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‘Sit back down, Francesca’

His voice was calm and modulated but imbued with threat Francesca hastily sat back down I’m Ellie Millband, she wanted to tell him, Ellie Millband, not Francesca Hayley, but the words wouldn’t co to be prepared to let the past rest

‘We’re old friends and ex-lovers…’ His s her spine ‘Surely it would be fitting that we fill in the gaps in our respective lives now that fate has brought us back together?’

‘There’s no point, Angelo’ She had to steel herself to look at hinised the lines of his face, the , but she still felt as though she was sitting opposite a stranger and a stranger who could barely conceal his dislike ‘I ca I didn’t come here to discuss the past’

‘Which just goes to show that we should always be flexible, don’t you think?’ His drink had arrived, solass, and he accepted it without taking his eyes off her face

With a painful stab, she realised that he was enjoying hi this unexpected encounter His life had moved on and he was more than happy to watch her squirs would only start functioning properly she would have denied hi suspicion that they ht just pack up from under her if she tried to stand up The sensible mineral water she had ordered twenty er and early, now see in any ability to fortify her

‘What do you want to know?’ she asked tightly

‘Tut, tut Anyone would think from your tone of voice that you weren’t pleased to seeyou were the one who ended our relationship’ The old, fae formed a knot in his stomach ‘Let lass and stared at her over the ri in the jerkiness of her hand when she reached for the glass of water Revenge was an unworthy eent side of hih, he could taste the sweetness of it on his tongue and was inordinately pleased that he had not walked ahen he had spotted her sitting at the back of the room

‘I a career,’ he ? Europe too small to contain the both of us?’

‘It seeland’ Francesca raised her chin stubbornly, refusing to let hih e of job’ Their eyes tangled and she felt hot and faint and agonisingly aware of the powerful effect he still had on her ‘It’s no bigger a life change than the one you’ve ed I’et to ood luck for the future’ Her mouth smiled politely but her eyes reet away from his presence

‘And you? Not involved with anyone?’

Francesca thought of Jack, ould be wondering how the , and her momentary hesitation answered his question It was an answer he didn’t care for and Angelo felt base, prih him like a knife

‘But of course, you would be,’ he said smoothly ‘A beautiful woman like yourself’

‘There’s no need to coelo,’ she said sharply ‘You hatehere, pretending to make small talk’

‘Hate? There is no e in hate It’s a counterproductive elass was empty and resisted the temptation to order another drink Apart fro at this early hour, there was also the se late if he didn’t make a move soon He settled back into his chair and beckoned the waitress across To hell with it Another whisky and soda would be okay but he better ht one