The Art of Loving a Greek Billionaire (11 page)

Damen!

Did he remember now? Would he apologize?
 

But when she looked at her phone’s screen, an unidentified number flashed on it. Since she had caller ID installed, it only meant that it was a private number, purchased by someone who took his – her – privacy very seriously.

She answered the call hesitantly. “Hello?”

“Hello, Mairi.”

She gasped, instantly recognizing the voice. “Stavros?”

Chapter Thirteen

“Yo, Mairi.” Stavros Manolis’ voice was grave when he said the words, but his eyes had an amused gleam that threatened to put Mairi’s cheeks on fire as his gaze slowly traveled all over her from head to toe, taking in her outfit. Cap worn inverted, dark glasses, large baseball jersey that she stole from Damen’s closet, and an old pair of denim shorts – also of Damen’s – which she had tightened with a chain belt. It was the best disguise she could come up with at such late notice.

The coffee shop Mairi had chosen as their meeting place was crowded and noisy, but his voice seemed gratingly loud and cheerful, each word coming to her perfectly clear.

“Yo.” She flashed him a weak smile.
Yay, her
: she had succeeded in making the normally stoic-looking Stavros Manolis laugh.
Not.

She couldn’t believe she was sitting across Stavros Manolis. It felt like she was back in high school again, and anytime now she would be bullied because she thought it was her fate to marry a Greek billionaire.

Stavros inhaled, trying to get a better grip of his senses. After all these years, he had finally found her. He only had a brief time to look at Mairi when he had been at GAYL, but now that she was this close, he did not hesitate to look his fill.
 

Her hair was longer, her eyes beautifully dark like before, and her body as shapely as Aphrodite’s. She was also paler, thinner, and looked extremely
stressed.

Stavros said quietly, “I’m sorry I’ve forced this meeting on you.”

The words were unexpected and confusing, forcing Mairi to look at him again. The last time she had seen him, Stavros had been a teenager like her, a boy who had broken every girl’s heart when he only ever smiled at Mairi and ignored the rest.

Now, he was a man, solidly built and extremely attractive. Add the fact that he was also a Greek billionaire, and the way all the women in the restaurant were ogling at him was entirely understandable. Maybe if she didn’t have her own Greek billionaire to love, she would have been ogling him, too.

Mairi answered just as quietly, “I don’t consider myself forced to meet you in any way, Stavros.”

“I know the truth, Mairi. Damen told me you needed more time—”

She was incredulous. “You
talked
to Damen?”

A frown formed on his forehead. “Did he not tell you?”

The truth dawned on them both.
 

Stavros said grimly, “He lied to me.”

“Stavros—”

“Knowing you are with him, it is with the utmost respect for your relationship that I went to him first and asked permission to talk to you.” His jaw hardened.

She knew he wouldn’t say anything anymore. Stavros was not the type to backstab anyone, even if that someone had clearly lied to him. But then – he didn’t really have to, Mairi thought, still bemused. Clearly, Damen had lied to him, prevented them from meeting. But why? Surely he didn’t think she still loved Stavros?

“He must have his own reasons. Please don’t let this ruin your friendship.”

Stavros said curtly, “If it is fine with you, I do not plan wasting our time talking about Leventis.”

Her heart sank. Earlier he had called Damen by his first name. Now he was more formal, and it didn’t bode well.

She heard Stavros sigh, a harsh sound that confused Mairi. It was as if she had
hurt
him.

And then—

“Did you know I tried looking for you?”

Her head jerked up. “You did? Why would you?”

He was disbelieving. “Why wouldn’t I? It was my fault you were expelled!”

Oh, these Greek billionaires. They could drive a girl insane. Did Stavros and Damen know how alike they were, with their tendency to blame themselves for something that was not and could never be their fault?

“It was not your fault, Stavros, and I never thought that.”

“I’m not surprised you think so. You have always been too nice.”

She shook her head, smiling wryly. “I threatened Principal Childress with a lawsuit just to make sure not a single word about the incident got out. So you know, I can be a bitch if I want to.”

Stavros allowed himself a slight smile even as he said firmly, “You are not and will never be a
bitch.
But I do know about what you did and again I think you were too lenient on her.”

“I couldn’t risk embarrassing my aunts,” she admitted.

He nodded. “I knew it was probably your reason for letting her get away with her unethical actions.” His lashes fell, partially hiding his gaze as he murmured, “I made sure she lost her job when you left. It was the least       I could do for you.”

Mairi was stunned. It was her first time to hear that. The moment she had been expelled, she had decided that part of her life was over and she had taken pains to avoid any kind of news about her old school and everyone else associated with it…and that included Stavros.

She asked tentatively, “Why did you want to meet with me?”

The way her eyes nervously darted to and away from his face was so reminiscent of how she had been when she was young, it made Stavros’ chest tighten. The years might have passed, but what made Mairi Tanner the girl who had so quickly ensnared his attention without trying was still there.

And she was more beautiful than ever.

And she would never be his because it was obvious that her heart had already been claimed by another man.

In that instant he knew that whatever he had subconsciously thought to tell her were words he should never speak out loud.
 

The gentle smile on Stavros’ face made Mairi remember how he had been so kind to her all those times they had talked about Greek myths, with Stavros never telling her she was letting her imagination get the better of her.

Only now did she realize how much she had missed his friendship when she had left their school.

“Mairi?”

“Y-yes?”

“I am happy that you didn’t lose the courage to make your dream come true.”

Oh.

How was it that her mind had conveniently neglected to consider that Stavros would know about that horrible blog, the one that had exposed her dreams and turned it into a living nightmare?

She choked out, “Stavros—”

“I just hope that your Greek billionaire knows how lucky he is to have a woman like you to love him. Because if I had been the one your heart had chosen, I would do my best not to fail you again.”

Chapter Fourteen

On the center of Damen’s table was the envelope his unexpected visitor had thrown at him, as silently insidious as the sly gaze of the snake in the Garden of Eden. Inside it was knowledge forbidden and tempting, and even though hours had already passed he still could not decide what to do about it.

Glancing at his watch, he realized with a little surprise that it was already nine in the evening. He put a call to Mairi’s mobile and she answered at the first ring. “Damen?”

“I just called to make sure everything is well with you.”

“Of course it is,” she assured him right away. “I’m in bed already.”

“Early night?”

“I need to try to sleep, otherwise I’ll just stay up and keep missing you.”

She was so fucking sweet. If only he didn’t have so many goddamn doubts about her now.

Mairi tried not to be hurt when it took a while for Damen to answer, “I miss you, too.”

I miss you.

I miss you, too.

She pressed her hand to her mouth, hard. She mustn’t let him know how hearing him say “I miss you, too” made her want to cry these days. But God…oh God, why didn’t these words sound like how they used to sound? What had she done wrong?

“How was your day?”

Clearing her throat, she lied, “I just stayed here all day.” There was no point telling him about Stavros over the phone. It was the kind of conversation better done in person, where she’d have a chance to make sure he would see on her face that she was telling the truth.

“I see.”

An awkward silence followed, and again she had to press her hand to her mouth. In the past, she would have no problem filling the gap and chatting the night away. In the past, she would eagerly ask him questions but…it wasn’t the same between them now.

Her bright tone as false as her words, she said, “I gotta go, Damen. My aunts are trying to call me via Skype – I hadn’t been able to reach them all day.”

She was lying
, Damen thought. But could he blame her? She might have changed, but she had not changed
towards
him. It was him who had changed towards her, and he didn’t know how to find his way back to what they once were.

“I’ll let you go then. Have a good night’s sleep. I will be back tomorrow as early as I can.”

“Thanks.” She ended the call, feeling like she had ended it as if she had only been talking to her boss and not the man she was supposed to marry.

When Damen put the phone down, he didn’t let himself think. He simply reached for the envelope and started to read.
 

By the time he finished reading the entire blog that had exposed Mairi’s childhood diary, he was sick to his stomach.

He called Mairi’s bodyguard, asking for a report for the first time. “Did she leave the house today?”

“Yes, sir.”

She had lied.

She had lied.

“And where did she go? Who was she with?”

The bodyguard answered in an inflectionless voice, “She had dinner with Stavros Manolis.”

****

“You must wake, Ms. Tanner.”

It took a while for the housekeeper’s voice to rouse her from a deep and heavy sleep, and a few more moments for Mairi to sit up and realize that something was wrong. The woman could not look at her straight in the eye. Why?

“Ms. Tanner, you are requested to leave the premises immediately.”

Mairi stared at her blankly.

The housekeeper’s voice became more strained. “The order came from Mr. Leventis himself.”

“W-what? I don’t understand.”

“I’m sorry about this, Ms. Tanner. But you really have to leave now. I heard him…” The housekeeper wringed her hands. “I heard him talk to the head of the house’s security. If you are not out of here in ten minutes, he would have you escorted out of the premises even if it means you would be abandoned on the street in your bedclothes.”

She shook her head, feeling like she had woken in a horrible alternate reality. “What’s going on?”

“You must go now, Ms. Tanner. He’s in a very bad mood. Your possessions will be sent to whichever address you provide us with. But now, Ms. Tanner…
please.
It is for your own good I tell you to leave now.”

Shocked and disoriented, Mairi found herself following the anxious-looking housekeeper’s words. She changed hastily, grabbed her phone, and headed to the front door, bumping into the head of security as she stepped out of the house.

Mairi wanted to throw up, realizing that what the housekeeper said was true. He had been about to throw her out. She could see in his face that he wouldn’t like doing it but he would do it because—

Because Damen Leventis had ordered it.

She shook her head. No. There was a mistake. There had to be. It might be another of Esther Leventis’ ploys to get to her, to make her leave Damen.

She stood her ground and lifted her chin. “I won’t leave.”