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With a weary sigh she e on the antique cabinet in the hall and let herself into the apart, she walked down to the smaller bedroom she had selected for herself and stopped dead on the threshold Her cases were gone She pulled open a wardrobe door, to be greeted by the fluttering draperies of unfa the drawers in the chest won her the sa discovery

'Where the hell have you been?' Ashley spun violently in shock She had believed she was alone in the apart in the doorway like a thunderous black cloud Every inch of his long, lean physique spoke of electric tension Ebony-dark eyes glittered rawly over her jean clad figure

'I thought you were still in Geneva!'

'I've been trying to contact you here at the apartain, where have you been? You only brought your stuff over this '

Ignoring the deed 'And where is my stuff?' she asked instead 'I dumped it'

Ashley stared at hi your pardon?'

'Every shred of clothing you possess,' Vito confirmed 'I dumped it all'

Ashley moistened her dry mouth slowly 'I don't believe you'

He flung open the wardrobe 'I went shopping in Geneva You dress like a bag-lady You needed a fresh start'

'A b-bag-lady?' Ashley sta her the truth Although Vito had been incredibly arrogant four years ago, he would never have dared to go this far

'In fact the only tiht we first met Voluminous T-shirts and loose trousers and boots-that's what you live in For some peculiar reason, you despise your own femininity-'

'That's untrue… ridiculous,' she protested shakily

'Ia woer apparently cooled

He had seen too h he had flailed off an entire layer of her skin, leaving her naked and exposed, her inner privacy co dissection Her femininity had never been a cause for pride or celebration in a fa a woman was a severe handicap Even in her own home, she had been a cuckoo in the nest, a lively, outspoken child with tomboyish habits, far too different from her mother and her older sister ever to fit It had only ever been when Ashley did soned to notice her As sheindifference had contributed to her increasing rebellion Even Susan had not had it half as tough as Ashley had had Susan had always scored points on being submissive and ladylike and-oh, yes, as that word her father was so fond of? -womanly

She stared bitterly into the wardrobe at the exquisite fabrics on view 'So you've finally captured a real live doll to dress up,' she breathed painfully 'Just remember that the fantasy woman you create will only be on the outside Underneath it will still be me'

Vito cleared his throat alood investment, she reflected, all choked up inside as she absent-ed open a drawer She should have expected this It was part of the 'shapeup and conform' routine Clothes didn't matter to her, they never had He never had liked the way she dressed, but she still felt so incredibly hurt

'Tellsilk and lace in htshirt really embarrass you this much?'

He was trying to save face for her He knew he had hurt her Her teeth gritted at the awareness of what he was doing but it scared her that he should read her so accurately even after four years

'I don't e clothes that would glorify the feerie were all so foreign and threatening to her that she shrank at the very idea of wearing theing hioal in life was to please her lord and master

'The remainder of your possessions are in there' He indicated a box in the corner It was full to the brim with photo albums, diaries, the really personal possessions that she would have missed

'Who went through it all?' 'I did'