Page 20 of Secrets, Lies and Love

The fact that she piques my interest is just further proof that I shouldn’t hire her. The last thing I need is to feel hot for a woman who has to sleep over at my house. When everything comes to an end and my lust is satisfied, I won’t be able to get rid of her.

“I’m not suicidal, if that’s what you’re thinking. I love life. I was exhausted and got distracted,” she says, and I need to make an effort to get back to the real world.

Clearing my mind of the desire to make her mine, I harden my tone. “If it weren’t for Anderson’s skill and attention, you could have lost your life. Go back to where you came from, Miss Bradley. New York consumes girls like you in two bites.”

She purses her lips, and I know she wants to keep challenging me, but she doesn’t. I think her pride doesn’t allow it.

Cecily starts walking to the bathroom, not bothering to excuse herself and blatantly ignoring me.

Can’t she see that I’m looking out for her own good?

I don’t even understand what I’m doing here anymore. I offered help and she refused. What more is there to be said? Still, I can’t leave because I feel like I’m being unfair.

“Miss Bradley . . .”

She stops and stares at me again, but before I can open my mouth, we hear a knock on the door, and then Elina, Odin’s wife, enters.

“Dionysus, how are you? I’d like to have a word with the girl you ran over.”

“I didn’t?—"

She comes over, kisses me, and hugs me. “I know you didn’t really run her over, but I like seeing you arrogant men lose control.” She smiles. “Hello, Harper, my name is Elina and I came here to save you from the hands of this evil Greek.”

Cecily

CHAPTER ELEVEN

It takesa while for me to pay attention to the blonde woman with the appearance of a top model who has just entered my hospital room, because I’m stuck in the presence of the man who was my hope but who is gradually becoming my tormentor.

Nothing that came out of Dionysus’s mouth was kind toward me, although I have to acknowledge that, given what I did, he was being generous.

However, his generosity is no use to me. I need to stay in his life—I understand that now. Otherwise, I’ll never be able to get close to Joseph.

There’s no chance that this suspicious man will believe my story without knowing me at least a little beforehand. The bossy Greek can’t seem to wait to get rid of me.

I should loathe him, no matter how beautiful he is, but still, I feel entangled in an invisible web of sensuality that no matter how hard I try, I can’t break free from.

It has to be some kind of magic that his name evokes. There is no other explanation because I have no doubt that I’ve never met someone so arrogant.

Dionysus is the type that women turn their heads to look at when he passes by on the street, not only because he has a beauty that can’t compare to a male photographic model but because he has that “something more”, a latent seduction so wild that it makes my heart constantly race and makes me forget my mission.

In the short time we’ve been talking, I’ve come to understand that I didn’t just approach the lion’s cage without having the slightest idea of how to tame it. I’minsideit.

And that’s not all. The way he looks at me, despite his mouth spitting animosity, is how a man looks at a woman.

I should ignore him because the physical attraction is not only mutual but overwhelming. The muscular body and sexy face of my enemy—because that’s what he’s becoming—awakens me in a way that leaves me trembling. He’s dangerous to me in more ways than one.

Instead of running, however, I stand still, like prey offering itself as a sacrifice to the hunter.

I swallow hard, forcing myself to return to the real world, but even when I look away to pay attention to the woman who has just arrived, I feel his eyes on me and my body responds, shivering all over.

“Hello, Ms. Elina. You can just call me Cecily. Nice to meet you.”Even though I have no idea who you are or what you’re doing here.“If you can give me five minutes, I’ll just change into my clothes.”

“Yes, do that, and then let’s talk about your plans in New York.”

What? What does that mean, and who is this woman?

I’m not one to pass up an opportunity, however, and without another word, I run to the attached bathroom to change.

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