Page 228 of Modern Romance September 2026 Books 1-4

‘Panos!’ She shuddered and kissed him hard, nails scratching his flesh as she bit his bottom lip.

His whole body shook, showers of sparks exploding across his skin. Holding her close, he withdrew then sank deep again as they took up the familiar rhythm of surge and retreat. But it was too late. He felt the change in her, the ripples gathering, becoming shudders.

A second later, locked together, the conflagration hit and bliss took them.

* * *

Two days later, Panos ushered Dido into his study. ‘There’s something you need to hear.’ He gestured to a well-dressed man with a flushed face. ‘Manos Georgiou, my senior legal advisor.’

She stopped abruptly, nerves rising. A lawyer? What was going on? When she shook the man’s hand it was clammy.

Panos pulled out a chair for her at a round table, taking the seat beside her, the lawyer opposite. He nodded to the other man. ‘If you’d repeat what you told me.’

The lawyer’s hand rose as if to loosen his collar, then dropped. He cleared his throat. ‘It’s about the status of your marriage.’

Dido stiffened. Her head whipped around and she discovered Panos watching her, expression indecipherable.

‘I’m afraid there was…an error in the advice we provided several years ago. The marriage was, is valid. You have my sincerest apologies for the error. It’s…’

Dido didn’t hear more. She was too busy watching Panos. Far from looking upset, the warmth in his dark eyes looked like pleasure. Satisfaction.

He reached for her hand, their fingers automatically threading together, and she exhaled slowly.

Once, being Panos’ wife had felt like a curse. But now she felt anticipation for the future. She liked being married to Panos Diamandis. Since Vienna, no, since the night of the storm, she’d been re-evaluating.

Panos mightn’t love her but he wanted and respected her. His efforts to make up for past mistakes only made him more attractive. They were good together, not just with Athena, but as a team. That must count for something. Theirs wasn’t a perfect match, with love on both sides, but increasingly she yearned to accept all he offered, hoping they’d make this work and he’d eventually feel so much more.

The lawyer’s monologue intruded, apologising for the time taken to uncover the error. The original advice had come from an inexperienced team member who’d now been given notice.

‘Then you can rescind the notice.’ Panos’ tone was brusque, at odds with the warmth of his hand around hers.

‘But to make an error of such magnitude—’

‘I agree.’ Panos interrupted. ‘I expect much better. As for mistakes, the biggest would be allowing a supervisor to blame their junior instead of admitting they hadn’t double-checked the details.’ His expression hardened. ‘An inexperienced person making a mistake is forgivable. A supervisor shirking responsibility isn’t.’

He stood up and opened the door. ‘We’ll talk later. About staffing.’

Manos Georgiou’s face was grey as he left.

Dido’s mind raced. She’d known their marriage was valid. But today, again, she saw her husband in a different light. She was proud of the stand he’d just taken.

Panos was far more complex than she’d once thought. He could and did give second chances. Only deliberate, personal betrayal triggered his ire. Wasn’t he doing his best to make up to her for that?

He’d made mistakes and treated her badly. But he proved every day that he was a better man than the one who’d judged and dismissed her.

The door closed and he turned. ‘You were right. I’m sorry.’

She rose. ‘Sorry because we’re married?’

The corners of his mouth tilted up as he approached. ‘Because I should have known you’d have checked the legalities thoroughly.’

‘You’re taking the news very calmly.’

He stopped so close that his breath feathered her skin. Now she saw it again, the heat in his eyes. It ignited a cascade of sparks inside. She felt she was melting as his head dipped.

‘That would be because it’s good news. I want to be married to you.’

He’d made that clear, yet it still made her pulse quicken and her breath hitch. Because she wished with all her might that this time it would work between them.