A Fling with the Greek Billionaire (25 page)

“Just let me show you something and if you want me to stay away…” He fought for control even as the mere thought of not having Daria in his life tore him apart. “Open your eyes, sweetheart, please, just this last time.”

She opened her eyes, and he wasn’t surprised that she did. She had always been the one with more courage between the two of them. The one always ready to be hurt.

He took out his phone and clicked the browser so he could show Daria his company’s website. “My identity’s not hidden anymore.”

She took his phone shakily from his hands, and as she scrolled down, she saw that a huge photo of him…and Daria…was on the site’s homepage.

“I’ve got my photos on every tabloid, every damn gossip website, and it’s how I want it. I wanted…” He inhaled deeply. “I wanted you to know what kind of risk I’m taking. The whole world’s watching right now—” Nik jerked his head towards the crowd, and that was the only time she realized that unlike before, people weren’t just watching them fight. People were already recording the entire incident because now, they all knew who Nik was.

She looked at him, pale and confused. “I don’t understand.” And she was afraid to. She watched him pull out something from his back pocket and was shocked to see a frog mask.

“I want you to put it on me,” he said gutturally. “Please.” His voice was ragged when she didn’t make a move to take it.

Her heart was stuttering now. Stupid heart. How could it be so excited to get broken all over again? It
would
happen, sooner or later. It always did.

Even as everything inside Nik told him he was leaving himself open for more heartbreak, he forced himself to keep his hand outstretched. Frog mask in his hand, heart on his fucking sleeve.

“Please.” The whole world was hearing him beg now. But he didn’t give a damn. He just needed Daria to take it.

Unable to bear the desperate look in Nik’s eyes, Daria reached for the mask, and her heart lurched at the way tension visibly left Nik’s powerful frame.

Her hands shook as she put the mask on, conscious of the way Nik’s gaze didn’t stray from her the entire time.

Around them, everyone Nik had paid to have pandas with them showed up, and heart in his goddamn throat, he waited for Daria to realize what was happening.

Stepping back when the mask was secure on his face, Daria saw the crowd shifting around them, and her lips parted in silent shock as she saw pandas.
Everywhere.

Panda kites. Panda balloons. Panda cup holders. Panda shirts. And oh God, was that a bare-chested guy with a panda tattoo on his beer belly?

When Daria looked back at him, her eyes were bright with tears that she wasn’t allowing herself to shed. “Nik…”

He didn’t think he had heard a sound more beautiful than his name on her lips, and he had to swallow before he, too, started fighting back tears like a goddamn kid.

He thought about all the twenty-eight frogs that she had met and loved, and it no longer angered him. If anything, the thought humbled him, knowing that the woman who had her heart broken so many damn times could still find the strength to love the worst frog of all.

Nik sank to one knee. It was a fucking embarrassing position, but he knew now that it was the only thing to do to make Daria understand just how much he loved her.
 

Everything had been dramatic and exaggerated with Daria.
 

Throwing a bottle at his head
twice
when they first met…

Pretending she was leaving him, empty suitcase in hand when they last fought…

It was his turn now.

“I want to believe the same way you believe in love…” Nik swallowed. “I want to believe that we have the kind of love that made you not care about what people say or do, even if they tell you you’re being foolish and crazy…”

He thought of Beth Lewis and what could be. He thought of Iolanthe, of Miranda, of people he could have or should have loved, but none of them had managed to get through his heart the way this woman did.

This woman had loved him the way none of them had loved him, but Daria was also the woman he had hurt the most.
 

“I want to stop being afraid like you. I want to stop pushing people away. I want my world to revolve around you, but more than that,
I want to be like you, Daria Everest.
”

Daria covered her trembling mouth at Nik’s last words. No one had ever said something like that about her. She didn’t think anyone would even
want
to say that. She was Daria Everest - the crazy, flirtatious, impulsive girl everyone loved to hate. And here was Nik, telling her he didn’t just love her, but he wanted to be like her.

Nik took a deep breath.
Now or never
, he thought. “I want to love you the way you loved me. Let me love you please, Daria, and I’ll wait until you can love me again.” He pulled his last surprise out from his other back pocket.

 
Daria couldn’t breathe.

It wasn’t a ring.

It was…something more.

It was the paper-cut tiara she had taught “Bella” to do, and as he offered it to her, she realized that he was embracing her fairytale with open arms. He was her frog, and he was asking her to be his princess.

Through the mask, she saw Nik close his eyes and oh God, she wanted to cry, she so badly wanted to cry when she saw him do it.
 

She knew, she knew that it was his way of saying he believed in their love the same way she did. With his eyes closed, he wouldn’t know she was gone before it was too late and the whole world had seen her turn him down.

Defeat crowded inside him, but he doggedly pushed it away even as the silence grew.
He was going to give her as much time as she wanted,
Nik told himself. He had hurt her a lot. It was only understandable she thought twice about trusting him again.

But God, there was so much damn silence—

And that was when he heard it.

The sounds of her footsteps—

Daria was walking away.

That was it then
, he thought dully.

Something hit the side of his head.
What the fuck?
Did this fucking crowd think he was a sitting duck and he was on knees for
them
? His eyes opened and he pulled his mask off.
 

And that was when he saw the bottle right in front of him.

A Gatorade fucking bottle.

A shadow fell over him, and as he looked up, Daria fell to her knees in front of him. She was smiling, but more than that, she was crying.

So many damn tears.

It fell on his hand as she reached for it and placed his hand on her face. “Time to turn you into a prince.” Tears choking her words, more tears falling down her face, and as he raised his other hand to cup her face and cover her mouth with his, more tears flavored their kiss, and they tasted like…love.
 

EPILOGUE

After securely tying the knot of her robe around her naked body, Daria walked determinedly towards Nik’s private stateroom, which housed his office on board. He had promised her he wouldn’t work during their honeymoon, and yet it was just the third day and he was already sneaking off.

Daria shook her head. Did he think she wouldn’t notice? She was his princess,
duh.
Of course she would notice everything he did and didn’t do.

Nik frowned when someone knocked on his door. “Who is it?” When no one answered, he stood up, and upon opening it, Daria launched herself into his arms and caught her mouth with his.
 

He had the presence of his mind to kick the door shut behind her but after that, he was no longer able to think. His hands had immediately slipped inside her silk robe, and his mind had shut down the moment he felt her breasts bare against his palms.

Pulling away, she leaned back against his arms and said, “I knew it!” His laptop was open on the table, its screen lit up. “I’m holding you hostage as punishment!”

Nik frowned, unable to comprehend a single word that his wife spoke. “Err…”

“You’ve been a very bad frog.”

He rolled his eyes, but his voice was mild as he said, “You have to lay that to rest.”

She ignored his words. She knew he was right. Nik looked and acted nothing like a frog. He was more a prince than she was a princess, but she didn’t want to think of that either.

“Anyway,” she said briskly, “as your punishment, I command you to give me…” She paused as she made calculations in her mind. “Umm, seven orgasms!” That should keep Nik busy and too tired to work after.

She kissed him right after, probably so Nik wouldn’t argue with her.
Silly beautiful vixen
, he thought. He would never argue with her about that.

After an indefinite time, he had her on the table, one leg dangling over the edge while he held the other one straight up by the ankle.

The position allowed Nik to thrust deeper into her, and she couldn’t help crying out with every thrust.

A thought occurred hazily to him, and he panted her name out to call her attention.

“W-what?” Her eyes were dazed with desire, most of her concentration focused on the way his cock plunged inside her body with such terrifyingly beautiful force.

“What was the hostage thing about?” he asked.

“I’m…holding you hostage…from work. That’s why you’re here all the time—” She tried to scowl, but she ended up moaning louder at the way Nik suddenly rolled his hips and caused his cock to move a different way inside her.
 

“Oh God, Nik…”

He shuddered, her cries spurring him into a release, and he reached for her clit, rubbing it furiously so she would reach her climax the same time he did.

“Nik!” Her body curved up from the table as she came, and he followed her shortly, growling out his release while he poured all his seed into her.

When he found both his head and his voice, their earlier conversation returned to him, and Nik laughed.

Daria blinked drowsily at him. “What’s funny?”

“Don’t move, mm?” He left her on the table and went to where his laptop was. Careful to keep his naked body away from the screen, he clicked on the necessary buttons to switch off his camera but kept the audio on.
 

After turning the laptop towards the window, he went back to Daria and scooped her into his arms.

“Let me show you what I’m working on,” he told her.

She sighed. “Should I be worried that you’re working on our honeymoon?”

He didn’t bother to answer, only taking his seat before arranging her on his lap. He had her lying against him, her back against his chest, one leg dangled over each armrest.

He started playing with her breasts until her nipples pricked into life. When she started to moan, he took her hand and placed it between her legs, commanding her silently to play with herself.

When she did, he reached for the laptop and turned it towards them.

Daria shrieked when she saw Alyx on the screen. She was in her office, glasses perched on her nose and earphones plugged in.

Alyx winced at her shriek. “Jesus, Daria!”

When her friend turned towards the screen, Daria remembered too late she had her fingers on her sex and shrieked again. Her hands flew to her breasts and then moved down. Her hands crisscrossed over her body several times as Daria furiously tried to decide which part she would cover first.

Nik’s powerful body rocked with silent mirth behind her. “Relax. She can only hear us.”

The words sank in, and Daria shrieked again.

On the screen, Alyx jumped in her seat. “For God’s sake, Daria,” she hissed. “You’re making me deaf.”

“Turn it off,” she whispered furiously.

But her gorgeous husband only smirked. Without taking his gaze off hers, he asked Alyx, “Did you hear everything she said earlier?”

Alyx smiled slyly. “Well…let’s just say I’m keeping count.”

Daria moaned even as her hands still kept moving over her body. She
knew
Alyx couldn’t see her, but with her friend’s face filling up the screen, it still felt like Alyx did.