Total pages in book: 189
Estimated words: 178200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 891(@200wpm)___ 713(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 178200 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 891(@200wpm)___ 713(@250wpm)___ 594(@300wpm)
The care with which Mairi took pained Drake. He said harshly, “I know I have a long way to go before I can make it up to you, Mairi—-”
Damen gritted his teeth, loathing even the sound of Mairi’s name on the other man’s lips.
“But I hope you at least experience a measure of relief from what I have uncovered. I know that you have always been puzzled about the change...of Leventis’ attitude towards you in the past. I had my men investigate the matter, and I believe what I’ve found out will be confirmed by Leventis.”
Mairi found herself taking a seat on the cushion. She had a feeling if she didn’t, whatever Drake had to say might knock her off her feet. “What did you find out?”
“A woman who attended the same school you did—-”
Instincts had Mairi guessing exactly who Drake was talking about. She said dully, “Farah.”
Damen made himself nod even as his gaze remained on his wife. She looked like she was about to drop any second. “She told me that you have always been after a Greek billionaire.”
Mairi’s teeth sank into her lower lip.
Damen wanted to smash something. He knew what Mairi was too nice to say. A random woman had come to him spouting stuff about her – the woman he supposedly loved – and like a man “in love”, he had believed the other woman over Mairi right away.
“She had overwhelming evidence to present,” Drake told Mairi. “I thought you would appreciate seeing all of it so that you would understand why Leventis may have acted the way he did.”
Clutching the flash drive tightly, she whispered, “Thank you.” She wished she could think of something else to say, but just thinking about that day Damen had thrown her out of their – his – house and having her arrested was more than enough to have her near to breaking down.
Go back to Manolis. He can have my leftovers.
I know that you’re a fucking psychotic bitch who’s always wanted to marry a Greek billionaire—-
GET OUT OF MY HOUSE, YOU FUCKING GOLD-DIGGING BITCH!
Mairi got to her feet. Without looking at anyone, she muttered, “I’ll leave you two to talk.” She had to get away. She had a feeling she would break down under the weight of her memories, and she did not want anyone to see her so pathetically weak again.
Be strong, Mairi.
Be strong for Damen.
Be strong for those who love you.
SEEING THE DISTRESS on Mairi’s face, Damen was tempted to leave their unwanted guest and go after his wife. Only the knowledge that he was likely also the reason for it kept him from moving. Reluctantly tearing his gaze away from Mairi’s departing back, Damen waited for the sound of her footsteps to fade before saying curtly, “If you could accompany me to the study?”
Drake nodded.
Closing the door to his study once Drake was inside, Damen said tightly, “You’ve picked a hell of a good time to drop that kind of bomb on us.”
Drake raised a brow. “That information is meant, unfortunately, to exonerate you—-”
“I don’t give a damn what it does if it’s going to upset my wife.”
The words were a surprise to Drake, but a good one. He had profiled Leventis extensively before accepting Vilma Tanner’s assignment. The report had painted the other man as a ruthless, selfish bastard, but Mairi appeared to have drastically changed him.
But would it last? Had Leventis finally learned to properly treasure the gift he had been given – the same kind of gift Drake would have killed for if it had been up to him? Again, the vision of a dark-haired blue-eyed girl intruded in his mind, reminding him of what he had lost and what Mairi could end up being if he did not make things right.
The thought had him looking at Damen, his tone abrupt as he said, “I didn’t mean to upset her. I apologize for that.”
Damen didn’t answer right away, taking his time to observe the other man.
Like Damen, Drake remained on his feet, the two of them eyeing each other like warriors waiting for the other to make the first move. There was something different about the elusive ex-sniper, but because he didn’t understand what those changes were, Damen was reluctant to trust that it no longer made Drake Morrison a rival.
Then again, a part of Damen would always see the other man as a rival, a part of him that would never trust Mairi to spend more than a few seconds alone in Morrison’s company. If he had his way, he would be a lot happier if he could ensure that Drake Morrison didn’t exist at all. Just imagining Mairi thinking about Morrison in a platonic way already had him seething.
Seeing that Damen appeared disinclined to talk, Drake decided to proceed and discuss his main intention for visiting. “Tomorrow, you’ll be receiving a package of sensitive data about the Kokinos clan.”