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When she appeared for breakfast, Angelo acknowledged her with an inclination of his handsome dark head He was poised by a desk across the roo in rapid Italian, and it was clear to her that he was fully engaged in business

She watched him covertly while she chased so at the prospect of the dialogue that lay ahead

Angelo tossed the phone aside and strolled fluidly towards her In a well-cut suit the colour of rich caramel, a silk shirt and a narrow trendy tie, he was drop-dead beautiful, she acknowledged helplessly

‘Sleep well?’ he enquired casually

‘Yes…thanks’ ‘I didn’t’ Lean, powerful face intent, Angelo lounged back against the table edge He watched her with a s intensity that spoke louder than any words Slow, painful colour inched up her pale, slender throat and into her cheeks and she didn’t ask him why he hadn’t slept well because she knew ‘Come here,’ he breathed softly

And she lifted out of her chair before she even appreciated that she was going to elo curved an assured hand to her hip and looked her up and doith bold visual appreciation ‘I picked out that dress for you in New York’ Gwenna was surprised ‘I didn’t know you picked anything’ Angelo holly engaged in ad picture she made The dress

was a perfect fit for her luscious curves and the exact same shade of blue as the one she had worn the day they ht my eye I’ve decided that we need a break,bellezzato Sardinia at the end of the week’ ‘Are you serious?’ Gwenna exclaimed

‘I have a house there…a huge garden,’ Angelo tossed in for good measure ‘You’ll love it and so will I Like your plants, I need copious aht and attention to thrive’ Gwenna studied him uncertainly ‘Don’t you want to knohy I needed to see elo released his breath in a slow, expressive hiss ‘I have a fair idea’ Her s,’ she faltered

‘How? I have senior staff at Furnridge and the ruarden fund hit the grapevine there a few days ago,’ Angelo confided with precision ‘I then made further enquiries, which is why I’azed steadily down at her ‘I didn’t think it would be’ Gwenna moistened her dry lips ‘My father took the money and used it to try and conceal the suelo lifted his hand to skate a warning forefinger gently across her full lower lip ‘Let’s rewind and not have this conversation I don’t like the direction I suspect it aze ‘How am I supposed to answer that?’

‘Hopefully with a change of subject Your life has moved on’ ‘You don’t just move on from family’ His lean face was sombre ‘You could be surprised’ ‘Youknew about this and you didn’t even enuine confusion ‘No wonder you didn’t ask s in separate coelo quipped

‘But just to ignore the whole issue like that…’ Angelo lifted and dropped a broad shoulder in silence

Gwenna could feel the chill in the air She also noticed that he was no longer touching her ‘Angelo…’ ‘Don’t go there,bellezza elo cautioned

Gwenna spun away froain in a troubled half-circle ‘You can’t knohat I’elo countered bleakly

‘You’rethis very hard for me Do you think I find it easy to ask you for roaned out loud ‘And now I’ a

ed yourself very prettily for the challenge No jeans and T-shirt in sight,’ Angelo derided softly

Gwenna scrutinised him in sincere shock ‘You really think that that’s why I’ ht you weren’t like that too Sadly, you see’ Pale and taut, Gwenna stilled, her eyes full of strain ‘Stop being clever and trying to scare me into silence Don’t you understand that I can’tnot ask?’ ‘No, I don’t Do you honestly believe that your father is a deserving cause? A truly penitent sinner worthy of a helping hand?’ His cold conte colour into her cheeks ‘He’s my father and I love him Just at present, I’m ashamed of him too,’ she confided with a catch in her low-pitched voice ‘He’s weak and he’s broken the law and he’s betrayed the trust of others, but he’s still et how he stood by h ‘And what if he didn’t stand by you in quite the way you iazed back at hiet it I was thinking of soaze She would have to deal with the truth some time But nohen she was already upset would be very poor ti He would tell her in Sardinia and that would cut her loose Like most con men, Hamilton was a seasoned liar and his life had more sordid secrets than a soap opera Once she had been made to face the reality, she would soon rethink her sentirettable that she would lose that trusting naivety in the process, he was determined to do it