Willow stood with her back to Re, never able to see his approach. She didn’t even see the look of horror on his face...nor did he see the gleam of tears on her cheeks. All he saw was her being held in Chris’s arms, her body only a breath away from his. It was a closeness he knew was far from accepted in polite society.

It was a closeness he shared with her...had thought to only share with her.

Looking to his friend, Re silently pleaded with him. He needed to hear him say it was all just a misunderstanding. He needed him to put at ease the quickly growing doubt in his heart.

But he didn’t hear any of this. All he saw was the obvious lust gleaming in the young man’s eyes.

Chris cocked his brow, as if it was obvious their reason for being together. When Re looked at him, begging to know the truth, Chris’s smile turned into an obvious sneer.

Slowly, he shrugged his shoulders.

“How could I refuse?” he muttered, his words almost a whisper.

Hearing this short statement through her distress, Willow knew someone had found them. Raising her tear-covered face from Chris’s shoulder she tried to free herself from his unrelenting grasp. Realising her struggles were useless, she turned in his arms to see who had approached them. Only too late did she realise just how suggestive her position would look.

Her eyes’ meeting the hurt and pain in Re’s eyes, Willow knew instantly what he was concluding of what he was seeing.

“Re,” she whispered, almost desperate.

His dark stare turned hateful.

“Damn you both to hell!” he spat at them, immediately turning back to make a quick return to the estate house.

“Re,’ she again called after him, struggling against Chris’s tight hold.

When Chris didn’t let her go despite her struggles, she turned slightly and pushed him away with all her might.

“You son of a bitch,’ she spat at him, suddenly realising this man’s intentions.

“I may be, madam,” he replied casually. “Yet even you can’t deny what you wanted when you lured me out here.”

Her dark eyes narrowed with hate.

“I hope you rot in hell, you bastard!”

Turning quickly, Willow ran after Re’s retreating figure. She knew what he must be thinking, but he had to know she played no willing part in it.

He had to know the truth.

“Willow,” Chris called after her, slight anger in his tone. “Damn it, you know you want this as much as I do.”

But she never turned back to him. She only kept chasing the retreating figure of the man she loved.

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