Page 77 of Modern Romance December 2025 1-4

‘Why did you agree to look after me when you have a business to run? What does my half-brother hold over you?’

Interesting that she didn’t call him her brother. What was the story there?

Fotis swirled his brandy, inhaling its rich scent. ‘He doesn’t hold anything over me. But there’s an initiative I want to see implemented. Something he supports too. He promised if I did this, he’d actively promote it at intergovernmental levels.’

He watched her think that over and decided to forestall her next obvious question by interrupting. She already regarded him as judgemental, grumpy and rude. Strange how that irked when it was completely deserved.

‘Is that all?’

She shook her head. ‘Tell me more about yourself.’

Fotis frowned. He had no intention of spilling private details.

But then her laugh, surprisingly rich and full, cleaved through his distrust to dance over his body, shimmering like summer heat just under his skin.

‘If you could see your face! Don’t worry,KyrieMavridis,’ she said in that mocking tone he disliked but found himself increasingly enjoying. ‘I’m not asking you to confess your dark secrets. Just let me in enough to know who I’m dealing with. What does your company do? How did you come to start it? That sort of thing. I want to know who you are so I can decide whether to trust you.’

That he could understand. ‘I was in the military—’

‘Doing what?’

‘I was a paratrooper.’

‘Thatexplains why Leon thought you could keep me safe.’ She leaned back. ‘How did you go from that to running your own business?’

‘I spent time in special operations and one aspect of that is intelligence. It was a good fit.’

At her enquiring look he continued. ‘I was always good at maths. Once that’s what I wanted to do, devote myself to pure mathematics.’ Until Nico’s death. ‘I’m good with numbers, patterns, analysis and codes.’

‘Ah. I begin to see the link.’

‘The military was good to me but it didn’t suit me long-term. I’d inherited some money and started a company providing cryptography and other services to government and industry. We protect information. We also analyse complex data and provide insights, sometimes about things other entities want kept secret. We provide a very specialised service.’

Her head tilted. ‘Specialised and successful, since you don’t have to advertise for work.’ At his questioning stare she lifted one shoulder. ‘I did an internet search and was surprised at how little I found.’

‘There’s no need for publicity, either for the company or myself. I prefer privacy.’

‘Lucky you. I prefer privacy too but it’s hard to come by.’

‘Which brings us to New York and the scandal you created.’

She breathed out what sounded like a sigh. ‘One last question. Your company’s services. They are available to anyone who pays?’

He held her gaze. ‘Not to criminals, dictators or regimes that repress their people.’

‘There’d be money to be made there.’

‘We have our standards.’

‘And so do I,’ she said after the tiniest pause.

It was a direct challenge. She was taking him at his word. Would he do the same for her? Two days ago he wouldn’t have believed anything she claimed. That had changed. ‘Go on.’

She picked up her glass and took a slow sip.

‘I’d never met your friend, or Ricardo. I saw them together at the party and was introduced but didn’t spend much time with them. Later, I was on the roof terrace getting some air and overheard Ricardo and another man.’

Rosamund stared at the ornate marble fireplace. ‘They thought they were alone. He was boasting about his little Greek innocent. How she was in love and he had her where he wanted her. She’d do anything for him.’ Her lip curled. ‘I’m paraphrasing. He was discussing money and sex and he was much cruder. He wanted her fortune. He didn’t care about her.’