the Billionaire’s Secret Desire(15)

French which he responded in a familiar tone that Lily

recognized and made her feel a little better. He was polite but

there was an edge of annoyance present. Then he flicked a

glance in her direction and smiled subtly before continuing.

―English Cybil.‖ He said softly.

The woman cast a glance at the other occupants of the

car, and then smiled sweetly, ―Of course love.‖ She cooed while

slipping her arm possessively through his and unknown to her,

Max glazed his eyes over Lily from the top of her head to the tip

of her toes and gave her a sensual smile of approval.

If she moved any closer, she’d be on Max’s lap, Lily

thought, missing Max‘s look entirely. She looked up at her

brother who shot her an amused smirk and shook his head

slightly. Like Luke, Max knew that Lily spoke French and

understood every rude thing the woman said about her. He

should know. He tutored her when she was in high school. The

first thing out of the woman‘s mouth was an insult over her

gown, the same gown that Max had asked her to buy. Wouldn‘t it

ruffle the woman‘s feathers if she knew that it was her boyfriend

that suggested the style? She got a sense of smug satisfaction

knowing that Cybil just insulted Max‘s taste not Lily‘s. It may

have not been the three thousand dollar Christian Dior that the

model was wearing but she did think it was just as nice.

Dinner started out well. The Greek clients happened to

be a billionaire and his son who was about Max‘s and her

brother‘s age. It was then that Lily realized that Greek men were

ruthless at pursuing women and confident in their abilities just

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The Billionaire‘s Secret Desire



as much as Max was. Nikos, the son, consistently flattered her

throughout the evening regardless of the fact that she came with

Luke, but no one had let on that she was his sister. Several times

she began to tell them when either Max or her brother

interrupted her. Finally she caught Luke‘s look which basically

told her not to say anything and it wasn‘t until later that she

found out why.

―I have a daughter your age.‖ Said Nikos father Hektor, in

broken English as he gave Lily a look of approval. Then a look of

sadness seemed to fill his eyes. ―She‘s nineteen.‖

―Then we‘re close.‖ Offered Lily pleasantly, ―I‘m twenty as

of last month.‖ She said ignoring Cybil‘s indignant huff. Lily

decided right then and there that she didn‘t like her. She‘d been

extremely condescending and no matter what she was talking

about Cybil made some childish noise, even if it was a simple

statement like now. How Max could be interested in someone

like that went beyond her. After all, he was such a deeply

intelligent man.

―She is very beautiful, like you.‖ Nikos added and smiled

seeing her rising blush. ―Greece refers to her as their sweetheart.

Even though she‘s nineteen, she does an enormous amount of

charity work.‖

Wow, thought lily, what a compliment.



The evening continued on and Cybil had long since given

up trying to gain his attention and was now sulking despite

having the most gorgeous man there sitting next to her she

obviously wanted all of the attention. Lily noticed that Max

didn‘t even take notice of her mood and clearly ignored it. She

knew him well enough to know that he didn‘t put up with the

pettiness that women were capable of. Lily on the other hand

was raised with a brother, no sisters, so she didn‘t understand

the cattiness that women showed each other. Because of that

37

Lietha Wards

most of her friends were male acquaintances, not female and she

was closer to her brother than anyone.

Then when Nikos asked her out to dinner the next night,

she suddenly felt Max‘s hand on her upper thigh squeezing a

warning. Trying not to jump out of her chair at the unexpected

touch and ignore the heat of his large hand she flicked him a

puzzled glance and he subtly shook his head.

Gritting her teeth she politely turned him down.

Although he didn‘t come close to Max, the man was still tall dark

and gorgeous and Max took it upon himself to tell her she

couldn‘t go out on a date with him. She sent a pleading look to

her brother who frowned at her expression. Strike two, she

fumed. She wasn‘t a baby anymore, yet both of the men in her

life basically told her she wasn‘t old enough to make a decision

on who she could date.

On the ride home she remained silent and looked out the

tinted window at the lit boulevards whit her arms folded under

her breasts in anger while Cybil talked a mile a minute in French

again. She was still angry at the both of them. Neither one

seemed to trust her enough to make her own decisions and