Page 60 of Seducing Her Scarred Boss

‘Yes.’ Lorenzo still held her hand. His fingers tightened instinctively. ‘I’m not leaving.’

‘I can see that.’

‘Yeah.’ Lorenzo sat down again.

‘Beth, this is...’ He kept staring at Lorenzo.

‘Lorenzo. Lorenzo Hall.’

‘That’s right.’ He nodded slowly. Lorenzo just knew it had all come back to him now.

‘Do you know each other?’ Her mother looked from her father to him.

Lorenzo looked at the man who had once judged him. Who’d once before given him a chance. And waited.

‘Not really.’

Lorenzo looked down at the bed.

‘You’re a friend of Sophy’s?’ her mother asked.

‘Yes.’

In the silence, nothing more was said.

The guilt was swamping him. It was his fault. If he hadn’t made her so upset. If she’d hadn’t been at the damn warehouse. If she hadn’t run so fast, so blindly from him.

Her blonde hair was spread on the pillow with its perfect curls on the ends. Her skin was unnaturally pale with the ugly bruise deepening. He still couldn’t believe there were no broken bones—or worse. He’d waited, utterly distraught, while they’d done their tests. A bad bump to the head, that was all, despite being knocked to the ground, clipped by the edge of the car. It was only the driver’s quick action in pulling on the wheel that had saved her from more serious injuries.

The doctors would monitor her for the night, but they didn’t think there was anything they’d missed. But even now, despite their words, he feared there was damage beyond what he could see.

‘Why don’t you call Victoria and Ted, darling?’ Sophy’s father spoke. ‘Go into the lounge area. I’ll come and get you if there’s any change.’

Lorenzo knew they were communicating behind his back. He didn’t care. He wasn’t leaving the damn room.

As soon as the door closed behind her he lifted his gaze and met the judge’s. He had the same blue eyes as Sophy’s—only his were colder. ‘Things have changed for you since we last met, Lorenzo.’

‘A lot.’

‘I’m glad.’ He looked serious. ‘Does Sophy know?’

‘Yes.’ Lorenzo swallowed.

‘And she’s your...friend?’

He knew what he was asking. ‘Yes.’

The judge’s face tightened. ‘You had a lot of potential back then. But when I saw you, you were too angry to use it. Too angry to let anyone care for you. Anyone who tried had it thrown back at them.’ His voice changed, to the implacable, imperative word of law. ‘Don’t you do that to my daughter.’

Lorenzo didn’t answer, just looked at the small fingers resting limply in his. He couldn’t bring himself to admit that he’d already done exactly that.

* * *

Sophy’s head really hurt. She blinked. Tried again, squeezing her eyes open just that little bit. ‘Lorenzo?’

No answer. But he was here. She was sure of it. She could smell him. She could feel the warmth from the pressure of his hand—he’d been holding it, hadn’t he? ‘Lorenzo?’

‘He’s not here,’ a deep voice answered. ‘I told him to go—’

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