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Ashley had onlyThe only child of Vito's elder sister, as a , he bore all thee to Vito had shattered hied Ti his uncle's wife, and he disliked her thoroughly for that piece of apparent one-upmanship

'Looking scared would only encourage hi' Vito was striding through the hall when she returned hoht with her hand trapped in the till 'You weren't due back until tomorrow'

'Should I look under the bed? Search the cupboards?' he teased

Huddled inside her coat with her stomach sucked in, she looked at him blankly 'For your lover,' he supplied rather drily 'It was supposed to be a joke'

Amusement failed her As he searched her face, his dark features set hard,him look tired, irritable '''Welcolancing satire in a high-pitched treble

She flushed, her shoulders drooping under the weight of her depression 'I'm sorry'

'The last thing I need right now is an apology Dio, what ae when you see me?' he murmured in a fierce undertone

The burden of her own secrecy constrained her And ould he have done had she thrown herself into his arms? Such a deer found her desirable The passion had burnt out just as she had known it would, and when he wouldn't even argue with her she knew their relationship was on the rocks Either that or he was sickening for so, she reflected -room

'Mr Angeli, madam'

Ashley glanced up froazine with a frown

Who? Their staff didn't normally show a visitor in until they had established that the visitor elcome…with one notable exception Fa like a cartoon baddie in a comic strip stood Pietro

'Vito's upstairs if you want hiht body drawn unnaturally tense

Pietro strolled over to her 'You must think I'm stupid He's in Milan'

Ashley edged upright uneasily 'He's upstairs' He laughed 'You wish!'

'Are you threatening arette and lit it with a flourish

'What do you think?'

'I'd prefer you not to smoke,' she said quietly

His dark eyes rested on her flatly He was a very handsoly unboyish about the cool way in which he looked her over, as if she was a piece of female flesh on a slab 'If you think I' me what I can and can't do in my uncle's house, you're even dumber than you look'

'I'd like you to leave, Pietro' She drew in a deep, shaky breath

'I don't think so You've got it made here, haven't you? I'd hate to rock the newly married boat,' he mocked 'And I could, believe me Giulia tells eine it uy, -'

'Get out!' she demanded unsteadily

'You're as over-sensitive as your little twerp of a brother I did for hiave her a self-satisfied sht him quite a lesson You should learn fro to be very nice to me indeed in the near future'

Ashley was feeling physically sick Pietro was a teenager like Ti herself But that he should crow about having had her brother beaten up really shook her

'So do I tell Uncle Vito that I saw you holding hands and weeping over the good doctor this lunchtime or do I keep quiet?' he taunted

'You tell hiriet carried away I ht tell him about the money you took to dump him the last time-'

'What?' she interrupted hoarsely, unable to believe her ears

'My mother told me about it It's an open secret in the fa fat cheque and he got Carina as a consolation prize' 'I never cashed that cheque!' Ashley gasped, her head reeling