Scorched

“I can’t help it if the Graziani line is all-powerful,” he said, teasing his wife while she cuddled Alessandro to her chest.

“I want to hold my nephew,” Rafe said as he walked into the room and purposefully approached Rachel. She smiled and nodded her head and Rafe picked up little Alessandro. “He adores me.”

“He loves anyone who smiles at him,” Rachel said, though she secretly believed that Alessandro did have a soft spot for his uncle. After all, Rafe had been the one to draw the first smile from her son, making Adriane quite unhappy. Adriane had been blessed with Marietta’s first smile, though, so he’d forgiven Rafe.

“He’s just practicing for when his baby is born,” Ari said as she sat down next to Rachel and rubbed her own belly, which was beginning to be quite noticeable. “This will be the last trip we get to make until after the baby is born, so remember your promise to be there on time.”

“I wouldn’t miss the birth of my niece for anything in this universe,” Rachel assured her.

“Nieces, darling sister. I was just kidding at the wedding, but since we both have the same due date, you may be running back and forth between our delivery rooms,” Lia said as she sat down on Rachel’s other side.

“It would be much easier if the two of you just had them in the same room,” Rachel said.

“That would be far too much screaming to listen to,” Shane said, unwisely. All three women glared at him. “I was just kidding,” he added, and he stepped away with his arms raised in defense.

“Oh, girls, I almost forgot to tell you. I finished reading the journal of your Civil War ancestor. When you come out into the world, you’ll have to read the story with me. It’s magical,” said Ari, a sigh escaping her lips.

“Why, what happened?” Lia asked as she propped her feet up.

“Their story is just heartbreaking. I refuse to tell you what happens, though. You have to come stay with Rafe and me and read it then. I’m telling you, you won’t be able to put the story down.”

“It can’t be nearly as exciting as our own lives,” Rachel said with a laugh as she looked over at Adriane. Her husband, along with Rafe and Shane, had a drink in his hand.

“Yeah, as much drama as we’ve all gone through, I understand why you’d think so, but really, their story is unbelievable,” Ari insisted.

“OK. You have me intrigued. I want to learn about our great-a-million-times-over-grandparents,” Rachel said with a giggle.

“They didn’t live that long ago. Only about a hundred and fifty years.”

“That may as well be a million years,” Lia said. “Kind of like how long this pregnancy is taking.”

“I know the feeling,” Ari said, rolling her eyes with a grin.

“Neither one of you gets to complain until you carry two of these little things inside your body,” she said, but there was no heat to her words.

“Is it possible to be any happier than this?” Ari asked as she looked across the room and her eyes connected with Rafe’s.

“I don’t think so,” Lia said, as she smiled at Shane.

“Agreed,” Rachel added, her arms aching for one of her babies. As if Adriane could read her mind, he brought over her daughter and rested her in Rachel’s arms, then leaned down and kissed his beloved wife’s lips.

They’d all gotten their fairy-tale ending, and, of course, their happily ever after.

THE END

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Books by Melody Anne

BILLIONAIRE BACHELORS

*The Billionaire Wins the Game

*The Billionaire’s Dance

*The Billionaire Falls

*The Billionaire’s Marriage Proposal

*Blackmailing the Billionaire

*Runaway Heiress

*The Billionaire’s Final Stand

*Unexpected Treasure

*Hidden Treasure – Coming Soon

BABY FOR THE BILLIONAIRE

+The Tycoon’s Revenge

+The Tycoon’s Vacation

+The Tycoon’s Proposal

+The Tycoon’s Secret

+The Lost Tycoon – Coming Soon

RISE OF THE DARK ANGEL

-Midnight Fire – Rise of the Dark Angel – Book One

-Midnight Moon – Rise of the Dark Angel – Book Two

-Midnight Storm – Rise of the Dark Angel – Book Three

-Midnight Eclipse – Rise of the Dark Angel – Book Four – Coming Soon

Surrender

=Surrender – Book One

=Submit – Book Two

=Seduced – Book Three

=Scorched – Book Four

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If you enjoyed this story, please check out The Lies That Save Us by JL Redington, available now. Chapter One

It was raining again in Startup, Washington, the kind of rain that came down sideways, sounding like a million tiny hammers on the roof. It did that a lot during a Pacific Northwest spring. Alexa Menetti stood staring out the window, her dark hair hung loosely about her shoulders, deep blue eyes scanning the cloud filled sky. Being from sunny, dry Arizona it always surprised her how so much liquid could pour from the skies. She never tired of it, though, to her it felt cleansing.

Alexa lingered at the window, watching the weather. Her slender five foot seven inch frame silhouetted against the dark clouds and heavy rain.

This particular kind of weather also brought in customers anxious to find a dry seat on a cold, wet day. The diner was just the spot, perfectly placed on the corner in the middle of town. Today was no different than any other sideways rainy day. While the rain poured outside, the customers poured through the door and the slow day