The empathy shining from her eyes had been too much.

He’d never introduced his mother to any of his friends or lovers before. His mother had her own special compartment in his life. He’d long ago accepted that she wouldn’t change, that no matter how he succeeded in life it would never be enough for her. Even the news of being a grandmother had failed to elicit a smile. She would never love him.

Far from repelling Alessandra, his mother’s behaviour had elicited her sympathy, her empathy: towards him.

He didn’t want her pity.

She was getting too close; he could feel it.

Any closer and she’d be able to see the gutter rat who lived in the blackness of his heart.

* * *

Christian’s driver dropped Alessandra back at the hotel before taking Christian to his offices.

A dozen more guests had arrived while they’d been at his mother’s house. It amazed her that so many super-wealthy and famous people were able to drop their commitments for what was essentially a free holiday, but surprisingly their presence worked in her favour, distracting her thoughts from their visit to Christian’s mother.

saw the laser glare of Elena Markos’s eyes and she wondered how Christian had endured living with such

and made something of himself only added to what had

large dose of guilt for forcing the issue, she was glad they’d gone. Her

guests, some of whom she actually knew, lazing by the pool, playing cards, drinking non-alcoholic cocktails. It was fun, but she wished Christian could be

back and relax when they went on their short

long soak in the sunken bath, already looking forward to the

hadn’t been a single minute when she hadn’t thought of him. The thought was like a jolt, enough to make her hands tremble, making

equilibrium when there was a

in his suite but with the tie removed and the top three buttons of his shirt undone, exposing the top of

her, making her heart pump and her pulses race. Dio, the man

to New York,’ he

‘Okay. When’s that?’

leaving for the airport in a few

her heart sink to her knees. ‘Are you kidding with me? You’re

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