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“You don’t understand—-”
“Don’t bother explaining.”
Mairi stopped, the arrogant tone in Alina Kokinos’ voice making her flinch. It was déjà vu of the worst kind, the way it reminded her of how she had begged another Greek’s understanding.
“You have nothing to be guilty about either. Damen and I have been sharing a bed, too. Only, he has been racked with guilt the whole time, unable to commit to me because he feels guilty about what he has done to you.”
Chapter 4
Damen Leventis’ face completely lost all color as he sat upright in his seat, his gaze arrested by the news on TV.
Mairi was here.
Mairi was here.
Mairi was here.
A man Damen did not recognize at all had been the first to step out of the car that slowed down in front of the Tanner home. He then held out a hand and a moment later, he was assisting Mairi out. She looked beautiful, dressed simply in a dark red blouse and slacks. A little pale, but she certainly looked better than Damen did, slimmer but stronger.
He could not breathe at the sheer joy and relief that hit him at seeing her again, the feelings so strong it almost brought Damen to his knees.
She was okay.
She was alive.
A second later, he was striding out of his hotel room. Damen didn’t care what he had to do. All he knew was that he would do whatever it took to see Mairi.
DINNER WAS A SILENT and tense affair in the Tanner home, with both Mairi’s aunts acting strange and almost nervous. They had welcomed her warmly and that was to be expected, but Mairi had also seen the slightest bit of dismay in their gazes. It was as if they wished she hadn’t come home – or at least, not right now.
When they retired to the living room to enjoy coffee, the same uncomfortable atmosphere remained, with Vilma and Norah occasionally looking and frowning at each other as if they were having a silent argument. Someone knocked on their front door, and Norah and Vilma both stiffened.
Mairi finally asked, “What’s bothering you two?”
Surprisingly, it was Drake who answered her. She had been doing her best to ignore him, but it was difficult with the way he made her feel so self-conscious. She knew it was deliberate on his part. She wasn’t stupid. Drake truly did want her, but he did not love her and he wouldn’t care that she didn’t love him either. What she couldn’t figure out was why he was playing the lover card to the hilt, using everything in his undoubtedly extensive sexual repertoire to make Mairi feel hyperaware of his desire for her body.
“They are worried about you.”
She forced herself to say lightly, “I admit I’m not back to my normal self, but I’m not suicidal.”
“That is extremely good to hear,” Drake said in his now-familiar bland voice, “because your former fiancé is the one knocking on your front door.”
Mairi paled. “Tell me that’s just a bad joke.”
“It’s not. I posted a few guards outside, and one just texted me about Damen’s impending arrival five minutes ago.”
“And you didn’t stop him?”
He said evenly, “No. I did not stop him. That’s not my call.”
She didn’t know what to think. She looked at her aunts, unconsciously seeking their help, but they were just as stoic, as if all three had come to a consensus without her and their unilateral decision was to let her sink or swim.
Mairi’s fingers curled into fists on her lap. She was shaking badly, and her voice shook even harder as she admitted in a whisper, “I don’t think I’m ready to see him.” This morning, Mairi had been sure she was strong enough to look into Damen Leventis’ eyes and tell him she no longer wanted him in her life. But now? Not so much. Not when his betrayal cut her so deeply she didn’t think she’d ever be whole again.
Drake had touched her. She had let another man touch her, and she wanted to die because of it.
But Damen?
Damen had been sleeping with the woman he had once been betrothed to for five years, and no matter what Alina had said, Mairi didn’t believe he could have felt as torn up about it as she felt about her own actions.
If he had...
If he had, then he would never have been able to take Alina to his bed.
The look on Mairi’s face gutted Drake, but he was able to keep himself indifferent. It was one of the blessings and curses of having gone to war, the ability to neutralize all emotions and view everything in black and white.
“It doesn’t matter if you are ready to see him or not. He is here, and now you must make your choice. Do you want him back?”
She didn’t answer.
Unfortunately for Mairi, he wasn’t inclined to wait forever for one. It would do no one any favors if he did. He stood up and walked towards the front door. “Do you want to do this inside or outside?”
