page59 (1/2)

‘No,’ he agreed, ‘I suppose we aren’t’

‘Why not?’

Cristiano gazed out at the blur of buildings strea by ‘Because I don’t respect him,’ he said at last ‘And it’s difficult to have a relationship, at least a positive one, when there is no respect involved’

Laurel considered this for a moment ‘Does he respect you?’

‘I have no idea, and I really don’t much care’

‘Why don’t you respect hietting to the bloody marrow

‘Do we really have to talk about this?’

‘We’re about to go visit him, so yes, I think we do Why don’t you, Cristiano?’ She asked the question softly, her voice filled with compassion She was ready to understand him, and it made him answer reluctantly

‘Because he’s thrown his life away on love’

‘Ah’ She nodded thoughtfully, not looking as disappointed in his answer as he’d expected, and perversely wanted her to be ‘So you’re angry at hi his life’

When she put it like that… ‘I’ry,’ he said tersely ‘Not exactly’ Except, he realised as he said it, it wasn’t true He was angry, but it seemed childish somehow An emotion he wanted to rise above

‘It must not have been easy,’ Laurel said quietly, ‘to lose your mother the way you did And then to see your father fall in love omen eren’t in love with him’

‘Do you count your mother in that number?’ Cristiano asked more sharply than he intended but, damn it, he felt so raw