Sapphire St. Clair's POV

"Mind if we join you?"

So much for my misfortune today this might be the highlight. I glared at his insolent look praying he would heed my silent warning and leave us in peace. But this Greek devil was pointedly ignoring my acid look.

"Sorry, but you are..." I heard Xavier ask him pleasantly.

The insolent bastard merely smiled pleasurably in Xavier's direction as he extended his hand. "Pardon me. I am Loukas Spiridakou business partner of Daniel St. Clair for this latest venture of his and this is Cassie Vitalis a good friend of mine."

The recognition hits Xavier's eyes as he shakes this bastard's hand eagerly. "Oh! You are the owner of this hotel. Very pleased to meet you, Mr. Spiridakou. I am Xavier Levy the legal counsel for St. Clair Diamonds. I am here to oversee the minor issue in our company's contract." He smiled friendly to the Greek heiress. "Pleasure to meet you, Miss Vitalis."

"Likewise." The woman replied regally.

I pointedly ignore their pleasantries and just focus my attention on the menu in my hand. I cursed silently when I heard Xavier invite them to join our table. "Please, it's a pleasure to join our table for a pleasant lunch."

"Thank you." My annoying ex replied, taking the opposite chair from me. Now I have to suffer from his unwanted gaze throughout this lunch thanks to this four-seater table.

The waiter once again approached our table and gave the newcomers a menu of their own. I was already aware of the burning gaze he threw in my direction but I just buried my face behind the menu in my hand.

"I'm sorry if I didn't recognize you instantly, Mr. Spiridakou." I heard Xavier start the conversation to avoid the awkward silence at our table. "I have no idea that you are this friendly. I thought you were hard to approach."

"People always mistook me for being ruthless but once they get to know me they realize that I am not." He replied casually. I was aware that his words were directed at me. It was as if he meant those words to me.

"How long have you known Mr. St. Clair?"

"Long enough." He answered nonchalantly. My heart sank as I gave him a silent warning. One wrong word coming from his mouth and he would regret it dearly. "My association with the St. Clairs is agreeably long. I met them a few years after I graduated from the university."

Xavier nodded casually. "I gather that much now. No wonder you seem close enough to the St. Clair sisters that's why you approach us. Mr. St. Clair treats people who he trusts dearly like a member of his family."

"I agree with you." He answered, still looking at me with those intense eyes. "The St. Clair sisters are sociable people. They aren't hard to get along with."

I married one of them, his eyes seem to be telling me. I avoided his knowing gaze and was forever thankful that the waiter approached us again to get our order. I just ordered the first thing I read on the menu since I don't have an appetite now. Xavier and Loukas waited for this Greek heiress to place her order before giving theirs. The Greek bastard also ordered a bottle of wine one of the most expensive on the menu for the four of us.

"It must be fun working with the family business." For the first time, Cassie Vitalis joined the conversation and threw a direct question at me.

"Ah...yes," I said simply, I was still aware of the interesting look from the man across me while he was engaged in a small conversation with Xavier about business and whatnot. "I love my work."

"You are Sapphire, right?" She seems nice enough and she has this friendly vibe in her. She had no idea that I was the ex-wife of the man she'd been dating. "I heard that St. Clair heiresses are all named after certain gemstones, am I right?"

I nodded nonchalantly, sipping my water. "Yes, we are. Blame my father for it. He claimed that it would only be fitting if his daughters were named after the most precious stones their company had been selling."

Cassie smiled slightly. "Of course, I understand him. I believe I owned a few pieces of jewelry from your company."

I raised an eyebrow in her direction. "Is that so?"

"Yes, I like the unique design your company has to offer. So stylish and modern. I am always looking forward to your new collections." She replied after the waiter placed our orders at our table. We watched silently as the waiter read the labels of the wines showing us the world-class wine and meticulously poured each of our glasses.

I smiled proudly at her. "That's my older sister, Amethyst who is in charge of the design team of St. Clair Diamonds. She's one of the best in the business when it comes to jewelry designs."

"What about your other sister?" She asked interestedly. "I believe there are three St. Clair heiresses."

"Four." I supplied. "They are twins. Emerald and Ruby. Emerald is the face of our company while Ruby..." I shrugged casually. "...such a shame she hasn't caught gem bug. She is the least interested in working for the family business. So much for our grandfather's dismay, she became a chef and I believe she's now planning to open her restaurant with the help of her husband."

"It must be fun owning such quantities of jewelry." The Greek heiress commented wistfully. "I almost envy you surrounded by diamonds."

"On the contrary," I answered her dryly, looking straight at her face. "I don't own much jewelry despite what most people think. I see them as nothing but sparkly things. I only wore our company's jewelry on special occasions and parties to show what our company has to offer and most of those pieces were loans from the store. I don't personally own them."

"I like jewelry so much." Cassie Vitalis giggled. "I wouldn't mind if my closet is full of glittering accessories."

From the concern of my eyes. I noticed that once again Loukas was staring at me for a split second our gaze locked it seemed that we were both remembering the same thing that happened in the past. Do you remember the time we fought because I bought you an entire set of custom-made jewelry as a wedding gift?

I remembered it clearly that fateful day—that first fight we had as a married couple when he gave me those jewelry days after our wedding ceremony. We fought almost an hour and a half going into circles about why I shouldn't accept his gifts when he refused to accept my reasoning. In the end, I gave in and accepted his gift and only wore them once at a party to make him happy but shoved them in one of my drawers afterward.

Blocking the memories in my brain. I pointedly ignore him, looking away from his intense gaze. The last thing I wanted was to remember the past.

"What gemstone do you like the most, Sapphire?" Cassie asked conversationally, dragging me out of my reverie.

I smiled tightly in her direction, starting to get uncomfortable in this lunch. "I like pearls. For me, they are timeless and you can wear them in the daytime without being considered vulgar."

The Vitalis heiress nodded in agreement. "I agree but I like diamonds the most. You know, as the saying goes: diamonds are a girl's best friend." She pointedly looked at my ex-husband. "What about you, Loukas?"

He pretended to think for a moment while his eyes were fixed on me. There was a private smile playing on his lips. "I like Sapphires. Beneath that cold exterior, I know there's a fire hidden inside."

It took every ounce of my control not to gasp at his words. He knew that I was aware that his words were directed to me. It was his blatant announcement that he was talking to me, not the gemstone with my namesake. But it seems that the other people at this table haven't realized it.

"I'm sorry," Xavier inserted, looking sheepishly. "I don't have any idea when it comes to girly things."

Cassie Vitalis laughed while Loukas and I stared at one another my mouth suddenly went dry. I broke the eye contact and mutter. "Excuse me, ladies' room."

I suddenly stood from my chair and ran towards the restroom. I was thankful when I saw that I was all alone inside. I stared at my reflection in the mirror I couldn't believe the vulnerability I saw in my eyes.

Damn that man. I thought silently. Why does he still have this kind of effect on me after two years since our separation?

My eyes widened considerably when I saw from the mirror that he followed me inside the ladies' room. "What are you doing here? This is the ladies' restroom get out!"

"As if that would stop me." He said, my heart jumped on my ribcage when he locked the door behind him and moved further inside the room. "I own the damn hotel, Sapphire. Do you think the security will stop me from entering here?"

I was about to step back to put some distance between us when I realized that I was trapped in the granite countertops behind me. I swallowed hard when he stood inches apart from me. "What do you think you are doing?"

He smiled thinly towards me which made me shiver. "Have you forgotten not to play with my jealously, Sapphire?"

"What are you talking about?" I scowled, staring deep into his eyes. My heart was pounding so loudly in my chest that I could swear he could hear it.

"Bringing your suitor here in Greece to make me jealous is not a good idea, my sweet." He closed the distance between us until my body touched his. He intentionally pressed his groin into my pelvis my breath was caught by the gesture. "Now you wake up the sleeping beast inside me."

"Why do you care?" I asked him irritably. "When you are parading the woman in the entire hotel who is probably going to be your wife soon. Why are you still bothering me?"

He raised an eyebrow in my direction. "Jealous, my love?"

"No! I told you..." I squeaked when he unexpectedly sat me on the cold granite countertops and positioned himself between my legs. I tried to be free from our position but he put his hands on each side of my waist to stop me from moving.

"I guess I need to make sure that there will be no nightcap tonight."

Before I could formulate my reply he found the zipper of my dress and pulled it down until my bra was exposed to his scrutiny. "What are you doing?" I protested hotly.

He dipped his head and sucked my skin just above the swell of my right breast. I felt a slight twinge before he lifted his head with a satisfied smile on his arrogant face. "This will do for now. I believe that lawyer guy will be turned off at the sight of this bruise-like mark just above your breast."

I stared at him in disbelief when I realized that he had given me a love bite on my tender skin. "You are despicable!" I hissed at him angrily.

I was about to slap him when he caught it midway. "I told you, you are mine. I will not let anyone have you." His eyes traced where his free hand traveled freely in my half-naked body, his touch seemed to leave burn marks on my skin. "If that guy sees what his eyes shouldn't be supposed to see in your body I will end his worthless life with my bare hands, agapiméni."

"Y-You—"

"Let me show you, my Sapphire." He cupped my face in his hands and kissed me squarely. Half of me wants to struggle, to resist his restless onslaught against my mouth but the other half of me seems to be satisfied with this and that made me nervous than ever.