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‘Why did you have me followed?’

‘My father died when his yacht was blown up in the harbour out there,’ Luciano volunteered ‘I have lived a very different life but there are still those who hate and fear me because of the blood inthat’

Jely with her fingers ‘I’m sorry’

His lush lashes lifted and dark golden eyes scanned her as a glass of water was brought to the table for hirieved for my father, least of all me,’ he admitted bluntly

‘Was your childhood unhappy?’ she mur tension etched there

‘Is knowing such things about me important to you?’

Amazed that he should have to ask that, Jemima nodded confirmation

Luciano drank his water ‘It was a nightruffly ‘That’s why I want a normal family life for Niccolò’

Jehtmare entailed and wasn’t sure she could live with further clarification The haunting darkness in his eyes sent a chill racing down her spine The old lanced aondering what it had been like for Luciano to grow up as the son of a man as loathed and feared and whose reputation for corruption had stretched beyond death to shadow his son’s Frustrated tenderness laced with intense coh Jemima A normal family life It was not so much to ask It was not an impossible dream, was it? In fact it was a modest aspiration for so wealthy and powerful a e touched her heartelse could have done

Luciano wondered why Jemima appeared to be on the brink of tears He could seein her ice-blue eyes He didn’t want to talk about his dirty past; he didn’t even want to think about such things It had soiled him for ever—how could it not soil her? Furtherht before: he had lost control of his temper and acted with dishonour Even his father had waited toa bed with her He repressed his troubled thoughts, knowing the futility of regretting as past

‘I want to marry you,’ he told her very quietly

‘I know,’ she whispered, her heart beating so fast it felt as though it were in her throat ‘But I’m not sure what that means to you’