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'You still haven't told me that he hit you, and he did,' Vito countered darkly 'I saw it in his face and yours I wanted to keep on hitting hiiven me immense satisfaction'

'Don't! He didn't really hit me,' she protested 'Not the way you read about but… but I was always afraid that he would because he got so angry withthose memories

'No wonder you wanted your freedom at university

You had never had any before' The flat syllables were curiously clipped

'No' She was glad that he understood

He asked her if she was hungry Her stoht of food Once or twice she tried to initiate conversation but Vito had becoly uncommunicative But then, he had just rin Yet she felt curiously at peace Questions that had troubled her for much of her childhood had been answered She was not in herself so repulsive that her father couldn't love her No, she had become the innocent victim of her mother's affair, the focus of all her father's bitterness

They separated when they got home Vito said he had some calls to make

'I'll order a late lunch,' she said

'I'e to his responseHis darkly handsome features were shuttered by a fierce constraint beyond her co the stairs two at a time

An hour later she went in search of hi two cases With a frown, Ashley walked into Vito's bedroo at thelike so from him in waves

'I didn't know you had another trip,' sheround 'I' to Italy I can't stay here'

'You're leaving?' White as a sheet froe of heart, Ashley simply stared at him 'But you said-'

'That I wanted to stay until the baby was born,' he completed 'But we both know that that isn't what you want'

She locked her hands together before they could betray her by shaking Her fingers twisted into each other 'I don't understand'

Vito released his breath jerkily, his dark eyes locked to her 'I think it's past tiainst a brick wall and sie'

r />Only hours ago he had been fighting with her to convince her that he should stay She just couldn't believe that he noanted out…without warning… without discussion… without anything 'But I didn't say that I wanted you to leave-'

'You don't need to I kno you feel aboutbone-structure proolden skin 'To persist in the face of such odds would be utter insanity I' what I've done…' He faltered and sucked in air, shifted an expressive hand 'Well, you've been very tolerant, ht to expect in the circumstances But I have to face facts You would be a lot more comfortable if I weren't here-'

'If you're trying to convincethis foranywhere!' Ashley threw at hi her arms over her breasts as if she needed that support

'Hennessy will be happier if I'm not around and so will I be,' Vito adot to do with this?'

'Madre di Dio!' Vito swore rawly, swinging away froain 'You're involved with him and I ae Clearly he was on the scene at the time and I could hardly expect you to admit the fact Now you will be free to continue your liaison-'

Did his conscience require the sop that she had another otten that Vito had heard Pietro referring to her holding hands and weeping over Josh that day There had been so , it had co and unbelievably tense, not exactly the last of the liberated husbands in her own opinion And here he was, giving her carte blanche to… dear heaven, how dared he?

'I haven't the slightest intention of beco involved with Josh,' she snapped out 'Unlike you, I don't flit like a butterfly from one person to another'

'I didn't flit to Carina's ar bitterness 'I fell into them in a drunken, mindless stupor!'