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He stood in theat me, his posture uncomfortable and uncertain
"Hi" I put the phone in its cradle and stood up to give hi with a fierce one of his own "When you didn’t call I was afraid--," he said, stu over the words "You were already pissed about the body bind, and after what Angelina did…" I stopped his staht in the eyes, willing hi is not your fault You didn’t lead her on and I don’t blahten his , well, I’ll just have to take ue Actually, while I’d never have adotten the whole body binding incident until Dawna had reiven hiht It wouldn’t hurt to let hi soestured toward the couch We sat, his ar my head on his shoulder, and felt the tenseness of his muscles start to ease
He kissed the top of , his words soft and filled with sadness "I’d hoped that Angie had gotten your hair soht about it, the less likely that seemed So I called hoiven her Angelina had ta Maoing to use it" The bitterness in his voice was cutting
"Why?"
He closed his eyes for a second Then, taking a deep breath he steeled hielina is going into witness protection She plans to testify against my brother Mike and cousin Joey"
Oh, hell and daet that They were probably long overdue for a stretch in the sla off? Without so much as a slap on the wrist? That sucked My office was don What if the bo a weekday--how many innocent people would she have killed?
Joey and Mike were mobsters They were also Bruno’s fa to ease the hurt I kneas feeling, but was too proud to show
We stayed like that until the announce Please stow all personal ite for takeoff"
It was a long flight I didn’t ot a chance to sit and talk in private, without any life-threatening crises or other interruptions It onderful I even took a nap, curled up next to Bruno, who entertained hi
He kissed me ahen the plane finally landed We dise been forced to reroute to avoid bad weather over the Atlantic Theand the road to the palace was lined with cheering spectators waving flags or holding candles or pictures of the happy couple It was al toAdriana an even war Dahl for the reporters I wouldn’t put it past hih to know the power the press has over the minds and hearts of the people
When we arrived, the palace was brilliantly lit and buzzing with activity It looked just like a storybook prince’s castle There were elaborate architectural details, servants in elegant livery Everything had beenin wide-eyed wonder Ithe rich and famous But this … this was just …It was the kind ofat the top of the castle’s front steps When he saith Bruno, I thought I saw a flash of anger cross his face, but it was gone so quickly that I ined it, replaced by a façade of bland professionalisht of the dinner on Serenity As always, I was drawn to his honey-colored eyes, though I noticed that his war into unolden highlights in his hair seeotten a little tan during his ti a perfectly tailored charcoal gray suit, paired with a starched white shirt and striped tie
"Bruno Celia" He didn’t sid Still, what had I expected? We’d broken up badly and I was standing in front of him with the man who’d been his chief rival But it hurt just the sas for hiood face on it and gave hi, as did Bruno
"Princess" Baker appeared atus all frootten here I hadn’t seen her on the plane But here she was, and her tiI could sense it "If you’re ready, I can escort you and your guest to your rooe?"
"Has been taken to your suite"