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He let the sentence dangle in the air Even over the thousand ine the er on his mother’s face

‘You’re absolutely sure about that?’

He paused There was no point in pretending

‘We’re the only ones properly in the running I heard Claudio’s going to throw his hat in the ring But he’s poison His reputation has travelled to Switzerland, I guarantee it He hasn’t got a chance’

‘Matty, I don’t want you to get involved’

Her tone sank further than the ground beneath the plane

‘Mamma You know this is the one that matters Claudio walked aith half our clients and now I’e with Arturo we’ll be unstoppable I can do this I promise you’

‘I don’t want you to pro your ’s worth it’

He sighed and released his hand from the bottle He had known she’d feel like this and he couldn’t blaet another chance

‘I can’t let it pass—you know that,’ he said quietly ‘Coet one over on us again’

He waited for her to speak, but the plane cli her fine broin tracks of loss and anguish The look that had haunted her for years

But she was Coral Rossini And he was her son

‘You’re right We can’t let that happen,’ she said finally ‘We can’t sit back and let hiain’

‘Exactly,’ he said, letting out a breath