by Marian Tee
“Of course he knows what it is,” Shania bellowed.
“Does he?” Stavros asked silkily. He raised a brow at Warner. “Please do tell. What does it remind you of? Because if I’m not mistaken, it’s exactly what the authors described in Chapter 5 of their book.”
The authors’ heads bobbed in agreement, and most of the readers from the crowd were nodding, too.
“It’s clear everyone knows it, so I don’t see why I should…”
“Do you even know anything about Greek mythology, Mr. Fotilas?” To his disgust, instead of answering, Warner looked at his mother for help. What a fucking wuss.
Shaking his head, Stavros said grimly, “Let’s cut to the chase. You obviously have no idea about the book or this launch because contrary to what you’ve been saying in the past half hour, this is not your doing. None of it is.” Before Warner could answer, Stavros walked straight to the curtains and pulled one open, revealing the control room behind it.
Standing at the very center was Willow, with an extremely large peacock feather stuck to her head.
It had him blinking, and he wondered if that was his fault, too. If her taste in fashion was poor before, it was shitty now. Forcing the thought aside, he raised a brow at her. Are you coming out or should I come and fetch you?
Shiiiiiiiiit. One moment she was grappling with her shock at the way the motherfucker had turned the tables around on her cousin, the next moment she was face-to-face with the crowd, the barrier between them disappearing.
And then the motherfucker lifted one arrogant brow at her, and her heart skipped a beat.
Shiiiiiiiit.
Before she knew it, Willow was coming out of the control room and joining the motherfucker on stage. The moment she reached him, he murmured, “What an eye-catching accessory you have.”
“You sound like the big, bad wolf.” The words came out a little breathless, which she hated.
“I bet there’s a nice story that goes with that headpiece.” His lips curved in a faint smile, which made her heart skip another beat. She hated that, too.
“Ms. Somerset, would you be so kind as to share with the crowd your inspiration behind the gold detail on the wall?” Even as he addressed the audience, the motherfucker’s gaze remained on hers.
Gulping at the feel of his eyes on her, she said shakily, “It’s Lethe, the river of forgetfulness, which the authors described as a body of golden water. The waves are so beautiful and shiny that they make anyone who sees them lose his or her memory.”
His smile widened ever so slightly. “Bravo, Ms. Somerset.”
“Uhh…thanks.” She couldn’t stop herself from smiling.
It was a beautiful sight, but for Shania, it was too much. “You attention whore! My son was right about you!” She charged towards her niece, wanting to slap her silly again and again, but before she could even get within three feet of the couple, the billionaire’s security team had surrounded her, preventing the older woman from reaching the two.
“Let go of my mother,” Warner howled as he came to his feet.
Seeing that everything was about to go downhill, the host hastily took the microphone. “And with this, we end tonight’s launch. I’m betting this is the most exciting book launch all of you have ever attended, and what I can say? Only from Hamnet!”
Tremendous applause rose from the crowd, together with cheers and laughter. Even as the crowd filed out of the venue, Shania was still shouting and cursing Willow.
“You will never hear the end of this, never!” She tried to reach for Willow again, igniting Stavros’ temper.
“Worry about your own end, Mrs. Fotilas.” Stavros’ voice was deadly soft. “Because as of this morning, I’ve bought all shares of Hamnet that aren’t owned by your family. I now own 49% of the company, and I’m transferring complete control of it to your niece.”
The words had Shania nearly fainting with furious shock. “Why would you go to such lengths---” The answer came to her, and she started laughing crazily. “She got to you, is that it? She turned you into a lovesick fool, just like how her mother did to my brother!”
Her laughter rang out, the sound almost maniacal. “Stavros Manolis, a lovesick fool!”
The words had Stavros and Willow gazing at each other.
Stavros was the first one to recover. “The contract for the shares will be in your office tomorrow morning,” he muttered tautly before abruptly spinning away to leave.
Only when she saw Stavros walking past the venue’s main doors was Willow able to get her limbs working again. “Wait,” she cried out instinctively as she hurried after him. She knew he had heard her by the way he stilled for a second – before striding away, his long legs able to put so much distance between them in so short a time.
Willow had no choice.
She ran. Shania’s words played in her mind, a song she couldn’t get enough of. Lovesick fool. Lovesick fool. Lovesick fool. It had her running faster, and she managed to run past Stavros and plant herself in front of his car door before he could reach for the handle.
Stavros was stunned. “Move out of the way.”
“Why are you leaving?”
“It doesn’t matter,” he said coldly. “The only thing that’s important is that I’m finally getting out of your life. For good.”
She shook her head. “No.”
He lifted a brow. Excuse me?
Willow threw her hands out. “No.” Dimly, she became aware that they weren’t exactly alone, that there were still a good number of guests in the area, and all of them were staring at the spectacle they were making of themselves.
She didn’t care.
All she cared about was what her aunt said---
“Stop it,” Stavros gritted out.
Stavros. Oh, Stavros. Stavros, Stavros. She could finally think of him like that again.
“Stop it, I said---”
Dreamily, she asked, “Stop what?”
“That. It’s not what you think,” he snapped. “I don’t love you!”
Willow didn’t even flinch, just kept gazing at him, smiling a crazy beautiful smile that had Stavros wanting to shake and kiss her senseless at the same time.
His teeth gnashed as he felt it. Fuck, no. But it was there. The near-drowning sensation, and it was getting stronger and stronger, almost to the point that he could hear the waves tumbling down, and they were all coming from her.
And she was still staring at him that way, dammit.
“Stop it, you stubborn little witch.”
“Huh?” Her tone was even dreamier now.
“You know what.”
“I know what?”
The teasing tone was the last straw. “I’m going.” He spun around. To hell with the limo. He could always hail a cab. As he started to walk, he heard her laughing as she cried out, “Wait!”
And before he knew it, she was in front of him again, arms thrown wide to prevent him from walking past her.
“Will you stop it?”
“I have a proposition,” she said, her voice sexy and breathless.
Fuck. It had him thinking all sorts of things, when the only thing he should be focusing on was forgetting her and not drowning.
“I don’t---”
She interrupted him, saying in the same seductively breathless voice, “Seven days.” Her cheeks were flushed with excitement, and suddenly, he couldn’t help noticing how her bountiful breasts rose and fell rapidly as she spoke. He missed those breasts, dammit.
“Look at me, Stavros.”
A command, a plea, a seduction. Whatever it fucking was, it had Stavros unable to resist her.
“Seven days,” Willow repeated tremulously. “Seven days that you do everything I want, everything I ask of you, and after that…” Her voice trailed off.
He took the bait. He couldn’t fucking resist it either. “After that…what?”
Seven days to make you realize how much I mean to you.
But out loud, she said, “Seven days
and then we’re quits. I forgive you, and I will never bother you again.”
Time passed ever so slowly before Stavros bit out, “You must be out of your mind.”
Yes. She was. Because this was the biggest gamble of her life, and if it didn’t work out, she might as well sign her death warrant. But…she needed to do this. Because---
Lovesick fool. Lovesick fool. Lovesick fool.
What if her aunt was right?
If she was, then it was a chance worth risking.
“Do we have a deal?” Please say yes, please, please, please you beautiful motherfucker, please say yes.
He closed his eyes, the only way to resist the temptation of surrendering to whatever the little witch wanted. “You’re only going to be hurt by this, dammit. You know that, right?”
But she acted like she didn’t hear a thing he said, only whispering in that same throaty voice, “Say yes, Stavros.” Her fingers drifted over his heart.
His entire body shuddered, and Stavros couldn’t move fast enough, ripping himself away from her touch and putting himself out of her reach.
Stavros’ burning gaze raked all over her, and Willow bit back a whimper. Shiiiiiiiit. It had been so long since she had felt his eyes caress her like that. And if it had felt good to have his eyes on her before, it felt even a hundred times more arousing now because…
Lovesick fool.
“Stavros?”
He nearly shuddered again, the sweet plea in her voice reminding him of how deliciously submissive she was in bed. “Yes,” he heard himself say hoarsely. The moment he spoke, the drowning sensation worsened, and it was all he could do not to fucking gasp for air. “We’re going to regret this, both of us,” he said harshly, “but now, it’s too late. So seven fucking days. Because we both know I owe it to you.”
She started to speak, but he didn’t let her. “But afterwards…”
Willow stilled at the grim note in Stavros’ voice. “Stavros---”
His face hardened. “I’ll be out your life for good, and there’s nothing you can say that will stop me from leaving.”
Chapter Five
You were right, you know.
The simplest things take a whole new meaning when I’m with you.
Love, Your Greek Billionaire
“You’re remarkably cheerful.” The warily spoken words came from William, who was already seated at the head of the table when Willow came sailing into their dining room.
Willow stopped dead, not expecting her father out of his bedroom so early. “Aren’t you on enforced bed rest?”
Her father just grunted.
She grinned. “How much are you willing to pay me so I won’t tell on you to Dr. Thomas?”
“You are a horrible daughter,” William replied mildly, and he shook his head when said daughter didn’t even bother to deny it.
As Willow took a seat next to him, he silently observed the few subtle but significant changes about her. First: her dark hair, which was always lovely in his private opinion but was even lovelier now since she had actually taken the time to brush it. Second: her skirt, when normally his daughter would have killed anyone who attempted to get her out of her slacks.
Third, and most noticeable of all, was her…aura. Despite being the CEO of Hamnet Publishing, William was not a poetic man. He was in love with the business side of publishing. It was his grandfather and the ancestors before him that Willow took after, with their passion for word play. But looking at his daughter now, he couldn’t think of any other term that could be a better fit.
She had the aura of someone who was in the delirious throes of first love.
The realization made William grim. If it had happened any other time, he would have felt ecstatic. It was just the two of them alone in the world now, and he wanted to ensure that when he passed away, Willow would be in the care of a proper man.
A proper man, however, was not what Stavros Manolis was.
Willow noticed the sudden chilling set of her father’s features. Frowning in concern, she asked, “Something troubling you?”
“Yes.”
The blunt answer had Willow lowering the piece of toast she was about to take a bite of. “Is it about…last night’s launch?” Since she had woken up, she had done her best not to think about last night’s bad parts. But she also knew she had to face the music soon.
“No,” William answered as he poured his daughter a cup of coffee. “I know enough about it to understand that I need to have a long hard talk with your aunt and her son.”
Shiiiiiit. That sounded bad. “A long hard talk about what?” she asked suspiciously.
His eyes bored through her. “Do you really want me to list it down?”
“Kinda?”
“Willow!”
“But you’re making me nervous,” she blurted out.
William snorted. “Ha. Look at yourself.” His daughter had kicked off her shoes under the table and tucked her legs under her on the chair. “You don’t exactly look like a picture of anxiety.”
It was her turn to snort. “Like you’re so obvious with your feelings. Even at your happiest, you barely smile,” she pointed out. “It’s not my fault I take after you.”
“We’ve gone off topic.”
“But---”
“Suffice to say, it has come to my attention that I have listened to one side for far too long, and this was unfair to you.”
William’s taut tone had her quickly looking down. She busied herself with spreading butter on her toast, acting like she would die if the butter dripped on the edges.
“I’m sorry, daughter.”
Shiiiiiiiiit.
Without looking up, she mumbled, “How did you know?”
That, William thought stubbornly, he would never tell. Last night, Stavros Manolis had sent him a detailed report about all the altercations between Willow and his sister and nephew as well as the steps that the other two had taken to discredit his own daughter.
While he was grateful for the eye-opening information and remorseful of how he had been so blind all these years, it still didn’t sit well with William that he had to learn about it from the billionaire.
The billionaire was the reason Willow had come back to him with her spirit seemingly broken. For that, he wasn’t in the mind to forgive the younger man so easily.
Knowing he owed his daughter an answer, he said vaguely, “I have a few trusted sources.” He changed the subject. “Why are you up so early? Are you heading to the office?” he asked hopefully.
“Err…no.”
Damn. It meant his suspicions were correct, and all the changes were because of that man.
“Father?” Willow was perturbed at the way his face had darkened. “Am I the one in trouble this time?”
William looked up, astonishment in his voice as he answered, “Of course not.”
“You’re sure? You’re really taking my side then?”
This time, William was exasperated. “This is not a child’s game where we need to take sides---”
“I know, I know, but you are essentially taking my side?”
He sighed. “In a nutshell, I suppose, yes.”
Her jaw dropped. “O.M.F.G.”
William scowled. “Language!”
“Those were acronyms!”
“They still count, young lady.” He rubbed his head, which was starting to ache. It was always like this, his daughter resembling a tiny powerful whirlwind that could throw his entire day into chaos first thing in the morning. But in truth, he wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world.
“Why are you in a bad mood then, if not about last night?”
Two can play this game, William thought. “I’m curious myself, daughter. Why do you seem to be in such a good mood?”
Shiiiiiiit.
Her and her big mouth. Gobbling down the last piece of her toast, she checked the time and feigned dismay. “Shit, I’m late---”
“Language!”
She repeated obediently
, “Shucks, I’m late!” Scrambling up, she said, “I need to go, Father. Don’t wait up for me, okay?” She hesitated, then impulsively decided to kiss him on the cheek. “I…” She scowled. “I love you.”
Ah, God. A horrible daughter indeed, scowling just to say she loved her father, but…
He would never ever trade her for anything.
“I love you, child,” William said gruffly. “Take care.”
When Willow turned her back and walked away, she wasn’t the only one whose eyes were a little blurry.
Stepping outside her home, she sent the motherfucker a text, and her first wish for Day One came true as her phone rang. “Good morning, beautiful.”
Willow burst into laughter. “You actually said it!”
A pause then Stavros snarled, “You fucking told me to!”
She laughed harder. “But I didn’t really think you’d do it.”
“I’m putting the phone down now---”
“No, wait, I’m sorry, let me get it out of the way---” She laughed for one full minute before she could get herself under control. “There. Done.”
“Thank you for holding back,” he said sarcastically.
“You’re welcome,” she chirped. “Now, my next wish---” Her lips twitched as she heard Stavros cuss under his breath. “I’d love it if you could fetch me from my home and we could go out for coffee.”
“I’ll send my driver---”
“You don’t have to drive,” she interrupted him lightly, “but it’s my wish that you’d at least be inside the car.”
A pause.
“I don’t think I’ll last even one day.”
She said confidently, “You will.” Because you love me.
Another pause before Stavros snarled, “And will you quit thinking that I love you?”
“I didn’t say a thing,” she protested.
“You don’t have to!”
Exactly.
Another long pause, as if Stavros had just realized what he had practically admitted, before muttering, “I’ll be there in a few minutes.” Stavros hung up first, but Willow wasn’t bothered. She had proven her point, and she would keep proving her point until he got it.