had bar

ograph in her father's study. Three men standing beside

rds writte

hat should have

ind of agreement could connect her father to

y, she had giv

black trousers, tied her hair into

dy waiting in t

ning, swe

Is Domin

few minutes ago. He's

ched for a p

s house wake up early

miled f

t secrets were the only thin

nly left enough

reakfast and heade

e desk, speaking to another ma

s Ha

you're ready to answer

ured towards

cour

remained

t my father's organisation

an glanced

with the estate documen

egin with the qu

ic si

other, Richard, was once

as

ied twelve

lla f

ow

acci

nd of ac

le went of

for him t

she asked, "An

a son. His na

m the family tree Elena had once

re i

from Italy for

he d

N

he inheriting th

djusted h

er had his

aughed wit

urse h

e desk and placed her

old me not to let anyone put me on the t

t the letter but

escari family had a co

n underst

territories and business interests. Your father believed t

did

a w

happ

c hesi

roke one of it

folded

cond

not discuss until all the releva

ared a

g to sound like

ave inherited a very complicated position. There ar

teac

d at her for

naged different aspects of the organisation.

en m

es

I'm supposed

rmed of your fa

shook h

trangers and somehow convince them that I can

be the gen

ared a

derf

ella had learne

rably more than the prop

interests in severa

him seemed to know something abou

a folder in the stud

gar

nswered im

nning to think you'd

atic. I called

omised to ca

ret l

s ever

the documents scatt

ran

ded when you'r

ly what I want

hesi

appened at t

ha

father was invol

was si

e away to check whether

rga

m h

t sound s

know what

s stomach

do you

rabella. Your mother tried very hard

a sat u

. You

things she didn't w

't anyone

er wanted you to h

rubbed he

w about the

t didn'

ret, p

es

anded harder than

who Alessio

her

knew the Ve

ers tightened a

ow

u should sp

ent comple

k to

en't told you. Your moth

nds, she couldn'

ha

is al

kly that the chair scr

e is

now, but the last time I heard fr

d a hand agains

rtly after leaving Italy. Her father had told her there h

was alive al

sor

you keep th

e a pr

wh

's voice

r mo

ended t

isten to anoth

her was

pent years mourning was living her life whi

sk and began searching

the truth, there had to

e afternoon, Dominic ret

g has been moved to

didn't

oo

s anothe

ural

ested a private m

d turning

ho

io Ves

she thought sh

lowly rais

om my fathe

es

wants to

nig

closed th

l hi

bell

ther left me, and already people are arran

ne you should d

that I don't apprec

ooked unc

ustomed to be

unfort

ed to the

mained whe

Mr Vescari has a considerable interest in

onside

independent mafia terri

a leane

does he wa

isely why he

nsider

in

looked s

e agre

im. Not to whatever arr

erst

condi

es

ation, and I brin

ic no

inform

eight in the evening at a pr

trying to decide whether she

just below her knees. It was simple, elegant and comf

ssigned to a

, the restaurant

to a private dinin

lanced at

t fi

te," she

od near th

s testing yo

doing an ex

k for the waiter wh

red wasn't what

coal suit that fitted him perfectly. His dark hair

rly old, perhaps somewhe

tling about the confidence wi

o before looking di

s Ha

ice wa

remaine

Vesc

t the chair

for agreein

ise I had much

ile touche

ys have a

s reas

at d

ent, neit

n her father had warned her about, the man e

aps someone who resembled the men wh

n who could walk into any room and have e

he glass of wate

finding your

nd considerably more dan

od at creating comp

ou kno

y we

know why he left

aced his g

why he c

leaned

tell

the only person who could keep

frow

hy

yone else wan

I d

t y

most l

know anythi

. But I know

expressio

know that he and

kno

spent eight years pret

held h

es

ut his answer

y are yo

jacket and placed a

a looke

formal

is t

father and I discus

ed the fi

ression

families concerning the control of several terri

was a section sh

d marriag

slowly

ou ser

didn't

tir

nt to m

arrangement that would

ive way of asking so

ssion rem

ed it was the most

ther i

awa

discussed with y

o lean

read the enti

read e

people are already questioning your position. The council w

marrying you wi

n people from making decisions

a stare

e it

idden beneat

he document

man I've met for les

nced at the

e'll have to find

oo

buttoning

ving, he looke

e, Arabella. Don't

hy

to take your father's place has been sit

mach ti

ho

aused at

e returned to Italy three day

the blood drai

t supposed t

told her h

question him, but Ales

and glanced ov

Arabe

oked a

eave you that empire

es hel

for it. And he knew you would be the only perso

oor c

seated, staring at

r accepting her father's inheritance ha

one vi

an unknown nu

about Adrian. Your fat

a read

her messa

ontained a

his study, the same room where she

ehind him

icture was dated three days

s the bottom was

last person to see