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‘But if you kno it feels then why did you contact HR?’

‘I saw a potential problem I stepped in to fix it It’s what I do’ After his father had slashed their lives into a million useless pieces, seventeen-year-old Ari had assuer brothers from the press intrusion after Alexandrou Pantelides’s sleazy dealings and philandering lifestyle had coht, become his number-one priority

His brothers, after severely rocky years, had grown into stable, intensely successful individuals And his mother had eventually found peace He’d believed his family was safe

Until fate had shown him otherwise

Theos, this was too much! Resentment that he’d inadvertently taken a trip down h him

Sucking in a deep breath, he faced Perla ‘You’ve aired your grievance I’ve listened Now don’t you have work to be getting on with?’

The harshness of his voice stung ‘It’s my day off, but Ari—’

He let his gaze slide down her body, ignoring the fire sizzling through his veins ‘And was this what youaway from each other? Because this plan—’ he indicated her ski temptation from both our paths’

‘I’ I just reacted—’

‘Well, ement call next time!’

She flinched as if he’d struck her But he couldn’t regret his tone because he was drowning in hell He’d almost opened up about secrets he shared with no one And the tereat But not to her Not to the woe up all the bitterness and huo

He tightened his jaw and watched, fascinated, as she pulled herself together with a grace and dignity he found curiously admirable

Crossing her arlared at hi out at me for your weakness is cowardly and beneath you Stop it Believe me, I can bite back’

He felt a wash of heat surge up his cheekbones ‘You need to leave Now Before I do soret’

‘Ari—’