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‘I want to talk to you about Sadie,’ Vere said quietly ‘You’re in love with her, aren’t you?’

Drax couldn’t make himself deny it ‘What if I am? It doesn’t affect you’

‘Of course it does We’ve always shared everything, Drax’

Sadie had ed to slip unnoticed into Drax’s tent, but now, as she heard the two brothers’ voices, she panicked and turned to leave When she tried she discovered that the exit had been blocked by theoutside, their four-wheel drive now parked close by What on earth was she to do? She couldn’t leave, but she certainly couldn’t brazenly walk in on the two brothers either She would just have to stay here until either Vere or both of them left

She heard Vere saying soisteredto it with all the desperation of the lover as unloved She was pathetic, she derided herself But the sound of her own na closer to the fabric wall separating her from the brothers

‘So we share her, do we? How? In bed?’ Drax could hear the e his voice ‘Turn and turn about? Until she’s so dizzy she can’t tell the difference between us?’

Sadie went icy cold with shock, and then hot with fear Nausea cramped her stomach and rose sourly in her throat

In the seht of the richly furnished tent, Vere waited to let the bitterness and anger spew out of his twin before he spoke But Sadie could not wait Driven by revulsion and horror, she stumbled back towards the narrow exit she had used to enter the tent and pushed her way through the work hoould look

She was out of hearing range when Vere stepped towards Drax and placed his hands on his shoulders, ignoring Drax’s attes?’ he asked him ‘I like Sadie, yes But I do not desire her When I

think of her, I think of her as the woman you love’

Outside, the wind had picked up draer as she felt its full force They would soon be returning to the city, but she couldn’t wait that long for her escape or for oblivion

A Land Rover had pulled up al the engine running as he hurried to help two other ht of what they were carrying Without giving herself tinoring the grains of sand tearing at her exposed skin and burning her eyes and mouth as she climbed into the vehicle and pulled the door closed after her In front of her was a barely discernible track She released the brake and put her foot on the accelerator

Ied forward into the seething storer What was physical danger to her now, after what she had just heard? Her heart lurched against her ribs She had thought that the worst pain she would ever have to bear was knowing that Drax didn’t love her But she had been wrong and naïve So stupidly naïve How many other women had been used by Drax and his brother as they had planned to use her? She knew there were those who ht boast that they would enjoy such an experience, but she was not one of the her body for their pleasure, excited by the knowledge that they were sharing her, filled her with disgust and loathing

Vere held Drax’s bitter gaze as he waited for his twin to respond The silence seeo on for ever, but finally Drax exhaled and said thickly, ‘Vere, you are just saying that for et that you have already told me that she will make a perfect wife’

‘Yes,’ Vere agreed ‘But for you, not for e you to confide in uessed—that despite the fact that you had insisted you were bringing Sadie to Dhurahn for me you had fallen in love with her yourself Do you really think I as, that I wouldn’t know ih I have to say, after the way you have been treating her these last few days, I wouldn’t bla how you feel about her You’ve practically ignored her, and—’