Page 194 of Modern Romance September 2026 Books 1-4

Panic reared. Who was he talking to?

He couldn’t, surely, have brought in someone to do the paternity test while she slept. Or was he planning to sneak off with Theeny?

She shot to her feet, still wearing yesterday’s clothes. She’d sat up at Theeny’s bedside till physical and emotional exhaustion made her try to snatch some rest.

Barefoot, she hurried towards that deep voice.

A glance at her daughter’s empty bed made her quicken her pace. But when she got to the living room she slammed to a stop, heart thundering and anger abating.

There was no stranger in the room manhandling her daughter for a paternity test. Theeny wasn’t nervous or upset. She was beaming, her face aglow with delight as she sat on her father’s leg, his broad hand supporting her as he jogged her up and down in time with the flow of his words.

Heat flushed Dido’s body as she took in his powerful form. He was half-undressed, bare-chested and barefoot. Pale morning light slanted into the room, glancing across his naked shoulder and arm, burnishing them olive gold.

Her gaze swept the clean lines of his torso, the spare strength of him, and despite her anxiety, memories slammed into her. The smooth texture of that sweeping back, the crisp friction of dark chest hair under the pads of her fingers, and the corrugations of his washboard abdominal muscles. How delicious it had felt, being skin to skin with him.

Dido snapped her gaze away to focus on her daughter. She was almost dancing where she sat.

Dido guessed from the rhythm that he was repeating a nursery rhyme, simple but lilting. The soft cadence of his deep voice skimmed across her flesh as he stressed a particular phrase and jigged Theeny faster before slowing again.

It didn’t matter that he spoke Greek which Theeny didn’t understand. She was totally engaged, waving her hands in time with his words, smiling in anticipation as he repeated that quick phrase that signalled her ride would change pace for a couple of beats.

There was a hollow feeling in Dido’s stomach, knowing her daughter had missed out on this because of her decisions. There was a whole different culture and language Athena had a right to and which she’d so far been denied.

Because Panos couldn’t be trusted with something as precious as Dido’s little girl.

Yet as she watched the pair she felt a little of her certainty crumble.

Just because he can amuse a child for a few minutes doesn’t mean he’d be a good role model. You know what he’s like, how harsh and unreliable. How cruel.

Then she realised Theeny was wearing fresh clothes, her favourite yellow overalls and white T-shirt with daisies on it. Plus she wore the stretchy lace headband with a bright yellow daisy that Theeny adored.

Dido sagged against the wall, imagining Panos being ordered around by their little girl as she chose her favourite clothes.

Their little girl.

For just over two years Theeny had been hers alone. No more.

As if on cue, Panos turned his head to look straight at her.

Maybe it was the shock of seeing the similarity between father and daughter, or perhaps the knowledge that nothing would ever be the same for her and Theeny. Suddenly the strength Dido had prided herself on, which had kept her going so long, bled out of her. Her knees grew unsteady, a tremor passed through her, making her glad she was leaning against the wall.

As she peered back at him she expected to see the same fury as yesterday. Or anticipation because whatever he did next would be difficult for her.

Instead his expression was shuttered. She didn’t know why, but that was more daunting than the expected fury.

‘Mumma!’ Already Theeny was sliding off his leg and onto the floor, her expression gleeful.

It was crazy how relieved Dido felt as her daughter toddled across the room to her. As if she’d feared her girl would be too wrapped up in her father to remember her mummy. Dido’s eyes prickled.

It was completely ridiculous. Yet it gave her a poignant hint of how a father might feel, discovering he’d been barred from his child’s life.

Something sharp twisted behind her ribs.

Dido sank to her knees and embraced her baby, receiving a smacking good morning kiss on her cheek. Then Theeny launched into rambling chatter, only some of which Dido took in. Dadda figured and so, surprisingly, did Baba.

Despite the stress crawling down her spine and through her stomach, she felt a flash of pride at how quickly her clever daughter had begun using the words.

She looked up to find Panos watching. This time the glint in his eyes was as cool and hard as volcanic obsidian. He might be besotted by their daughter but his feelings for Dido were anything but warm.