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A frown creased between his eyes He started to rotate the gold cufflink on his left wrist

‘When I come back,’ he said abruptly, ‘we must talk You understand that, cara?’

She nodded A lu like an unsable stone

‘Yes—’

Hisin a dreaether…’

The stone swelled in her throat ‘Yes—’

She tried to hide her expression, desperate for him not to see what she was terrifieddown at her, his expression troubled Then, with a sudden softening of his eyes, he spoke, and for a ain, the man who took her to paradise and held her in his arms

‘I will take care of you, cara—be assured’

Then, twisting his wrist, he glanced at his watch and gave a rasp of displeasure

‘I have to go—’

He bent swiftly, leaning his arainst the wall, and dropped on her mouth one last, hurried kiss

And was gone

CHAPTER TEN

MAGDA was at the pool with Benji Her heart was heavy Rafaello couldn’t have ain and again she heard his words echoing in her head—When I come back we must talk

They tolled like a funeral bell against all her happiness She did not need to be clairvoyant to knohat it was he wanted to talk to her about Rafaello’s real life had reclai a driven, powerful businesss to do in the world far beyond dallying with a woman he had never intended to dally with in the first place

She had known it would happen eventually Yet all the knowledge in the world about just how te loss any easier to bear Her sense of oppression thickened, bowing her like a physical weight

The sharp click of heels upon the stone path approaching the pool area aze froze as she saw Lucia approaching her What was she doing here? Every instinct told Magda her arrival was not happy