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‘And arrive it did,’ she said, her voice hollow

Into her head, ht to keep at bay, caunshot

Her eyes sprang open, as if to banish those memories that were so indelible within her But instead of memory there was Nikos, there in front of her So real So close

So infinitely far away

As he must always be

Nikos—the man who had caused her more pain than she had ever known existed!

‘Oh, God, Nikos!’ The words rang from her ‘You think me an ice maiden But I’ve had to be—I’ve had to be!’

Slowly, very slowly, sheof her arms around her body slacken, let her hands fall to her sides, li at bay emotions she must not let herself feel or they would destroy her

‘Being an ice e to you kept me safe’

There was silence Only the low ticking of the ormolu clock on the mantel

‘Safe,’ she said again, as if saying it could make it so

But the word only erous thing in the world, ht that flare of sexual awareness inside her with a single glance That single, fateful glance that had brought her here, now, to this final parting with him

Pain seared inside her—the pain she had feared, so uished look pierced her eyes as she cried out

‘I needed to be an icefor any man I had to protect h! Because what if what happened to my father, happened to me? He broke his heart over my mother! Because she never loved him back—’

She broke off, turning away She had to go—flee! However long Nikos made her wait for her divorce The divorce that would free her from the chains he held her by