"Dude"
Eighty-eight days later...
"Hello, wife."
Oh, dear Lord.
Please save me from the diabolically sweet voice purring into my ear.
I excuse myself from my friends and walk out of the library before answering him. "Yo, dude."
Stelios sighs, and even though I know he's just faking it, I'm still tempted to delude myself into thinking it's all real, and that Mr. Billionaire here is genuinely disappointed I never call him 'husband' in return.
"Are you still in school?"
"That's a rhetorical question, isn't it?"
"Why would you say that?"
"Because you're like Theía."
"Cunning?"
"Controlling."
"I object, wife." His denial is immediate and expected, and somebody please give this wickedly sexy man an Oscar because he even manages to sound offended. "I believe what you always mean to say is 'protective'."
"Hmm. Let me see. Two bodyguards shadowing me wherever I go, a female bodyguard enrolled in my university to keep an eye on me while in class, and a GPS tracker embedded in my wedding ring. Is that your definition of 'protective'?"
"Do you want my honest opinion?"
"Always."
"My definition of 'protective' also includes having three bodyguards working incognito—-"
A choked laugh escapes me. "You really are the most controlling—-"
"Again, wife—-I think what you mean is 'protective'."
"—-and freakishly obsessive guy in the world. Aren't you?"
"I am."
I only mean to tease him, but when I hear Stelios' too-casual tone, I know right away he's taking me way more seriously than he should, and my heart aches even as I force myself to cluck my tongue. "Don't be so cocky, Mr. Diamandis. You may be the most controlling guy in the world, but the jury's still out on whether you can be just as bad as my theía."
A moment passes, and then I hear Stelios drawl, "Is that so?"
His tone is now more lazy than casual, and I bite back a sigh of relief.
"You know it's so, but I honestly don't mind because I know it's just her being—-"
"A pseudopsycopath?"
"Protective."
My husband snorts, and I'm barely able to suppress my smile. I'd never have imagined I'd be one day married to a man like Stelios Diamandis, but what's honestly surprised me even more since then is how we became each other's best friend...and because of Theía, of all people.
I would have taken offense if anyone else had referred to the older girl as a psycopath. Stelios is the only exception, and it's because I know he's the one person in this world who knows better than to judge my aunt for her condition.
"What time can you get home?" Stelios asks.
"Late?"
"Is that right?"
Since I've been married to him long enough to recognize that the mildness of his tone is a warning in itself—-
"What I mean to say is, I'll be home in time for dinner—-"
"And exactly what time would that be?"
"Seven-ish?"
"Not a minute past seven then."
"Yes, sir."
"I mean it, wife."
The possessiveness in his tone is enough to make butterflies in my stomach flutter their wings, but because I also know that's just who he is rather than being an indication of the billionaire having feelings for me—-
"Gotta go, dude."
The last thing I hear before hanging up is Stelios swearing in Greek—-
Don't let him get to you, B!
Stelios and Theía may have a lot of things in common, but I can't let myself forget that they're not exactly the same. While I truly believe that neither of them will ever want to hurt me, I also know one of them can without meaning to...and that's what's different between them.
I love Theía, and my aunt loves me back...while I'm in love with my husband, but there's no way he's in love with me, too.
Two more days
His wife was back.
Her scent was always the first thing that would alert him to her presence.
Floral and sweet, with a citrusy touch of spunk. Her scent was the perfect embodiment of her essence: purity combined with courage...and sexy as fuck.
His Bailey was absolutely perfect, and in two days' time, she would also be his, in every fucking sense of the word.
"I'm back!"
She leapt into his view like the cutest little toy springing into view.
"But of course you already know that."
Stelios only smirked. No fucking way was he giving his wife the satisfaction of hearing him say yes...even when what she said was true.
He glanced at the built-in LCD display of their fridge and looked back at her with an arched brow. "6:59 PM? Seriously?"
"What can I say?" his wife asked airily. "I love to live a dangerous life."
"Right."
The dryness of his tone was what did it for her, and his wife finally gave up stifling her smile.
Ah, fuck.
Her smiles always hit him like a ton of bricks. With the sole exception of his friends' wives, the smiles he had gotten from most other women always came with a price. Bailey's, however, were different. Her smiles took nothing at all...while giving him everything.
Bailey crossed her arms over her chest. "Are you being sarcastic, Mr. Diamandis?"