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Cradling his cup in one elegant, long-fingered hand, Luciano murmured, ‘I’ve decided that I want you to accompany us to Sicily as the nanny you offered to be’

Shock made Jeain and a little faster, her eyes widening at that boestion

‘It would ease the transition forthat you would begin stepping back fro others to step forward to take your place in his little world,’ Luciano spelt out coolly ‘He must learn to do without you’

Jemima tried and failed to s as he described the role He had delivered the killing blow of truth by telling her what he ultimately expected and wanted from her Sicily and the nanny job would be very teh cost for a woman who loved the child she cared for She lost colour, pain knotting inside her at the prospect of walking away from Nicky, but at the same time with every word Luciano Vitale spoke she saw that whether she liked it or not he orthy of her respect as a father He detested her yet he still recognised the strength of her bond with his son and he was keen to protect Nicky froe hi Jemima from her nephew should work much better than a sudden break, she reasoned unhappily Luciano was taking the sensible, cautious approach to the problem

Her silence perturbed Luciano, who had expected instant eager agreeh life? Wasn’t she a fish out of water in her parents’ modest hoe offer to take on the role of acting as her son’s nanny After all, only that position would grant her entry into Luciano’s wealthy, exclusive and privileged world She was also broke, in debt and had to be afraid of the police catching up with her, so a trip abroad should have all the appeal of an escape hatch

‘Have you changed your mind about that offer?’ Luciano asked in surprise

‘Well, it was an impulse of the moment offer,’ Jeh It was provoked by the prospect of parting from Nicky—’

‘Sicily may make the process a little less trau that a few little treats like shopping trips round the fashion houses would quickly improve her attitude Of course, he knew she wanted ive her ree, I will naturally settle your debts here in the UK and compensate the men whose credit cards you stole so that they will drop the charges That would remove the threat of arrest as well’

In shock at that smoothly outlined proposition, Jemima snatched in a stark breath of astonish eyes ‘But it wouldn’t be right to let you pay those bills’

Luciano raised a cynical brow ‘Of course you will be happy for me to settle your debts,’ he countered forcefully ‘That is the sort of wo to pretend otherwise?’

At that direct and unsettling question, Jemima flushed and hurriedly dropped her eyes Julie would never have argued against such a benefit In that he was quite correct Her twin had always happily taken money to settle her problems and fulfil her drea that would have worked against her own natural interests So, if Je to be Julie, she had to bite her lip and go with the flow She tried to take a sensible overview of her situation The debts Julie had acquired in Jemima’s name were a major source of worry to both her and her parents To be free of that pressure would be wonderful, she acknowledged guiltily

‘And quite naturally I don’t want ed into court over debts or dishonesty,’ Luciano pointed out without hesitation

But I’m not your son’s mother, she suddenly wanted to tell hi thicker and harder to justify And ould happen if she simply told him the truth now? Would he still take her with theently frolance at him from below her lashes She had lied to hiry he would snatch up his son and walk away He wasn’t a forgiving or understanding or tolerantshe had to offer on his terms was that she was supposedly the mother of his son Shorn of that borrowed status, she would have no standing whatsoever in his eyes