by Leslie North
Greek Billionaire’s Forbidden Lover
By Leslie North
The Rosso Family Series
Book 2
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Dedications
I dedicate this book to you, my loyal readers. Thank you for all the lovely e-mails, reviews, and support. Without you, this wouldn't be possible.
I’d also like to say a special thank you to Leslie’s Lovelies who have had a huge role in making this book – you’re the best! THANK YOU for all your support.
If you’d like to join Leslie’s Lovelies and get exclusive advanced review copies of my latest books, please check out the Official Page here: http://leslienorthbooks.com/about/leslies-lovelies/
Table of Contents
Greek Billionaire’s Forbidden Lover
Dedications
Chapter One
Chapter Two
Chapter Three
Chapter Four
Chapter Five
Chapter Six
Chapter Seven
Chapter Eight
Chapter Nine
Chapter Ten
Chapter Eleven
Chapter Twelve
Chapter Thirteen
Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fifteen
Chapter Sixteen
Chapter Seventeen
Chapter Eighteen
Chapter Nineteen
Chapter Twenty
Chapter Twenty One
Chapter Twenty Two
Chapter Twenty Three
Chapter Twenty Four
Read an Excerpt from the next Greek Billionaire Romance
Chapter One
“So tell me again why we are in Milan,” Eva said. They were strolling one of the main streets, window shopping. “Not that I mind—the fashions are beautiful this time of year.”
She’d heard the excuse that Alexandra had given to their brother, Antonio—something about Eva wanting to attend an art college. But Eva had absolutely no interest in going to any art college. Their trip to Milan was a ruse for something, she just hadn’t figure out what that was yet. “What is in Milan? Or maybe I should ask who is in Milan?” Eva asked.
Alexandra looked at her sister and then sighed. “A man. One who doesn’t think he is right for me.”
“What’s wrong with him?” Eva asked. She’d always been a champion for her sister. They’d stood up for each other against pretty much everything. And anyone who couldn’t see that Alexandra was as beautiful on the inside as on the outside didn’t deserve her. Eva started to dislike the unknown guy.
Mouth pulled down, Alexandra shook her head. She stopped in front of a window to admire a wool coat in bright red. “Nothing—there’s nothing wrong with him. He’s absolutely gorgeous, but he won’t date me because of a silly little reason. I want to prove to him I’m worth the risk.”
Worried now, Eva asked, “What’s his silly little reason?”
Alexandra smiled, turned from the window, and shook her head. “Sorry, but I’m not saying anything else. Anyway, I need you to do me a favor.”
Eva cringed. “I never like it when you get that look in your eyes—it means trouble for everyone. What do you want me to do?”
“I need to go somewhere tonight and I need you to stay at the hotel and cover for me if Antonio calls to check up on us.”
“You can’t just text him? Where are you going?” Eva crossed her arms over her chest and waited her sister out.
Alexandra sighed dramatically. “Fine. A nightclub. A very exclusive nightclub. He’ll be there.”
Tucking her arm into Alexandra’s, Eva started walking again. “I’m not sure I like that you know where this guy is going to be—sounds a little stalkerish. And how safe is this place? I’m not going to agree to anything unless I’m sure about it.”
“Yes, mother.” Alexandra put her hand over Eva’s. “I just need to do this, and since you have to be twenty-one to get inside—”
“I can’t go.” Eva let out a breath. “Fine, I’ll be the kid staying at the hotel and talk to my friends over the Internet. If Antonio calls, I’ll cover for you. You can be in the bath—a long bath with a massage. But you owe me. And I mean, big time.”
Alexandra grinned and hugged her sister.
Everything was falling into place. Now, all she needed to do was show up at the masquerade party tonight and get Dareios to notice her.
By the time he figured out who she was, he would have already crossed that line in the sand he’d drawn between them and he would be hers!
He might be her brother’s best friend, but she intended to claim him for herself.
Chapter Two
Alexandra Rosso arrived at Club Senza at a quarter past nine.
The invitation to the masquerade party had stated the evening’s entertainment would begin around seven, and Dareios never showed up at anything until the show was well underway. She knew that—hell, she knew more about Dareios than he did about himself. She also knew where Dareios was staying in Milan, but she had a plan.
This… thing between her and Dareios was getting in the way of them being friends. It was getting in the way of everything. She kept thinking about him… and she kept thinking Dareios was supposed to be her brother’s best friend.
That meant she really had to figure out if this thing with Dareios was serious—which he never was—or she had to get him out of her system. Given that Dareios was the original non-commitment guy, the serious was probably not going to happen. But she’d settle for making him hers for a fling that would leave them able to be friends afterwards.
The limo she’d hired came to a stop in front of Club Senza, and Alexandra gazed at the structure. The nightclub was housed in an historic building complete with columns and lions heads on the corners of the balustrade. A marble staircase marked the entrance to the building, and a line of people wound around the corner. This was going to be fun.
She waited for the driver to open her door and then scooted out, making sure her long legs, covered in a lotion that made them shimmer, were the first things anyone watching could see. She took a deep breath of the cool air and mentally reminded herself of her goals.
Find Dareios. Entice him to chase you.
She wasn’t sure if he’d recognize her. It all depended on how much he’d had to drink and how distracted he was. She’d known him forever—he’d gone to school with her brother—but it helped that she’d been away from school for a couple of years. And he’d be thinking she was back in Greece with her family, not here in Italy.
The paparazzi waited near the entrance to Club Senza, cameras ready. A masquerade ball to raise money for the local children’s hospital was a feel-good story, and Alexandra spotted several prominent journalists among the onlookers as well.
The local children’s hospital was currently in the process of building a pediatric cancer treatment wing. Since it would hold a state-of-the-art facility, it had garnered a lot of attention, and some very high dollar contributions—some of it from her family. And that had gotten her an invitation.
Touching the mask on her face and her blonde wig with its wreath of golden laurel leaves, she put on what she hoped was a mysterious smile and took the hand being offered by her driver. Rising, she kept her stare on the steps.
Light flashed from the
cameras, just about blinding her. She ignored the questions thrown at her along with the requests to stop and pose. She had no interest in being in the society pages of any newspaper—she’d been brought up to avoid publicity like that.
Smoothing the slinky fabric of her golden Grecian chiton—a loose, belted gown that fastened at the shoulders with diamond broaches—she headed toward the doors. Two bouncers and a guy with a clipboard were letting in guests. The guy with the clipboard looked her up and down, his mouth hardened. She handed him her invitation and his expression softened back to welcoming.
She headed into Club Senza.
Chapter Three
Music thrummed, the base low but not too loud. She scanned the room. Lights flickered, darting around to spotlight a guest and then moved away again. She could see couples swaying on the dance floor at the far end, near the DJ. On the upstairs floor, other guests mingled, glasses of champagne or other drinks in hand. She pushed into the already too-warm room.
She’d bribed a maid at Dareios’ hotel and so she knew he was coming as Zorro, a man all in black, which might make him hard to find with the dim lighting. But his blue eyes would always make him stand out.
Heading to the bar, she took a vacant seat and ordered cranberry juice with a splash of Vodka and ice. She wasn’t a big drinker, and she’d seen too many in college ruin their grades with too much partying. And even though she was Greek, she couldn’t stand the ouzo her brother and Dareios loved.
She took a sip, and the alcohol warmed her stomach. She tapped her fingernails on the wooden bar. The butterflies in her stomach danced with the beat of the music. Tonight was important. She had no idea when another opportunity to get close to Dareios Anaganos would come along.
Wetting her lips, a guy in a clown suit came over to her to try and get her to dance. She waved him off, and scanned the room again. Dareios would make a dashing Zorro—he had the height for such a hero, even if he wasn’t all that heroic most of the time.
She frowned. Dareios had a reputation as a party boy—a guy who always had a girl on his arm, and a different girl each weekend. Sometimes two. Why was she even attracted to him? She ran a finger around the rim of her drink. Trouble was, she knew why.
She knew it every time she saw him beside the pool at her family’s estate—all that tan muscle and warm skin. That quick flash of a smile. That easy charm. She wanted to kick herself, but she knew it wasn’t love. No, more like the worst case of lust ever.
She wanted Dareios—and he wanted her.
Or at least she thought he did. She’d caught him looking at her more than once. But Antonio had always been protective of her—and Eva—and her father had been the same, which mean Dareios had treated them both like his own sisters.
However, this thing between them was getting out of hand. He was all she could think about. Which was why she’d followed him to Milan. She sipped her drink and scanned the crowd. This wasn’t getting her anywhere.
Standing, she pushed into the crowd, taking her drink with her. The beat thumped around her, inviting her to dance, but she kept her focus on looking for a man all in black, with a cape, she hoped. That would be fun.
The music changed to a softer tune, something slow and romantic. She saw women’s heads turn toward the front door, and she turned as well. Her chest tightened and her breath caught in her throat. Because there—in the doorway—stood Zorro, his hands on lean hips, a black cape hanging off one shoulder, his grin bright against tan skin.
But was it her Zorro who gazed at the crowd with such brash certainty?
Chapter Four
Dareios glanced around Club Senza. He hadn’t planned to attend this event. He’d just finished business in London that had needed his attention and he wanted to get home to Athens. That was very unlike him, he knew, but lately he’d been restless—unsettled when in Athens and yet always eager to get back.
As if something kept pulling him back—but he couldn’t think what. Maybe it was just that he was getting tired of all the parties—they all seemed the same these days. So did the girls. But what else was he to do?
He didn’t want to settle down—in fact, he was a man who shouldn’t settle. His parents had shown him that—his kind needed to always be moving on to the next woman. But when Brian Marconi had told him what the fundraiser was for, he’d immediately changed his plans and come to Milan. How could he not help children?
They were the innocents—they were the ones who needed care. And Brian has also plied him with plenty of ouzo, which now had his head spinning in a good way. Glancing around at the nightclub, however, he wanted to turn around and head back to his hotel. Too many rich, spoiled girls, he thought. Just the type that he’d grown tired of dating.
And then he saw her.
She stood out in the crowd, the light gleaming from her when it found her—golden and graceful. A column of light in this surging crowed. A beacon it seemed to him. And something tugged at him—did he know her?
He couldn’t tell, not with a mask covering her face and that pile of golden curls tumbling over her shoulders and framing her face. But…something tugged at him. Perhaps the way she held herself, like a goddess, as if the crowd around her did not exist, as if she had just stepped from Olympus to amuse herself with the human foibles on display around her.
Dareios nudged Brian. “Who is she?”
Turning from the doormen, Brian glanced at Dareios and then out to the crowd. Brian might be the owner of Club Senza, and a rather all-business American, but even he had come in costume—he’d dressed as a sheik and his wife Tia made a very pretty Bedouin, dressed all in black silk with an alluring veil over her face.
“Who is who?” Brian asked.
Dareios pointed to his Greek goddess. “The vision in gold. And before you say it, I know she’s masked, but you know everyone in Milan.”
Shrugging, Brian shook his head, his keffiyeh swaying. “I don’t believe I’ve ever seen her before. Tia, do you know that woman in gold?”
Tia turned and stared out at the crowd. She shook her head. “Not a clue.” She turned to Dareios. “Why don’t you go introduce yourself? I would say from her attire she either is from Greece or she’s has a thing for Greeks.”
Brian slapped Dareios’ shoulder. “Too late. Looks like another man in a cape has his eye on her now—and women love a vampire.”
Dareios watched another man sweep up his Greek goddess. The man reached out a hand to brush his fingers over her shimmering skin. Dareios clenched his fists against the urge to strangle the guy. Where had this possessiveness toward her come from? He tipped his hat to both Brian and Tia and headed down to the main floor. Time to help that vampire move along.
Chapter Five
Alexandra was starting to regret her decision to come to the party on her own. Since leaving the bar, she’d been propositioned by half a dozen men who needed lessons in the art of talking to a female. Geez, the guys at college had been smoother than that. Now she had a muscled chest encased in a black silk shirt, black cape, and a deep baritone voice blocking her view.
“You look good enough to eat,” he murmured silkily. She looked up to see a would-be Dracula staring down at her with a predatory look in his eyes. When he smiled at her to show off his fangs, she barely refrained from rolling her eyes.
Great, this one thinks he’s something special!
He’d pushed close to her, bringing his body within centimeters of brushing against hers. He brushed a finger over her upper arm. “Sorry, I make it a habit to never become a meal for someone whose name I don’t know.”
The man grinned. “We’re not supposed to reveal our names and unmask until midnight.” He lifted a hand to touch her hair and Alexandra resisted the urge to slap his hand away.
She shifted to move away and told him, “You may not bite, but I do.”
He put his hand on her shoulder. She glanced at his hand and decided he was about to get her drink in his face. She kept her face neutral, and said, “You have f
ive seconds to remove your hand or I will do it for you. And you won’t like that.”
“Don’t be a tease. I’ve been watching you look around. You’re looking for a good time, aren’t you? I can make sure you never forget this night.”
Alexandra was just about to tell him she could do the same for him when another man in black swept in. “Sorry it took me so long, darling. Grab your drink and come with me. Brian has our booth ready.”
She looked up and barely contained a gasp. Dareios had come her rescue. He didn’t seem to recognize her, so she kept her eyes down and dropped her voice to a husky tone. “Thanks, darling.”
Taking the arm Dareios extended to her, she turned away from the vampire and followed toward the back of the nightclub.
Dareios dipped his head and whispered in her ear, “Do I need to take him out back and teach him some manners?”
A shiver ran down her spine. She bit her bottom lip, and then remembered she needed to refrain from acting like Alexandra tonight. She shook her head. “Thank you, but no. And thanks for the rescue.” She flattened her tones and spoke in English. She knew how to hide the faint Greek accent that usually colored her words when she used English. She’d had more than a few American friends in college.
Stopping next to an empty booth, he gestured for her to slide in. She did so and he took the seat next to her. He waved to a waiter to bring them drinks. “I can see why that neck bitter was drawn to you. Your costume is… intriguing.”
Alexandra’s face heated beneath her mask. Be alluring! You’re not his sister so don’t act like it! She cocked her head and pursed her lips for a moment. “And you came as Zorro—and here you are, righting wrongs and saving innocent maidens.”
Dareios smiled. Behind his mask, his blue eyes glittered. The waiter brought over glasses of champagne and Dareios offered her one. “Innocent and a maiden? And here I took you for a goddess. I was actually saving that poor vampire from you striking him down with a bolt of lightning.”