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

‘So what’s Maks’s role in the business?’

‘He’s involved in the fashion and branding end of things.’

‘It’s a pity you and your half-brothers aren’t closer. It was just me and my mum. I always wished I had siblings. I don’t even have cousins.’

She was about to add that she’d always intended having more than one child, but clamped her mouth shut.

Nikos usually resented any intrusion into his personal life, but Maggie was now his wife. He also didn’t like being reminded of when he’d been younger, when he’d wished that he and his brothers were closer.

But reluctantly he confided, ‘It was as if our father deliberately did all he could to keep us apart. Probably to keep us from uniting against him. I think he was afraid that we might do a better job than him, and while he wanted us to succeed him, he only handed over full control through his death.’

He looked at Maggie. ‘What’s your impression of my brothers?’

‘Maks is intense. Sharif is impenetrable.’

‘And me?’

Maggie went a bit pink. ‘Charming—but you’re hiding something much more serious. That evening you arrived at Kildare House, on first appearance I thought you were drunk. But you weren’t drunk at all.’

Nikos was surprised at her assessment.

She saw too much.

He needed to deflect her attention from him now.

‘The one thing me and my brothers have in common is that our father let all of us down.’

‘That’s sad.’

Nikos shrugged. ‘Is it? Maybe it’s better to find out early who you can depend on in life.’

Hours later, Maggie still felt an ache near her heart to think of Nikos and his half-brothers growing up separated by an insecure and domineering father. They’d arrived a short time before at the penthouse apartment of the most exclusive hotel in Athens—one of the Marchetti Group’s jewels.

A grand classic building, it stood on one of Athens’ oldest squares, and from its penthouse they had unimpeded views of the hilly city of Athens and the Acropolis.

Marianne was walking around with Daniel, oohing and ahing at the view. Nikos was due to take Maggie out for dinner and she’d just expressed some more milk for Daniel.

She’d changed out of her wedding outfit and into a pair o

f long trousers and a matching long-sleeved silk top with a round neck. Simple, but elegant. Her stylist had called ahead to the boutique at the hotel and ensured that Maggie’s wardrobe there would be stocked with suitable clothes.

Now she had taken her hair down and was massaging her skull, which was sore from all the pins holding her hair up.

‘Sorry, I had to take a call.’

She turned around to see Nikos walk in, adjusting his jacket. He’d changed too, into a steel-grey suit, and he looked so vital and handsome that her breath caught. He looked up, and that gaze raked her up and down. A flash of heat sizzled straight to her core.

He said, ‘You look beautiful.’

Maggie was embarrassed. She wasn’t used to compliments. She wasn’t sure she’d ever get used to them. ‘Thank you.’

‘Ready?’

‘Will there be paparazzi?’

‘Most likely.’

Maggie swallowed her trepidation. She’d jumped into the deep end with this man a year ago, had his baby three months ago, and married him today. She could handle some photographers. She’d get used to it.