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spots of rain started to
fall and the lightening flashes and bursts of thunder became fast and
frequent.   Wind howled casting an
eerie sound around her ears, almost knocking her to the ground.   The spots of rain turned into a downpour
pelting her skin with the ferocity of hard pebbles and seeped to soak and
freeze her insides.   A sharp
cracking noise cut the air as branch snapped and pulled away from a tree.   She managed to dodge its path, only to
twist her foot and fall awkwardly to the ground.   She bent down and looked at her ankle
that lay bent at an angle causing shooting pains that made her wince.   She sat up clutching the ankle trying to
position it for easy standing and tried to stand only to crumple in a heap
shocked with the pain.   Water
streamed down her face and she was unsure if it was the rain or her own frustrated tears.   She took a deep breath and pulled her
self up, this time she was successful and began hobbling along the path on one
foot praying that they were looking for her.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Chapter Four
    It seemed an eternity before she heard her name being called.   After acknowledging as loudly as she
could above the noise of the storm Stephane was
approaching her within minutes.

 
    “Are you all right?   Are
you hurt?” he shouted above the din.

 
    Mara shook her head unable to speak for fear of letting him know
that she was trying not to cry.   She
was holding herself rigid and he clearly wasn’t convinced she was all
right.   Stephane frowned and sought the source.   His
sudden movement made Mara cry out and realize how much she had been resting on
his arms for support.   His eyes
followed her bent head to look at the limp ankle she was holding above the
ground.

 
    “You are hurt,” he said annoyed she’d lied to him.   “Why do you have to act so dam tough all
the time?   I was right you do need
taking in hand and looking after.   Let me help you.”

 
    Mara was about to protest but an arrow of lightening brightened the
area and hit one of the trees.   She
let out a cry and propelled herself into Stephane’s arms burying her head in the protective enclosure of his chest.   She felt him pull her tighter against
him as he aimed the torch he had been carrying upwards to get a better look at
the burning orange fireball that had engulfed the tree and was a little too
close for comfort.

 
    There was a creak and a groan and the sound of leaves brushing the
air with fire.   Mara watched the
billionaire react instantly.   Lifting her up by her waist he positioned her against another tree and
covered her with his body to shelter her from any debris scattered by the
falling tree.

 
    She felt the ground underneath her feet vibrate with the weight and
clung to Stephane .   He quickly placed his hand firmly on her
neck, forcing his captive to bend her head against his chest.   She could hear his heart wildly beating
in unison with her own whilst his lips urged whispered reassurances against her
hair that he would keep her safe.   The tree landed with a crash narrowly missing them, the fire put out by
the weight of its fall.

 
    “Are you all right?” he asked allowing her up for air, his hands
holding her face, brushing her hair away as though checking for any further
injuries.

 
    “Yes thanks,” she answered still trembling.

 
    A smile broke Stephane’s handsome worried
features taking off the edge from their close encounter.

 
    “Good.   But you are
freezing,” he told her suddenly.

 
    He rubbed his hands along her arms attempting to generate warmth in
them and took off his suit jacket.   He had jumped up in the middle of another meeting when the housekeeper
and Maxine reported her missing and there was a storm brewing.   In Mara’s absence the detective he had
sent to find Ryan and his sister had made contact informing them that he now
knew of   their whereabouts.   Maxine’s tongue had
been biting when he had