the Billionaire’s Secret Desire(35)

He just continued to chuckle as he led her up the ramp

onto the ship. Nikos was waiting and Helene raced over to his

side, but she didn‘t touch max this time. It‘s too bad, thought

Lily, she really did feel like hitting something or someone.

―I‘ll show you to your stateroom for the night.‖ Said

Nikos, ―And then I‘ll take you on a tour of the boat.‖

―This is like a floating hotel.‖ Said Lily in awe.

―My brother in law, does things in a big way, like you

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said.‖ Grinned Nikos. He actually had this made as a wedding

present for my sister Sophie.‖

Helene made a noise under her breath and when Lily

darted her eyes to her she was sure she saw her expression

darken to the point of making the beautiful woman ugly. It was

then she realized that Helene was incredibly jealous of her little

sister. It was a hard concept for Lily to understand. She would

have loved to have had a sister.

―It‘s too bad you weren‘t here tomorrow. My sister will

hopefully be here by then. I have a distinct feeling you two would

be good friends.‖

‗What?‖ shot Helene with an expression of shock,

―Tomorrow?‖

Nikos gave her a look of surprise, ―Yes, Demetrius is on

his way to get her now.‖ Helene actually paled causing Nikos to

narrow his gaze at her. Something else was going on in his

sister‘s mind. ―What is it?‖

―Nothing.‖ She abruptly shook her head. ―I just

remembered I need to be somewhere else this evening.‖ Before

anyone could say anything she was gone.

Nikos turned back to his other two guests with his

expression masking the rage he was feeling toward his sister‘s

rudeness, ―I apologize to both of you for Helene‘s behaviour, it is

shameful.‖ He focused on Lily, ―Especially to you Lily, you have

been very patient in this matter.‖ He held up his hand as she

opened her mouth to say something, ―No, please, I know what

Helene is like, we all do. Unfortunately she was very spoiled by

my parents and is used to getting what she wants. It is our hope

that she will grow up someday.‖

Lily thought about saying something in her defence, but

then she couldn‘t find anything to say at all so she kept her

mouth shut. It wasn‘t often that she came across someone she

didn‘t like, but Helene certainly sealed it when she kept making

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passes at Max even though the enormous ring on Lily‘s finger

was as obvious as a slap in the face. Not only did the woman

practically run away after hearing that her sister was returning,

she was missing her father‘s birthday celebration. She would

give anything to celebrate another birthday with her father. He

and her mother died in a car crash when she was fourteen.

―There‘s no need to explain Nikos.‖ Max said relieving the

other man of his discomfort, ―Lily was very understanding.‖ He

flinched as she pinched him causing Nikos to bellow with

laughter.

―Is that right? Come, I‘ll show you around the ‗floating

hotel‘.‖ He mused.

After an hour Lily took back her statement about this

being a floating hotel. No hotel she‘d ever been in was this

immaculate. It was decorated in the colors of royalty, red and

gold cloth, with brass accents, high polished wood and expensive

oriental rugs. Although the man who insisted on holding on to

her hand the whole time was more appealing to her. She felt

strangely adored. Not in an uneasy way, but a warm gushy

feeling way. You‘d never know that he was acting by the way he

paid attention to her. Regardless, she was going to soak it up.

Not too long after the guests started to arrive. By the

looks of them, they must‘ve been Greece‘s elite besides a few

recognizable famous faces. Lily‘s jaw dropped seeing a famous

director from the States. ―Max, isn‘t that—―

―yes.‖ He said, ―come on, we have to get dressed for

dinner.‖I hope you brought a gorgeous gown.‖

She stopped, ―Actually I don‘t think I did—not for this

crowd.‖ She didn‘t expect this affair to be so elaborate so she

brought simple dinner dresses but nothing as fancy as this

entailed.

―I have a solution.‖ Nikos said. He had overheard the

conversation and couldn‘t help but intervene, ―come with me,‖ he

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held out his hand but Max only shook his head and took her arm

causing Nikos to smile at his possessiveness.

He led them to the owner‘s suite which was about the size

of a small apartment and opened the door to a large walk in

closet revealing a multitude of designer gowns, ―These are my

sisters—―

―Nikos! I can‘t wear your sisters clothing—― she