Page 117 of Running Winter

Leigh frowned over my shoulder as Alexei narrowed his eyes at Leigh's proximity to me.

"Everything alright, Alexei?" I asked, opening the file with my eyes on him the whole time.

"Yes, Miss Raven."

"Excellent," I purred before moving my attention to the photographs that lay within the manila folder.

The girl had long black hair and oversized sunglasses covering her face, and she wore a black jumpsuit.

"I've never seen her before in my life."

"Wait," Leigh commanded, his eyes wide as he gazed at the photo.

He pointed at her leg, his voice hoarse.

"I know who that is."

I frowned, peering at him with curiosity.

Alexei spoke first, his voice snapping with irritation.

"How do you know her?"

"Hetty," Leigh said quietly. "Her name is Hetty."

I knew from the look in his eyes that Hetty was someone he loved. My heart ached when he looked up at me, the whisper of an apology on his lips.

"Her name," drawled Alexei, jabbing his large finger on the photograph. "Is Henrietta Simmonds. She is from New York."

Leigh said nothing, and I turned to him. His tongue wet his lips.

"I'm so sorry, Raven. I'll deal with this."

"Miss Raven will decide how we deal with this," Alexei huffed, his dark eyes narrowing at Leigh.

I gazed at the photograph of the girl, wondering why she hated me so much. What had I done to her?

"Leigh, how do you know this girl?" I demanded, refusing to look at him.

"She was my ex, Raven."

My stomach twisted with jealousy, but then I remembered who he was with.

Me.

Alexei observed us, the cogs turning slowly but surely in his mind.

"So she knows about us?"

Alexei almost fell backward, his knuckles tightening on the chair in front of him.

I glanced at him, and he regained his composure rapidly.

"If she does, I don't know how," Leigh admitted, and I couldn’t help but admire his coolness in such a prickly situation.

Alexei cleared his throat, staring daggers at Leigh.

"Sorry, Miss Raven, when you say 'us,’ do you mean you and Leigh are having some kind of...relationship?"

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