Sophy’s heart thudded against her breastbone. She’d known Apollo was due back but hadn’t heard him return.
She’d dug through all of Sasha’s clothes to find something vaguely suitable to face him and she’d found an unworn shirt dress, blue stripes, with a black belt. Wedge sandals. It was strange, looking at Sasha’s choice of clothes now and realising why they’d never felt like her. Because she and her sister had always had diametrically opposed taste, in everything.
Sasha had been flamboyant, into fashion and pop culture. Always ambitious for a life more glamorous than the one they’d experienced growing up in a small market town outside London.
Sophy had been bookish and studious. Into clothes that made her fade into the background. She’d been happy to let Sasha shine but for the first time in her life she found herself wondering uneasily why it had been so easy for her to let Sasha claim the limelight.
She was outside Apollo’s study now and had to collect herself. She knocked on the door and there was an abrupt, ‘Come in.’
She took a deep breath and steeled herself but seeing Apollo after a couple of days’ absence hit her straight in the chest like a sledgehammer. He was wearing a dark grey three-piece suit. And he’d never looked more gorgeous. His physicality was overwhelming, as if she was seeing him all over again with new eyes.
He was also a million miles away from the man who had been uncharacteristically dishevelled at the hospital.
Her heart skipped a beat and she sounded breathless when she said, ‘Kara told me you wanted to see me.’
Had his gaze always been so dark green and unnervingly direct? He pulled at his tie and opened the top button of his shirt. ‘How are you feeling?’
Dizzy.
But Sophy knew that had nothing to do with regaining her memory and everything to do with him.
‘Fine. Much better. Thank you.’
He went over to the drinks cabinet and asked if she wanted anything. She shook her head. He poured himself a shot of golden spirits.
Something inside her ached. A few days ago she’d lain in this man’s arms, their bodies entwined. Her soul had sung. Now there was a gaping chasm between them. And how could she blame him?
Apollo downed the shot he’d just poured. It did little to calm his thundering heart or douse the heat in his blood. He’d hoped that a couple of days’ distance from Sophy and time to absorb all the revelations would somehow miraculously defuse this intense need he had for her...but as soon as she’d walked into the room his blood had boiled over.
He’d never expected to see her again after that night in his apartment in London. He’d told himself he didn’t want to see her again but the relief he’d felt when she’d turned up in his office in London had made a mockery of that.
Dealing with Sasha had been easy because she hadn’t been Sophy. Now he had to deal with Sophy.
He poured himself another shot and turned around.
Sophy hoped her emotions weren’t as nakedly obvious as she feared. She’d never been as adept at hiding them as her sister. She had no idea what would happen now. What to expect.
What she wanted.
You still want Apollo, whispered a voice.
She pushed it down.
Apollo came over and stood with the window at his back. It cast him into shadow slightly, making him look even bigger.
‘I need to tell you something.’
She swallowed. ‘Okay.’
‘The detective contacted me. They found the car. And they found a body... They’ve identified your sister by her dental records and the DNA sample you provided.’
Sophy sat down on the chair behind her, the wind knocked out of her, even though this wasn’t a surprise.
‘Are you sure you don’t want a drink?’
She shook her head. ‘No, it’s okay.’ She looked at him. ‘Did they find anything else?’
He nodded. ‘Your bag, with your passport and personal items. There was luggage in the boot but it was ruined. Your things will be returned to you once they’ve been catalogued. They’ve ruled her death as accidental.’