His face and neck were raked with Yvonne''s nail marks, his clothes shredded and hanging on him in tatters. Dan stood there with his hands raised, looking like a man terrified to so much as breathe on her-petrified he''d be med for something he didn''t do.


    One nce was all Xander needed. Yvonne clearly knew. Ronald must''ve called her, told her to see a doctor, and Dan, poor idiot, had walked straight into the crossfire.


    Xander stepped out, striding over and pulling Yvonne firmly into his arms. "That''s enough," he said.


    Dan''s scowl only deepened at the sight of him. He shot Xander a venomous re. "Seriously? Are you even a man? You still haven''t sorted this out?"


    His anger was practically vibrating off him. What a nightmare-ever since that night, he''d been the designated scapegoat. As if it weren''t bad enough being a fall guy, he''d gotten stuck as Xander''s fall guy.


    Yvonne was already fuming; hearing Dan mouth off just made it worse. Still in Xander''s arms, sheshed out with a sharp kick thatnded squarely in Dan''s gut.


    "Don''t you dare drag Xander into this, you bastard!"


    Xander said nothing.


    Dan couldn''t get a word out either.


    That word—“drag”—set Dan aze. Xander''s face, meanwhile, was a picture of exasperation.


    Dan''s chest heaved. "Xander, man, just tell her did I drag you into this or not?"


    For God''s sake, was he ever going to get out from under this cloud?


    Xander opened his mouth, about to reply, but Yvonne''s foot came flying again—a solid kick knocked Dan to the ground, doubled over with pain.


    What a ruthless woman.


    Xander looked down at Dan-crumpled, bleeding, a mess of scratches across his face and neck. The guy looked utterly pitiful.


    Before he could get another word out, Yvonne, having vented most of her rage, grabbed Xander''s hand. "Let''s go."


    Dan wheezed from the ground. "Don''t you dare walk away!"


    No way was he leaving it like this. She was pregnant. If he didn''t clear his name now, she''d probably go for his throat every time the thought crossed her mind for the next nine months.


    No, this had to end now.


    But just as he got the words out, Yvonne spun back and aimed several more kicks at him, this time with even less restraint.


    The bodyguards watched, paralyzed with indecision. Move in? Step back? The boss had told them not to get involved...


    Yvonne''sst flurry left Dan speechless with pain.


    She towered over him, her face ice-cold. "From now on, stay the hell away from me.


    If I catch you anywhere near me again, I''ll beat you every single time."


    Same threat asst time. Then


    again, it didn''t matter-every time Dan saw her he wound up worse for wear After that staged death a fa years ago, Yvonne had sworn he''d


    never be forgiven.


    "Yvonne, you damn witch!" Dan gasped, clutching his sides. He managed the usation through gritted teeth, but couldn''t say


    anything else his quis felt


    rearranged. Was there no end to this madness? Would this ever get resolved? It was maddening.


    Watching her tear into Dan, even Xander-usually fearless-felt his courage shrivel. Was this really how she reacted after learning she was pregnant? She looked like she. wanted to murder the child''s father!


    Xander could hardly process it before, watching her wail on Dan. Now, he was outright terrified.