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Nothing was said until they were back in the car and ainst their respective doors

‘What did you think of myfor control in his voice

Alessandra was unable to do anything but raise her shoulders and blow air out of her mouth

That had to be theinto sorew instead of roses

‘Do you understand nohy I don’t want her at our wedding?’

‘I think so’ She shook her head someeven the cloying bleach ‘What did she say to you?’

‘The usual That I’ between visits; that her house isn’t good enough for her; that the house is too big for her, that it’s too sht the house for her?’

‘It’s the third house I’ve bought for her—the other two didn’t ive her a large allowance It’s never enough I could give her h If she ca would be good enough for her, and when she isn’t coood bastard of a father who broke her heart and deserves castration without anaesthetic’

His father’s desertion and betrayal had shattered her Whatever love had once resided in hisbut the toxic shell of the woman she must have once been Christian understood it, could see how she had become like that Stratos Markos hadn’t just walked away froether—that was how little she had meant to him He had wanted no part of her, so worthless that their babyto him either

‘Has she always been like this?’ she asked, her husky voice stark

‘All my life She thinks allto you e left, that you’re a fool to beto break your heart’

Alessandra’s shock was palpable ‘She said that about her own son?’

‘She also said it would be kinder for apishe never lets et In my mother’s world, all men are liars and cheats, especially those with the name of Markos’

Her doe eyes widened, full of sympathy ‘You’re not to blaht then he didn’t want to hear any platitudes A coldness had settled in his chest, bearing down on hiardless of the heat outside, inside all he felt was co ice

‘And it’s not fair for her to label all men as bastards because of the misdeeds of one’

‘But do you not believe that yourself?’ he said roughly ‘That allas if in confusion ‘I don’t hate et her to trust him? If she’d taken hi her here

He wished he could demand it of her, as if trust were like a tap that could be turned on and off at a whi pause, he said, ‘We’re lucky we both kno destructive love can be We won’t fall into the trap our parents fell into Our child will never have to deal with parents whose love has turned to bitterness and recrimination’

Their child wouldn’t have to deal with his or her parents loving each other at all All the love would be reserved for their child and only their child

He exhaled sloaiting for the chill in his chest to lessen but it continued to cling to hi different from his mother; he wasAlessandra’s visible shock at it all that had really set the cold in, had brought the old feelings andback