The Maid's Best Kept Secret (The Marchetti Dynasty 1)

‘No. I’m not ashamed to admit I just about know how to boil an egg and that’s it. I’m certainly not at your level of proficiency. That’s all Mathilde’s domain.’

‘Mathilde?’

‘The housekeeper here. She looks after a couple of the apartments and lives in one herself. She comes and goes. You’ll meet her tomorrow. There are some prepared meals in the fridge.’

Maggie made a note to explore later, following Nikos again as he led her through a media room and into a long corridor with rooms off each side. His office, a gym with a lap pool, and then the bedrooms.

He opened a door, letting her precede him. ‘This is yours and Daniel’s suite.’

She avoided his eye, stepping inside. She wasn’t sure what she had expected, but she told herself she was relieved she had her own space. There was a small room for Daniel beside hers, an en suite bathroom and a walk-in wardrobe. Empty at the moment.

He was leaning against the doorframe. ‘I’ve never shared my bedroom with a woman, and even though we’ll be married I think it best that we have our own space.’

Maggie kept her expression carefully neutral. ‘That’s fine—I’d prefer that.’

And she told herself she meant it, even though she felt a little hollow inside. Of course a man like Nikos would feel stifled by something as domestic as sharing a bedroom with his wife.

He straightened up from the door. ‘After you meet the stylists tomorrow they’ll stock up your wardrobe.’

Maggie felt self-conscious. ‘I have clothes.’

He responded smoothly. ‘I know, but you’ll be expected to dress to a certain...standard—and naturally I don’t expect you to pay for that. Plus you’ll need evening dres

ses for functions like the one we’re going to tomorrow night.’

That stung—but what had she expected? Nikos owned part of the world’s largest luxury conglomerate. Of course she’d have to look a certain way.

And then she thought of what he’d just said. ‘Wait...what function?’

‘It’s a gala charity event—we’ll use it as an opportunity to appear in public as an engaged couple for the first time.’

Suddenly Maggie felt insecure. ‘I don’t think I’m going to fit into this world very well.’

Nikos took her in: the plaid shirt, the worn jeans. Her hair up in a haphazard knot, with tendrils falling down. No make-up. Scuffed sneakers. Yet still she managed to exert a pull on his libido that was unprecedented. Not even her scruffy attire could hide her very natural beauty.

‘You’ll fit in just fine with a little polish. I’ve already released a statement announcing our engagement and the fact that we have a son, so the news is out. We were already papped on the way in here. Impossible to escape them in Paris.’

Maggie had the sensation of a net closing around her. ‘Why didn’t you tell me you were doing that?’

Nikos looked perplexed for a moment—and then Maggie understood.

She answered for him. ‘Because you’re not used to deferring to anyone else. Well, for starters, you can inform me of anything that affects me or Daniel before you tell the rest of the world.’

Nikos looked unrepentant as he said, ‘Then I should probably inform you that I’ve arranged for us to be married next week by special licence.’

Well, she’d asked for that.

Her legs felt suspiciously weak. ‘When did you organise all this?’

‘Yesterday after you left the hotel and while we were on the plane.’

She absorbed this.

‘Maggie?’ he said.

She looked at him, feeling as if things were spinning out of her control. ‘I know I’ve agreed to marry you—I just hadn’t expected things to move this fast. Why does it need to happen so quickly?’

Nikos’s mouth firmed. ‘Because image is everything in this world, and the sooner we put out a united front, with Daniel, the sooner any speculation or gossip will die down.’