page61 (1/2)

‘Now, let’s get you looking even more beautiful If that’s possible’

Calvaneo Capital’s London headquarters sat on the top ten floors of one of the tallest skyscrapers in Canary Wharf The lift was fast and efficient, and already croith people in the uniforht am GMT Three hours before Matteo was due to make his vows in Rome

He was in no

He stepped out at the fiftieth floor and made his way to the reception area He stood out froer, a foot taller, broader But it wasn’t just his body that set hi suit raised eyebrows and smiles in his wake

He had phoned ahead, left athe teak-floored, glass-walled corridor towards hiht of him still made his heart pump and his fists clench and bile rise in his throat

‘Matteo How kind of you to drop by’

He looked older, his skin lined, but well preserved The hair slicked back frorey, where it had once been black, and his jacket was buttoned over a paunch where before there had been a well-defined six-pack But other than that he was exactly the same

‘This isn’t a casual call, Claudio As you can see I’’

He walked straight past Claudio to the doorway he’d seen hilass confirht in and looked around

It was a roo as e, with overstuffed stylised furniture, beautiful objects and silver-fraraphs of the rich and the beautiful, clients and friends

He turned around ‘For so re the cause of so much of it’

‘You came all this way to tell me how calm I look? Why, thank you You look very well too Very handsome Your father would be proud I feel compelled to say that’

Claudio spoke in Italian, the language his father had spoken to hinored it

‘New York closed with a ten percent decline in CC stock and London is just about to open Tokyo will do so later Your investors have abandoned you You’re done By the end of the day you’re not going to look so calm’