Page 64 of Deep in Winter


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“You’ve got nothing to worry about,” Roo assures me. “Besides, none of them came here.”

“Oh,” I murmur, contentment replacing the negativity.

“Meanwhile,” Brecken murmurs, cross, “we had to watch your prick of an ex and his friend bang you in that video.”

I quirk a brow. “I told you not to watch it, but you didn’t listen.”

“Well, none of us will be happy until he’s dead,” Brecken says, “or financially crippled.”

“Let’s go with the latter,” Luca suggests wryly.

Deciding to seek damages from Levi rather than pursuing him through the legal system, I convinced Brecken to keep the police out of it. He had to respect my decision on that, even though he desperately wanted Levi sweating bullets every time he washed in the communal showers. Needless to say, Levi is willing to give up everything to avoid jail time, the funds going directly to women’s charities fighting for tougher laws.

I want him out of my head, and a court case would take months of my time and mental space. Hating Levi will be a life-long affliction, but I can live with the punishment he’ll get served, and Brecken will support whatever I choose.

Lights cascade through the windows into the living room, a car pulling up the drive and parking out front.

“Who the fuck is that?” Roo demands.

Brecken lifts my feet and moves to the window to peer outside. “Dad. And Sienna. Trey. No not Trey, someone…I can’t make them out. Not sure who that is.”

“Something must be up,” Luca surmises. “Dad wouldn’t come here if it wasn’t critical.”

Potential crises flit through my mind, waking me up like a slap to the face. At first, I think someone’s died, or that the patisserie is no longer viable. Has there been a fire? Oh god, please not a fire in one of the hotels…

“Urgh. We shouldn’t have left our phones in the kitchen,” I scold all of us, but mostly Luca who’s normally wedded to his. “Look what happens when we take a night off.”

We follow Brecken to the main door where he’s letting in the unexpected guests to the wide, welcoming vestibule. “What’s wrong?”

“I’ll explain in a minute,” his father replies. He sounds calm but uncertain.

“Who’s this?”

A young man in his early twenties enters behind Sienna, a bemused, anxious expression on his oddly familiar face.

“This is Laurent Marin. Laurent, this is Brecken,” Balthazar introduces before gesturing to me. “Winter Harris. Reuben, and my eldest, Luca.”

It isn’t until Laurent holds out a hand to the guys that the tension eases just a fraction. But the formal greeting on a Saturday night that derails our holiday weekend can only mean one thing.

Huge upset.

“What’s this about?” I ask.

“Can we take a seat?” Balthazar asks me. “I think it would be easier.”

“Sure.”

After trading suspicious glances, the guys lead the way through. I take the opportunity to focus on Sienna. Why am I not surprised she’s caught up in this? Eyebrows raised as if I’m meaningless to her, she saunters past into the great room where an uncomfortable silence reigns. Projecting a united front, I sit with my men, the guests settling on an opposite sofa. Feeling Laurent’s attention, I lift my eyes to his. Quickly, he looks away.

Luca’s forearms are propped on his knees as he leans forward, all of his attention on his dad.

“Earlier today, Sienna introduced me to a man I didn’t know existed. That man is Laurent Marin, your brother.”

For a second, I can’t breathe. My eyes seem glued to Balthazar who looks ashamed and worried, but also resolute. And I know why he looks so determined whatever distress this has caused him so far. Whatever stress it will bring his other sons. Because Laurent will be included in the family business as all his children are.

“What? How?”Luca.

“Is this some joke?” Reuben asks Sienna. “‘Cos it’s not funny.”

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