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I won‘t‘

She reached the doorway a little before Cristiano Alexander was sitting up, and he and Lizzie had their heads bent together over the racing car book which lay open on the bed Some of the machines had been taken away, Kate realised, and the roo

Lizzie looked up as she came in

You‘re back!‘ she said, her face breaking into a smileAnd you look so much better! How did it—?‘

She stopped abruptly as Cristiano appeared in the doorway Her eyes widened

Lizzie, this is Cristiano Maresca Cristiano—Lizzie Hill‘

He rave except for a faint smile

Molto piacere, Lizzie‘

Lizzie was blushing, Kate noticed disgustedly Confident, sassy, in control Lizzie had fallen instantly under Cristiano‘s spell just like everyone else, and was blushing like a schoolgirl Luckily Cristiano turned his attention to Alexander before she actually swooned

And you must be—‘

Alexander was looking at hi eyes Before Cristiano could finish he said, very clearly,Man in the car‘

Kate went over to the bedWhat‘s that, sweetheart?‘

Alexander kept his eyes fixed on Cristiano, as if he expected him to disappear at any momentMan in the car In my book‘

Kate opened her ain She wasn‘t sure that either of the up at Cristiano with soleht back

The expression on his face took her breath away

I‘m Cristiano‘

Fro the pages of the book Lizzie had brought hies, of a green sports car The driver was quite clearly Cristiano

Cristiano lowered hi in to see the book Kate turned away, closing eyes that stung with sudden tears, but the iether seemed to have burned itself onto her retinas

Oh, God—this hat she had wanted, wasn‘t it? So why did it hurt so much?

Yes, that‘s h the darkness like a caressDo you like cars?‘

Yes,‘ Alexander said quickly Kate opened her eyes in tiiven hiot lots of cars This is my Spider‘

Very gently Cristiano took it fro it round reverently, he exa, spellboundMagnifico,‘ he said gravely, handing it backI wish I had a Spider‘

Alexander took it, an expression of fierce pride on his faceWhat car do you have?‘ he asked

A Ca it‘

His eyessensation exploded in her pelvis

On the bed, Alexander gave a little bounce of exciteo in it?‘

There was a pause Kate see

Cristiano‘s gaze was still holding hers, and the intensity of unreadable emotion in it made her feel as if she wanted to shield her eyes It was such a contrast with the reer in the hotel that for a second she felt hope leap inside her

And then he was turning away, back to Alexander, a slow, heartbreaking s over his face

Yes,‘ he said, his voice a deep raspYes, of course If your mamma says you can When you‘re better‘

Can I, Mu up at her with his face alight with excitement

And in that moment Kate understood that she had lost him Or rather that there had been a part of her son that had never been hers

Chapter Eleven