Page 7 of A Diamond Deal
He’d made her feel free to be honest, when all her young life she’d held her tongue, considered the consequences of her honesty.
She didn’t have to consider the consequences withhim.
He’d become her lover. Her friend. She’d told him things she’d told no one. Her father was an adulterer. She’d spent her childhood holding her breath.
He’d promised she’d never have to hold her breath with him.
She never had to be scared.
When he’d asked her to marry him…it had been the happily-ever-after she wanted. Not love, but friendship.Trust.
‘Caleb was a good man,’ she said, pushingthosememories of Konstantinos down.
Konstantinos wasn’t the man he made people believe he was. He wasn’t trustworthy. He wasn’t on her side. He’d left her side the minute the pregnancy test had shown two vivid pink lines. He’d abandoned her completely when she was grieving.Sick.
Postpartum depression. What a cruel thing for her body to do to her. To give her all the emotions of a woman who’d carried her baby into the third trimester, twenty-eight weeks, and amplify them with grief.
‘And a terrible businessman,’ Léon said.
She dropped her stiff shoulders. None of this was Léon’s fault. He’d given her refuge. He’d done everything in his power to hide her in plain sight.
‘We can’t all be good at everything,’ she soothed.
He smiled, but it didn’t reach his eyes. ‘I should have held on to the reins a little longer,’ he said. ‘I should have—’
‘You did nothing wrong, Léon.’
‘If I’d done things differently…if I hadn’t retired…’ His lips thinned. ‘Your husband would never have had to bail us out. Save my company from bankruptcy.Youwouldn’t be in the position you are in now.’
‘No one put me in this position buthim.’
She’d thought she was safe with Konstantinos.
‘You came when I had nothing and no one.’ Léon’s eyes shimmered.
‘I had no one either,’ she said.
‘Youhavea husband,’ he corrected.
‘He stopped beingthatthe minute he was unfaithful.’ Fury burned beneath her skin. ‘He betrayedme.’
Léon scowled. ‘I’m sorry, Poppy. Sorry I didn’t push you to at least end it. Close the door on your marriage before it came to this point.Critical.’
‘You gave me what I needed,’ she corrected. ‘A friend.’
‘Our time is up.’ He paled. ‘Hewilltake over Durand’s. He will come.’
‘I’ll leave.’
‘I have an estate.’ He frowned. ‘It is rural. Deep in the countryside. It’s yours, if this is what you wish.’
She leant down and kissed his cheek. ‘Thank you.’
He nodded. ‘I’ll do everything in my power to give you what you…need.’
Twenty-four hours later…
Konstantinos Ariti was no saviour.
