Chapter 11
T O PREVENT HERSELF from missing Damen too much and making herself sick with worry about what he and Alina Kokinos would talk about when they met for lunch, Mairi decided to accept double her usual number of article requests.
After her shower, Mairi had already dressed herself for another day at the library, choosing a pretty but modestly designed off-white dress, before changing her mind about going out.
Yesterday’s disguise had been an epic fail thanks to Damen’s entrance. Her lips quirked at the memory. He had walked towards them like he was Keanu Reeves in The Matrix. Was it a surprise people had gawked at him and realized he was “someone” even if they didn’t know his actual identity?
It was pure luck that no one had sent a photo of the three of them together – him, Ioniko, and her – to the press, but she was not going to take her chances again. She didn’t need more of the media’s attention, and Damen certainly needed it less, considering how sensitive negotiations seemed to be between his company and investment partners.
Mairi had devoured all the news reports she could about Leventis Inc., and all of it painted a grim picture for Damen’s business. And it was all because of her. She had turned him into the laughingstock of Greece’s business community, but he never said a word about it.
She would do her best not to add to his problems , Mairi swore to herself. And that meant she was going to work right here – even if it also equated to struggling with writer’s block more often.
Just the thought of having to get past writer’s block made Mairi sigh. At the library, she was surrounded by people, and the constant buzz and movement distracted her from dwelling too long and too often on her thoughts. But here at home, surrounded by Damen’s scent, she couldn’t help but think, couldn’t help but miss him, and she couldn’t help but worry.
Things had never been perfect between them, but something had changed and it wasn’t for the better.
With another sigh, Mairi headed for the study. There was no point dwelling on it. She just had to wait until Damen was ready to talk to her. For now, she was better off concentrating on her work.
And work she did, typing until almost every part of her body ached – her body, neck, shoulders, and oh, her poor fingers! They felt so stiff now it was a wonder she could still move them.
Her eyes felt tired, and she had to re-read her words several times to make sure she got it right.
At one point, she had written “The cat became pregnant with coffee” when she was supposed to write about the best way to choose a domain hosting site.
Mairi glanced at the wall clock, which was beautiful in its simplicity but gasp-worthy, too, with its frame made entirely of 24-karat gold.
Nine-fifteen.
It had her stretching in her seat before getting up. Her stomach growled as she did, reminding her that she had barely eaten throughout the day – and night. Mairi ignored it, already too tired to make herself anything. She climbed up the stairs to their room, telling herself she’d only take a fifteen-minute nap.
But the nap turned out to be more than what it should be. She was so tired she succumbed to a heavy sleep, and she didn’t even stir when Damen came inside their room and stopped next to the bed.
She was dressed like she had gone outside. Where had she gone and why did she seem so tired? He could easily get her bodyguards to answer him, but he resisted the urge. Doing so meant he did not trust her—-
But I trust her.
“I trust her.”
“I trust her.”
“I trust her.” And yet even with Damen repeating the words so many times, he still couldn’t make himself sound like he meant it.
****
A S DAYS PASSED, HIS puzzlement turned into unease, which later deepened into resentment. Why did she have to fucking change? Was she really so enamored with doing whatever the fuck she did when he was working in his office that she now loved his money more than she loved him?
Whatever it was that Mairi was doing, it must be so tiring , he thought sarcastically, that she had to blow two thousand dollars on a fucking spa treatment. It had been the first item on his most recent credit card statement and he had been so disgusted by it he had simply signed the check to pay his dues without checking the rest of the statement.
He was no cheapskate. His former mistresses had spent ten times more than that when they had gone to their favorite spas, and he hadn’t cared. But somehow, when it was Mairi involved, it did not feel right.
The memory of it set him on edge, and he moodily stared at his half-empty mug of coffee. Mairi used to prepare him one every morning, and it would always be ready by the time he came down to the kitchen. Now—-
“Good morning.” Mairi’s voice was a little wan as she joined him in the kitchen, interrupting his thoughts.
Looking at her now and noting the air of exhaustion that never seemed to leave her these days, he remarked casually, “You look tired.” She did not appear wasted but she did appear weary – too much so for someone who for all intents and purposes did not have a job.
Mairi flinched at Damen’s words. Did that mean she appeared ugly to him now, only he was too polite to tell her so? With him seated across her looking like a marble statue come to life, she couldn’t help feeling so.
Not wanting him to know she was hurt by his words, she said flippantly, “Too much partying.”
His lips tightened, but he chose not to comment, knowing if he did it would not be nice words. Again, he was tempted to ask for a report from the bodyguards he had tailing Mairi. But nowadays, it had become a matter of trust and pride.
Esther made constant digs about Mairi in the office and the words inevitably reached him, too. Did her son really know what that American whore was up to when he was away from home?
No. He did not. But he loved and trusted Mairi. He would not let Esther ruin things for him. And if she continued pushing him, one day she would push him too far and she would regret it.
“Are you going to the office?” She wished she could tell Damen that she missed him, but the words were stuck in her throat. More and more, she felt like Damen was withdrawing from her and she had no idea how to stop it.
“Yes. I don’t have any pressing meetings today, but I like to spend a few hours in the office all the same.” He added smoothly, “I like making good use of my time.” The barb hit home. He could see that it did with the way Mairi’s face whitened, but he wasn’t pleased it had.
Was being underpaid for hours of copywriting a good use of her time? Someone like Damen Leventis probably wouldn’t think so. He would think she was being an idiot to enslave herself like this. But what else was there for her to do?
She said hesitantly, “When I’m here at home I normally—-” She stopped, seeing Damen take a discreet look at his watch. “You should leave now,” she said instead. “It’s not good for the boss to be late and set a bad example.”
His answering smile was brief. “Thank you for being understanding.” He stood up and went around the breakfast counter to press a perfunctory kiss on her forehead.
“I love you.” She just couldn’t help saying it.
“I love you, too.” He smiled again, but this time it didn’t reach his eyes.
She quickly looked down and concentrated on her toast as Damen walked out, one teardrop falling silently on her plate. He didn’t want to hear how her days went. Mairi took deep breaths, trying to convince herself that it was only because he was being subjected to too much pressure at work.
Thousands of people depended on him for their livelihoods, and yet his ability to pay for wages had been undermined and challenged when he chose to tell the world he loved her. Whatever he did now, she mustn’t forget that. It would excuse...everything. It had to.