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| North American cover |
A vice clamped on her shoulder. A hot vice with
fingers that dug into her flesh through her thin sweater. His heat after the
stinging cold surely explained the rush of energy raying out from the spot.
Amelie turned, meeting that gunmetal stare head on.
‘Don’t touch me.’
‘Or?’ This time both jet black eyebrows rose.
‘Or I’ll bring a case of assault so fast your head will
spin. And, in case you think I’m bluffing, let me warn you I’ve reached my
limit.’
‘Even if it means inviting media attention?’
Because he knew — how could he not? — that she’d
only made it this far by avoiding the media.
Carefully Amelie closed the car door and turned fully to
face him. He was so close he ate up her personal space. He was so big she’d
feel crowded and intimidated if she weren’t past caring.
‘That’s one thing about reaching the end of your
options. I don’t give a damn.’ She smiled and this time actually felt pleasure,
for she saw the shadow of doubt in his stern face. He’d thought she’d be easier
to bully.
‘I could call a reporter now. By nightfall we’d have
a posse of them here, eager for developments.’ Amelie rested her hands on her
hips, enjoying the fleeting sense of power that flooded her freezing body.
Yet still he didn’t take the bait.
She waited as the seconds ticked into a full minute
and more. Still he didn’t move or give in.
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| UK cover |
Even if she followed through and made a formal
complaint, or brought in the press, she’d be the one to lose. She and Seb.
They had lost.
She’d gambled against the odds with Seb’s future and
failed. Now time was running out.
The enormity of it was a body slam, jarring her from
head to toe. She had to stiffen her knees to stop from crumpling as she
unravelled inside. All her hopes shattered and little Seb… No, she couldn’t
think about it now, with this man watching her like a bird of prey spying on a
mouse. She needed privacy when she finally crashed.
Whiplash fast she shoved his hand off her shoulder
and moved towards the driver’s door.
‘Where are you going?’
Amelie didn’t answer. This was probably the first
time in her life she’d ignored a direct question. It should have felt
liberating, but all she registered was choking misery.
She ripped open the driver’s door. They couldn’t
stay here. If she was to get them safely back down the mountain they had to go
now.
The sound of swearing stopped her. Low and soft, his
rich voice turned even the tumble of foreign swear words into stream of velvet
heat.
‘Just tell me what you want, princess.’
Amelie didn’t let herself flinch at his bitter use
of her title. He said it like they were strangers. Nor did she turn.
She didn’t want to see the steely face of Lambis
Evangelos, the man who’d shattered her dreams and now held her hopes for little
Seb in his brutally hard palm.
‘You.’ Her throat
closed so it came out as a whisper. She swallowed and tried again. ‘I want
you.’
Amelie is desperate to help her nephew, which is why she's willing to confront the reclusive, enigmatic man she'd once loved. Have you ever had to do something difficult for someone you cared about?
I'd love to hear what it was. Who knows, maybe I'll find inspiration for another story!
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| Australian cover |
