Acts of Mercy: A Stepbrother Romance (Men of WRATH Book 5)
Acts of Mercy: Part 2 – Chapter 23

It’s barely been an hour since Hudson left my bed and I’m already jonesing for his touch.

“Alyssa?” My mother’s questioning stare paired with her stern voice has me pulling out of thoughts I shouldn’t be having at the breakfast table. Especially not with Hudson’s father and my mother staring at me so intently.

Insecurity washes over me, and I wonder if they can see right through me—seeing what Hudson and I have been up to this past month.

“Are you alright? Are you going to be fine here all by yourself?” She glances back at her husband whose jaw is set, eyes narrowed and raking over every twitch of my countenance. Assessing. Analyzing. Judging.

Shaking my head, I wave her concerns off. “It’s okay, mom. He does this all the time and besides, he always leaves a security detail.”

“I just don’t feel right leaving you here by yourself.” She looks back at her husband who gives her a quick nod. “Maybe I should stay with you.”

My head rears back in shock.

“What?” I breathe out, the word barely intelligible. Blinking in rapid succession, I digest her words while disbelief gives way to anger. “You didn’t have a problem leaving me with the nannies back in California. You’d go on your retreats or treatments or whatever, while leaving me on my own for weeks on end.” I stand up, knuckles bearing down on the table between us. “But now? Now that I’m a grown-ass woman you suddenly develop this need to be near me?”

She flinches, and I know my words have struck a nerve because they’re nothing but the truth. Undeterred, I continue, but not before glaring between the pair before me. “I call bullshit, and unless you have a good reason for staying, I suggest you both pack up and leave. Let me live my life on my terms.”

“Alyssa Rogers, I will not have you talking to your parents like that.” Her use of the word parents grates on my nerves, stirring the niggle of insecurity about the status of my relationship with my stepbrother.

“I’m sorry.” I bite my lip, regretting my tone but not the words. “Kicking you out might be a bit much, but damn if I’m not irritated by this sudden influx of concern. In my entire eighteen years of life, you’ve never been this overbearing. And now that I’m in a variable Fort Knox, now you’re concerned?”

James looks back at my mother and clears his throat. “Look Alyssa, we now realize that putting you in this situation with Hudson might’ve been a mistake on our part.”

“This situation?” My jaw drops open and I glare at him.

“Yes. You’re a budding young woman and Hudson, well… He’s a manwhore.”

I make a strangled sound, my mouth still hanging open.

“Now, darling. We’re just concerned. While here, we noticed how he is around you. Very possessive. In a way that a stepbrother shouldn’t be.” She pauses, her hands fidgeting with the mug in front of her. “Is there… is there something you need to tell us? Have you two been intimate?”

My cheeks catch fire. Or at least it feels like it. Stumbling back from the table, I wrap my arms around myself protectively, my mind trying to wrap around having this conversation without Hudson by my side.

I can’t tell them. Not without Hudson here.

“No. There’s nothing I need to tell you.” My head falls back as I try to blink away the tears, only continuing once I’ve gathered a modicum of control. “Now, if you’ll excuse me. I need to get ready. The girls and I are heading over to Aiden and Charlotte’s. And in case I don’t see you before you leave, have a safe trip home.”

Without another word or glance back, I walk out of the kitchen and away from their prying eyes. There’s no doubt in my mind they could sense the hurricane of emotions between Hudson and me.

These feelings are bigger than either of us could contain. It’s no wonder they’ve noticed. Still. Hudson and I are real—we’re a team—and there’s no way I’d dream of telling our family without him.

“What’s got your panties in a bunch?” Cassie quirks a brow as she munches on a saltine cracker.

The ladies of WRATH have gathered at Aiden’s house to check on Charlotte. You’d think the drama she’s going through would be enough to keep their nosy selves out of my business. But nope. There’s apparently an abundance of time for unearthing drama in any of the ladies’ lives. Lucky for me, I’m now one of those ladies.

Sure, being a lady of WRATH comes with its perks. But this isn’t one of them.

“Leave the girl alone,” Charlotte chides, “She just got here.”

“You know you’re pitiful when the injured friend is the one taking up your defense.” Ashley chuckles.

“Bella, please call off your bloodhound.” I give her my big puppy dog eyes and hope she feels some sort of pity. I’m really not in the mood to divulge my deepest and darkest after the talk I had with my mom and James.

“Oh, no.” Bella raises her hands, palms up and washing herself of my plight. “I missed out on the second half of my honeymoon to be here with you women. There’s no way I’m settling for a watered-down version. You know the rules, Rogers.” She winks at Charlotte, trying to put her at ease with her teasing.

Poor Charlotte has been racked with guilt over Bella and William cutting their honeymoon short because of her hospital stint.

The couple made record time getting back from their romantic vacation once they’d found out about Charlotte’s injury. Not only was she shot by some psycho, but she’d lost the baby because of the hit directly on her abdomen.

They’d just found out they were expecting days before.

Talk I’ll about tragic.

My eyes soften as I take in Charlotte’s appearance. Her eyes look tired, but there’s still life behind them. “Enough about my sour mood. How about you, Charlotte? Aiden and the twins keeping you on your toes?”

We’d all given her our condolences when we first came in, but this is the first time I’ve asked how her new, and finally official, relationship is going.

Her eyes glaze over, and she blinks away a tear. “Things are bittersweet at home, but I thank my lucky stars every day for our little family.” She glances at Bella’s rounded belly and then over at Cassie’s non-existent one. “How far along are you?” Her question directed at Cassie makes everyone squirm.

“We really don’t have to talk about it, Charlotte.” Cassie’s eyes go wide, making the sassy blonde look almost demure for once.

“Don’t.” Charlotte clenches her jaw, her eyes flitting back and forth between all of us. “We’re the ladies of WRATH. We don’t have secrets. We don’t do judgment. And we sure as fuck don’t do pity.”

Cassie bites her lip, glancing over at Bella, who nods in encouragement. “I’m at the tail end of my first trimester.”

“Alyssa, don’t drink the water or you’re liable to end up pregnant too.” Ashley cuts in, trying to inject humor into the conversation, but I flinch—something that doesn’t go unchecked. “What? You too?”

I close my eyes quickly and take in a deep breath. “Nope. Nope. Nothing to see here.” I wave my hands in the air as if doing some sort of magic trick, a show of hands.

Charlotte snorts. “Seriously, you’ll have to try harder if you want a chance at keeping anything from these information hyenas.”

“Hey, I resent that!” Cassie calls out.

“Just telling it like it is.” Charlotte’s eyes cut back to me, the warmth in them unmistakable. “So tell us… are you?”

I swallow the lump that’s formed in my throat, grateful that she cares, but not wanting to rub anything in her face when I’m not even sure. Giving her my truth, I shake my head. “Not that I know of. I mean, it’s been over a month and no sign of my cycle, but it could be because of stress and stuff. Right?”

“Are you on birth control?” Bella asks, and I shake my head no.

All the women go quiet except for Charlotte, who reaches for her phone. “Have you taken a test?”

Rolling my lips in, I shake my head yet again. I know it’s chickenshit, but I’m not ready to face that reality just yet.

Charlotte’s mouth tilts up into a smile. “It could be stress, or it could be a baby. You can take an at home test or go see my doctor. I’m texting you her info now. She’s amazing.”

And just like that, my time on the river Nile has ended. It’s time to put on my big girl panties and face the music.

Dr. Amazing, here I come.