Page 17 of In Love with a Cruel Billionaire

Velvet jumped at the sound, which was eerily close to how a dying person probably sounded like. “What is it?”

Mairi was completely pale now. “I...I...”

Mandy was tempted to shake her friend. “What?”

She squeezed her eyes shut. “I...umm...saidI love him?”

SILENCE.

And then—-

Laughter.

The kind that had her friends doubling over, bodies shaking, clutching their sides, the sound of their loud laughter bouncing off the walls.

Completely recovered now, Mairi scowled. “Way to be supportive, you guys.”

Velvet managed to get her mirth under control long enough to say, “Yay you!” She and Mandy burst into a fresh round of laughter.

Mairi gritted her teeth. “This isnota laughing matter! What if I scared him away? What if he thinks I’m a psycho? What if...what if he doesn’t want me anymore?” She ended up wailing the last words.

Damen Leventis wastheGreek billionaire she had been waiting forever for. She was sure of it. Fate, instinct, a message from the Greek gods – Mairi justknew.

The problem was – didhereally know that she was the one for him, too?

****

STOP MOPING AROUND.

Mairi stared grumpily at Mandy’s text message.Easier said than done, she thought. How could shenotmope around when Damen Leventis had been MIA for an hour now? Maybe she really had scared him off.

“Kalimera.”

Mairi started, cheeks flushed with guilt as she realized there were people sitting across her and she hadn’t even noticed. The first one she noticed was Katya, a statuesque and perky brunette who was also one of her favorite students from Class E. Seated next to Katya was yet another tall, dark, and handsome Greek with wickedly gleaming green eyes.

Her mind automatically went through her mental database of Greek billionaires, and in the next second she identified the man as Ioniko Vlahos.He was in his late twenties, better known as one of the most famous playboys in the continent, and another heir to a shipping fortune.

Also just as automatically, her mind compared him to Damen Leventis, who was older since he was already in his mid-thirties.And a lot sexier and gorgeous too, Mairi thought wistfully. There was something about Damen, with the way he spoke and looked at her—-

“She’s always like that.”

Katya’s words, spoken fondly, had Mairi crashing back down to earth. Oh dear God! She had zoned out again! If Rose had caught her this time, she would be lucky if she still had a job the next day.

Ioniko was smiling devilishly. “Is she now?”

Mairi flushed. “I’m sorry. I’m just really, really sorry.”

“It’s fine. I understand you were in an accident earlier?”

“Umm, yes.” She offered her hand. “I’m Katya’s English teacher, Ms. Tanner.”

“A pleasure.” But instead of shaking her hand, Ioniko brought it to his lips instead.

Mairi quickly withdrew her hand with a gasp.

Katya was frowning. “Ioniko!” She spoke to him rapidly in Greek.

A frown slowly formed on her brother’s forehead as well. When he looked at Mairi, his face was impassive as he said, “I apologize for being too forward. It will not happen again.”

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