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The rock of guilt and bitterness that resided in his gut pressed hard and punishing. He’d taken his eye off the ball, relentlessly pursued his own dreams, and his sister had suffered for it. Continued to suffer for it. Draco absorbed the expanding pain he’d become used to bearing. He was grateful for it, in fact. The reminder of the past was as timely as it was bracing.
He looked past her to the suitcases, clothing and equipment strewn on the living-room floor. ‘Going somewhere?’
‘Yes, as a matter of fact,’ she replied. ‘And you’re interrupting my packing, so...’
Draco sauntered forward, his gaze narrowing on the two skis already wrapped in protective binding and the third one that she’d been wrapping when he walked in. ‘Your equipment looks new. Expensive. Have you come into a windfall perhaps?’ he enquired.
She tensed. ‘It’s none of your—’
He slashed his hand through the air. ‘Enough. I have irrefutable evidence that every single penny your father misappropriated ended up in your bank account. Whatever his motives were for taking the money, he didn’t seem inclined to cover his tracks. I’ve already given you enough time to come clean, but it looks like you prefer to wallow in lies and snarky banter. My time is valuable, Miss Daniels. I refuse to waste any more discussing your guilt. Now, are you prepared to take this seriously or shall I cut my losses and let you explain to the authorities how you came to be in possession of half a million pounds belonging to me?’ He took his phone out of his pocket and gripped it, fingers poised over the buttons.
Her arms dropped from their belligerent position. As he’d spoken she’d grown paler, but there was still more than enough fight in her eyes for Draco not to be under the misconception that she’d seen the light of true contrition. ‘I wasn’t lying. I don’t know where my father is, and I didn’t have anything to do with the taking of the money.’ Her brows clouded. ‘Are you sure this isn’t just some misunderstanding?’
He bared his teeth, cold amusement making him shake his head. ‘I’m not in the habit of misunderstanding the whereabouts of my company’s funds.’
She paled further. ‘I told you, I don’t know where my father is.’
‘Have you tried calling him?’ he fired back.
‘Several times.’ Her fingers spiked into her loose hair, and for the first time Draco witnessed her undiluted distress. Satisfaction lanced through him. He was finally getting through to her. Herding her into a position where she couldn’t fail to see that he wouldn’t be swayed from seeking restitution. ‘He hasn’t answered my calls.’ The tiny note of bewilderment in her voice suggested she wasn’t lying.
‘Be that as it may, the funds ended up in your bank account.’
Her full lips firmed for several moments before she nodded. ‘Yes.’
He exhaled. ‘So, are you willing to answer my questions now?’
She nodded again.
‘The championships don’t start for several weeks. The training grounds in Verbier won’t be open for another month. So where were you going?’
‘I have a friend with a chalet in Chamonix. I was going to stay there while I train.’
‘You mean you were fleeing the country with your ill-gotten gains?’ he sneered. ‘Perhaps meet up with your father and celebrate getting one over on me?’
She flinched. ‘No.’
‘Just...no? You’re not going elaborate?’
‘What more is there to say? You say you have evidence that the money ended up in my account. Will you believe me if I say I didn’t know it was coming in the first place? That when it arrived I tried to return it?’
He lifted a brow before staring at the expensive items on the floor. ‘Really?’
‘Look, I know what you’re thinking—’
‘I seriously doubt that. Picking up the phone and instructing your bank to return the funds was too much effort, but spending it wasn’t?’
‘I didn’t spend it. Not immediately.’
He placed the phone back in his pocket and stared at her until her gaze dropped. ‘I’m sure you’re going to explain that.’
‘The money arrived after Rex Glow and the rest of my sponsors started dropping like flies, thanks to you, I’m guessing.’ Her white-hot glare threatened to thaw the edges of his icy anger. ‘My father must have realised what you were doing...’ she paused...but it was already too late.
‘So you’re saying your father not only took my money, he also breached my company’s confidential secrets?’ He couldn’t stop the growl that accompanied the question.
