Bound for Me (Be for Me #4)(62)

“More money?” Savannah stepped closer, her eyes narrowing. “So you paid her off? And by your father’s ‘assistant’, you mean ex-lover?”

“So you have talked to her.”

“You’re the one who told me about your father’s assistants.” Her expression changed, she wrinkled her nose. “You really paid her off?”

“She… resigned.” He stepped back, aware of the revulsion in her eyes.

“Very conveniently,” she said sarcastically. “I’d not seen that guy until he first walked into the bar a couple days ago and it was only a moment ago that I saw…”

“What?”

“He has your jaw-line… and your… you share a look. And he’d told me he was looking for someone. My bet was Rex.”

“Your ‘bet’?” He scoffed disbelievingly. “You knew all along.”

“You’re crazy. You probably think I poisoned your florist or something as well.”

He wasn’t crazy. He was—

“You pride yourself on your honor. You’re every bit as dishonorable as your father.”

“I’ve done nothing wrong.”

“Enabling Rex is wrong. He screws around and you quietly come along after him with your hush money.”

“It’s not like that.”

“Isn’t it?” Her temper flared. “I can’t believe I fell for it. The whole Connor-fly-in-and-rescue, or fundraise-for-sick-kids shtick? It’s an act. You ‘save’ people only for the corporate goodwill it gives you. To make yourself look human. You’re just trying to hide the corrupt foundations of your crap company. But there’s no heart in it, because you have no heart.”

He stared at her, his brain starting to click on. He realized his mistake—that his own fears might have led him down a very slippery slope.

But Savannah was on a roll now. And she wasn’t stopping.

“The only reason you first took care of me was because you wanted to water down the drugging incident. You didn’t want Summerhill getting any bad press. This has only ever been about minimising risk for you.”

“Minimising risk?” He glared at her, stung. “So that’s why I ended up in a brawl with the *?”

“Damage control.” She snapped. “You come off as the hero. You’re so f*cking manipulative.”

“What? So why did I have sex with you in public places, several times? Was that all about reducing risk too?”

“That was all about you getting off.”

“Like you didn’t?”

“Of course I did. But I began to trust you. I let go of my resentment and told you things I’ve never told anyone.” She flung her hand wide with an angry swipe. “You were telling me to trust you just last night. You challenged me to. You made me. And now you’re turning on me? You don’t trust me. You’ve only been with me to keep an eye on me. Can you deny that?”

“I—”

“From the first night.” Her voice dropped to a whisper. “You have some self-ordained sense of responsibility for this mountain and all the people on it? The sheer arrogance is breath-taking. But what are you without your precious mountain, Connor? Without your billions and your exclusive company?”

Connor stilled, his heart stopped. Horror hit low in his gut as he realized what she was going to say. And he already knew she was right.

“You’re nothing but a shell. You project a perfect appearance, but there’s nothing underneath. There’s no real emotion. No desire. No love—other than for your precious white snow and your piles of dough and your stupid status. Well you can keep it all to yourself and your snobby set. I’m gone. No nasty little threat here anymore,” she sneered at him. “Stay frozen Connor.”





Chapter Nineteen





She was gone. Fucking gone.

She’d turned and marched off, sheer anger and force of will helping her walk quickly. Furiously.

It had taken him much longer to catch his breath. To force himself to turn back to face the latest Rex Hughes disaster. Because for a moment he’d just wanted to bury himself in the snow. What she’d said was true. It had always been true. Without the mountain, he was nothing.

But he’d gone back to the Lodge and briefly talked to Jack. And even though he knew she’d been telling the truth, the damaged, hurt part of him had sought proof.

“Did you talk to her?” he’d asked his new-found half-brother.

“Who?”

“Savannah. The woman who came down with me just before. The bartender at St Clair’s.”

“Only to ask about a good place to stay. And by the way, I don’t want your f*cking money.”

Yeah. Jack’s answer had made him feel like * central. He should’ve engaged brain before hurling his accusations.

He’d apologized and asked if they could talk later—because he owed someone else an apology as well, and he wanted to give Jack the time a brother deserved. And now he’d had a couple minutes with a brain that was actually working, he realized he really wanted to talk to the guy. Soon.

Connor then went straight to her apartment. Savannah didn’t answer the door. He abused his Hughes’ town standing to get the building caretaker to open the place up.