Page 166 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

But no kiss lasted forever.

When Damen and Mairi parted, everything came back.

Every heartache.

Every teardrop.

And the knowledge that this was a wedding of two broken, beating hearts.

Chapter 2

She said: When you wed a Greek billionaire, it will feel like the start of a new life.

He said: Technically, you have never wed a Greek billionaire, matakia mou.

She said: I haven’t???

He said: Never. Because when you wed me, I was no longer a billionaire. I was just an ordinary Greek man – but you still married me. It was the most humbling moment of my life.

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COMING OUT OF THE OFFICEof the private jet Stavros had lent them for their flight back to Greece, Damen espied Mairi asleep in one of the luxurious couch seats, its footpad raised. She had already changed out of her wedding dress and into a practical beige pantsuit. Not the typical going-away outfit for certain, but then, they really weren’t going away for a honeymoon.

Once his battle with Esther and the Kokinos was over, Damen vowed to himself that he would give Mairi the wedding trip she deserved. Anything in the world, anywhere in the world – it would be hers.

For long moments, he allowed himself the luxury of simply staring at her. Even in her sleep, she appeared anxious and tired, and his heart clenched at the sight of it. Slowly, he made his way towards her. He reached out to touch her face only to hesitate mid-air. It was goddamn hard to shake away the feeling that he had lost the right to touch her.

Please don’t let him think I’m awake.

Maybe it was ESP. Maybe it was true love – on her part at least – but whatever it was, it had made Mairi sense Damen the moment he came to her side. She willed herself to keep her breath steady.

If Velvet had been in her place, she would have made a bold seductive pose as she stretched on the seat and maybe even crooked a finger to get her own Greek billionaire husband to come near. And if it had been Mandy, her other friend would have opened her eyes and asked Damen in her practical voice why he was staring at her.

But Mairi was not her friends.

She was...her...and so she continued to pretend that she was asleep.

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