Greek Tycoon, Wayward Wife(35)

‘Oh, of course,’ she said acidly. ‘We’re in public again.’

Rion’s mouth hardened. ‘And what? You think you can use that as an excuse to keep pretending that what’s between us isn’t real?

‘No. I think I’ve spent the last week being exactly the kind of wife you thought you wanted me to be, but it hasn’t appealed to you in the slightest.’

He looked her in the eye, knowing his comeback could be a dire mistake, but too incensed to let it go. ‘Or maybe that’s just what I let you think.’

Libby stared at him, fresh horror crashing through her, demolishing everything.

He’d known what she was trying to do, and he’d spotted that so long as he left her to it he would get exactly what he wanted—a wife ‘gracing the marital home’ for the duration of his campaign. She felt sick. How had she spent the last week failing to see that he was using her again? That light at the end of the tunnel—that glimpse of the Rion she remembered—had been a mirage after all. He did just want to control her.

‘Ah! Mr Delikaris.’ Libby spun round to see an old man who looked a bit like Father Christmas in black tie approaching them. ‘And this beautiful young woman must be your wife.’ He smiled at her benevolently.

Rion nodded. ‘This is Libby. Libby, it’s my great pleasure to introduce Georgios Tsamis.’

For the first time in her life Libby was grateful that social niceties had been so drummed into her as a child that they came naturally, even now, when her mind was in complete disarray. She held out her hand. ‘It’s a pleasure to meet you.’

‘And mine to meet you,’ Georgios said sincerely. ‘And may I say—if you don’t mind—how pleased I am to hear that the two of you have recently been reunited.’ He leaned towards them with a wink. ‘What a joy it is to see two people so in love.’

Libby’s nausea rose with a vengeance. Oh, of course—Rion wouldn’t have put himself through kissing her just for the benefit of a few citizens. He must have seen the Mayor approaching from a distance and timed his move exactly.

‘The staff here will see that your bags are taken to your room,’ Georgios explained, looking over to where the valets were carefully parking cars and loading luggage onto trolleys. ‘And if you make your way through the main atrium you will see that food and drinks are being served in the Rose Garden. Anything else you need, please just ask. For the next twenty-four hours I want you to think of this as your home.’

‘Thank you.’ Rion smiled, pressing his hand stiffly into the small of Libby’s back. ‘I’m sure we will.’

‘Wonderful.’ Georgios beamed. ‘Now, if you’ll excuse me…’ He looked a little sheepish. ‘Mr and Mrs Spyros have just arrived.’

Rion’s face was the picture of civility. ‘Of course.’ He nodded, motioning for him to go ahead and take his leave.

‘How convenient that Georgios is such a poor judge of character,’ Libby hissed as they walked through the main house towards the garden. ‘Else it would have been obvious that I’m only here because you’re blackmailing me.’

Rion’s whole body tensed. He glanced around to check whether anyone else was in earshot, but thankfully no one seemed to have heard. Yet. Gamoto! Thanks to his damned pride, he’d tripled the risk of having her here—and for what?

He swooped on two glasses of rosé from the tray of a passing waitress, handed one to Libby, and took a large gulp of his own. But just as he was about to attempt some serious damage control, Eurycleia came bounding towards them.

‘Oh, how delightful to see you both!’ She kissed them both affectionately on each cheek. ‘Now, I know you’ve probably got a hundred important people to see this evening, but I just had to come over and see that you’re well.’ She furrowed her brow in motherly concern. ‘Is there anything you need? I can bring round some more biscuits if you’re short. I’d only need to pop in for a minute—’

‘Thank you for the kind offer,’ Rion interrupted, ‘but Libby’s been keeping us fully stocked in the biscuit department.’

Eurycleia clapped her hands together in delight. ‘Oh, but of course—just as it should be.’ She turned back to Rion. ‘Though you mustn’t let her spend too much time in the kitchen. A woman must have her own life too, you know.’

‘My thoughts exactly,’ Libby replied gravely. ‘And I have no doubt that Rion will soon have every reason to beg for your return.’

Rion scowled at her as Eurycleia’s face lit up.