Page 42 of The Billionaire's Seduction Revenge

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Somehow, despite having promised herself she’d walk away from Vasilios and Costa, a week later, she was still there, days and nights passing in a blur. Vasilios didn’t intrude too much on their days, though he did spend a pleasing amount of time with Costa and in those moments, Emma almost always excused herself. She didn’t want to intrude on a time that could lead to them healing a breach that would mean so much to both of them, once Costa was gone.

However, for most of the days, Vasilios was either working in the study, or, she discovered after almost a full week, consulting with various top-level medical professionals from around the world, investigating alternative treatments, better programmes, trying to ascertain whether there might be another way forward for Costa, an improved prognosis.

He turned so much attention to this, it became almost a full time job. Emma thought, at first, that this was indicative of his desire to have more time with Costa, but then, it occurred to her that it might also be just the way Vasilios was: determined. A winner. Someone who had to exert control over all things at all times.

The thought sent a chill down her spine, because Jack had been like that, and Emma hated the idea of ever getting involved with anyone, but particularly a control freak.

And Vasilios wasn’t, she reminded herself. Not when it came to her. He was as respectful of her boundaries as she could have wished. Where she made an effort to give him and Costa space, Vasilios did likewise, not intruding on the rhythms and routines Emma and Costa had established many months ago.

Costa continued to go to bed early, so Emma and Vasilios were free to enjoy one another in privacy and away from Costa’s notice—which mattered to both of them. While they weren’t doing anything wrong, it didn’t seem necessary to draw their situation to Costa’s attention.

Emma couldn’t say why, but she thought the older man might be bothered by the relationship.

Relationship?

Was that the right word?

Despite the temporary nature of things, she supposed it was. They were two people who’d fallen into a habit of seeing each other every day. Of sleeping together every night. And when they weren’t together, Vasilios was all she could think of.

Emma startled as he entered the kitchen, her eyes shifting from her view of the sunset to the man behind her. His hand brushed hers lightly, where it rested on the kitchen bench, and a thousand sparks filled her bloodstream, anticipation causing her breath to tighten.

“Hi.”

His grin made her insides squeeze.

“Hi.”

They stared at each other for several beats and Emma felt as though she was falling into a vortex from which there was no escape. A thousand feelings were slamming into her and she had to take a step backwards in an attempt to get some kind of control.

“Are you busy tomorrow?”

She regarded him quizzically. “I’m guessing we’ll be doing this, all over again.”

“Guess again,” he said with a dramatic edge to his voice that made her smile despite her curiosity.

“Oh?”

“I’ve got Costa into a hospital in Paris. Just for the day.”

“Paris?” She repeated, frowning. “He hates hospitals. He won’t go.”

“He’s agreed—on the basis it’s for one day only.”

Surprise flooded Emma. “That’s good, isn’t it?”

He shrugged. “We’ll see. The general consensus is that his prognosis leaves no room for hope, but this hospital has at least agreed to run some more sophisticated tests. There’s a chance…a small chance, but a chance, none the less.”

Emma smiled. “Wonderful.”

“Don’t get your hopes up,” he quickly countered her enthusiasm.

She nodded, but how could she help it? Hope was hope, not a sensible, rational idea. “So you’ll take him?”

“We’ll take him,” Vasilios said, moving closer to her and latching his hands behind her back. Emma immediately looked towards the door, but of course there was no real risk of Costa striding into the kitchen. He’d been wheelchair bound for the last two days and apart from anything, it had a slight motorised noise as it went through the house, so he could hardly sneak up on anybody. “And while he’s in the hospital, we can spend the day together.”

Her heart turned over in her chest. “In Paris?”

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