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

Maggie fought to hold on to her composure even as she broke apart inside. He wasn’t even putting up a fight.

‘We’ll go back to Kildare House, if that’s okay?’

‘That house is yours, Maggie. I gave it to you in the pre-nuptial agreement. It’s yours no matter what happens.’

‘You did?’ She’d barely read the agreement. She was momentarily speechless but then it hit her—he cared so little about the house he was prepared to give it to her.

Stiffly, she said, ‘I’ll accept it on Daniel’s behalf.’

‘It’s yours.’

Nikos sounded almost angry.

Maggie knew she should walk away now, but a rebellious part of her needed to push Nikos...push him all the way to articulating just how little hope there was. Because she knew if there was any doubt she would never rest easy.

She forced herself to ask. ‘What else is mine, Nikos?’

His eyes narrowed on her. ‘What do you want?’

This was it. A terrifying leap of faith. But she had no choice.

‘It’s not what I want—it’s who. You, Nikos. I want you. All of you. I’ve fallen in love with you, in spite of all your warnings. Because you let me in to see someone that no one else knows. And I think you’re pushing me away because of that...aren’t you?’

She held her breath.

Nikos’s face was pale. ‘Don’t be ridiculous.’

She walked over to him. There was stubble on his jaw. His weariness was palpable. She knew she was risking everything by doing this, but perhaps it was the only way to kill the flicker of hope that might destroy her.

‘I know you want me, Nikos, and I think you feel something for me—maybe not love, but more than like.’

A harsh expression came over his face. ‘Not more than like! I told you I couldn’t offer more than that. And as for wanting you? Desire always fades in the end.’

Maggie absorbed the cruel blow of his words and stepped closer. She put a hand to the back of his head, urging his head down.

Nikos was stiff. ‘What are you doing?’

She pressed her mouth to his before she could lose her nerve, almost forgetting why she was doing it as his scent filled her nostrils and she felt those firm contours. She flicked out her tongue, tasting the seam of his lips. She could feel his tension.

Nikos jerked back and put his hands on her arms, pushed her back. ‘Don’t embarrass yourself, Maggie.’

He really didn’t want her any more.

She faltered. Lost her nerve.

She’d just exposed herself spectacularly and Nikos hadn’t crumbled.

She went on wooden legs to put on her jacket, picked up Daniel’s baby seat.

She walked back to Nikos and forced herself to look into his impassive face. ‘You know where we’ll be. I need to do what’s best for my son now.’

All the way to the door her treacherous heart hoped that he would try and stop her...tell her it had all been a huge mistake. But he didn

’t.

Nikos walked over to the window and looked down into the main courtyard. After a few minutes he saw Maggie emerge, and then the hotel manager, carrying Daniel in his car seat. Not even the image of another man carrying his son could break him out of the numb cold shell that was encasing his whole being.

Because the pain will kill you if you let it in.