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‘If you feel that strongly about it, you can change your name to Mondelli’

‘That is out of the question’

‘Why? Because you’re a man? I never took you for a cavee’

‘We’re not ht, we’re living in the twenty-first century Plenty of coupleseach other’s surna otiable’

‘Our child will take my name’ He stared at her, the fire in his blue eyes, normally so warotiable’

‘I can agree to that,’ she said,to take his na to let their child take his na cruel for cruelty’s sake

‘Good’ The coldness in his eyes thawed a fraction ‘Does this e?’

‘After all this you still want tothrough the tension If Christian wanted a wife he could walk all over, she was certain she’d just proved she wouldn’t be that woman She didn’t want to be a harridan but she knew she needed to establish the ground rules first She’d worked too hard to build a life that was all her own to give it up without a fight For her baby it was easy, but for a man? No

‘All I want is what’s best for our baby’

‘As do I’ If thatChristian, then so be it Rocco had always described hiree, he would refuse to confirm paternity until after the birth In the ain She would have to cope with swar her; read the lies that would follow as speculation grew over who her baby’s father was; listen to the taunts that would surely rain down on her She would have to suffer it alone, just as she had the first time

And it wasn’t just she ould suffer Rocco would too and God alone knew her brother had suffered enough at her hands

But, above and beyond all that, her baby could be the one to suffer theof her, were saying about her It would contaminate her, just like it had the first time She didn’t want that bitterness and despair to infect her innocent baby

No, whichever way she looked at it,to do Her head knew it Soon enough her twisted guts would believe it too

‘Hoill ourtheto tie her life to this aze bore into her ‘Our e will be private We can keep separate roo as we show unity in public’

‘I can accept that,’ she agreed

‘But on our wedding night and honeymoon ill need to share a bed’ Christian stared at her without blinking,sure she understood Alessandra’s approach, blunt as it as for the best—neither of thes They would both enter matrimony with their eyes open but their hearts closed

Colour tinged her cheeks ‘Surely we don’t need to go that far?’

‘I want our al in every respect To protect our child from undue scandal and speculation, people must believe we’re in love’ He tried to think about their e with his business head, consider it as just another er between two coer The profit would coether

He’d craved isolation since he’d been a s space with his mother His homes were his sanctuary, his space Even his live-in staff had separate quarters