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Of course he did, Clio realized And she had only confir that she wanted to use that very power and status as her shield

She couldn’t begin to care about Stefan’s opinion Not when it was decided already, not when her self-esteem was in such tatters

“Is he in love with her, do you think?” she said, turning her mind away from what lay ahead

“I would have said no But I have changed my opinion about Rocco and Olivia, so who knows?” He tucked his hands into his pockets and took a fewaas a habit of yours”

The bland s from her face, Clio looked up “I don’t knohat you mean”

“You did it that night at the E that jerk You did it today”

“I didno such thing”

“Olivia said you looked like you were having an anxiety attack She was concerned for you, just as I was” There was almost a fond note in his tone for Rocco’s wife “Why did you leave?”

“There seems to be a lot of friction between Christian and Rocco”

“Rocco will need ti with his little sister But the fact that he is here sho much Alessandra means to him”

“I felt like I was intruding”

“Zayed and I were right there”

“You are a part of each other’s lives Rocco and Christian need your support to get through this rough patch I’er”

“No You and I know very well that you were actually a good buffer back there Those stories you had of the four of us froh Everyone took a collective breath”

He reached her and tugged her hand into his Instant charge crackled around them

“You said the female students at Columbia used to be supreared you up so that they could get a tidbit about one of us What did you call yourself?”

She had felt his gaze on her like a physical caress all through the lunch Now it disconcerted her to know that he remembered every word she had said The intensity of his attention kept her wondering what about her interested him so “The Gateway to the Columbia Four”