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An angel and a temptress in one delectable package, Acheron had come to realize. It was the best way to describe his intern, and if he played his cards right, he just might have her as his mistress before the year ended.

All he had to do was to be patient and methodical, like he always was in his life.

Clearing his throat, he asked, “Is something wrong, Ms. Raleigh?” A lesser man would have his ego dented by Serenity’s lack of awareness, but Acheron only saw it as a challenge to surmount.

Startled at the sound of her Greek boss’ drawl, Serenity hastily schooled her expression back into its professional mask as she came to her feet. “Nothing at all, sir.”

He watched her gather her things as she spoke, stuffing her notes and wallet back into he bag, one at a time, organized even in her haste, which amused him.

When she was done, he asked politely, “Shall we go then?”

“After you, sir.” Serenity followed Acheron to the lift. She was to attend a meeting with him this afternoon, Acheron wanting her to get used to how Greeks did business.

As the doors of the lift closed, he asked casually, “Your ex-boyfriend is waiting for you below, I believe?” She colored at the question, and Acheron wondered idly if her body blushed in the same shade of pink as her cheeks did.

“Someone came to visit, yes.” His intern’s voice was stilted. “But he’s not my ex-boyfriend. He’s been dating my older sister on and off for years.”

“Ah. A model, I believe?”

“Yes.” She looked up at him suspiciously. “You seem to know too much about me, sir.”

“Yes, I do,” he answered easily. “Stavros told me all about you actually.”

Serenity grimaced. “It figures.”

Acheron pretended not to hear the words his intern muttered under her breath even as he wondered how much she really understood. When Stavros had forwarded him her résumé, it had come with a friendly warning.

This girl is off limits. She’s nursing a broken heart, and she’s the good sort. I could have her working for me, but we would probably drive each other crazy in a week’s time. I think she’ll be better off with you.

And when Acheron had seen Serenity’s attached photo, he thought the same, too.

This girl would be better off with him.

He might not love her, but he would cherish her for as long as she pleased him, and he would never break her heart with false promises of love.

When the doors to the lift opened, Serenity was stunned to find Acheron’s arm suddenly go around her waist. Her head snapped up, but she felt more bemused than violated. “Sir?”

“Play with me,” he whispered in her ear. “Manolis told me about this Dutch billionaire breaking your heart, and I think he deserves to think he has a little competition, ne?”

He raised a brow, his arm still around her waist.

One word, she thought,and this could be over.

One word, and she could be a step closer to having her revenge.

She whispered, “Yes.”

Approval gleamed in Acheron Simonides’ dark eyes. “That’s my girl.”

She shivered at the possessive note in his voice, but she could not make herself tell him not to call her that.This, too, was an act, she told herself. It was just an act.

They began to walk, Acheron with his arm still around her waist while he spoke in a low, almost intimate voice, his head bent towards her. In the corner of her eye, she saw the Dutch billionaire rise to his feet at the sight of her, but she did not turn his way.

She could feel the billionaire’s gaze narrowing towards her, could feel his eyes follow her every moment. And as they started to walk past him, she could feel everyone turning towards them, knew the exact moment tongues started to wag.

Wasn’t that the Dutch billionaire, Willem de Konigh?

Wasn’t that the Queen of Contini’s nephew?