Page 17 of The Billionaire's Secret Twins

I stared at him, my heart pumping.

“Greece, you mean?”

He winked.

“That’s it, exactly.The island’s name isn’t actually Santorini.It’s officially Thira, although all non-Greeks call it Santorini, after Saint Irene.”

I stared at him because I’ve never left the United States before.Sure, I’ve traveled around a bit, but it was mostly within Texas, with a few jaunts to Broken Bow in Oklahoma.New York City was already the experience of a lifetime, and the beauty and majestic spirit of the Greek Islands would be a welcome treat.

Plus, Dominic was determined, and within twenty-four hours, we were on his private jet, ensconced in the utmost luxury.I tried to settle into the butter-soft leather seats as Dom clicked through a powerpoint presentation on his laptop.

“Help yourself to a snack, sweetheart,” he winked as a flight attendant came by with a spread fit for a king, complete with delectable baked goods, grass-fed butter, as well as all sorts of cute jams and jellies in little pots.“But we’ll be having dinner at Taverna Cyclades, a Michelin-starred place, when we land, so don’t spoil your appetite.”

I tried to keep my astonishment to myself because usually when I dine out, I’m limited to fast-casual chains.A trip to TGIFridays or Chili’s is always a treat, and I appreciate the endless salad and unlimited bread sticks.But an acclaimed restaurant with a celebrity chef that was sure to cost in the hundreds of dollars?The experience was completely new to me.

But this is how Dominic lives: he always demands the best, and he wanted me at his side 24/7.We stayed at his penthouse in Santorini, and it was sun-soaked luxury at all hours.He retains a cute elderly lady to cook for him named Elena, and her husband, Spiros, is the groundskeeper.We wined and dined without a care in the world while sunning ourselves, and also had loads of sex on every surface whenever Elena and Spiros were out of earshot.

But it’s not just the physical connection between me and Dom, nor is it the gorgeous scenery of the Greek Isles.The alpha male and I actually get along, and I found myself telling him things that I don’t readily reveal to other people.

“So how did your husband die?”he asked one day as we were enjoying a leisurely lunch on the terrace.I almost choked on my strawberry, but managed to turn it into a discreet cough.Then, I looked out on the blue seas of the caldera, with the lush greenness of the Kameni Islands in the distance.

“It was a car accident,” I say in a neutral tone.“We were t-boned by a truck, and Ned died instantaneously on impact.I was buckled into the passenger side, so I was thrown around, but ultimately uninjured.”

“I’m glad to hear that,” Dom says in a low voice.“And this was how long ago?”

“It’s been over a year now,” I say in a quick tone.“I’m not sure if I told you this during the interview, but I quit my job after I got married.I was a lady of leisure,” I say with what I hope is a playful smile, “but Ned’s life insurance was running out, which is why I applied for the housekeeping position with you.”

“I see,” Dom says in a deep tone, his expression thoughtful.“I’m sorry that you went through such a difficult time in life.But you seem to have come out okay, sweetheart, although you must miss your deceased husband.Do you?”

I pause, my heart pounding, because this is the perfect time to change the subject, or brush his question off like it’s nothing.But I look into Dom’s face, and his eyes are gentle and inviting.The harsh planes of his features are relaxed from the sun and sand, and before I realize what I’m doing, I’ve blurted out the truth of my marriage.

“I don’t miss Ned,” I whisper, staring at my hands.“Not at all.”

A beat of silence passes.Then Dom asks, “And may I ask why, sweetheart?Surely, you married your husband for love.”

I take a deep breath, my big bosom rising in a bikini top, and to my horror, there are tears on my lashes.Drat!How did this happen?This was supposed to be a no-strings vacation where we’d forget our cares, but instead, I’m revealing my hidden wound to this powerful man.Oh god, am I making a mistake?

But I look into Dominic’s eyes, and the care and consideration I see there makes my heart swoop.So I nod slightly, and decide to tell the truth.

“Ned was one of those guys who’s perfect on the outside,” I say in a slow tone, my voice trembling only slightly.“He had golden hair, bright blue eyes, and looked like a male model.He was a successful realtor, and I could hardly believe that he was interested in me, Angie Harris, who worked as a maid at a hotel.That’s how we met.”

Dom nods thoughtfully.

“I see.”

I let out a short laugh.

“But all that glitters isn’t gold because almost as soon as the marriage certificate was signed, Ned began to beat me.It wasn’t so bad at first: just a slap here or there that stung, but never left any marks.He was always so apologetic afterwards, and would cry even.He’d swear up and down that it would never happen again.”

“But it did,” Dom states in a deep voice, his bronzed features harsh.

“Yes, it did,” I say quietly.“The beatings got worse too.He began to knock me to the ground, and there were visible bruises on my abdomen, although he never hit me in the face, neck, or arms.I began to retreat from life too,” I add in a soft tone.“Friends would call, and I wouldn’t call them back.I lost everyone who cared about me because I was existing in the ninth circle of hell, and yet no one knew.By then, I’d quit my job, so I had no co-workers.My family is all dead, and I’d lost my social circles.”

“So you suffered in silence,” Dom rasps.“All alone.In pain.”

“Yes,” I whisper while staring down at my hands.Then, I look up at the alpha male swiftly.“Ned made me feel terrible about myself.That’s one of the things about abuse: you know cerebrally that it’s not your fault, and yet you feel like it is.You think that it’s somethingyoudid.That if you could change yourself, that he’d stop, and that’s why victims take so long to leave.I was humiliated, embarrassed, and he made me feel about two inches tall.Ned didn’t just beat me.He also verbally abused me by telling me that I was frigid, and that no man would want me as a result.”

Dom sits forward in his chair so fast that it jerks on the floor, his big hands gripping the arm rests.

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