Page 122 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

In his mind, the picture of the last time he had seen Mairi was complete, tortuously vivid and inescapable.

The remembered sound of her sobs rang in Damen’s mind, growing in volume until it was all he could hear.

Mairi was begging.

Please, Damen—-

A choking gasp came out of Damen’s throat, the memory tearing him open.

The front door flew open. “Sir!”

Damen pushed past the surprised-looking housekeeper, his breaths coming out in erratic gasps as he practically ran to the bedroom he once shared with Mairi.

I love you.A vision of a happy Mairi danced in his mind.

Please, Damen—-

I miss you.Mairi on the bed, a loving look on her face.

Please, Damen—-

He threw the door open, his gaze falling dumbly to the sight of mismatched shoes on the floor.

In his mind, he could see Mairi, being woken up in the middle of the night, exactly as he had planned. He had wanted her flustered, Damen thought with vicious self-hatred, and she had been flustered, so much so she had ended up wearing mismatched shoes.

Please, Damen—-

Damen groaned out loud. “I’m sorry.”

Please, Damen—-

His hand shook as he reached for his phone and called the man he had assigned to tail Mairi incognito since the day he had declared his love for her at GAYL.

“Tell me everything, what she has been doing, who she was with – every fucking thing you know.” He still could not explain why Mairi had seemed to act like she had been happy with the role of an idle woman of luxury, but Damen knew now that whatever the reason was, it would be a good one.

His employer’s words were an answered prayer.

All the time he had been following Ms. Tanner, Christophe had wrestled with his guilt, wondering when it was the right time to intrude. Mr. Artini had been clear – he was not to let Mairi Tanner know he was around unless her life was under threat.

But what if she’s being disrespected?

Then we pray that she will be able to handle it.

Mr. Leventis’ orders had also been as ruthless and explicit.

You are not to let me know anything unless it is about her life in danger in any way.

Mairi Tanner’s life had never been in danger, but her heart had been dying since the very first day.

“No school, no business – no one in Greece was willing to hire her in fear of retaliation from the Kokinos clan or your mother. In the end, Ms. Tanner accepted a virtual job.”

The amount that Christophe named as Mairi’s wages made Damen flinch, and the hours that such work entailed made Damen hate himself even more.

“She used the money she earned to buy a fish spa setup. It should be in your bedroom.”

His gaze swiftly scanned the room.

There.

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