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‘I can understand, though I don’t agree She could’ve written a letter for you to forward to Mattia My son deserved that’ The look becanore it for your own gain?’
Elene closed her eyes and sed the pain those acidic words wrung out of her Fair enough This wo in to defend her as he’d said he would So he didn’t entirely trust her despite everything he’d said so far Opening her eyes, she stared in turn at both of the from Mattia than for hiuardian Believe it or not, I am not interested in your wealth I have a happy life and want for nothing I will always be there for Ai with Mattia Hohere we make that work is yet to be determined But—’ she fixed her eyes on Maria ‘—Mattia and I will lass and headed to the door opening into the garden, to wander blindly along the narrow paths
Behind her, Mattia was saying in a sharp tone, ‘Elene’s right, Mamma This is for us to work out’
So he had backed her Yet there’d been that question in his eyes as he’d waited for her answer to what she wanted from him After what his ex had done to him, could she blame him? Probably not, but it still hurt What a mess With one hand she rubbed the opposite arone and made an enemy of the woman who Mattia more than likely turned to for advice on family matters But she had been true to herself
Mattia strolled outside to find Elene There were things to be said, yet it wasn’t as si he was co to believe was that Elene had not co out of this for herself, other than to be Aimee’s mother
Even then she was prepared to share, to accept she had no choice in thetobetter than him at it She’d stood up to Mairl came from somewhere deep within, no doubt because of the love her own adoptive father gave her
At the far wall stood the wo his normally calm, controlled life in turmoil Elene had the power to trip him up, to make him revisit all the plans and controls he’d put in place in his life after Sandy’s perfidy This wo hiet some control back or he was lost for ever ‘Tell ical father’
Her mouth dropped open, was quickly sla in her eyes, he sensed her er of spilling water all over her dress A deep breath ‘I greanting to be acknowledged by him It never happened When I came over here to meet my , and lad to have s, and continued receiving nothing but love from Dad’
‘Hell, Elene That’s awful’
‘It was, but at the sa dad anyone could ask for’ Twirling the half eers, she seehteen when she becanant with me Her boyfriend i after met Jeff Lowe’
A sour taste filled Mattia’s mouth No woman should ever be treated so ruthlessly
Her mouth twisted into a small smile ‘Jeff Lowe is my real dad, and has been there forI was still daughter nuhters’
He couldn’t argue with the loyalty and fierceness in her voice ‘Ai Elene to ot harder But they’d leave it for now, go inside and join his family Mamma had softened towards Elene after that blunt stateutsy lady asn’t afraid to state her reed Aimee would always be watched over, cared for, loved unconditionally wherever she was
He wanted some of that Hell, he wanted all of that and s that kept hi easily when there was so much lass fro hand and said, ‘Co for us’
Doubt filled her face and eyes, her stance ‘Really?’
‘Really You don’t think Sofia and Alessia would’ve dragged you off for a conflab if they didn’t want to get to know you better in the nicest possible way, do you?’
‘They were very friendly’
‘Bet they had a hundred questions that weren’t all about e’re here’ Those two had for bond from the moment they’dswa fa their ranks A lot worse
CHAPTER EIGHT
THE SUN WAS bright and her feet skipped as EleneThe Tyrrhenian Sea was so blue it looked like so back and forth along the coast, er tourists Mattia had offered to drive her to the unit for her first day on the job but she liked being out ahts and sounds of Sorrento Being Italian