Page 109 of The Rejected Wife

My husband hesitates. I see the conflict in his eyes—the father in him warring with the humane part of him I’m trying to appeal to. Because time and time again, Tyler has proven to me that, while his persona might be that of a cold and calculating billionaire businessman, what he is at heart is the former Marine who’d sacrifice himself for the greater good. It’s what I sensed about him when I met him. It’s what I admire most about him. Despite the fact he asked me to leave that day Serene was left at his doorstep, without giving me a valid reason why, I know he’s a good man. He cares about his daughter. He cares about me. I know, he’ll do what's right.

"What if you don’t let her meet Serene alone?"

Tyler scowls. Connor holds up his hands. "If I were in your shoes, there's no way I'd want that woman anywhere near my daughter. But your wife’s argument is hard to brush aside. So, my suggestion is, what if one or both of you are always present when she meets Serene? And we can make sure there’s security as a backup."

Tyler’s forehead knits. He seems to be struggling with his thoughts. When he begins to pull his hand out from under mine, I hold on. I beseech him without saying anything, counting on that unspoken connection we’ve established, where I hope he can read my thoughts. Where I hope he realizes that I understand him. "I’m upset by what happened with Serene, but she already saw Lauren and is bound to wonder about it. I don’t want to lie to our daughter about who Lauren is. Of course, we’ll need to explain it to her in an age-appropriate manner and ensure she's comfortable with it. We can’t just cut Lauren out of her life, but we can make her wait until Serene is ready."

Tyler’s jaw hardens. But I’m still holding his hand, and he hasn’t pulled away, so it gives me the encouragement to keep going. "Again, it’s not an excuse, but what happened was an accident."

My husband glares at me. A part of me quivers at the anger in his gaze. It borders on eroticism for me. A part of me loves that I’m at the receiving end of his attention. And the other part of me wonders how I could be so selfish to think of myself and my needs when our daughter is lying wounded upstairs. But it’s also thoughts of her and her future which has me holding his gaze. My heart flutters, and my pussy quivers, but I don’t look away.

For a few seconds, we’re locked in this battle of wills, and the chemistry between us spikes. The very air between us heats. Then Connor clears his throat. It breaks through the tension building between Tyler and me.

Tyler’s eyes gleam. I read his expression correctly as promising me retribution. I shouldn’t feel excited by that, but tell that to my pussy, which melts in anticipation. Then Tyler nods. "Let's talk to Serene's therapist and see what she suggests."

My heart soars. Being willing to consider my opinions when it comes to Serene means more than he can imagine. "That sounds like a great idea. Thank you."

Tyler merely tilts his head.

That’s when his phone vibrates. Without taking his gaze from mine, he pulls out the device, listens to the voice at the other end, then rises to his feet. "She’s awake."

52

Tyler

"I want to go home, Papa," Serene whispers.

I kiss her fingers. Then, when that doesn’t seem like enough, I rise to my feet and, making sure not to disturb the IV she’s hooked up to, I slide onto the bed with my daughter.

The bed’s narrow and too short for me, so I’m perched on the edge, almost curled around our daughter. She snuggles in, and my heart squeezes in my chest.

My daughter feels so little, so fragile. And each time I take in the bandage on her forehead, my guts churn with anger. I hold her close. "As soon as you’re well enough to travel, I promise, we’ll head back."

She sniffs, then nods, and her eyes close. I rub my finger over her soft cheek and promise to myself I’ll never allow myself to slip up like this again. The only reason I agreed to allow that woman to see my daughter again is because my wife asked. I can’t deny Cilla. That’s the kind of power she holds over me. And it’s because I trust her more than anyone else in my life that I agreed to her idea. That, and the fact she guessed rightly that there's a decent man hidden inside me. The one she brings to the surface because she makes me want to be the kind of man she’ll be proud of.

“She’s asleep,” my wife murmurs from the chair across the bed.

When I don’t move, she walks over and sits on the other side of Serene, bracketing her between us.

She rests one hand on Serene’s shoulder, the other cradling her face. “What are you thinking?” she asks quietly.

"That I’m lucky to have both of you in my life. That I’d do everything in my power to protect both of you. That I’ll never let anything hurt either of you."

She smiles and her eyes glow with warmth. "I believe you."

"How do you feel about everything that’s happened?"

Her forehead wrinkles. A haunted look comes into her eyes. I already miss the tender light in her eyes, but it would have been remiss of me if I hadn’t asked her that question.

She looks away. "I haven’t had much time to absorb everything. I’m still taken aback by it. A part of me can’t believe this could happen. Another part tells me, of course, this is why I was so drawn to Serene from the beginning. And yet, another part is having trouble accepting it. It all feels like a lot."

"It is." I place my hand on top of where hers rests on my daughter. "And you should take all the time you need to adjust to it."

"Thank you." When she looks at me again, her eyes are sad. "I should feel ecstatic about this, but it all feels like a dream. I feel more than a little disoriented."

"It’s natural. You went from thinking you were her stepmother to realizing you're her biological one. It’s a big change."

She half-smiles. "You’re good at being understanding."

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