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Chapter 4
“Some men simply have all the luck,” Calvin stated as he watched Luke and Dani dance from the top floor of the ballroom.
“You wouldn’t happen to be talking about my brother and his gorgeous wife, would you?” Tyler inquired snagging a glass of champagne.
“Tyler, good to see you again,” he said turning around to face the other man. “How’ve you been?”
“Great but I’d warn you against going after Dani. My brother has a nasty temper when it comes to other men and her.”
“I was just making an observation. A successful company and a wife to die for,” Calvin said waiting for the others in the group to agree.
“That’d better be it because if my brotherdidfind out that you put so much as a toe over the line when it comes to Dani, you’ll find it lost. The only thing he loves more than the company is her.”
“You seem to be very close to her, dancing and kissing her,” another man there observed.
“She’s my sister-in-law and I love her,” Tyler stated, “but I’m not stupid. I can get by with being cheeky because Dani knows it’s an act and because it annoys my brother. If anyone else tried it, they’d be on the receiving end of Luke’s hatred and that’s not a fun place to be located.”
“As her ex found out,” the other man said causing laughs throughout the group.
“That SOB broke into their home and tried to kill Dani, anyone would have reacted the same way especially when they went after you too,” Tyler said narrowing his gaze at the man. “I would have and anyone in love with their wife, girlfriend or fiancée would feel the same.”
“Come on, no one buys that story. Everyone knows that Dani and that guy were going to run off together and your brother stopped them. Now, Dani’s simply too scared to try and leave him again,” Peter stated from the other side of the unknown man.
“Luke would never lay a hand on her in anger; you weren’t around during the weeks after the incident. She was terrified and the only one that could calm her down was Luke. So next time you try to spread rumors at least give the ones they’re about a chance to defend themselves. I mean really, does that look like a woman who’s too scared to leave her husband?”
“Things always look different to family,” Peter said. “For the last few months, they’ve been over the top, which means they’re hiding something, and I’d hazard a guess it was him threatening her again. We heard whispers about them fighting in London when he whisked her away for her birthday and then when he gets back, he puts a wad of cash into her account. He’s keeping her quiet.”
“That money was hers, she transferred it from one account to another because she lost her checkbook in London,” Tyler countered. “Look…just leave them alone alright? Dani’s been through hell the last few months and she’s finally starting to get back to being herself.”
“What is that supposed to mean?” Calvin inquired. “We met up at the Auxiliary event and they weren’t there more than an hour, Luke said she’d been sick.”
“Come on Tyler, what’s going on with Dani?” Peter added. “Anyone can tell she’s lost weight; she didn’t have much to begin with but…how sick is she?”
“She’s not,” Tyler answered, knowing she’d hate him for being dumb enough to reveal anything.
“You can’t say something like that and not expect us to be intrigued,” Calvin argued.
“Look, she’s not sick. She’s had a rough few months, starting just before the Foundation event and she’s finally worked through it and that’s all I’m going to say.”
“Wait…wasn’t she in the hospital the week before the event?” the unknown man asked.
“Who are you?” Tyler countered.
“Steve Branson, I work at the hospital. They were there, weren’t they?”
“That’s their business.”
“Oh, come on Tyler, just tell us,” Peter stated.
“No, I promised Dani, I wouldn’t let it get back to Mom and Dad because they would be as devastated as she was. I’m not going to betray my sister.”
“Devastated…hospital…she had a miscarriage, didn’t she?” Peter inquired.
“Damn it, keep your voice down,” Tyler said gripping the glass tighter.
“She did, so that’s why Luke’s been trying to cheer her up,” he stated. “Appears it’s finally working.”
“If you tell anyone I will personally kick your ass,” Tyler warned before storming off. He’d really put his foot in it this time.
