page9 (1/2)

‘Tamara’ Kelli was at her side, her voi

ce troubled

‘What?’ Her antenna was up and rotating as she looked around at the faces of her colleagues watching her

‘Same old, sa

‘What’s happened?’

Conor stepped in front of her and reached for her elbow ‘Bring your coffee to my office’

Her stoht to the floor The idea of food was suddenly abhorrent When Conor tugged her gently she stood strong, kept both feet planted fir her feel so faaze to the table

Newspaper headlines screamed out at her

Heiress Making Good for Her Misdemeanours?

Beneath that was a colour photo of Ta on their wee patient’s foot—or where his foot had once been

Nurse Taency depart to save the children involved in yesterday’s horrendous bus accident on the motorway

‘Will this never go away? Why won’t they let et on with my life?’ She slapped her hands on her hips in an atteain, why a to let me live my pathetic little life in peace’ Of course thewoman who’d tantalised them for years and now sold papers and turned on TVs just by living Every ti See, this is what happens when you get involved icked men

‘Breathe, Tam’ Conor spoke quietly beside her

She hadn’t been aware she’d stopped Apparently her lungs had given up the ghost If only her brain could follow At least until her rage died down to a disgruntled angst About the middle of next year

Angry tears slid down her face Frustrationher hips ‘I hope so’s been done to beef up security No reporters should’ve got in here’

Conor nodded ‘I’ve talked to the CEO It won’t happen again’

‘Hope he realises they’re persistent by nature’

‘You know all about that?’ Conor asked He knew little or nothing about her past, and she’d liked it that way Could be why she’d allowed herself to get closer to him than she did anyone else Except Kelli, but she’d been there for her the whole way through

‘Sit down before you fall down’ Conor pulled a chair from the table and took her elbow to direct her

One step and that blasted newspaper got all her attention Her hands were shaking so badly she couldn’t pick it up so she pressed them to the table, either side of the evil missive, and stared at the words

‘Don’t read it, Ta It’s old hat’ Kelli made to remove the paper

Ta the paper on the table Old habits forced her to read everything the media wrote or said about her A tear splashed onto the newsprint

‘Here’ Conor passed over a handful of tissues before putting his hand back on her shoulder, his thu circles over her He e than she cared for

‘Guess you had to find out so for norainst Conor without having to consider the ra But history kept her still She’d be fooling herself Nothing was right, and didn’t look like beco so in the near future Whenever a reporter wrote yet another sensational article about her she folded, let them walk all over her with their co coirl who’d been sucked in by the fraudulent lawyer than those who said she was as guilty for et aith her father’s fortune, and hurting others along the way She slashed at her wet cheeks with the tissues

You have a baby growing inside you

The truth sideswiped her, shoved everything else to the back of her skull, settled the turer which she drew on to redirect her thoughts

She had to toughen up This was no longer just about her These people mustn’t be allowed to hurt her anyher child