Page 18 of The Mafia Husband's Loveless Marriage

The atmosphere in the room had changed in the blink of an eye. The man with the signet ring was the first to start clapping, and then everyone burst into applause, and everyone was smiling, and the same man who had brought up the subject of Mykos's father earlier was now saying Mykos should be voted as the keynote speaker in the upcoming fundraiser, and everyone was saying jovially, "aye, aye." She had no idea what had just happened, but she definitely wasn't complaining, and she was more than happy to have herself swept away by everyone's enthusiasm.

When the meeting ended, it was in stark contrast to how it began. Whereas everyone had only nodded when Mykos and Maika entered the room, the men were now shaking her husband's hand and pounding his back, and Maika herself was engulfed in hugs. There was even a widowed matron who was saying mournfully, "I wish my son had met you earlier. It would have been so nice if you mar—"

Mykos suddenly appeared by her side. "Apologies, Mrs. Wright, but I'm afraidmy wifeand I have to go."

His hand closed around Maika's, warm and firm and utterly non-negotiable.

Maika barely had time to wave goodbye to the older woman. "Bye, Mrs. Wright!"

Mrs. Wright was amused at the way the once-aloof billionaire seemed remarkably keen to whisk Maika out of the conference room. She had never thought this day would come, but the evidence was hard to deny. Mykos Ravensworth actually had a heart, and he had lost it to his beautiful young wife.

Maika was starting to feel nervous. Why was Mykos in such a hurry for them to leave? As far as she knew, they didn't have anywhere to go after this. Had she done something that displeased him?

She looked at him anxiously as they walked through the lobby, but he wasn't even looking her way. His jaw was tight. His grip on her hand hadn't loosened since the conference room, and he was walking at a pace that had her practically jogging to keep up in her heels.

Oh no, he was really mad at her!

He opened the car door himself—didn't even wait for Orion—and bundled her inside.

And this was as good as confirmed when the first thing he did was have the privacy window slide up, which meant Mykos was just being kind, not wanting Orion to witness whatever it was he had to say to her.

Maika swallowed hard when her husband finally turned to her. His golden eyes were dark, his jaw was still tight, and she could see the tension running through his shoulders like a wire pulled taut.

"Whatever it is, I'm so—"

The rest of her words disappeared into his kiss, which was so much rougher and fiercer than usual. His hand was at the back of her neck, the other gripping her waist, and it made her feel like she was being wildly ravished, but just as her body was about to melt against his—

Her husband suddenly lifted his head, and her breath caught at the emotions that turned his golden eyes into something painfully dark.

"Thank you,matia mou."

"For what?" she whispered.

"For not being ashamed of me."

Oh.

Oh.

The words hit her so hard that her vision blurred. She rubbed her eyes. But it was no use. And it had her husband gently wipingaway the tears that had started to fall, his thumb tracing the curve of her cheek with the same careful tenderness that undid her every single time.

"Why are you crying?"

Because I had just realized...I'm in love with you.

But since she couldn't make herself say this...

Maika ended up saying what she had wanted to say earlier.

"Take me. Please?"

His eyes glittered. "Remember that you asked for this,matia mou."

Maika was momentarily distracted.Okaaaaay.Did he really have to sound so ominous when he—ooooooh...so...that's...why...aaaaah!

MYKOS SLIPPED OUT OFbed as soon as his wife had fallen asleep. He envied her ability to forget the world existed so easily. It was a peace that he had yet to experience, more so after what she had done at the board meeting.

No woman he had dated...had ever defended him like that.