All Chapters of BAD REPUTATION : Chapter 121 - Chapter 130

Stefan knew he was being a little devious, but with the way Alana had reacted to him yesterday he knew she'd try her best to keep him out of her life. He wanted in. He told himself it was to see his daughter, that he'd already missed too much of her life and needed to catch up. But the truth was, there was more to it, and it had everything to do with Juliana's mama.He added a splash of water to the sauce and thought about how Alana had looked when she arrived; businesslike, confident and sexy in that snug-fitting blue suit. He wanted to peel it off her and see what she wore beneath.He marshaled his restraint and kept focused on dinner. He wasn't trying to impress her. He didn't think his culinary skill made a difference to Alana, but the fact that she didn't have anything in her freezer made him assume that she probably didn't do anything more than open a box and hit "express cook" on the microwave, and she hadn't been doing much for herself lately.A half hour later, he heard her f

“I believe so. Whiskey?” his father offered, already pouring a glass.“Sure.” Stefan took it and sank into one of the leather chairs across the desk.For a moment, they drank in silence — the kind that came with years of unspoken words. Then Richard leaned back, watching him.“I hear you’re still playing detective.”Stefan smirked faintly. “Still saving people's lives and secrets for a living, yeah you could say that.”“That’s one way to put it,” Richard replied dryly, sounding unimpressed. “Another way is that you’re wasting your degree, your opportunities, and your life on something reckless and dangerous.”Stefan took another slow sip. Of course his father didn't waste time to dive straight into the awkward. “Dad. We’ve been through this before.”“And clearly, it didn’t sink in.” Richard’s tone sharpened slightly. “You had a place in this company. You and Emily. You belonged here, Stefan. You chose instead to crawl through alleys chasing adulterers and petty thieves.”“That’s not a

His mouth covered hers, devoured with savage need as his hands climbed up her satin-covered spine and crushed her to him. It was all-consuming, as he'd known it would be. Hot and fast and too private to be seen in public. His body was hard, hers firm and yielding against his."Whoa, Maynard!" he heard from somewhere in the distance, and he pulled back. His breathing was hard."Can it, Reese," he said to his buddy without taking his gaze from Alana's."Sir, yes sir," came the playful response."Let's get out of here?" The words came like a question.She blinked and licked her lips. "We aren't gone yet?"He smiled and let her go grab her purse. Then they rushed from the club.During the cab ride to the hotel, he didn't touch her, didn't kiss her, not trusting himself if he did. He only held her hand. It was the most erotic thing he'd ever done. Fingers laced, palms tight. Intimate. More than he'd been with any woman in a very long time.At the hotel he climbed out of the cab, paid the d

He stilled, meeting her gaze, and sudden heat rippled between them. She'd said that to him once before when they were making love, and the memory of it flooded between them. Warm, wicked. Greedy. The softness in her green eyes said she remembered, too.The nurse at the desk cleared her throat. Stefan dragged his gaze from Alana and handled the bill. "I can manage this," Alana said."I know you can," he said softly. "But you have to get used to me handling some things too,” He walked to the far side of the room, opened the stroller and rolled it back to her. Juliana reached out for him, practically squirming to get to him.Stefan put her in the stroller, kneeling to strap her in. "You were so brave," he said to her. "I'm proud of you, princess." He dried her tears, kissed her head and with Alana, led her out of the front door.Almost like a real family.___________Alana grabbed her handbag from her desk and was heading for her office door when her secretary popped her head in."Your

He wanted to pound those two men into dust for doing this to her. But she was right in a couple of ways. He didn't love her. He was honest enough with himself to admit that. But what he felt for Alana was more than just lust and memories of great sex. Even if Juliana wasn't between them, he'd have hunted her down. He'd have done it to satisfy his ego that she hadn't forgotten him and to see if the dreams that had plagued him were just that—dreams. At the rate they were going, she wasn't going to give him the chance to find out.And the baby changed everything. Better for him, for Juliana, but for Alana and him, it had cut short what could have been something special, and Stefan didn't know what to do anymore."Alana?"She looked up and the tears in her eyes were like gunshots to his heart."Honey, talk to me." He said softly. "I can't screw up your life for a name. Please don't ask me to. I know it would be better for Juliana, but you and I have to live with the decision and so does