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Her throat was thick with the tears she was choking back She flung the newspaper down In one sense she was the one with the proble what she had asked for He hadon her finger for Elias’ sake How safe and secure had she expected to feel in those circu do within reasonable boundaries and to expect his neife not todeal out of it He was also entitled to expect her to trust hie last if she continually made unjust accusations? She was jealous and insecure, but he should not have to pay the price for that Those feelings, Maribel reckoned painfully, were the price of uy who didn’t love her

Footsteps crunched across the sand A long shadow fell over her as Leonidas drew level with her

Maribel stood up ‘I’ you a fair hearing’

Leonidas expelled his breath on a hiss and pulled her into his arms He rested his brow on the top of her head ‘Onhappened Do you believe me?’

‘Yes’ Maribel gulped ‘You look awfully fed up in those photos’

‘That was the lifestyle I greith and it wrecked the fas destroyed my mother, Elora’s health and infidelity ruined her relationships My older sister followed in her footsteps,’ he acknowledged grimly ‘Elora conceived me by one man on the same day that she married another By the time the truth caht wasup? But I have alanted and needed more from my life’

‘I know’ She found his hands and squeezed theht of how hard she tried to protect Elias froret on Leonidas’ behalf He had been forced to learn hard lessons at too young an age ‘You’re strong But I need to trust you I know that’

‘It’s arded her with level dark golden eyes ‘I should have told you before the wedding but I was too proud—I don’t want anyone else but you, hara mou’

Maribel was unprepared for that adht Suddenly her heart felt light and the shadoere lifting fro He really did want their e to work He was prepared to ht back to her blind foolishness the day before, when she had inforroaned out loud How shortsighted she had been! It was time that she ditched some of her pride and defensiveness

‘With a akes ht to have her wicked ith ly

Maribel flushed to the roots of her hair ‘I didn’t mean to waken you It was dark—I wasn’t sure where I was—’

‘Excuses…excuses’ Leonidas treated her to a s visual appraisal that ht it’ll be my turn, mali mou’

Elias was fast asleep on his stoed him into a cooler position Exhausted, he did not even stir Her son’s days were packed with adventure, for the Pallis estate was a wonderful playground for a child as active as he was Fro in the pool with his parents or just running round with Mouse, as now travelling on a swanky pet passport

Maribel dressed up for dinner It was a special evening because it was to be their last night on Zelos for a while For the past week, Leonidas had been flying in and out on business at all hours in an effort to extend their stay on the island for as long as possible He seeical honeymoon

Certainly, Maribel conceded, she had never dreaht find such happiness so quickly with Leonidas She had first seen him discard his famous reserve with his son, but with every week that had passed since she’d becouard s the most If he had to work in his office for a while, he would co for her afterwards He wakened her to have breakfast with hiodly hour because he clearly wanted her coht out to the helipad and he really loved it if she waited up for him when he was late home

And she had begun to appreciate that all his life he had been horribly starved of genuine affection and any forranted, like sitting down to eat a h value on He enjoyed the sih the citrus orchards to the shore, where their son would toddle in the waves and shout in delight when he got wet Leonidas liked the little rituals of fa, restrictive or outdated What he had never had he wanted Elias to have, and he adored his son Nobody watching Leonidas sreet him could have doubted that