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Chapter Three

THE car was like so across it like that—incongruously displayed in the opulence of the Casino‘s grand salon like some kind of obscene trophy—made Kate feel faint with horror

She had to get away People were pressing around her, trying to get closer to look at the lu into one as Kate struggled to push past The h to make the hot air pulse, and the room seemed to tilt and spin so that she couldn‘t reh

Looking around wildly, she stifled a whimper of panic Whichever way she turned she see —until she felt as if she was in sorotesque circus Then miraculously, ahead of her, she saw the tall double doors that led to the lobby Ducking her head, she gathered up the slippery fall of her skirt and broke into a half-run

The lobby was empty now, and the cool air fro cheeks The heels of her torturous shoes rang on thethat Lisa or Ian hadn‘t seen her and ain

Wait‘

The as low and fierce Oh, God, she was even hearing voices now

Echoes from the past Just as she did so often in her drea at the ceiling of her crae Please God—please let her wake up before the part where she had to watch the car he was driving hit the barrier Turn over Burst into flames…

‘Wait!’

In dreas happen in slow motion, and that was hoas then

Strong fingers closed around her wrist and she was being pulled back, a powerful wave of shock jolting through her body and herher head whip round

Her breath stopped

He was inches away from her, his face darker, harder, leaner and even ly perfect than she remembered But it was his eyes that made her poor battered heart turn over as they burned into hers with laser-like intensity

Her lips parted to speak but no sound came out

And then…

And then hisinto her shoulders as he gripped her, and kissed her, and she kissed hi of the last four years Showers of incredulous joy burst inside her head and spread through her whole body She felt ith relief, with joy, as their ues probing and fighting, their teeth clashing

Distantly she are of thecliot louder as the door behind them opened

Cristiano?‘

The voice was sharp and i away fro back in, in a blur of bright light and noise He let go of her shoulders abruptly

Kate staggered backwards, her hands flying to herthe incredulous smile that she couldn‘t suppress A beautiful and exotic-looking girl she remembered frooing fro, cat-like eyes flickered over Kate before going back to Cristiano

Silvio is about to make his speech‘

‘Va bene,’ he said terselyI‘ll be there in a minute‘

The girl stared at him for a second, as if she wanted to say more, but then she turned and disappeared with a disdainful flick of her black shiny hair The noise from the crowded room was shut off suddenly as the door closed behind her

Kate was tre violently with shock in the aftermath of that kiss, and with a sort of wild, excited anticipation, unable to take in the fact that the moment she‘d waited for all these years was finally here

He was here

Her gaze travelled wonderingly over hi toShe had only ever seen hi overalls or jeans and a T-shirt before, but the black, perfectly tailored dinner jacket added a whole new di his shoulders look wider and stronger, his hips narrower Or ht with a wrench of desire and coht since the accident The realisation made her want to wrap her arms around him and…

Slowly he turned back to face her There was a curious stillness about him

In the golden light of the chandeliers his face looked unusually pale

Mi dispiace I shouldn‘t have done that‘

His voice was toneless Kate felt a pinprick of icy fear at the base of her spine She shook her head, twisting her hands together to stop herself fro out to him

It‘s OK‘