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‘Fine’ Sebastian’s ansas short
‘We can ain around Christ with distress ‘Back here?’ She pressed her lips together ‘It’s what Mamma and Papà alanted’
There was an edge to her words A hint of desperation It brought it hoain She’d just lost her parents They all had
He rasp and collected his coat The swell of eave the briefest of nods ‘I’ll get back to you both,’ he said as he walked swiftly towards the glass doors and out into the dark night
He hadn’t even bothered to fasten his coat again and the Swiss Alpine air bit around hiister the cold, his body was so flushed with heat
New York That’s where Leo wanted to be right now That here he called ho tio
As he tra the snow-covered path he quickly realised he had no idea where he was going The car froe at the luxury chalet booked by his PA Trouble was, he didn’t knohere that was He pulled out his phone to search on aout of bars and hotels It only took a few glances to realise that the Mont Coeur ski resort was filled with the rich, the very rich and the very, very rich
He kne ironic that thought was He was in that category—as was his newfound faly mix in these circles He’d always been picky about who he surrounded hiround to those orried about cli the social ladder
He could go into a bar—find somewhere to have a drink But he wasn’t really in the mood for a drink Distraction maybe—but not a drink
He checked out the map on his phone and headed down another street, this one a little quieter and leading away frohfare
He probably should have hired a car or tried to find a taxi, as he realised the road towards his luxury chalet was ave him a little time to think about what had just happened
Several things burned in his mind Giovanni had said the will had always included him That made him feelodd His adoptive parents had always maintained that his real parents couldn’t wait to be rid of him The harsh words had felt as if they’d burned their way into his soul, wounding hi both his real and his adoptive parents, feeling as if he wasn’t really wanted anywhere Finding out now that was all untrue was ined
He let out a long, slow breath, sending war around him
Leo reached the end of the street and looked up froht, but to his left he saw Mont Coeur’s practice slopes Even though it was nine o’clock at night, there were still a few people getting in that last run
They were illulossy snow, smoothed down hard by the constant traffic on the slopes In h above the actual towns Mont Coeur was different It was built halfway up the ht in the middle of the slopes, which made them much more accessible
He stopped for a ure head doards hied down the practically e he’d loved to do over the years and he could appreciate the skill and expertise He frowned Wasn’t the figure co down just a little too fast?
There was a loud bang to his right His head flicked to the side, just in ti from under its bonnet
He flicked back to the skier Oh, no
They’d turned to check out the noise too, and noas too late In the blink of an eye he realised they hadn’t slowed their descent enough That split-second distraction had been too much
They desperately tried to slow, but it was too little, too late and they hurtled into the tyres at the botto crash
Leo didn’t think twice He leapt over the fence and scrambled over the thick tyres There was hardly anyone around, and it was clear he was the closest
The figure was lying crus in an aard position Leo slipped and slid on the snow ‘Are you okay? Can I do so to help you?’
He knelt down next to the figure in black Noas closer he could see it was a woman The black salopettes and padded ski jacket couldn’t hide the slim curves underneath She still hadn’t responded He touched her arm, ‘Hi, I’m Leo Can I help you?’
There was a groan underneath hiave a yelp ‘Foitrottl!’
He se—was it Swiss? German?—but he understood the sentiined ‘Well, at least I know you’re conscious,’ he said