Her Sister’s Surrogate

Grace’s POV Helena squeezed my hand through the whole procedure. It was the least she could do, considering they were planting her eggs, fertilized with her husband’s seed, inside me. I hated myself for not really wanting to be here. But I loved my sister, and this was what she needed. She’d never understand the weight of what I was sacrificing. Not in any real sense. It wasn’t painful, not physically anyway. But the ache in my chest? That was unbearable. It was the kind of pain no one could see. No one would ever know how much it hurt to carry their baby, knowing it would never truly be mine. That was the hardest part…the hollow, gnawing truth. The part I couldn’t even share with her. How could I tell my sister that I had always been in love with her husband? How could I even begin to explain the mess of emotions that boiled inside me every time I saw him smile at her, the way his eyes softened when he looked at her, like she was the one he was always meant to be with? I have been

Grace POV “I… I don’t think that would be a good idea.” When was the last time I had been out with a man? I couldn’t think. My soul-destroying focus had been on Hunter a lot lately. “Why? Am I that repulsive? I mean, I’ll shower and shave, I promise.” Max looked at me with a fake pout before adding, “Look, it’s just dinner. You and me. One night. No expectations. If it sucks, you never have to go out with me again.” I didn’t know men did that. “I thought only girls did that.” I couldn’t help but laugh because Max was funny. But then reality set in. Getting involved with a man now, not just Max, but any man... seemed impossible. How would I explain that I might be carrying my sister’s baby? Was I really thinking about sex? It was just dinner. And after everything, didn’t I deserve something for myself? Just mine and not Helena’s? God, I sounded like a jealous cow. But I shook myself out of it and said, “Okay, you’re on. I’ll have dinner with you.” Max grinned at me, pleased with

Hunter POV The door closed behind Grace, leaving silence in her wake. I held my breath, my jaw tightening as I stared at the empty space she had occupied just seconds before. I had seen the anger in her eyes before she left. My hands flexed at my sides, as if fighting the urge to reach out and pull her back. The irritation burning in my chest was unsettling, foreign, and I didn’t like it one damn bit. “So tell me—what’s going on?” Helena’s voice broke the silence, drawing my attention. My wife stood with her arms crossed, her sharp eyes assessing me with a look I couldn’t quite decipher. Almost like she didn’t know me like this. It wasn’t often she came into the office. I was no boy scout and often lost my temper. She just hadn’t seen that side of me. She had only experienced my softer side at home. I forced a breath through my nose, rolling my shoulders back. “She got stuck in a lift with Max.” Helena tilted her head, a smile playing at her lips. “Max? Your friend Max Cast

Helena POVI leaned against the kitchen counter, watching Hunter from across the room. He was quiet tonight. Too quiet. The moment I heard Grace had gone out with Max, I knew exactly why.Hunter sat in the living room, staring at the whiskey in his glass instead of drinking it. He swirled it absently, lost in his thoughts. Thoughts I could guess weren’t about me. No, they were about my sister.Pathetic. I was sure he was worried about Max sleeping with little Grace. Poor, innocent Grace. The bitch was still a virgin. And I knew exactly who she had been saving herself for.Well, tough shit. Hunter was mine. It wasn’t my fault that Grace never made a move, was it? I wanted the life Hunter could give me. Grace thought I didn’t know, but I wasn’t stupid. I kept it all to myself. It wouldn’t do for others to find out. Mom knew enough about why I married Hunter—the lifestyle. But that was it. I never let anyone see the real me.Just the thought of the control I had over people turned me on.

Grace’s POV“Grace, you need to think about what is best for you. You can’t let them force you into doing something you are uncomfortable with.”Max’s voice was calm but firm as he leaned back in his chair, arms crossed. His sharp blue eyes studied me carefully. The easygoing charm he usually wore was gone, replaced with something much more serious. He was worried about me. It was so nice having someone worry about me and not for their own gain.I swallowed hard, stirring the remnants of my drink with my straw. “It’s not like that. They just want to make sure I’m okay.”Max rubbed his hand over his jaw. “And what do you want? Have you even stopped to ask yourself that?”The question made me stiffen. What did I want? I opened my mouth, but nothing came out. I had spent so long letting Helena, my mother, and now even Hunter decide what was best for me that I wasn’t sure I had an answer. The thing was, I wasn’t a weak woman, just hopelessly in love with a man that didn’t see me that way.