Betrayed By Husband, Stolen By Brother In Law

Adam stared at the pictures in front of him, his hands curling into tight fists. So, that was why she had been avoiding any real discussion about what had happened to her after being kidnapped. Because she had been forced into intimacy with this person? Was it? Or was there something else she hadn't told him? But then, if she had truly been forced, why hadn't he sensed even the faintest trace of hatred in her voice when she spoke about that man?

Even though she had said that she intended to use this Cadence person to deal with Marianne, there had been no sign of fear or concern in her manner. Instead, it had felt to Adam as though she regarded the man with a strange sort of familiarity—almost as if she considered him a close friend. And that, to Adam, was still acceptable. He could live with that. But this…

Just then, Max walked into the office and immediately winced at the gloom. "Dam* it, Adam. Are you turning into some kind of vampire? Why is your office shrouded in darkness—especially now that Melanie has been found?"

Before Adam could respond, Max strode over to the windows and yanked the curtains wide. Harsh daylight flooded the room, stabbing into Adam's eyes. He closed them for a moment against the glare, but Max's gaze had already shifted to the pictures in his hand. Curiosity flared, and in seconds, understanding followed.

It didn't take Max long to figure out the reason behind the sulky expression and the self-imposed darkness. "This is… seriously? I don't know why you're being jealous here. If we think about it, there must be hundreds of pictures of you with different women over the years. This is nothing—it's just hugging."

Adam gave a slow nod. Yes, he knew there was no real intimacy in the pictures. The embraces were casual, and he could almost believe they had been staged—perhaps Melanie pretending, or maybe even a forced hug. He didn't know. And neither did the jealous part of his heart, the part that kept insisting on shoving these pictures in front of her and demanding answers, even though he already knew there was nothing to ask.

Melanie had trusted him enough to leave Melody in his care. He had even held Melody close, kissed her. If anything, that made him the last person who had the right to feel this way. It was hypocritical. He knew it. And yet, he was a hypocrite—he accepted that without hesitation.

"Why do you think he sent the pictures?" Adam asked suddenly.

Max had been expecting an explanation, maybe even a weak defence. Instead, the question caught him off guard. He stared at Adam doubtfully. "What?"

Adam didn't answer immediately. He set the pictures down on the desk, his eyes narrowing as if he could find hidden meaning in them if he stared long enough. "As far as Cadence Sint is concerned," he said slowly, "I'm married to Melanie. And his interest… it's always been in Melody. So, why send me these pictures of him with Melanie at this island?"

Max frowned. "Hmm? How do you know Cadence Sint sent these pictures?"

Adam leaned back in his chair, the leather creaking under his weight. "Who else. But as it happens, in this case I know because he wrote his name. And that's the point. Why send me pictures of the person he thinks is Melody unless…" He trailed off, the thought forming but refusing to be spoken.

Max tilted his head. "Unless what?"

"Unless he knows." Adam's voice was low, almost reluctant. "Unless he's figured out she isn't Melody. And if that's the case…" He exhaled, leaning forward, elbows on the desk. "Then these aren't just pictures. They're a challenge."

Max's eyes narrowed almost wondering if his head had fallen off, since he was having so mucht tru. "A challenge? For what?"

Adam met his gaze. "For her. Not Melody—Melanie."

Max leaned back slightly, as if weighing the idea. "You think Cadence Sint knows the truth and is… what? Trying to mark his territory?"

Adam's lips pressed into a thin line. "It wouldn't be the first time a man's tried to stake a claim over something. If he has figured out she is Melanie an not Melody, that works. But if he wants Melanie instead of Melody." He looked down at the photos again, his fingers curling around the edges. "And if he's doing this to provoke me, then it's working."

Max's tone was dry. "So your big plan is to sit here in the dark and stew in your own jealousy until he wins by default or something?"

Adam shot him a sharp look, but there was no real bite behind it. "No. My plan is to find out exactly how much he knows and if he really is trying to aim for Melanie then decide what to do about it."

"Uh huh… Now we know the reason for your worried look is the pictures. But what's with the gloomy face now? A simple set of pictures can't be enough to do that to you."

Adam's gaze dropped to the photographs again, his thumb brushing absently over the glossy surface. He let out a slow sigh. Yes, Max was right. A few pictures alone couldn't put this heaviness in his chest. It wasn't the hugs or the casual closeness captured on paper that truly bothered him.

What unsettled him was Melanie's evasiveness. The way she had sidestepped every attempt he had made to talk about her time after the kidnapping and the way she was sure of using Cadence in her scheme. As if it was a given he would align with her plans. She trusted this person. And that, did not sit well with him.

Sighing, Adam stood up and threw the pictures aside and said," I am going to talk to Melanie."

Max frowned. "What do you mean you are going to talk to Melanie? Hey! Don't be foolish Adam. Think things through first."

But Adam's words fell on deaf ears...