Short romance novels warm my heart. Warm my heart. Caitlin Crews Warm My Heart

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Caitlin Crews
Warm my heart

GREEK'S LAST REDEMPTION

* * *

Chapter 1

Businessman Theo Tsoukatos frowned with displeasure when the office doors swung open. He ordered that he not be disturbed. Usually, subordinates did not risk going against the will of the boss, knowing what this would entail.

He seems to be becoming more and more like his father, whom everyone fears. However, this is not a problem as long as competitors are afraid of him. God forbid he become like his father in his personal life!

“Never,” he swore, as he had once done as a child. “I won’t let this happen.”

- Do you think we're on fire? – Theo caustically inquired of his secretary, who resolutely entered the office. He looked at her disapprovingly. – Or is the fire just starting?

“As far as I know, neither one nor the other,” Mrs. Papadopoulos responded calmly, who was not impressed by his aggressiveness. Theo's secretary somewhat reminded him of his Aunt Despina. And she loved him just as much as a son, which meant a guaranteed absence of problems. - But it’s not evening yet.

Theo sighed impatiently. He was immersed in work, preparing proposals for new strategy companies. Today he had to hold a very important meeting, replacing his father, since the wily old fox Demetrius Tsoukatos was more concerned about his deteriorating health than family business. Theo looked out of the office window overlooking Athens. The gradually accelerating, crazy rhythm of the largest city in Greece served as a reminder to him that everything that has gained strength may one day collapse, but will rise again, becoming stronger than before.

This was the unspoken credo of the Tsoukatos family. Every inch of the Tsukatos Tower in which Theo was now saturated was saturated with this. The tower stood as an impressive testament to the foresight of his shipbuilding magnate father and the enduring success of their business in the face of countless challenges, from bitter enemies to global economic woes.

Now the tower served as a symbol of Theo's growing reputation as a fearless businessman capable of making innovative decisions. Players who choose the path with minimal risk join the ranks of bankrupts. Such a fate should not befall the Tsukatos fleet. Theo may have acted like most spoiled scoundrel heirs at the age of twenty, but he has devoted the last four years to proving that he can be as dangerous an opponent as his father.

He seems to have succeeded in this. A fierce thirst for achievements and the desire for success were genetically embedded in him. It was in his blood, as his father said.

Theo decided that he could afford to be ruthless in business because this quality was the key to victory. True, his personal life was still a chaos, but for completely different reasons. “I may be unhappy,” he had to convince himself more often than he would like, “but I am not a liar, a deceiver or a hypocrite.”

Theo was surrounded by many people about whom he could not say the same.

He looked at Mrs. Papadopoulos displeasedly when she stopped in front of his desk. She answered the boss with only her characteristic restrained gaze, expressing an enduring condemnation that gave him some kind of perverted pleasure. The secretary was a walking version of the proverbial hair shirt, and Theo was one of those people who prefer not to talk about their sins.

“This is your wife,” Mrs. Papadopoulos said abruptly.

Theo's heart began to beat with deafening force. He had no doubt that the secretary could hear it too.

His wife.

Theo was so used to the flash of anger at the mention of that name that he barely noticed it.

It had been almost four years since he last saw his errant wife. Four years since they were in the same room, moreover, in the same country. Four years since he had caressed her, absorbed her taste, lost himself in her. That would never happen again, Theo reminded himself coldly, as the truth had emerged four years ago. And their marriage turned into a farce.

“I wasn’t the one who found out the truth about her,” Theo thought with cold fury. “She admitted it herself.”

But, God help him, he can't afford to go down that dark path again. Not today. And not here, where there is a place only for business, where he is known as a person who knows how to maintain cool calm under any pressure.

This should have been left in the past a long time ago. However, Theo could hardly force himself to take a deep breath, unclench his fists, relax and pretend that these words did not make any impression on him.

– If this is my wife, then I’m not just busy. “I’m not interested in this,” he said, not holding back his anger bursting out. “You know very well, Mrs. Papadopoulos, that you shouldn’t distract me over trifles.” Encourage my wife to leave a voicemail or send me an email. However, I don’t promise to listen or read...

- Sir. “Theo didn’t know what surprised him more: that she dared to interrupt him, or the fact that the stern but executive secretary did not budge. “She claims she has an urgent matter.”

The last thing Theo wanted to think about today—and always—was Holly. Some might have called her his vengeance, and in his darkest moments he had agreed with this, for he had married a liar, a treacherous creature in a beautiful disguise.

The sad truth was that he spent a good portion of each day trying not to think about Holly. During the morning hours, Theo would take out his endless rage on the punching bag or on a random opponent during sparring. He rode endless miles on an exercise bike. Without thinking about her betrayal, which Holly admitted so casually - with some tourist whose name she didn’t even remember. Without imagining these scenes, which made nausea rise to his throat, it was as if betrayal had happened before his eyes. Without asking himself how he allowed himself to be fooled...

For four years, Theo lived exclusively in the family business, just not to think about the woman he married like a fool, and she ruined his life. She made him a laughing stock. It hurt, even though it seemed impossible as Holly tore his heart out. Moreover, she forced him to repeat his parents' doomed marriage, which Theo could not forgive them, no matter how hard he tried.

For four years, he devoted all his strength and emotions to fighting competitors and strengthening the company's success, despite insurmountable difficulties and difficult times.

Theo Tsoukatos, the spoiled and spoiled playboy with a trail of mistresses, was long gone.

But Holly remained proof of his failure, his wasted youth. Then he was an endless disappointment for his father and an indelible stain on the Tsoukatos family name.

Theo didn't want to remember how, without remembering himself, he had fallen, with dizzying speed, under the spell of a stunning blonde from Texas, who feigned adoration from the first meeting. She indifferently and cruelly betrayed him just six months after the wedding, which he is blind! – I considered it romantic precisely because everything happened very quickly.

He has no one to blame but himself.

After all, everyone warned him and even provided evidence. Everyone, with the exception of Theo, saw her true essence in the charming and naive Holly Holt, who traveled around Europe after the death of her father. Another American woman with a calculating look, hunting for wealth, she was ready to grab the big prey that came her way with a bulldog grip.

That summer in Santorini, Theo was that catch.

“You are my successor and heir to the Tsukatos fortune,” his father sternly inspired him. - This girl is nobody. It's just a holiday romance, Theo. You must understand this!”

His father and brother Brax joined forces to convince Theo not to be an idiot. But he was not going to listen to the advice of a man who had caused his mother suffering with his affairs, not to mention his younger brother, whom Theo considered a child.

When it became obvious that he really was a complete idiot, they began to ask him to take measures to protect the state of his family, the future, the company - just to be on the safe side, since he thinks not with his head, but with the seat in his pants... Theo stayed deaf to everything. He lived without thinking about anyone or anything except himself, putting his own pleasure above all else.

About no one except himself and one curvy blonde. She had such a warm, open smile that he had never seen on anyone, and Theo lost his head. But it turned out that under the cute shell was hiding a deceitful heart.

This is the price to pay for impulsiveness. His punishment. Theo continued to cling to the marriage with the sole purpose of denying her the pleasure of getting a divorce, despite the way Holly treated him, and then without any remorse declared it in his face.

Almost four years had passed since they had hastily married, but Theo thought that the rage that continued to burn within him might be more than enough for ten years. And even though he no longer wanted Holly, even though he swore that he would rather throw himself into the sea from the cliffs of Santorini than allow her witch spell to entangle him again. But he will not return her freedom until she begs him for it.

Beg on your knees, and more than once, until he considers that they are even. He is an ordinary person, and nothing human is alien to him: an eye for an eye, humiliation for humiliation.

“My wife has a tendency to turn the slightest misfortune into a full-blown disaster,” Theo quipped, taking out his anger at his inflexible secretary and suppressing remorse at the way she flinched. He reminded himself, as always in such cases, that he was paying her decent money to at least compensate for his mood swings. It's just a pity that he didn't show more caution when choosing his wife. “Besides, her urgent matters usually involve a credit card.”

“I think things are different now, Mr. Tsoukatos.”

Theo was rapidly losing his last shreds of patience, and this quality had never been one of his virtues. What everyone was well aware of. He didn't like talking about Holly, especially since it reminded him of his marriage and the ugly truth, which he only allowed himself to face in the gym. He noticed an increasing number of incoming letters in his email inbox; he still needed to prepare for the meeting. He doesn’t have time for a personal curse and any other machinations associated with it.

- Really? – Theo asked and shrugged. – Did you believe it because she told you so? She always says that.

- Because she turned on the camera. – Mrs. Papadopoulos put the tablet in the center of the table. - Please. “She stepped back, and her voice was as steely as the look she gave him. - Sir.

Theo blinked, then looked at the tablet, which had an image of Holly frozen on it. He looked at him warily, as if she might jump out of the screen and plunge another dagger into his back. Which would no doubt go even deeper. Perhaps this would be the final, fatal blow...

It took Theo a few seconds before he remembered Mrs. Papadopoulos was there.

He waved his hand. Of course, a video call is different.

True, when it came to Holly, “other” did not bode well. “Other” meant a pretty penny, and it always ended with Theo forking out the cash.

She was his most costly mistake to date. Of all the stupidities of his carelessly thoughtless youth, Holly Holt, with a wide smile and an infectious laugh that made Theo melt like snow in the sun, became the most serious, the thing he regretted most.

He regretted it every day, and it didn’t matter whether he allowed himself to think about her or not.

“Stop twitching,” he told himself, looking with hostility at the tablet lying on the polished surface of the huge table.

Theo decided to end the conversation without starting it, which he should have done, but the image of her was enough to paralyze his will. It was still and a little blurry, but her hold over Theo was still strong.

You can hate yourself for being weak as much as you want, but it won’t change anything.

Now Holly did not look like a bud ready to bloom, only hinting at the splendor of the future flower. This is how she was when they met, a sun-kissed, untouched beauty that he found intoxicating. Fascinating.

Theo looked at the frozen image, as if trying to find in it the key to understanding her true nature. Gone was her wild head of hair, the cowboy boots she once said she loved more than anything in the world, her open and serene expression that made Holly stand out among the crowd.

She has become slimmer. Her seductive forms, which once could have caused a juicy scandal because of the bikini that barely covered them, turning him almost into a slave, now bordered on thinness. Her shiny golden hair was mercilessly combed back and tied into a flawless ponytail. Minimal makeup was devoid of provocative bright colors. Holly was wearing, in his opinion, a stunning dress, the style of which was based on the eternal classics with its, again in his opinion, underrated elegance. It fit perfectly new version Holly.

The Holly Holt of old was no more. Theo even doubted whether she even existed?

This woman took her place. This lady has the details of her appearance thought out to the smallest detail. Holly Tsoukatos, who became an ardent philanthropist thanks to her husband's money, which was always at her disposal. Theo grinned at Holly Tsoukatos, who made everyone talk about herself as a wife bearing the estrangement of one of Europe's most famous playboys with dignity. They looked for acquaintance with her more and more often as Theo turned into a dangerous and successful businessman.

“I hate her,” Theo told himself firmly.

He despised himself for the fact that he had as much strength to resist this uncontrollable, uncultured, but delightful beauty, who had conquered such an experienced womanizer as he, in just a week, as a mosquito.

But, of course, that Holly was a sham. Why doesn't he finally figure this out? She never existed. That Holly existed only in the masterfully staged performance that she played for him. His sinful wife, diligently portraying the sophisticated Snow Queen and living at his expense, is the real Holly. Looking at her frozen image, Theo admitted to himself that he did not like remembering the cruel truth. This was one of the reasons why he rarely communicated with her and only by phone.

The second reason is his hot temper. Holly could piss him off in a matter of seconds, seemingly without the slightest effort on her part. But Theo walled up the black flame generated by her betrayal, burning him from the inside, and regained control of himself. He would rather die than show her anything more than hostility. The colder and more distant he behaves, the better.

Theo pressed the button to bring the frozen image back into motion, and, allowing irritation to color his voice, he abruptly said instead of a greeting:

- What do you want? “He was deliberately rude, but even this could not curb the rage that was corroding his soul, or suppress the instinctive desire to prick her with at least something. -Have you finally managed to make me bankrupt?

The video call was a serious tactical miscalculation.

Holly realized this as soon as the screen in front of her came to life. Her courage and determination - and, what was much worse, her voice - disappeared almost instantly. A terrible mistake... However, not the first associated with this man.

She was not ready to see his almost impossible perfection. I was never ready for this.

Theo took up her entire huge monitor - a large man with a gloomy face and unusually handsome. His beauty was special - wild. He immediately burst into her lonely life, filling everything with strength and passion...

And he was still angry with her.

The rage raging within him, which knew no forgiveness and mercy, was as palpable as the lashing blow of a gusty wind in the face. And the words also hurt - sharp, they hit backhand.

Holly heard that rage in Theo's voice during their infrequent, almost hostile, telephone conversations regarding her deliberately exorbitant bills. She called about once every three months, and Theo never had time for a real conversation.

But now Holly could see his rage, blazing in his eyes, as black as the coffee Theo had made for her in the early days of their short marriage. Before she ruined everything herself.

The rage was felt even in his hard chin, as if cast from steel. A trembling seized the young woman. Perhaps we should be glad that six thousand miles separate them.

But more than that, Holly saw the hot, dark promise lurking in the depths of his eyes, a promise that even rage could not hide.

“What did you expect? – the voice that rang out in her head was very similar to the voice of her dear father, God rest his soul. - He hates you. You took care of this yourself. This is what happens when you leave."

She should have known about this better than others: she lived alone with her father for many years. Her mother abandoned them when Holly was a baby. Of course, the suffering father did not say that he hated his wife. He claimed that he was grieving and that he continued to love her. But for Holly, their life was like an unhealing burn.

And now she is looking at the flames of hatred that she herself kindled.

Theo sat in an elegantly furnished office, leaning back in a leather chair. His thick dark and rather long hair was tousled - just like four years ago. But he seemed to have become more handsome. In those early days, Theo seemed like a god to her, with his lean, muscular body. One glance was enough to see the power hidden within him. The snow-white shirt outlined his shoulders, delicious chest and - Holly didn't forget - his toned stomach. He looked impressive, and the rage bubbling inside only emphasized his difference from others and warned more clearly than any words how dangerous an adversary he could be. Holly hated herself again.

For what I did. More precisely, for what she said. For the chaos into which her thoughtless hasty marriage with this man turned, and for the sad emptiness that formed in her soul after the breakup. Now only one feeling lived in her - all-consuming, bitter regret. It was palpable, sticky and squeezed my throat so much that it became difficult to breathe. Holly even thought that someday she would suffocate.

Looking at Theo made her want to lean forward, touch the screen and feel the warmth of his smooth olive skin. She wanted to run her fingers through his thick hair, slightly curled at the ends, which always made her stupid with desire. I wanted to press myself against his full, miracle-working lips, feel their salty taste and feel an almost painful desire to satisfy a cruel sensual hunger.

But the path to this is tortuous and difficult - there was no doubt about it. The path to Theo would surely expose old wounds and make them bleed. And this means experiencing the pain again. However, living like this is unbearable. Something needs to be done.

Holly thought she knew how hard it was going to be, until she saw Theo. Although his image had been vivid in her memory all these years, the effect of communicating in person was like a blow to the stomach.

His face, although on the screen, dazzled her just as much as the first time. This happened in a small restaurant in Santorini. She leisurely drank coffee after lunch, not realizing that her life was about to change dramatically. He sat down next to her.

A man from a dream come true - dangerous, sexy...

His low, impatient voice penetrated her thoughts. The woman's body came to life and trembled. She was glad that Theo could not see her reaction, which followed automatically, regardless of her will. Holly unconsciously brought her knees together and curled her toes. But the most alarming thing was that a spark of insane hope instantly flared up in her that everything could be fixed, flared up in spite of the cold voice of common sense.

“I don’t have time,” Theo continued. “But even if it was, I have nothing to tell you.”

His lips curled slightly into a smile without warmth, but even that didn't diminish his attractiveness. Just the opposite.

How tempting was the thought of forgetting himself, breaking the inner chains and finally telling the whole truth, even if he didn’t believe a single word. Over the years, Holly has used every means available to her to get Theo to let her go. She didn’t achieve freedom, but now he hates her with every fiber of his soul. Therefore, you need to remember which card needs to be played now, otherwise it will be defeated before it even starts.

Holly pulled herself together and smiled at Theo. Not like it once was. Then she did not have even a hint of self-preservation instinct. She fell into love, just like that, like an animal into a trap, and her naivety was no different from stupidity. But over a few lonely years, Holly had honed her smile so much that it allowed her to play a role that arose from the ashes of the marriage she had burned with her lies. A role that she believed would easily allow Theo to wash his hands of it, give her a divorce and free them both.

She was wrong about that too. In the end, Holly painfully faced the truth: she had been wrong about everything and had done nothing new, only repeated her past and caused the pain associated with it. But will Theo believe her if she tells him this? He will decide that this is another lie, an old game with new rules, which - he made it clear - he will not enter into under any circumstances.

Therefore, she has no choice but to play the last round, putting everything on the line.

- Are you busy? – Holly asked, deliberately drawing out the words in the Texan manner. - What exactly? Still playing crown prince in your father's kingdom?

The rage on Theo's face turned to shock, but it didn't last long. In the next second, his face became even harder than before.

“Come on, Theo,” Holly snorted, swatting her away as if she were an annoying insect. She regretted that she could not relax at least a little to match the casual tone she had taken. However, the main thing is that Theo does not suspect anything. “Just call me a whore.” It seems to me that you have been trying to say this for almost four years now.

Caitlin Crews

Warm my heart

“Never,” he swore, as he had once done as a child. “I won’t let this happen.”

- Do you think we're on fire? – Theo caustically inquired of his secretary, who resolutely entered the office. He looked at her disapprovingly. – Or is the fire just starting?

Theo sighed impatiently. He was immersed in his work, preparing proposals for a new company strategy. Today he had to hold a very important meeting, replacing his father, since the wily old fox Demetrius Tsoukatos was more concerned with his deteriorating health than the family business. Theo looked out of the office window overlooking Athens. The gradually accelerating, crazy rhythm of the largest city in Greece served as a reminder to him that everything that has gained strength may one day collapse, but will rise again, becoming stronger than before.

He seems to have succeeded in this. A fierce thirst for achievements and the desire for success were genetically embedded in him. It was in his blood, as his father said.

Theo was surrounded by many people about whom he could not say the same.

“This is your wife,” Mrs. Papadopoulos said abruptly.

Theo's heart began to beat with deafening force. He had no doubt that the secretary could hear it too.

His wife.

Theo was so used to the flash of anger at the mention of that name that he barely noticed it.

“I wasn’t the one who found out the truth about her,” Theo thought with cold fury. “She admitted it herself.”

- Sir. “Theo didn’t know what surprised him more: that she dared to interrupt him, or the fact that the stern but executive secretary did not budge. “She claims she has an urgent matter.”

For four years, he devoted all his strength and emotions to fighting competitors and strengthening the company's success, despite insurmountable difficulties and difficult times.

Theo Tsoukatos, the spoiled and spoiled playboy with a trail of mistresses, was long gone.

But Holly remained proof of his failure, his wasted youth. Then he was an endless disappointment for his father and an indelible stain on the Tsoukatos family name.

He has no one to blame but himself.

That summer in Santorini, Theo was that catch.

“You are my successor and heir to the Tsukatos fortune,” his father sternly inspired him. - This girl is nobody. It's just a holiday romance, Theo. You must understand this!”

Beg on your knees, and more than once, until he considers that they are even. He is an ordinary person, and nothing human is alien to him: an eye for an eye, humiliation for humiliation.

“I think things are different now, Mr. Tsoukatos.”

- Really? – Theo asked and shrugged. – Did you believe it because she told you so? She always says that.

- Because she turned on the camera. – Mrs. Papadopoulos put the tablet in the center of the table. - Please. “She stepped back, and her voice was as steely as the look she gave him. - Sir.

It took Theo a few seconds before he remembered Mrs. Papadopoulos was there.

He waved his hand. Of course, a video call is different.

True, when it came to Holly, “other” did not bode well. “Other” meant a pretty penny, and it always ended with Theo forking out the cash.

He regretted it every day, and it didn’t matter whether he allowed himself to think about her or not.

“Stop twitching,” he told himself, looking with hostility at the tablet lying on the polished surface of the huge table.

You can hate yourself for being weak as much as you want, but it won’t change anything.

The Holly Holt of old was no more. Theo even doubted whether she even existed?

“I hate her,” Theo told himself firmly.

Theo pressed the button to bring the frozen image back into motion, and, allowing irritation to color his voice, he abruptly said instead of a greeting:

The video call was a serious tactical miscalculation.

She was not ready to see his almost impossible perfection. I was never ready for this.

And he was still angry with her.

The rage raging within him, which knew no forgiveness and mercy, was as palpable as the lashing blow of a gusty wind in the face. And the words also hurt - sharp, they hit backhand.

Holly had heard this rage in Theo's voice during their infrequent, almost hostile, phone conversations regarding her deliberately exorbitant bills. She called about once every three months, and Theo never had time for a real conversation.

But now Holly could see his rage, blazing in his eyes, as black as the coffee Theo had made for her in the early days of their short marriage. Before she ruined everything herself.

The rage was felt even in his hard chin, as if cast from steel. A trembling seized the young woman. Perhaps we should be glad that six thousand miles separate them.

But more than that, Holly saw the hot, dark promise lurking in the depths of his eyes, a promise that even rage could not hide.

And now she is looking at the flames of hatred that she herself kindled.

A man from a dream come true - dangerous, sexy...

“I don’t have time,” Theo continued. “But even if it was, I have nothing to tell you.”

His lips curled slightly into a smile without warmth, but even that didn't diminish his attractiveness. Just the opposite.

Therefore, she has no choice but to play the last round, putting everything on the line.

- Are you busy? – Holly asked, deliberately drawing out the words in the Texan manner. - What exactly? Still playing crown prince in your father's kingdom?

The rage on Theo's face turned to shock, but it didn't last long. In the next second, his face became even harder than before.

Theo's dark eyes turned black with rage. This is probably what the underworld should look like. Holly was amazed that he could still make her breathless. And even when he has a low opinion of her!

The world has never seen such an idiot like her. A prudent woman, looking at the black flame of anger in his eyes, would do anything to break the threads that bound her to this man. And she is looking for something in them that can awaken in her a spark of hope for the future, which she herself ruined.

Because rage is not the same as indifference, Holly told herself. The rage meant that Theo still had some feelings for her, no matter that these feelings did not promise happiness.

However, she objected to herself, a prudent woman would not have rushed headlong into marrying the Greek lover who had carried her into a whirlpool of passion that summer, who had stolen her innocence, her heart and all her common sense - all en masse. So there was no talk of any prudence.

Maybe we should stop pretending? With Theo this is impossible.

“Let me guess,” he said evenly, and Holly noted how he had changed over the years. The Theo she knew was impulsive and capable of crazy things. – Have you decided to buy a plane? Island? A fashion house and half of Paris to boot? I don't care, Holly. Spend your allowance as you please, but damn it, leave me alone.

His hand reached forward, and she realized that the connection was about to be severed.

“I want to see you,” she hastened to say before he disappeared from the screen.

His dark eyes burned through her with a laser beam. Suddenly he became even larger. More dangerous.

– You see me right now. You see progress being made. And my unbridled joy.

Theo laughed, a creaky, sandpaper-like laugh that scratched her when it shouldn't have.

- Oh, I'm sorry, please. – Holly smiled again, realizing that this was her only chance. No matter how tired she is of this, and no matter how bad she feels. - I am not asking. Did that really sound like a request?

“It won’t change anything,” Theo said almost lazily. “The answer is still no.”

- Theo. “She shook her head, as if he had disappointed her. She kept her clenched fists on her knees so that they were not visible. “Why don’t we pretend to be polite?” Some meetings must be done face to face. After all, you don’t want me to do this via video call, or am I wrong?

“It’s already clear to me, but to most of the world, that I can’t force you to do anything,” Theo answered in a deceptively soft voice that sent a shiver down her spine. She suddenly felt ashamed. “You’re certainly not behaving as a wife should behave.” You couldn't even be faithful to me for just six months. What can we say about today?

Holly didn't even raise an eyebrow.

“I want a divorce,” she said clearly and briefly.

If this were true...

– My answer has not changed. You won't get it. Is this the reason for the performance you staged today? You could save us both from this. In the future, please try not to forget about this.

“The thing is, we don’t have much of that future left,” Holly noted as Theo’s hand reached toward the screen again. His eyes sparkled. She summoned up her cruelest smile and pretended that the situation amused her greatly. As if she really is the woman she has been portraying for four years. That's exactly how Theo thought of her. - We've had fun all these years...

“So that’s what they call it in Texas?” – Theo interrupted her, his voice still velvety. “I wouldn’t use that word to describe what happened.”

“We played different games, earned points, and, in general, played tug of war. – She shrugged. “But I’m afraid all good things come to an end sooner or later.”

“I won’t give you a divorce, Holly.” And I don’t care what arguments you use. I think I've made it absolutely clear by paying generous monthly benefits and not interfering in your life that I don't care what you do. And with whom.

“Yes, you said so,” Holly sang.

But she didn't believe him. I couldn't bring myself to believe it. Theo's eyes lit up with a devilish fire, forming a volcanic mixture with rage, causing her heart to freeze and then beat furiously.

“The only thing you won’t get from me is freedom.”

- Why?

- Because that's what you need, agapi mou“,” Theo replied kindly.

Did he call her “my love”?

However, he most likely put the completely opposite meaning into the words.

“Oh my God, Theo,” Holly said, theatrically pressing her hand to her chest. It was The best way drown out the feeling that her heart had been ripped out and trampled on. However, she should have gotten used to it, since she was the first to do the same. - Well, you’re the owner. Okay, you can still have my heart. But I can't resist the temptation to believe that you still have feelings for me.

“Better get over it,” Theo advised, or rather growled. – I told you about this four years ago. Spend my money. Put me in an idiotic position. You will get everything except a divorce. This is not discussed. If I have to carry this marriage like a cross, why shouldn't you?

- Unless you're running out of time. – Holly shrugged, noticing how sharp his gaze had become. “That’s the Greek law, Theo.” “She put on a whole performance, taking the newspaper from the table, finding the text and reading what she had learned by heart. – Divorce is guaranteed in cases leading to family breakdown. If the spouses have been living apart for at least four years, it can be assumed with almost absolute certainty that a breakdown of the family has occurred, regardless of your desire to torment me indefinitely.

– We do not live separately. It was you who left. “Theo looked at her languidly. She felt her body respond. As if it were a caress. What's going on with her? “You can always come back to me if you are brave enough to be reckless.” Or stupid. Didn't I talk about this?

Rather, he was daring her to pick up her glove. “Come back and face your sins,” Theo had said four years ago, with the promise of an inexorable reckoning in his voice. - Who knows? Maybe I’m more merciful than I seem.”

But they both knew what was what.

“I’m afraid it all comes down to four years.” – Holly did not take her eyes off, reminding herself that these are still flowers - the berries will be ahead if she achieves her goal and they actually meet face to face. However, if she had been able to overcome herself from the very beginning and open her heart to Theo, and not run away like a frightened hare, this situation simply would not have happened. “I just need to prove that we really lived separately all this time, and at least three tabloid publications can confirm this.” And it doesn’t matter at all what else happened between us.

“If you’re willing to spend your life convincing yourself that you’re a victim, of course I can’t stop you.” But in what I hope will be the rare occasions when you want to discuss our marriage, let's not use equivocations like "what else happened between us." – Theo leaned towards the screen, his hard face could easily pass for the emboss on a coin. The voice matched. - You're a liar. You deceived me from the very beginning, and then, as if that wasn’t enough for you, you went to bed with someone else, and then, without even blushing, you announced it to me. After that, you ran away under the cover of darkness, instead of dealing with the consequences of what you had done, and since then you have been mindlessly traveling around the world and wasting my money left and right. No, you don't even deserve me to call you a whore. These unfortunate women at least earn money honestly by selling their bodies, while you cannot boast of honesty. I find it difficult to say who you are, Holly, but one thing is certain for me: I will put even the least whore above you. And you continue to humiliate me in every possible way.

Holly continued to smile, although inside she was cowering from one murderous blow after another. Pretending that neither the disgust in Theo's voice nor the contempt written on his face bothered her. Convincing themselves that they have to endure it, that it will pay off, that there is no point in trying to defend themselves until they have a conversation face to face. Until she is convinced that nothing has changed, that Theo is still a bright, dazzling comet for her. That he is still capable of causing unbridled, wild joy in her with one look, one touch. She ran away, fearing that he would subjugate her completely, depriving her of her will, turning her into a puppet in his hands.

“I took that into account,” she said calmly, marveling to herself that she was able to speak calmly after insults that should have set her ears on fire. It's surprising that she didn't start shaking feverishly or that she managed not to break into small pieces. However, all this can happen later. When she will be left alone again, in her dull cell, in which she placed herself. - But you didn’t understand me...

“I doubt I’ve ever been able to do that,” Theo didn’t let her finish. – Why change this state of affairs because of one call? I knew in advance that it was better not to answer it.

“I’m filing for divorce, Theo,” Holly continued. – I will insist that the reason for the divorce was our breakup. Moreover, I will argue that it was you who broke the oath. “She shrugged, hearing a quiet, but undoubtedly dirty curse in Greek. – You became famous for the fact that at one time you put almost half of the female population of Europe into bed. And I was an inexperienced provincial girl, more than an easy prey for a womanizer like you.

Theo ran his hand forcefully across his face.

Holly ignored his caustic tone.

- The choice is yours. If you meet with me on the day I have appointed, I will think about not taking over a significant portion of the shares of Tsukatos Shipping.

Holly thought she had already seen his anger. But the look Theo gave her was like an electric shock. Her hair began to move. She was glad to be in Dallas, thousands of miles away from him and what he could do.

However, she did not feel completely safe even here. But distance could at least minimize the damage.

Or rather, Holly hoped so.

“So be it,” Theo finally said after a long, weary pause. It took all of Holly's self-control to keep a straight face and continue to pretend even though she was feeling sick. “So you want to meet me in person.” Well, I am ready to give in to your request, but I have to warn you: you cannot imagine how you will not like this meeting.

– You won’t like it as much as four years of insulting telephone conversations regarding money, reminders about whose hands the leash is? Or like today's sweet conversation about the meaning of the word "slut"? – Holly asked dryly. Her equanimity cracked. She felt the fire of rage flaring in her own eyes. – It’s hard for me to believe this.

There was something in Theo's gaze, but for Holly it was like the feeling of his fingers on her back, as if she had become prey under the clawed paw of a predator. “Use any means necessary,” she told herself decisively. “Either you will find a path that will lead you back to him, or you will finally be free of him and live your life, no matter how dull it may be.”

“However, I reserve the right to choose the location,” Theo said.

“If this makes you feel like you’re in charge, then for God’s sake,” Holly responded with a deliberately condescending look, solely because she knew how much he wouldn’t like it.

“Barcelona,” he said in an unexpectedly soft voice. Something must have shown on her face. She knew from the gleam in Theo's dark eyes and the nervous twitch of his lips that he had noticed. Yes, she is not the only one who can hit you in the groin. - After three days. Chatsfield Hotel. I assume you know him?

Theo didn't have to ask about it. They spent the most time in this hotel best month their marriage. Moreover, for Holly it was the best month of her life.

“Do you want to discuss our marriage where we spent our honeymoon?” – asked the shocked woman, instantly forgetting about her contrived coldness. She was unsettled and stopped paying attention to her facial expression and intonation. But for a moment she didn’t care. These were the most beautiful memories of those distant days that they spent together. About days filled with true happiness. Holly continued to cling to the stupid idea that Theo thought the same thing.

“Either in three days in Barcelona, or never,” he repeated with satisfaction and interrupted the connection.

Theo entered his apartment in Barcelona's Chatsfield, following the bellhop warning him of all his desires. Frowning, he scrolled through the endless stream of messages and emails on his phone, only stopping abruptly when he realized where he was.

Theo knew these apartments. He spent a whole month here and remembered better than he would have liked what time it was.

Everything here remains as it was: discreet luxury of furnishings and discreet elegance. Business card Chatsfield, famous all over the world. The hall, which was a miniature art gallery, led to the bedroom, which had a wide, inviting bed. And the living room, the floor of which was strewn with rose petals, did not change at all.

It was like going back in time. Theo was overcome by a frantic feeling that he found difficult to define, but which almost brought him to his knees.

This cannot be forgotten, he realized.

But it's Holly's fault. Nothing she did, either then or later, can be forgiven. He would be glad to forgive, but he cannot. It's stronger than him.

At times like these, Theo had no doubt that she was the female version of his own father. She, like Demetrius, doesn't care that she hurts.

– Is this a honeymoon suite? – Theo turned to the bellhop.

“Yes, sir,” he answered politely and started off. detailed description rooms with all its romantic details.

However, the speech, which at first flowed like a river, gradually turned into a weak trickle, and then dried up, as Theo remained silent and looked at the bellhop.

Throwing another glance at the innocent guy, he again began to study the number. Theo looked for a long time at the low table near the arched windows, into which the light of the evening Barcelona poured in. On the table stood a silver bucket of ice in which the champagne was chilled. Theo didn't need to approach it to make sure it was the same champagne that was waiting for him and Holly four years ago. The same one he doused her with and then licked the drops from her body. This scene clearly appeared before his eyes: here he was licking the champagne from her breasts, in the valley between them, down her stomach and in the hollow of her navel. Between her creamy thighs with a wet, hot womb, where, as he believed, there was no entry for any man except him.

It seemed to Theo that not only Barcelona, but the entire Iberian Peninsula had disappeared somewhere, leaving him alone with his memories.

Left alone, Theo, as if drawn by an invisible force, walked up to the table and grabbed the note leaning against the silver bucket.

“The perfect place to finally get our divorce going.” The curly handwriting was familiar to him. He suited the inexperienced, unpredictable girl Holly portrayed when they met, and Theo eagerly took the bait.

The number was written below mobile phone, which was etched into his memory a long time ago, although he never called it. Theo barely realized that he was typing it now. A beep was heard, and then her hoarse voice was heard. He reminded Theo again of what this room had become for them four years ago. It was impossible to find a place here where he did not possess Holly, not knowing where he ended and she began. The main thing is that Theo felt whole then, as if he had found what he was striving for. This filled him with the purest, without any impurities, joy.

Here Theo believed that these feelings would permeate his entire future life.

Now he had the feeling that Holly had returned him straight to a prison built solely from his past illusions. Moreover, Theo had no doubt that she was well aware of this.

– How did you like your apartment? – she inquired.

He grinned:

- Why don't you come? You should remember better how everything looked here, in particular the furniture on which you lay, so to speak, making a personal assessment,” he lazily drawled, but the rage was clearly heard in his voice.

Holly just laughed in response. But it wasn't that unique laugh that made him feel like he had his fingers stuck in an electrical plug. That laugh belonged to Holly Tsoukatos. It was more restrained and much less joyful, but it was suitable for charity evenings and official events in formal clothes. However, even this laughter cut him like a knife.

“What a sweet invitation,” she cooed. “But I guess I won’t accept it.” I'm downstairs in the restaurant if you want to say hello to me. After so many years! So, a short introduction to our divorce process. Shouldn't we solve our problems like adults should?

- In front of everyone? “Theo needed all his restraint, which he worked on for a long time, not to rush to the door, as if he was being pulled by an invisible rope that was not in his power to break. – Do you think this is wise?

Holly laughed again, and this time it was low and guttural. His fingers clenched the phone and his body tensed because he remembered that laugh all too well. He was like physical touch to Theo. He was reminded of her playful fingers caressing him. About how she wrapped her legs around him as he led them to an invisible peak, from which they both fell into a dizzying flight, not remembering themselves. Yes, Holly laughed the same way back then.

He remembers everything too well. Every thing Theo looked at was a reminder of how happy he was here.

“There was nothing wise in our relationship, Theo,” he heard Holly’s voice and even blinked, because – had he heard right? – he sensed sadness in him.

But, of course, this cannot be. It was just a product of a flood of memories and a warm Spanish evening, the breath of which filtered through the open windows, making him wishful thinking.

Theo didn't immediately realize that Holly had passed out. This acted on him like a blow from a whip, forcing him to walk towards the door before his brain turned on.

The gold-trimmed elevator carried Theo silently into the lobby. Having barely noticed the restrained elegance of the hotel guests, the tourists taking photographs of the marble floor, the inviting bar, he resolutely headed towards the restaurant. Theo didn’t linger at the head waiter’s table either. He walked past, scanning the hall.

And finally I saw Holly.

His feet were rooted to the floor. Which was very useful, because it would not hurt him to collect his thoughts and not allow the call of his body to drown out the voice of common sense, as happened the first time.

As soon as his gaze fell on her, he realized: she was still a beauty. Theo could not deny this, despite the rage that burned within him.

One glance at Holly was enough for any healthy man to switch thoughts from food to satisfying a completely different hunger. She looked irresistible in a perfect dress, perfectly outlining her incomparable figure and at the same time giving her the appearance of a queen - a majestic, unattainable, sophisticated aristocrat. Her eyes were fixed on the street, so she did not see him. One of her palms was propping up her cute, narrow chin; with her other hand, Holly was clutching the stem of her wine glass. As soon as Theo noticed that on the fingers of this hand she still wore the two rings that he had put on her, the blood began to pound furiously in his temples.

The sight of those rings immediately reminded him—inexorably, almost painfully—of that sunny day in Santorini. It was quite natural for him then to leave the bed of a stranger at noon. Theo did not immediately go to the family villa in order to postpone yet another moral lesson from his disgruntled father, whose opinion he had neglected for several years, when he realized what Demetrius really was. Theo walked up the hill to his favorite restaurant to dispel the memories of another long, stormy night.

There he met Holly, with her unique laugh and charming innocence, which changed the entire course of his life.

Her posture was exactly the same as now.

Theo approached her like a predator approaching timid prey, then stopped. He forced himself to take a deep breath and start thinking. All this is just another performance that Holly staged with one goal: to achieve her goal, still at his expense. She chose a table by the open window overlooking the busy street, and Theo suspected that this was all for a reason, that this was her plan.

She must have thought that this way she could control the meeting. Control it.

Theo decided to play the game she forced on him, but on his own terms.

He covered the distance separating them with an inaudible springy gait and silently slid into the chair opposite Holly. He covered her hand with his palm, with which she was squeezing the glass, and, as if transported back in time, pulled it towards him, pressed his lips to the place where the trace of her lipstick remained. Theo then looked at her.

However, he could not decipher the expression of her blue eyes.

“Good evening, Holly,” he said.

Holly blinked, and Theo realized that she knew he had come in and was looking at her, but she was deliberately looking the other way. He stretched out his long legs, and she immediately moved hers away, as if she knew, as he did, that a single touch would spark a spark and ignite a fire. This added fuel to the fire of his anger. The determination to have the last word only strengthened.

-You look good. My money is definitely doing you good. Is this a polite enough start?

Holly had dreamed about this moment a thousand times. If not more. And it finally happened. She tried her best to keep a mask of equanimity on her face. Or, if she fails, at least calm politeness. Which was not so easy, given that her heart was beating at a frantic rhythm.

“Hey, Theo,” Holly greeted, as if this wasn’t their first face-to-face meeting in four years. It's as if the fact that she's back in Barcelona, at the Chatsfield Hotel, means nothing to her. It was as if she had truly become the person she had gone out of her way to portray to Theo, making him believe it. “Just a little more,” Holly encouraged herself. - Did you fly well?

There was no need to ask about this.

– Why maintain a private jet with personnel on board if flying on it does not give me pleasure?

“I probably feel the same way when I stroll through the boutiques on Fifth Avenue and Rodeo Drive, taking full advantage of your credit card privileges.”

– Yes, astronomical accounts remind me of this.

His face was still attractive - courageous, clearly defined and at the same time indescribably beautiful. It is not surprising that he attracted the attention of both women and men. But hardly anyone could see the mercilessness in his eyes. Only Holly, although Theo was never cruel to her.

Of course, sex is a little different, but Holly didn't allow herself to remember that last time, right after her "confession", when it was bitter, furious and almost rude...

“Is this small talk, Holly?” – Theo asked softly, but she could not be deceived by his tone. She felt in her gut the mortal danger emanating from him. – Such things, as before, do not interest me. I told you four years ago what we would talk about if you dared to meet me face to face. Do you really want to start this conversation here?

- What you! “I have no illusion that I can force you to do anything against your will,” she replied, leaning back in her chair to look relaxed, although it was not easy. Remembering why she was there was also difficult because Theo was too close. Her task is to kindle in him hatred towards her. It will hurt now, but it will be safer in the long run. Safer, colder... and unspeakably empty... - I haven’t forgotten how important it is for you to maintain control over everything.

“I guess that’s the point of the charade, right?” – Theo stroked the glass, and these movements involuntarily reminded Holly of his caresses. She was sure he was doing this on purpose. That he knows exactly what sensations his long strong fingers awaken in her body, deliberately lazily stroking the crystal. Flashes of fire... Fire... - Bridal suite, rose petals covering the path back to the past, straight to the underworld. Yes, you have a talent for creating artificial hell. “He glared at Holly: “What do you want from me?”

- I already said it.

It took incredible effort for her to speak nonchalantly. Theo sat opposite her, at a small table, and literally overwhelmed her with the strength and overwhelming masculinity emanating from him. For some reason she forgot about it. Such closeness made Holly absolutely helpless, as if she were under a magical spell. She became Theo's slave. She had to leave, because otherwise she would cease to exist, disappearing into him forever. Holly perceived this addiction as a black addiction that began to suck into her hole. Exactly the same destructive love completely consumed her father. The end of this love was before her eyes.

Holly tried to push those thoughts aside.

- Divorce.

- You won't get it. And certainly not after these unparalleled four years. You shouldn't have returned to Barcelona if that's what you wanted.

“It doesn’t matter that we are in the same city,” Holly objected and grinned contemptuously. – We will live in different hotels.

This surprised Theo. Something flashed in his eyes, and then he slashed at her with a fiery gaze. She was glad that she had acted wisely in choosing to stay at a luxury hotel in the Gothic Quarter. Perhaps you can even console yourself with the hope that she is doing a good job of resisting him.

Looks like she's finally learned something.

- I will repeat. What do you want? – Theo said abruptly. Undisguised hatred burned in his gaze. “It was obvious that it was important for you that this meeting take place.” It took place. You have three seconds to say what you're up to.

- Or what?

Holly managed to say this with a mockery, although she was unfamiliar with Theo, and she became more nervous. Some new facet appeared in him. Now Theo did not even remotely resemble a large, imposingly reclining cat, squinting its eyes in the sun. In front of her was a furious tiger, ready to pounce.

Or maybe she's afraid that Theo won't believe her?

Or that he will believe...

“What can you do for me that you haven’t already done?” – Holly asked, delaying the moment of truth.

“Great,” he drawled. – We have started the indictment part. And so quickly! Are you really going to blame me for something? “He laughed, but it was an unpleasant laugh. Goosebumps ran across her skin, her insides twisted with fear. “I have to admit, I’m looking forward to the show.” Please, Holly. Tell me how I betrayed you.

Holly couldn't breathe. Theo's hot gaze was full of condemnation, his mouth twisted. It seemed to her that he had chained her to the chair with the force of his rage, and dangerous weakness was already ready to take possession of the woman. A little more - and it won’t stand it, it will break... it will split...

But she did it.

“I'm ready to talk about our marriage,” Holly said, making an effort to appear calm. - And you? The last time we brought this up, you just roared and punched the wall.

After which there was that frenzy, madness, like an explosion, and not ordinary sex, but Holly did not say that. Theo also remained silent. But even unspoken, the memory continued to hang between them - like a burning spark flying from the past, like an invisible mark on their bodies, when they completely belonged to each other. Holly even now heard the crack of his shirt, which she tore, felt the elasticity of his skin under her teeth and almost physically felt the silent sobs of their souls tearing out. Then Theo merged with her - strongly, inexorably. It was a farewell song of love...

- Great, let's discuss our marriage. – Theo leaned forward. “Let me sum up everything that happened between us.” I idolized you. You betrayed me. Dot.

Warm my heart Caitlin Crews

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Title: Warm my heart

About the book Warm My Heart by Caitlin Crews

Caitlin Crews is a contemporary American writer specializing primarily in short romance novels. Her book called “Warm My Heart” is just one of those small, but at the same time very sweet, romantic and touching stories. This is an incredibly exciting work that combines a solid dose of sensuality, realism and fabulousness. The plot is very rich and dramatic, the intriguing turns of events in it are in perfect harmony with the heartfelt love story. This novel will be interesting to read not only for fans of the genre, but also for all connoisseurs of high-quality modern prose.

At the beginning of her book Warm My Heart, Caitlin Crews introduces us to the main characters - a girl named Holly Holt and a young man named Theo Tsoukatos. The marriage of this young couple, as it turned out, was extremely hasty. To confirm this fact, a short time after marriage, Holly told her husband that she had cheated on him and left. For a long time, Theo felt disgusting and was very upset by his wife’s vile betrayal, hating her with every fiber of his soul. One day, several years after the unfortunate incident, Holly suggests meeting. Theo chooses the magnificent Spanish city of Barcelona as the meeting place. It was in this wonderful place that the young couple spent their honeymoon. Theo passionately wants revenge on his former lover, but how far can he go in his recklessness?

Caitlin Crews in her novel “Warm My Heart” perfectly describes the main line of the narrative, without forgetting about the end-to-end images that, appearing in various places in the text, are in perfect harmony with it. In addition, the writer fills her story with many entertaining details, true meaning which are revealed only towards the end of the story. The plot of the work is dynamic and filled with a variety of exciting adventures of the main characters. Very bright and picturesquely depicted environment, due to which there is a feeling of losing touch with reality and complete immersion in some other fairy-tale world. The author's language is easy and pleasant, and the manner of narration is consistent and logical, which is why reading the book “Warm My Heart” will be a real pleasure. The fascinating atmosphere of the novel cannot be expressed in words, it can only be felt.

On our website about books you can download the site for free without registration or read online book Warm My Heart by Caitlin Crews in epub, fb2, txt, rtf, pdf formats for iPad, iPhone, Android and Kindle. The book will give you a lot of pleasant moments and real pleasure from reading. You can buy the full version from our partner. Also, here you will find last news from the literary world, learn the biography of your favorite authors. For beginning writers there is a separate section with useful tips and recommendations, interesting articles, thanks to which you yourself can try your hand at literary crafts.

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GREEK'S LAST REDEMPTION

* * *

Chapter 1

“Never,” he swore, as he had once done as a child. “I won’t let this happen.”

- Do you think we're on fire? – Theo caustically inquired of his secretary, who resolutely entered the office. He looked at her disapprovingly. – Or is the fire just starting?

He seems to have succeeded in this. A fierce thirst for achievements and the desire for success were genetically embedded in him. It was in his blood, as his father said.

Theo was surrounded by many people about whom he could not say the same.

“This is your wife,” Mrs. Papadopoulos said abruptly.

Theo's heart began to beat with deafening force. He had no doubt that the secretary could hear it too.

His wife.

Theo was so used to the flash of anger at the mention of that name that he barely noticed it.

“I wasn’t the one who found out the truth about her,” Theo thought with cold fury. “She admitted it herself.”

- Sir. “Theo didn’t know what surprised him more: that she dared to interrupt him, or the fact that the stern but executive secretary did not budge. “She claims she has an urgent matter.”

For four years, he devoted all his strength and emotions to fighting competitors and strengthening the company's success, despite insurmountable difficulties and difficult times.

Theo Tsoukatos, the spoiled and spoiled playboy with a trail of mistresses, was long gone.

But Holly remained proof of his failure, his wasted youth. Then he was an endless disappointment for his father and an indelible stain on the Tsoukatos family name.

He has no one to blame but himself.

That summer in Santorini, Theo was that catch.

“You are my successor and heir to the Tsukatos fortune,” his father sternly inspired him. - This girl is nobody. It's just a holiday romance, Theo. You must understand this!”

Beg on your knees, and more than once, until he considers that they are even. He is an ordinary person, and nothing human is alien to him: an eye for an eye, humiliation for humiliation.

“I think things are different now, Mr. Tsoukatos.”

- Really? – Theo asked and shrugged. – Did you believe it because she told you so? She always says that.

- Because she turned on the camera. – Mrs. Papadopoulos put the tablet in the center of the table. - Please. “She stepped back, and her voice was as steely as the look she gave him. - Sir.

It took Theo a few seconds before he remembered Mrs. Papadopoulos was there.

He waved his hand. Of course, a video call is different.

True, when it came to Holly, “other” did not bode well. “Other” meant a pretty penny, and it always ended with Theo forking out the cash.

He regretted it every day, and it didn’t matter whether he allowed himself to think about her or not.

“Stop twitching,” he told himself, looking with hostility at the tablet lying on the polished surface of the huge table.

You can hate yourself for being weak as much as you want, but it won’t change anything.

The Holly Holt of old was no more. Theo even doubted whether she even existed?

“I hate her,” Theo told himself firmly.

Theo pressed the button to bring the frozen image back into motion, and, allowing irritation to color his voice, he abruptly said instead of a greeting:

The video call was a serious tactical miscalculation.

She was not ready to see his almost impossible perfection. I was never ready for this.

And he was still angry with her.

The rage raging within him, which knew no forgiveness and mercy, was as palpable as the lashing blow of a gusty wind in the face. And the words also hurt - sharp, they hit backhand.

But now Holly could see his rage, blazing in his eyes, as black as the coffee Theo had made for her in the early days of their short marriage. Before she ruined everything herself.

The rage was felt even in his hard chin, as if cast from steel. A trembling seized the young woman. Perhaps we should be glad that six thousand miles separate them.

But more than that, Holly saw the hot, dark promise lurking in the depths of his eyes, a promise that even rage could not hide.

And now she is looking at the flames of hatred that she herself kindled.

A man from a dream come true - dangerous, sexy...

“I don’t have time,” Theo continued. “But even if it was, I have nothing to tell you.”

His lips curled slightly into a smile without warmth, but even that didn't diminish his attractiveness. Just the opposite.

Therefore, she has no choice but to play the last round, putting everything on the line.

- Are you busy? – Holly asked, deliberately drawing out the words in the Texan manner. - What exactly? Still playing crown prince in your father's kingdom?

The rage on Theo's face turned to shock, but it didn't last long. In the next second, his face became even harder than before.

Caitlin Crews

Warm my heart

GREEK'S LAST REDEMPTION

“Never,” he swore, as he had once done as a child. “I won’t let this happen.”

- Do you think we're on fire? – Theo caustically inquired of his secretary, who resolutely entered the office. He looked at her disapprovingly. – Or is the fire just starting?

He seems to have succeeded in this. A fierce thirst for achievements and the desire for success were genetically embedded in him. It was in his blood, as his father said.

Theo was surrounded by many people about whom he could not say the same.

“This is your wife,” Mrs. Papadopoulos said abruptly.

Theo's heart began to beat with deafening force. He had no doubt that the secretary could hear it too.

His wife.

Theo was so used to the flash of anger at the mention of that name that he barely noticed it.

“I wasn’t the one who found out the truth about her,” Theo thought with cold fury. “She admitted it herself.”

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