The Greek's Convenient Wife

by MELANIE MILBURNE

  ‘What do you want from me?’

  ‘I thought I’d made that clear. I want you to pretend to be a wife in love for a short period of time.’

  ‘I’m not sure I’m up to the task.’

  ‘Then you’d better brush up on your skills,’ he said. ‘If you don’t, the weight of the law will fall about your brother’s shoulders.’

  ‘That threat is going to wear out if you brandish it about too much.’

  ‘It’s not a threat, Maddison, it’s a promise, and if you don’t fulfil your side of the bargain, neither will I.’

  ‘I don’t know why you’ve targeted me as your victim in all this,’ she said. ‘I have absolutely nothing to offer you.’

  ‘You have everything to offer me,’ he countered. ‘You love your brother and are prepared to do anything to save him. That sort of loyalty is not to be disregarded.’

  ‘You’re exploiting it for your own ends.’

  ‘Maybe, but at the end of the day you’re the one who wins in all this.’

  ‘How so?’

  ‘Your brother will be released from all retribution from me, and you’ll be adequately compensated for your time and efforts in portraying yourself as a devoted wife. I can’t do any more than that.’

  ‘I still think there’s a loophole in all of this.’

  ‘It’s understandable you’d see it that way, but let me reassure you I have no such motive. I wish only for a quick solution to my own problems, and as it turns out you are a very convenient alibi.’

  ‘It’s been all too convenient for you, though, hasn’t it?’ she asked. ‘My brother has played right into your hands.’

  ‘Your brother was foolish enough to leave a footprint. If he hadn’t done so I would still be scouring the streets for the culprit.’

  ‘I only wish my brother had thought to torch your car and your hotel as well,’ she said bitterly.

  His mouth thinned as he took in her enraged features. ‘That would have been most inadvisable. If he had done so you would not be marrying me next week, and your useless brother would be facing me in court.’

  Maddison didn’t have an answer at the ready.

  ‘I would advise you, Maddison, to see things as they are. You stand in front of your brother’s freedom; don’t throw it away on a whim of petulance directed at me.’

  ‘I hate you.’

  ‘I’m very glad you do,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t like to think you harboured any other emotion considering the terms I’ve laid down.’

  ‘How can you sleep at night?’ she asked.

  ‘I can sleep with ease,’ he said. ‘Knowing that I did all I could to secure my own interests.’

  ‘At the expense of someone else’s?’

  ‘Yes,’ he said without apology. ‘At the expense of someone else’s.’

  She turned away from his arrogant features and sucked in a steadying breath. ‘How soon do you wish to activate this fake marriage?’

  ‘Next week.’

  She swung back to face him, her expression full of alarm. ‘Next week?’ She had forgotten it would be so soon.

  He gave a casual lift of one shoulder as if they were merely discussing the date of a picnic, not a legally binding agreement such as marriage.

  ‘I thought it best to get the deed over with as quickly as possible. A whirlwind affair will attract exactly the sort of press attention I need to divert attention away from my other activities.’

  ‘How can anyone possibly organise a wedding in a week?’

  He gave her an imperious smile as he tapped his inside pocket. ‘That over-stuffed wallet you referred to before comes in rather handy when I want something done in a hurry.’

  ‘I just bet it does.’ She gave him a caustic glance.

  ‘I also thought we should spend some time together this week,’ he added. ‘It will give credibility to our relationship if we’re seen in public a few times.’

  ‘I’m busy this week.’

  ‘Cancel.’

  ‘I don’t want to.’

  ‘You might think it amusing to defy me at every turn, but let me assure you, Maddison, I will always maintain the upper hand. You will accompany me on several dates this week and demonstrate your ecstatic enjoyment in being in my company. Is that clear?’

  Mutiny flared in her eyes as she faced him. ‘I’ll loathe every minute.’

  ‘So will your brother if he ends up in jail.’

  Blue eyes clashed with black until Maddison had no choice but to look away.

  She heard him shrug himself into his jacket and the jangle of his keys as he searched for them in his trouser pocket but she didn’t turn around.

  ‘I’ll call for you tomorrow. Be ready at seven.’

  ‘What will I wear?’ she asked stiffly.

  She heard him open the door but still refused to face him.

  ‘Surprise me,’ he said and closed the door behind him.

  Maddison couldn’t help smiling a mischievous little smile as she listened to his footsteps fade away as he strode down the stairs to his car. Demetrius Papasakis was in for a surprise all right; she would have the last word and the last mocking laugh as well.

  CHAPTER THREE

  THE telephone rang just as Maddison was going through her wardrobe in preparation for the following evening. She absentmindedly reached down to answer the bedroom extension as she dangled a pair of bright red fishnets from one hand.

  ‘Maddison?’ Kyle’s voice sounded out after the long-distance pips. ‘Is that you?’

  ‘Kyle!’ She tossed the stockings to one side as she sat on the bed. ‘How are you?’

  ‘I’m sunburnt, saddle-sore and constantly starving, but I’m fine.’

  ‘Aren’t they feeding you properly?’

  ‘Of course they are, but I’ve never been so active before. You’d never believe what I can put away.’

  ‘I can believe it.’ Her tone was dry. She’d been paying the grocery bills for months and suffered no illusions about her brother’s capacity for consuming food. ‘Are you enjoying the work?’

  ‘I hate to admit it, but yes I am.’ His tone was sheepish. ‘I like the outdoor life, Maddy, and the Marquis family is great. I think I could really stick it out in the bush, maybe work the circuit a bit until I get some money behind me.’

  Maddison could barely believe what she was hearing. Her restless younger brother hadn’t stuck at a job for more than a day or two and here he was declaring his intention of staying in the outback for months. It made the sacrifice she was about to make marginally more worthwhile, in spite of her reservations about Demetrius Papasakis.

  ‘I need to tell you something,’ she began uncertainly. ‘It’s about Mr Papasakis.’

  There was a tiny silence at the other end.

  ‘What about him?’

  ‘He knows you sank his boat.’

  There was a telling silence for five heartbeats.

  ‘But he doesn’t know where I am, right?’

  ‘No, but he’s not really all that interested in where you are at present. He has other fish to fry.’

  ‘You mean he’s not going to come after me and press charges?’ Relief had crept into Kyle’s voice.

  ‘Not unless things don’t go according to plan.’

  ‘What do you mean?’

  ‘He’s made a sort of pact with me on your behalf.’

  ‘What sort of pact?’

  ‘He’s not going to press charges as long as I do what he says for a period of a few months.’

  ‘He’s blackmailing you?’

  Maddison heard the unmistakable convulsive swallow in his throat. ‘You could call it that.’

  ‘Oh my God; it’s all my fault.’ It was the first time she had heard any sort of remorse in her brother’s voice and a part of her had to admit that perhaps some good might eventually come out of this bizarre arrangement.

  ‘Don’t worry,’ she reassured him. ‘I’ve got it in hand; I know how to deal with someone like Demetrius Papasak
is.’

  ‘What does he want you to do?’

  ‘He wants me to marry him.’

  ‘Marry him?’ he gasped incredulously. ‘Whatever for?’

  A remnant of feminine pique niggled at her at his surprise that anyone, even a playboy like Demetrius Papasakis, would express any desire to tie himself to her.

  ‘As far as I’m aware I haven’t cracked any mirrors lately,’ she said somewhat tartly.

  ‘I didn’t mean it like that.’ Kyle was instantly apologetic. ‘I mean why would he want to marry at all? He’s not the marrying type.’

  ‘He needs a smokescreen relationship,’ she informed him. ‘Or so he told me. I’m to be the happy wife at home to provide him with a suitable alibi while he cavorts with whoever he likes.’

  ‘And you’re OK with that?’

  ‘I don’t have any choice. When you sank that boat my freedom went with it to the bottom of the harbour.’

  ‘I’m so sorry, Maddy. I’ll make it up to you. I’ll work hard and get us a place out here in the country where he can’t find us.’

  ‘I’m not going to run away from someone like Demetrius Papasakis,’ she said determinedly. ‘I’m going to stay and fight it out.’

  ‘You’re awesome, sis, do you know that?’

  Maddison smiled at the admiration in her brother’s tone.

  ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet, bro,’ she said. ‘You ain’t seen nothing yet.’

  At six-thirty the following evening Maddison stood in front of the full length mirror behind her bedroom door and inspected her ensemble.

  She’d rummaged through her wardrobe for the outfit she’d worn to a friend’s Pimps and Prostitutes Ball a couple of years ago. The short tight black PVC skirt and over the knee black boots with the garish fishnets were a perfect foil for the three sizes too small skimpy black top which was being somewhat overshadowed by the magnificent efforts of her lacy push-up bra.

  Her make-up was the final touch—bright red lipstick, smudged of course, and heavy electric-blue eye-shadow and thick kohl pencil around her eyes giving her a distinctly raccoon-like look.

  She gave herself a wicked grin; she looked like an absolute tart.

  The doorbell rang at seven on the dot and, ignoring the slight flutter of last-minute nerves, she tottered over the threadbare carpet to answer it.

  Demetrius didn’t even flinch when he saw her.

  ‘Ready?’

  With the wind definitely taken out of her sails she had no choice but to nod her assent and follow him out to the car.

  ‘Where are we going?’ she asked once they were in the sleek black Jaguar.

  ‘I thought I might surprise you,’ he said, backing out of the car parking space.

  She pursed her painted lips and wondered if she’d exactly been wise in trying to get the upper hand. She was beginning to suspect he was a whole lot more ruthless than she’d first allowed.

  Her instincts had been right, she decided a short while later, when he parked in the main drag of the red light district of Kings Cross.

  She gave him a nervous glance as he turned off the engine but his expression gave nothing away. She watched as he came around the bonnet of the car to open her door, his tall figure so striking in dark shirt and trousers that her stomach gave a funny flip flop as her door opened under his hand. She slid out with as much grace as her impossibly high heels allowed and stood uncertainly on the pavement, suddenly very conscious of the speculative looks she was receiving from the various passers-by.

  ‘There aren’t any nice restaurants along here,’ she said as he took her elbow to lead her down the street.

  ‘I know.’

  She stumbled over a broken bit of pavement and his hold tightened.

  ‘Where are we going?’ she asked.

  ‘In here.’

  He shepherded her into a seedy looking nightclub whose promotional signs promised scantily clad pole and lap dancers around the clock. Maddison felt the heat storm her cheeks as he propelled her to a table right up the front, her eyes instantly darting away from the buxom blonde cavorting with the slippery pole right near her chair.

  ‘What would you like to drink?’ Demetrius asked.

  She swivelled in her seat to avoid the sight of a pair of breasts that without a doubt defied natural genetic construction.

  ‘Anything,’ she choked out.

  The sleazy drinks waiter approached and, giving Maddison the once-over, asked for their order. She sat in a miserable silence as Demetrius asked for two champagne cocktails, her embarrassment increasing with every gyration of the dancer who seemed to be making a direct beeline for their table.

  ‘How was your day?’ Demetrius asked, leaning back in his chair.

  ‘Fine.’

  The dancer had quite clearly decided the most attractive man in the house was Demetrius, and she sidled up to trail a hand through his dark curly hair, shooting Maddison a challenging glance from beneath her fluttering, seductive lashes.

  A seed of anger sprouted in her chest at how he’d swiftly turned the tables on her.

  ‘This is a nice place,’ she said perversely, taking a generous slug of her drink while trying to ignore the dancer’s thigh, which was draped across Demetrius’s knee.

  ‘Yes, I thought you might feel right at home here,’ he said, reaching for his drink.

  ‘Do you come here often?’ she asked.

  ‘Not if I can help it.’ He gave the dancer a sexy smile.

  She could feel her blood boiling at his deliberate attempt to embarrass her and took another deep swig of her drink.

  ‘Do they serve food here?’ she asked once the dancer had moved on. ‘I’m starving.’

  ‘Finish your drink and I’ll take you to Otto at Woolloomooloo Bay.’

  It was impossible to think of a worse punishment, she decided, than to be taken to one of Sydney’s premier restaurants dressed like a streetwalker. She had to admit that she’d seriously underestimated Demetrius Papasakis and quite clearly, for this evening at least, he’d claimed not only the last word but the last laugh as well.

  She got to her feet and followed him out of the nightclub with as much dignity as she could muster, but she knew the worst was probably still ahead of her.

  It was.

  The fine dining Otto offered in the refurbished wharf buildings at Woolloomooloo Bay was surpassed only by the elegant service and up-market clientele.

  Maddison wished the floor would open up and let her sink to the harbour floor beneath, but it seemed Demetrius was after his pound of flesh and would stop at nothing to get it.

  She was immediately conscious of the interested glances coming their way as they were led to their table, her embarrassment increasing a hundredfold to hear Demetrius addressed by name.

  ‘Mr Papasakis, would you like to see the wine list?’

  Demetrius leaned back as his napkin was laid across his lap.

  ‘Don’t bother,’ he said. ‘Just bring us the best champagne of the house. We’re celebrating.’

  The waiter had obviously been taught well for he didn’t even raise a brow. ‘Congratulations, Mr Papasakis,’ he said. ‘May I ask what the occasion is?’

  ‘I’m getting married,’ he said and smiled across at Maddison.

  Maddison gave the waiter a wan smile and buried her head back in the menu.

  ‘My hearty congratulations, sir. I hope you’ll be very happy.’

  Demetrius returned the waiter’s smile with a self-satisfied one of his own. ‘I intend to be very happy,’ he said. ‘Very happy indeed.’

  Maddison waited until the waiter was out of earshot before she hissed across the table at him. ‘Are you crazy? That man thinks you’re marrying a prostitute! It will be all over the papers tomorrow.’

  He leaned back in his chair and studied her in a leisurely manner. ‘Isn’t that what you intended?’

  ‘No,’ she snapped. ‘I wanted to teach you a lesson, that’s all.’

  ‘You’d do well to ac
knowledge before we go any further with our agreement that I don’t take very kindly to being taught lessons. I left the school room a long time ago.’

  ‘You still have a lot to learn,’ she bit out.

  ‘Please enlighten me on the things I’ve neglected to take on board.’

  She hurled him a fiery look as she tore her bread into fragments. ‘For a start, I don’t like being told what to do as if I have no will of my own.’

  ‘Regrettable as that is, I’m the one who has just lost an expensive yacht. Your determination to keep your brother’s whereabouts a secret has backfired on you big time. You have only to reveal his details and I will call off the wedding immediately.’

  Maddison stared at the crumbs of bread on her plate, her stomach caving in at the thought of revealing Kyle’s current address. Could she do it? Could she save her own skin by letting her brother face the music Demetrius Papasakis was intent on personally conducting?

  She lifted her gaze to his, defiance in every feature of her expressive face. ‘I will never reveal my brother’s whereabouts, even if you try and force it out of me.’

  He reached for his glass, his eyes as they speared hers dark and dangerous. ‘Don’t tempt me, Maddison.’

  She lowered her gaze to the starched white tablecloth in front of her, her heart thumping erratically in her chest at his implied threat.

  The waiter reappeared at their table with a bottle of French champagne, expertly pouring it into the two glasses before leaving them once more to continue their perusal of the extensive menu.

  Demetrius picked up his champagne flute and held it up in a toast. ‘Here’s to us.’ His near black eyes glinted with some indefinable quality that made her stomach tighten another sharp little notch.

  She picked up her own glass and chinked it against his. ‘Here’s to my big fat Greek wedding,’ she quipped before drinking deeply.

  A flicker of amusement passed over his face as he watched her silently. He hadn’t thought he would enjoy her company as much as he had; she had a sharp wit and her flashing sapphire-blue eyes were bright with intelligence. He wondered how far she would go before she cracked under the pressure of keeping her brother’s whereabouts secret. He hadn’t really thought she’d agree to his proposal; in fact he still expected her to pull the plug at the last minute. It amused him to see her squirm, torn between her loyalty towards Kyle and her own freedom, but business was business and he could hardly overlook one point five million dollars.