Total pages in book: 247
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 234281 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 1171(@200wpm)___ 937(@250wpm)___ 781(@300wpm)
“Oh Lord.” The woman outside – a different one, probably the manager, Mairi thought dazedly – was clearly embarrassed. Mairi was, too, but one look at Damen’s face told her that he was not.
She tried to get out of his arms quickly, but he didn’t let her, instead taking his time to wipe her dry and re-arrange her clothes.
Damen was the first one to step outside.
The manager recognized him in a flash. “Mr. Leventis!”
He acknowledged it with a cool nod. “I need you to go out and redirect everyone. Tell them this bathroom isn’t functional. And after, I’d appreciate it if you completely forget about this.” He raised a brow.
“Understood, sir,” the manager answered nervously.
When the woman left, he opened the door and, taking Mairi’s hand, he guided her out. “Mairi?”
She had listened to Damen’s exchange with the restaurant manager and had known that the other person assumed it was Alina Kokinos standing inside the cubicle. The knowledge had hurt, but when she looked into Damen’s eyes, the pain eased.
In his eyes, she saw that he was worried about her, that he cared about her, that he needed her.
The twists don’t matter, she whispered silently to herself. In the end, if they loved each other, they would have their happy ending. She had to believe that.
When Mairi still didn’t speak, fear and tension had his body stiffening. He asked tautly, “Mairi?”
Swallowing, she made herself answer. “I’m okay. Thank you for...protecting my identity.”
He relaxed after a beat, seeing that she was not mad at him. Just looking at her made him want to touch her – not sexually, but just to keep them connected.
His heart clenched. Was this how love felt? The real kind?
Mairi’s lips parted in wonder as she watched Damen slowly lift one hand up and caress her cheek. She wanted to kiss his fingers, and after a moment’s hesitation, she turned her face to the side and did it.
He stilled, the kiss startling him. More than that, it felt like a healing touch, which was strange since he had not even known he was...wounded.
Closing his eyes, with her lips pressed against his palm, her fingers stroking his cheek, Damen could almost make himself believe that Mairi Tanner was indeed in love with him.
Chapter 9
To trust a Greek billionaire, one must accept that their breed also has a tendency to go through denial.
He said: Breed, eh? You make us sound like dogs who have a hard time accepting who their master is.
She said: Now that you’ve said it...but really, really gorgeous-looking dogs, though.
“YOU LOOK PLEASED WITH yourself.” His friend, Stavros Manolis, remarked in a low aside as they sat next to each other on the front row, which was reserved for VIP guests of the celebrity tennis match both their companies were sponsoring.
Everywhere around them, people were in a frenzy, unable to bear the sheer excitement and joy of seeing two gorgeous and eligible Greek billionaires in one place.
After shaking each other’s hands and exchanging grins, Damen answered simply, “Life has been good, yes.”
Stavros smirked. “Come on, Damen. I’ve known you for years so there’s no point with this bullshit. Which lovely woman has caught your eye?”
The words stunned him, but not because Stavros had easily guessed it was a woman making him feel this way. “Why do you think you need to ask?”
“Because, my friend, I have always known you do not feel a thing for Alina Kokinos.”
When Damen did not answer, Stavros raised a brow. In a low murmur, “Everyone knows it is not a love match, Damen – even Alina. I doubt she expects you to be faithful to her.”
Damen knew Stavros was probably right, but it did not sit well with him. The world might not expect him to be faithful to Alina, but the world would recognize her as his wife – not Mairi.
“Stavros,” he said slowly, “Why aren’t you still married?”
Stavros tried to laugh the question off. “What is this? Pre-wedding jitters?”
Damen forced a smile. “Perhaps.”
They did not speak for a while after that, the match finally commencing with Greece’s national anthem playing. The usual ceremonies followed suit, and both of them fell into their roles with ease, alternating between charm and aloofness. The crowds had to be charmed, but lines had to be drawn, too. It was a tedious routine, but it was necessary because there were very few people that billionaires like them could truly trust.
Almost an hour had passed by the time they completed their duties and yet, he had not forgotten his conversation with his friend. He looked at Stavros to ask him again, but this time he didn’t have to.
Stavros answered quietly, “It is because I believe I may have met the right girl and I was forced to let her go.”
Looking at his friend, Damen knew that Stavros had lost himself in the past.