Save Me, Daddy

Wishing he would return to his state of anger from minutes before, I search for an answer. “I believe a young woman should feel love for the boy she takes as a lover.” I shrug. “Adult women don’t have the same requirements.”

“Hmmm.” He seems to weigh my words. “That’s good. It means you require no lies, no false ideas to come to my bed, being an adult,” he says with a hint of mockery.

Feeling trapped, I tip up my chin. “Of course not. We both know how amazing sex can be. Who needs anything else?”

“Indeed.” Jayson startles me by sweeping me into his arms. “I find I’m in the mood for some pleasure after the day I’ve had. What do you think?”

How can I maintain this façade? The last thing I want to do is admit I’ve fallen in love with him just to face rejection. Or even worse, pity. A shudder runs through me. “Why not?”

Jayson is gone by the time I awaken the next morning. Nausea creeps up my throat, making me regret the marathon sex session that had left us without dinner. A quick breakfast of a boiled egg and oatmeal has me feeling better, and my thoughts inevitably turn to Jayson.

To my relief, he’s mentioned nothing else about marrying Sophie and Loukas. Perhaps he’s realized his overreaction to the situation.

Now that Sophie is back in New York, I fully expect Jayson to cut short our vacation and return to the city. In preparation, I go to the master bedroom and pull down my suitcases, intending to pack everything except a couple of outfits, in case we stay through tomorrow. My suitcase is half-filled when a knock sounds. “Come in!”

Irina enters, clicking her tongue when she sees the luggage. “I will do that, Kyria.”

I wave a hand. “It’s fine, Irina. It keeps me occupied.”

The older woman scowls. “You have a visitor to keep you occupied, if you want to receive her.”

I arch a brow. “Who?”

Irina appears to be choking when she says, “Maia Papadas.”

Grimacing, I say, “Tell her Jayson will be back sometime later in the morning.” That may or may not be true, but it should get rid of her, at least for a little while.

“She asked specifically for you, Kyria Harper.”

Ugh. “I wonder what she wants.”

“I can send her away,” suggests Irina with an unaccustomed hardness in her gaze.

Shrugging, I figure I should deal with it. “Thank you, but no. I’ll see what she wants. I might as well get it over with.” After the display Jayson and I gave her at Sophie’s party, I half-expected a confrontation with Maia.

I take a moment to comb my fingers through my hair and gather my wits. My stomach clenches with nervousness as I leave the bedroom and walk downstairs to the salon. With each step, I try to remind myself that Maia can’t hurt me, no matter how catty she might become. After all, I have the man Maia wants, so I’m the ultimate winner in any battle.

Maia has draped herself artfully on a sofa, the white fabric highlighting her golden-brown skin and turquoise sundress that looks deceptively casual—meaning it probably costs a fortune. She swings one foot, encased in silver sandals with dangerously high heels, as though she hasn’t a care in the world.

Hovering in the doorway for a second, I force myself to enter the room and take a seat across from the other woman. “Hello,” I say with as much coolness as I can muster. “To what do I owe this pleasure?”

Maia’s eyes narrow, but then her mouth curves into a satisfied smile. She leans forward slightly, as though preparing to attack. “I knew there had to be a reason.”

“That’s what I’m trying to discern. What is the reason for your visit?”

Maia wrinkles her nose. “I meant there had to be a reason for your marriage. Specifically, for Jayson playing the doting husband.” She taps her long nails, painted silver, against the glass of the coffee table. “I could think of several scenarios for why he would marry you, but not why he would pretend to be happy about it.”

“Perhaps you should consider that he’s not pretending.” I’m proud of myself for not betraying any reaction, though my stomach tightens again. Maia is much too pleased to have news that would be good for me.

Maia’s cold laugh holds more scorn than amusement. “You poor, deluded fool. Do you think Jayson’s fallen in love with you?” She rakes a contemptuous glance over me, clad in khaki shorts and a pale pink tank top. “Did you sway him with your impeccable sense of fashion?” Her lids lower slightly. “Or maybe it was your prowess in the bedroom?”

I shift slightly. “I’m sure there’s a point to your visit, so can you please get to it?”

Maia’s expression is so malicious that it contorts her face into something not even remotely beautiful. “Here is the reason for your marriage.” She lifts a manila envelope from the table and tosses it at me. “I can assure you it has nothing to do with love, you little fool.”

Chapter 32

Harper