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“You have such a history, Luca, I envy that”

“Sometimes it’s not all that it seems,” he replied quickly, then shook his head His issues with Fiori weren’t Mari’s to solve “I just mean that with it comes responsibility I have a duty to iven, as well as the life I chose It anchors me”

“But…”

He had to be very careful He’d give anything not to hurt her yet he knew he ot up and walked to the end of the table, stopping and closing his eyes for a moment

When he turned back he held out his hand and she took it He ain at how soft and small hers was compared to his

“We both kneasn’t here forever, and we both knewhimself for a small truth he could spare “We also know that e shared is special You are special, Mari”

“You’ll forget all about me” She turned her head away “I’ll just be another one of those women you once knew”

“Don’t do that It cheapens e’ve shared”

She peered back into his face “You actually sound like you mean that”

“I do” He lifted her fingers and kissed them “I care about you so much And yet…the tio back to my life and you are here in yours There really is no other choice I simply want us to part without bitterness, but with a respect for as between us For you to know that it…”

He paused He could get through this Even if explaining it was one of the hardest things he’d ever done

He aze with his and made the decision to be as honest as he could “To know that itto me”

“You are ry with you,” she choked, half a laugh and half a sob