Page 17 of Rejected Wolf's Secret Baby (Rejected Moons 4)

He snorts out a laugh. It’s unclear whether he’s laughing at Alicia for the trick he’s planning, or if he’s laughing at me for being rejected all those years ago. Either way, he’s a dick.

But I do want to spend time with Alicia. I’m not going to let Lonnie’s scheming ways prevent me from doing that. If he thinks I’m hanging out with her for his benefit—well, let him think it.

“Okay,” I tell him. “I’ll see what’s going on with her.”

“Great,” Lonnie says. “It’s a foolproof plan.”

You’re the only fool I see, I want to tell him, but I bite my tongue. The younger Brandon would have started a fight. But that’s not me anymore.

I walk away.

10

ALICIA

“Thisisheaven,”Iadmit, sitting down at the kitchen table with my sister. “She never goes to sleep that easily at home.”

Kayla laughs. “That’s because she’s never had her favorite auntie to put her to sleep before,” she says.

“She’s really taken to you,” I say. “You’re good with her too, Kay.”

“Kind of wild, right?”

“You might have to come with me when I go home,” I say. “I’m completely spoiled now.”

“Or you could stay here,” Kayla says.

“Kay—”

“I know. I said I wouldn’t bother you about it. And I won’t... but just think about it,” she says earnestly. “I miss you so much when you’re gone.”

I sigh. “I miss you too. You know that. But my whole life is away from here.”

“What’s so important that you can’t leave it?” she asks. “You broke up with your boyfriend. Emmy’s here with us. Do you love your job that much?”

“No,” I admit. I don’t even really like my job—I’ve been working as a bartender, and it barely covers rent. Not to mention the fact that, now that I’ve split with Chad, I have no idea what I’m going to do about childcare during my shifts. He wasn’t good for much, but I trusted him with Emmy in an emergency, at least—and he was free.

Kayla opens her mouth to continue the argument, but she’s interrupted by a knock on the door.

I jump to my feet, glad for the excuse to stop talking about this, and hurry over to answer it.

“Jeez,” Kayla calls after me. “Expecting someone?”

I’m not—and I’m definitely not expecting to see Brandon standing there when I open the door. His curly hair is disheveled, and I can see beads of sweat on the back of his neck from the summer heat. He’s wearing shorts that expose his muscled thighs.

Holy shit.For a moment, I can’t remember how to talk.

Kayla appears beside me. “Brandon!” she says. “Haven’t seen you in a minute.”

“Hey, Kayla,” he says. Then he looks at me. “Hey, Alicia.”

“Hi,” I say.

“Thought you might like to go for a walk.”

Does he mean a walk, or does he mean sex? I’m not sure. I’m not sure if it would change my answer. And either way... “I can’t,” I say.

“Oh, yes you can,” Kayla says brightly. “Go on, have fun. I’ll watch the baby for you.”

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