“I need a second-in-charge. I thought about Savvas, but he’s old school, and there’s a lot I want to change.”
“You want me to be your right-hand man?” I ask.
“Yes.”
I didn’t see that coming.
Cassia’s offer tells me how much she really trusts me and that she’s with me for the long haul.
“How will your people feel about that? I’m not Greek,” I state the obvious.
“I don’t care that you’re not Greek, and they have no say in who I choose. Just like they have no say in who I’ll marry one day.”
I stare at her for a moment, then ask, “Will you take advice from me without it turning into a fight?”
“Yes, but we’re going to argue at some point. It’s inevitable, but what happens at work stays at work. I don’t want it mixing with my home life. I’ve had enough of that with my father.”
I think for a moment, and coming up with an idea to make this really work in my favor, I demand, “On one condition. You have to promise yourself to me right now. I want to hear the words.”
Cassia stares at me as she thinks about my demand, then climbing to her feet, she comes to stand in front of me and lifts her chin. “I, Cassia Dimitrou, promise myself to you, Lincoln Knight. I will marry no other but you.” Then, she makes a demand of her own. “But the marriage has to take place as soon as possible. It will make me appear stronger to everyone if I’m married. The men in my world tend to think they can fuck with a woman if she’s single.”
I’ll marry her right now.
I nod. “I agree. The last thing I need is some fucking bastard sniffing around you.”
Her lips curve up as she wraps her arms around my neck. I take hold of her hips and tug her closer.
“So, do you accept my offer?” she asks.
I nod. “Definitely.”
When I lean down to kiss her, she pulls back. “One more thing.”
“What?”
“When I introduce you at a meeting, I’ll refer to you as my second-in-charge and never as my husband. It will strictly be business.”
“Got it.”
When I lean down again, she pulls even farther back. “Oh. Another thing.”
I just stare at her.
“Will you take my last name?” Before I can ask why, she explains, “My heir has to be a Dimitrou.”
“Everyone knows me as Knight.” I think for a moment, then ask, “How about a double-barrel last name?”
“Lincoln Knight-Dimitrou?”
“Just for me. We can give the children your last name,” I add.
“You’ll be okay with that?” she asks.
“Yes. For you, I’ll be okay with anything.”
She smiles again, and this time, I take hold of her jaw to keep her in place while I press a hard kiss to her mouth.
The phone I got for her starts to ring, and I let her go so she can take the call.