’m lying and that I’m just waiting for the right time, I don’t give a crap about that either. Stay in the hall sulking like an infant if you want to. I’m going in.”
Alyssa put on a smile and rubbed her hands together as if she had the greatest plan in the world to overthrow Nathan and his mom. “Ready, you two? You’re going down. Just want you to know this.”
Nathan cast her a curious glance, but then smiled in return. “Not on your life, baby. You’re beautiful, but I have to show you who has the upper hand.”
“Aw, that’s the sweetest thing to say,” Lydia purred.
“My boy,” Leo echoed.
Alyssa rolled her eyes. “How was that sweet? The man wants to control me. You don’t know who you’re dealing with, Mr. Nathan Corde.”
A challenge reflected in the hazel eyes locked with hers. “I’m beginning to find out, and I think I will continue.”
The game progressed, and a short while later, Alyssa whooped in triumph. “See, I told you! We schooled you, Nathan and Lydia.”
“Yes, you did school us, dear,” Lydia admitted.
Alyssa burst out laughing at the woman’s use of slang. Nathan conceded defeat with less aplomb. She stuck her tongue out at him, and he nabbed her before she could scurry away. He captured her chin and lowered his head as if to kiss her, when Lydia cried out.
“Leo, are you okay?” The terror in those high-pitched words tore across Alyssa’s chest. Nathan released her and spun on his heel to his father.
“Dad?”
All three Cordes bent over Leo, who had paled more than he already was. His hands shook with violence, and he seemed to have trouble catching his breath. Nathan’s gaze bore into hers. “Get Aziz now!”
Alyssa nodded and fled the room, shouting for the butler. As Nathan carried his father to the car, Aziz screeched to a halt at the front of the house. Alyssa realized Felix did not live in the house like the other two did, nor did the cook and the assistant maid who helped Talia during the day. Aziz would drive.
Alyssa hung back as the others piled into the car, and Nathan took her hand after he’d buckled his father inside. “Get in,” he commanded. She didn’t protest when his grip tightened to the point of pain. The set of his jaw,
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