Ever since learning Mairi was indeed at the same place as Vlahos, he had a serious urge to beat the living hell out of the other man. But honor demanded he not do it without a valid reason, and it was to his everlasting regret that Vlahos had not provided him with one.
The man had been nothing but respectful towards Mairi as he bid her goodbye, but it didn’t f**king matter. Damen had seen the look in Vlahos’ eyes.
The other man cared for Mairi, and if Damen made one mistake, he was certain that Vlahos would not hesitate to swoop in and spirit his Mairi away.
“Damen?”
He asked stiffly, “Does it matter? I would not meet with her if I do not need to.”
The words were unexpected. They hurt, and Mairi swallowed audibly, telling herself that he surely hadn’t meant to snap at her like that.
Hearing the tiny sound Mairi made caused Damen to grit his teeth. He was being unfair to her. He knew it, but God, he was so f**king tired these days. Never had he been put in a position to defend himself and his decisions to anyone but because he had chosen to love Mairi, he was now suddenly answerable to practically every f**king person who invested a single euro in his corporation.
She cut him off, saying brightly, “It’s fine.”
But it was not.
They both knew it, and they both knew it had not been fine for some time now.
They didn’t speak for the rest of the ride and when they reached Damen’s home, Mairi couldn’t help it anymore. As he helped her out, she caught his hand and squeezed. When he looked down at her, she said, “I love you.”
Please, please, please say I love you back.
But he didn’t. Instead, he bent down and kissed her lips. “We’re both tired.” His voice was gentle and yet each word felt like a knife stab. “Rest now.”
Mairi nodded.
Inside his house, he watched her climb the stairs alone without saying a word. Her back was stiff, and he knew it was because she was doing her best not to break down.
Use your brain and do not be like other rich fools, letting your c**k rule you. Leave that American slut if you do not want your business to collapse.
Everyone thinks she has you wrapped around her gold-digging finger, Leventis. They are laughing behind your back and they are laughing at us for investing in your company.
The Kokinos are still willing to welcome you with open arms. You only need to publicly dump your mistress to give them their pride back.
Damen walked towards his office, knowing he had another sleepless night ahead of him. But he did not regret it. He did not. He would do everything to keep Mairi at his side and if it meant losing and rebuilding his empire from scratch, then so be it.
He loved her. He did not and would never regret choosing her over everything. He just f**king wished she was not…he just wished she hadn’t changed so much.
Where was the Mairi he knew who had been so happy about teaching? Where was the Mairi who had been so adamant about not depending on him for money? Where had that Mairi gone?
Morning came and Damen still did not possess any answers to the questions that continued to torment him. He took a quick shower and when he came out with a small towel wrapped around his body, he saw Mairi rubbing her eyes.
“You didn’t sleep.”
Her pouty voice had him smiling despite everything. It was a cute sound and arousing, too. It made him wish he did not have back-to-back meetings scheduled for the entire day.
Walking to the bed, he bent down and took her lips for a kiss. She tasted sweet and hot, and it took a lot of effort for Damen to pull away. “I’m sorry I did not get to sleep next to you last night.”
“Did you stay up all night working?” she asked worriedly.
He shrugged.
She said hesitantly, “You know I’m willing to help you, right? Just point me in the right direction and I’d do it.”
The hesitation in her voice made Damen wonder if she did truly mean her offer. He said smoothly, “I can deal with my work. It is nothing for you to consider.”
She fell silent, hurt and confused by his constant rebuffs. How had it become like this between them without her knowing it? She used to be able to speak her mind to him but now, she felt like she had to be very careful with everything she said.
“What are your plans for today?”
Pasting a smile on her face, she said airily, “Just stuff.”
“That explains a lot,” he said dryly.
She shrugged. “Just the usual things a billionaire’s girlfriend does.”
“Ah.”
She fluttered her lashes at him. “It includes flirting with you during your lunch break.”
He smirked. “That’s already flirting for you?”
She fluttered her lashes harder.
Even Damen was unable to keep himself from laughing after that. It also made him bend down and kiss her because outrageous and immature it may have been, it did have an effect on his cock, now fully erect.
“You are cruel to tempt me,” he growled against her lips before his tongue swept in, not allowing her to talk while he possessed her mouth.
She was sighing when he lifted his head, and the familiar dreamy expression on her face made his lips curve, and they curved even more when she whispered, “Hi.”
He said with a soft chuckle, “Hi.”
Mairi suddenly felt shy but in a good way this time. “Can’t you spare a few minutes, so we could just talk? I…I miss you.”
“I will do my best to come home early tonight,” he compromised.
She brightened. “That would be nice. How early?”
“Ten.”
“Th-that’s early?”
“I have calls scheduled after midnight with my general managers in Dubai and New York. I will move them a few hours earlier, but it will still not allow me to go home like a normal nine-to-five man.”
“Oh.”
The disappointed look on her face made him shake his head and press a tender kiss on her lips. “I will do my best to come home earlier. That is all I can promise you.”
Feeling guilty at being so selfish, she said, “It’s okay. Don’t mind me. I’m just being a brat.”
“But a sexy brat.” His hand curved around her breast possessively.
She gasped.
Squeezing her breast, he murmured wickedly, “Remember how this feels throughout the day, hmm? It will get you in the mood for tonight.”
She hesitated then slowly, she lifted her hand to grip his cock. When her fingers tightened around him, Damen gritted his teeth in an effort to control his need to ravage her.