Tudor Redemption (Tudor Dynasty Book 4) Read Online Free PDF

the
interruption. Oh boy. Strike one, Alana.
    “Fine.
It’s very different,” she replied, turning back to Peter. Peter, luckily, was
being dragged away by one of Angus’s kids. He went willingly down the stairs
and toward the beach.
    “Granddad
duty,” he said as he followed Destiny.
    “Have
fun. Tell that wimp of a brother we’ll be down shortly.”
    Not
to be left out, Angus chimed right in, “So, Alana, has Dame taken you sailing
yet?”
    “No,
we haven’t been yet. He’s been showing me around.”
    “Maybe
we can talk Amadeus into taking us out later on his. She’s moored right over
there.” He pointed to the mast bobbing up and down in the water.
    She
nodded, taking a drink of her beer. I could tell by the look on his face he
knew what had transpired the day before. He was baiting her.
    My
mother was sitting back in her chair observing everything. Mother had always
been overprotective where I was concerned. She had good reason, I suppose. I’d
had a rough patch for a number of years, and she wasn’t about to let me go
without not only her approval, but her concerns being voiced.
    First,
I’d had a stroke. I had been barely thirty when it had happened. It had taken
years and years of rehab and hard work on my part before I was able to walk or
carry on normally. I’d lost my band, and ultimately, my first marriage.
    My
first marriage was the other biggie. Mother had seen me left with two teenage
girls and nothing else. The house, this house, would have been lost if it hadn’t
been for my brother and Zara.
    I’d
talked with Alana on many occasions about what I’d gone through. She didn’t
seem to fathom the severity of it all. Come to think of it, she didn’t really
act like she cared.
    Mother
saw it differently—as a mother who’d nearly lost her oldest cub. And who would
go to great lengths to see me unhurt by another woman.
    She
caught the sparkle of the engagement ring I’d given Alana and used it as her
opening. “Oh, Damien gave you a ring. May I see it?” she asked sweetly.
    Alana
stuck her hand over in Mother’s direction. “We’re going to replace this when we
get back to London,” she quietly lied. “Damien just wanted to give me something
to wear while we were here.”
    “I
don’t know why you’d want to replace it, Alana. It’s really quite beautiful.”
    Angus
cleared his throat. “Hey, Dame, why don’t we let the ladies chat about wedding
plans? Let’s go see what A’s got going on.”
    Mother
jumped on the idea, giving Alana no out. “Yes, go on, you two. Go have some
fun. Alana and I will sit here and get to know each other.”
    “Okay,”
I replied, kissing Alana on the cheek. “Come on down when you two are finished.
A’s got jet skis and a powerboat. All sorts of fun stuff.” I followed my
younger brother down the stairs.
    “Don’t
do it, Dame,” he whispered when we were far enough from the house.
    “Don’t
do what?”
    “Marry
her. She’s not the one.”
    “I
know.”
    “Then
what are you doing?”
    “I’m
trying to get through today so I can sit her down and end it.” I’d made up my
mind. The episode from last night had been the icing on the cake.
    Angus
and I got everyone started in a volleyball game. All the kids wanted in. Peter
even played. We were loud and obnoxious as usual. Loving every minute.
    Alana
appeared, without Mother, while we were taking a break. I decided to test her
reactions. Maybe not a nice thing to do, but I wanted to see if I could push
her. If she was going to act as though she enjoyed it.
    I
wrapped my arms around her and started nuzzling her neck. Quietly, she tried to
push me away, but I didn’t budge. Finally, I let her break free, and she
started down the beach near where Amadeus had gone. I followed after her.
    “Alana.
Wait.”
    She
kept on walking, never saying a single word. I moved faster. This was going to
stop now.
    I
grabbed her by the elbow. “You didn’t complain last night when I had my