Page 50 of The Rancher's Vengeful Heart

It made Tassy realize how things could change so drastically over time...just like her and Xylan.

Attuned as he was to his wife's mood at every level, Lucius sensed her sadness even before turning his gaze to her and seeing how the smile had faded from her lips.

"What's wrong?"

Tassy swallowed hard. She knew it was possible that she was simply making mountains out of molehills, and that Lucius wouldn't think it a big deal if he were to learn about Xylan only now. But what if it was the opposite?

"I know this isn't the right time to tell you, but..."

The double doors to the library suddenly opened, and the first thing that greeted her was a couple of familiar faces.

"Congratulations!"

Tassy couldn't believe her eyes. Was that...Stella?Oh, and was that Harry Montgomery and...and Summerine Harcourt? She turned to Lucius in confusion, and the gleam in his eyes told herthiswas why he had deliberately kept her in the dining room for so long.

Oh, Lucius!

Harry had a hard time blinking back tears as she watched Tassy throw herself into her husband's arms. It felt like a lifetime ago when she first worked with Tassy. Of all the travel agents she had talked to, Tassy had been the only one who hadn't insisted on making Harry spend a fortune. Only Tassy had cared to listen about how Harry wanted to surprise her husband with a birthday trip, and Tassy alone who hadn't made any crack about Harry once being Devon Montgomery's mail-order bride.

Summerine was also feeling pretty emotional as she watched the once-aloof Lucius Young gaze down at his wife with possessive tenderness. It was only months ago when she had this idea about planning a much-delayed honeymoon for her and Ryu, and Tassy had been the only one who proved trustworthy enough to keep all the details a secret. How wonderful that Tassy now ended up married to one of Ryu's closest friends.

Devon Montgomery and Ryu Harcourt joined Lucius for a drink while they watched their wives walk away talking about whatever it was that women liked to talk about.

"I didn't think I'd ever live to see this day," Devon drawled, "but here we are now. Welcome to the club, Mr. Young."

"I have to ask, though," Ryu slotted in. "Is the prick still alive?"

Lucius didn't miss a beat, asking, "Depends on how you define alive."

Both men smiled at this. It was exactly the answer they expected, considering how their shared dislike of Tassy's ex-boyfriend.

"Harry never liked him," Devon shared with a grimace. "And that's saying a lot, since my wife likes everyone."

"I'll do what I can to help when news of your marriage is made public," Ryu promised. "And like it or not, once the press figures out the timeline of your relationship, they'll milk it with all they've got."

"I can just picture the headlines," Lucius said.

Devon's lip curled. "Theyarea predictable lot."

"Billionaire Lucius Young: Rebound Husband," Ryu suggested with a sardonic twist of his lips. "Or something like that."

"Something like that indeed."

Lucius' smile didn't reach his eyes.

Damn her.

A rebound, dammit.

Damn her for making a fool out of him.

Chapter Fifteen

IT WAS ALREADY CLOSEto midnight by the time she and Lucius were on their way back to San Antonio, and for the first few minutes of the ride, Tassy found herself reliving the incredible time she had with her husband's family. She had feared and expected the worst, but instead all of them had been a dream while the presence of Stella and the other couples was like icing on the cake.

Her gaze drifted absently to the window, noting how a thin layer of frost had covered the ground. She then glanced at her husband's profile, and just staring at him still had her catching her breath. Everything about him was just perfect, and when she thought about how this man, who was infamous for his aloofness, was instead gentle and possessive towards her alone...

Tassy mustered the courage to place her hand on his thigh for the first time. She had never thought she'd be the type to seduce a man before, but...why was he taking her hand away?

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