The Greek's Blackmailed Wife

by Sarah Morgan

  The one in his bed.

  She held him tight, feeling the warmth of his skin and his solid strength, wondering what it would take to be in his heart, too. ‘What if he doesn’t sell to you?’

  ‘He’ll sell.’ He dropped a kiss on her mouth. ‘Now get some sleep.’

  * * *

  Zander walked out onto the terrace, glancing back at the bed where Lauranne slept soundly. Unfortunately he’d never been further from sleep in his life. Their conversation kept replaying in his head and he found himself suffering from an emotion that was entirely new to him.

  Guilt.

  She’d been just twenty-one and at the beginning of her career and yet he’d crushed her ruthlessly.

  A lesser person would have been destroyed by his actions. But not Lauranne.

  He gave a humourless laugh as he stared across the dimly lit swimming pool that adjoined their private villa.

  Why had he done that?

  Never, before or since, had he treated a person quite so mercilessly as he’d treated Lauranne.

  The guilt grew in intensity, weighing down his mind and his body.

  He shifted slightly but the feeling stayed with him, lodged inside him, a constant reminder of his crime.

  He’d never once listened to an explanation from her.

  He’d just assumed she was like all the other women he’d met in his life, unfaithful and money-grabbing.

  He’d wanted her out of his company and out of his life as fast as possible.

  And it was only now that he was asking himself why.

  He glanced backwards to the woman lying asleep on the bed, his gaze resting on her golden hair, spread in soft waves across both pillows, and suddenly he knew the reason why. He’d needed to get rid of her because she’d been a threat to his emotional well-being.

  For the first time in his life he’d cared about a woman.

  For the first time in his life he’d given a woman the power to hurt him. The same way that his mother had hurt his father.

  For the first time in his life, he’d been in love.

  Zander closed his eyes, accepting the truth.

  Love was the reason he’d married her. That elusive reason that he’d never been able to identify. And love was the reason that he’d never sought a divorce.

  It had been love that had fuelled his unreasonable jealousy that night he’d found her with Farrer. And it had been self-protection that had driven him to fire her without even giving her a fair hearing.

  It was no wonder she’d fought him when he’d ordered her to work for him again. Her last experience of working for him must have left her so traumatised that she could hardly be blamed for not wishing to repeat the experience.

  And he’d bullied her into doing it anyway, using the gratitude and love she felt for Farrer as a tool to get his own way.

  Facing the fact that there was no way she would have chosen to be here if he hadn’t forced the issue, he gritted his teeth and acknowledged that he was about to face the biggest challenge of his life. Persuading her that a divorce was not a good idea.

  * * *

  They had breakfast on the terrace, overlooking the private swimming pool.

  It was utterly peaceful, the vines providing shade from the warmth of the sun.

  Zander seemed unusually tense but, after a few questioning looks in his direction, Lauranne decided that it must be the strain of the forthcoming meeting. She knew just how badly he wanted the island.

  She nibbled a roll and looked at him, her cheeks heating as she remembered just how affectionate he’d been the night before. But that didn’t mean anything, she reminded herself hastily. Zander was a skilled lover and he knew exactly how to make a woman feel good.

  He was still looking at her, inscrutable as ever. ‘Why are you still working with Tom?’

  Surprised by the question, she gave a little shrug. ‘We built the business together.’ She looked at him warily, reluctant to even mention Tom’s name in his presence. ‘It’s never occurred to me to leave. Obviously I didn’t have any money, so he provided all the finance—’

  ‘Ah, yes—money.’ Zander leaned back in his chair. ‘Why did you marry me, Lauranne?’

  The question came out of nowhere and she looked at him in appalled silence, wondering whether her feelings had shown on her face. Had he guessed just how much she loved him?

  Summoning up a casual smile, she shrugged, refusing to reveal her own vulnerability in the face of his cool detachment.

  ‘As you said, great sex and a credit card without a limit. What more could a girl want?’

  His eyes narrowed. ‘What more, indeed?’ He paused, his expression thoughtful, and when he spoke again his voice was soft. ‘Except you never actually used my credit card, did you? You never spent a single penny of my money, Lauranne.’

  ‘I didn’t have time,’ she said lightly and he gave a wry smile.

  ‘Most of the women I know could work their way through a small fortune in less time that it takes to put up your hair.’

  ‘I’m not most women.’

  ‘You think you need to tell me that?’ He gave her a speculative look and she shifted uncomfortably, wondering where this conversation was leading.

  ‘Look, we both know the marriage was a mistake and obviously when this is all over we’ll—’

  ‘Why was it a mistake?’

  His casual question threw her in mid-sentence and she broke off and gaped at him. Why was it a mistake?

  Because he hadn’t loved her.

  She stuffed her hands in her shorts and wondered how they ever managed to last five minutes without killing each other. ‘What we shared was sex, Zander. Not a great basis for marriage.’

  She swallowed, forced to acknowledge again the gulf between their emotions. For her their relationship had been everything, a fierce, tempestuous rightness that she knew she’d never find with another man. For him it had been great sex.

  He was looking at her, a strange expression in his eyes. ‘It’s not just sex. You excite me more than any woman I’ve ever met but I also get a kick out of the rest of our relationship. You’re sparky and sharp and interesting to be around.’

  ‘You mean I’m the only person who isn’t afraid to say no to you.’

  He laughed, genuinely amused. ‘Plenty of people say no to me, Anni. I’m not quite the tyrant you believe me to be.’

  She caught her breath, transfixed by the charm of his smile and the light in his eyes. ‘I don’t think you’re a tyrant.’

  She remembered the people she’d interviewed in his company, all of whom had spoken of Zander with a respect bordering on the reverential.

  Their eyes locked and he gave a low groan. ‘Don’t look at me like that. I have to meet Kouropoulos in less than half an hour.’ He rose to his feet and held out a hand. ‘I want you to come with me.’

  She stared at him. ‘You do?’

  ‘Absolutely.’

  She swallowed. ‘But Marina—’

  ‘Surely you’re not afraid of Marina,’ he said softly, his eyes challenging her. ‘You flash sparks and anger for me whenever I put one foot out of line. What’s stopping you doing the same with her?’

  She hesitated. ‘Because she’s evil. And clever. I can’t prove what she did. It’s all circumstantial.’

  He shrugged. ‘So we make her confess.’

  She gave a laugh. ‘Thumbscrews and torture chambers, Zander?’

  ‘Now there’s a thought.’ His eyes gleamed wickedly and she blushed.

  ‘Don’t.’ She felt the heat rise inside her under his steady gaze. How could it be possible to want a man this much? ‘It isn’t a joke. She wants you, Zander.’

  His eyes narrowed, his gaze blatantly sexual. ‘But I’m taken.’

  Of course. The sudden reminder of exactly why she was here struck Lauranne like a physical blow.

  Her role was to convince Kouropoulos that she and Zander were in love.

  None of it was real.

  Bu
t then she remembered his promise to his grandmother and she lifted her chin and smiled. ‘Then let’s go to this meeting and remind them both of that.’

  CHAPTER NINE

  THEO Kouropoulos scanned through the papers in front of him.

  Lauranne stared at the table, terrified that her face might reveal something it shouldn’t. She wasn’t used to playing these elaborate business games. Zander wanted the island. She knew he wanted the island, but his body language said that he was totally indifferent to the outcome of the meeting.

  He sprawled in a chair on the other side of the table looking thoroughly relaxed and slightly bored.

  He was the master of negotiation, outsmarting his opponent at every turn.

  Finally Kouropoulos lifted his head, his expression hard. ‘You’re planning to close the resort.’

  Zander didn’t flinch. ‘That’s right.’

  There was a heavy silence and Kouropoulos shifted in his chair, his voice gruff as he spoke. ‘I’ve been here for twenty-six years.’

  ‘I know exactly how long you’ve had possession of this island.’ Thick dark lashes shielded his eyes but there was a tension in his powerful frame that hadn’t been there before.

  ‘The business is losing money,’ Kouropoulos admitted ruefully, ‘but with an injection of capital—’

  ‘I’m not interested in saving the resort,’ Zander said shortly, his tone totally lacking in emotion. ‘I want the island for an entirely different reason.’

  Kouropoulos sat back in his chair, one eyebrow raised. ‘And that reason is—?’

  Zander smiled. ‘Personal.’

  Lauranne glanced at him, knowing exactly what the reason was and loving him all the more for it.

  Theo Kouropoulos was looking at Zander thoughtfully. He opened his mouth and began to speak in English, and then he glanced briefly at Marina and Lauranne and switched to rapid Greek, making sure that the only person who could understand him was Zander.

  Zander sat still, his eyes fixed on the older man.

  When Kouropoulos finally finished speaking, Zander replied in the same tongue, nothing in his expression giving even the slightest clue as to the content of the discussion.

  Lauranne wished she’d bothered to learn Greek.

  She had absolutely no idea what was being said, and neither had Marina if the look of frustration on her over-made-up face was anything to go by, but she could tell by the body language of the two men that it was significant.

  Suddenly she realised that Kouropoulos was looking at her with a beaming smile on his face.

  Uncomprehending, she glanced at Zander for some clue as to how she should respond and he smiled at her.

  ‘I was just revealing our plans, agape mou.’

  Plans?

  Lauranne managed a suitably vague smile and Kouropoulos chuckled.

  ‘You are going to break the hearts of millions of women, Lauranne. And I have to admit that I was beginning to give up hope that Zander would ever mend his marriage.’

  Mend his marriage?

  Just what exactly had Zander said?

  Her breathing in a mess, Lauranne looked at Zander for inspiration or explanation, afraid to say the wrong thing.

  ‘I’ve told him that we won’t be getting a divorce,’ Zander said softly, his gaze fixing on her shocked face. ‘Ever. I’ve told him that I want the island as a home for my wife and children.’

  She stared into his eyes, only dimly aware of Marina’s shocked denial.

  For one short, amazing moment she allowed herself the luxury of believing he meant it.

  And then she remembered how badly he wanted the island.

  Of course he didn’t mean it.

  Kouropoulos gave a delighted laugh. ‘I never thought I’d see the day—’

  ‘Neither did I,’ Zander drawled, his eyes still holding Lauranne’s, ‘but that was before I fell in love.’

  Marina sucked in a breath. ‘So if you’re staying married, why isn’t she wearing a ring?’

  Zander smiled. ‘Her wedding ring is being adjusted.’ Dragging his gaze away from Lauranne, his eyes hardened as he looked at Marina. ‘And next time it won’t be leaving her finger.’

  His expression was cold and his tone held a blatant warning. Marina’s face lost its colour as she understood the message he was conveying.

  Kouropoulos chuckled, seemingly oblivious to the under-current of tension in the room. ‘The female population will weep buckets.’

  Starting with Marina, Lauranne thought cynically, noting that the other woman’s eyes had hardened, her face a mask of anger.

  As if by telepathy, Marina lifted her gaze and stared at Lauranne in blatant challenge. ‘Zander will do and say anything to get what he wants,’ she said smoothly and Kouropoulos frowned at her.

  ‘Marina—’

  She shot him a look of contempt. ‘Surely you don’t believe him, Theo? This whole reconciliation is staged for your benefit! His marriage was a sham! It lasted a month and it’s hardly surprising when you look at his track record. Zander Volakis will never settle down with one woman. But he’d say anything to get his hands on this island.’

  Lauranne caught her breath. It was true, of course, but if Marina could persuade Kouropoulos that she was right then Zander had lost the island.

  The island that meant so much to him.

  ‘It isn’t staged.’ She spoke clearly, her smile faltering as she looked first at Kouropoulos and then at Zander. ‘And I suppose that makes me the luckiest woman in the world.’

  Brilliant dark eyes flared with masculine triumph as they meshed with hers and Marina let out a breath in a hiss.

  ‘For goodness’ sake, Theo. Stop playing the romantic and look at the facts. They’ve been separated for five years. He fired her!’

  ‘Our relationship has always been tempestuous,’ Zander agreed huskily, reaching out a hand and taking Lauranne’s in his, the warmth and strength of his fingers stoking the dying embers of her courage. ‘And that is part of the attraction for both of us. But in fighting, we have wasted much time. Too much time.’

  He lifted her hand to his lips and she felt her heart twist.

  He was so convincing.

  Marina glared at Lauranne. ‘Once he has the island, he won’t need you any more.’

  ‘I will always need Lauranne,’ Zander drawled, a strange look in his eyes as he looked at her. Then he turned his attention back to Kouropoulos. ‘So will you sell?’

  The older man nodded. ‘Yes. It is exactly as your father would have wished.’

  Zander tensed slightly but didn’t respond, rising to his feet in a fluid movement. ‘My lawyer will be here in a few hours. He can sort out the details with your people.’

  Kouropoulos nodded, standing up and reaching out a hand. ‘I hope you’ll stay with us for a few more days.’

  ‘Yes, do stay.’ Suddenly back to her professional self, Marina smiled at both of them. ‘It’s a shame to rush off when things are just getting—interesting.’

  Lauranne felt herself stiffen. She didn’t trust the woman an inch. Why would she want them to stay?

  As they left the main house Lauranne glanced at Zander anxiously. ‘She’s very upset.’

  He shrugged, supremely indifferent. ‘She’ll get over it.’

  Lauranne bit her lip, feeling anything but reassured.

  Past experience had taught her just how destructive Marina could be when jealous. And surely at the moment she must be feeling very jealous indeed?

  * * *

  Later that afternoon, Zander went back to the main house to finalise some of the details with Kouropoulos and Lauranne took advantage of the time on her own to have a swim in the private pool attached to the villa.

  She slid into the pool, enjoying the feel of the cool water against her heated skin.

  Feeling surprisingly relaxed, she swam length after length and then floated on her back with her eyes closed.

  ‘Don’t tell me.’ A familiar voice came from the
doorway of the villa. ‘He’s dumped you again so you’re trying to drown yourself.’

  Her eyes flew open and she gasped in surprise and delight. ‘Tom! What are you doing here?’

  He walked to the edge of the pool, a wry smile playing around his mouth. ‘Rescuing you from your folly?’

  Deciding that the middle of a swimming pool wasn’t the place to conduct a conversation, Lauranne swam quickly to the side and pulled herself out, reaching for the nearest towel.

  She wrapped herself up and then padded across to give Tom a hug. ‘So I ask you again, what are you doing here?’

  She hadn’t even told him where she was going. Just that she was going to take a week off. How had he found her?

  ‘Yes, do answer that question, Farrer.’ Zander’s voice, hard and simmering with all-male fury, came from the doorway behind them and Lauranne pulled away quickly, feeling horribly guilty even though she’d done nothing wrong.

  Zander prowled onto the terrace with lethal menace, his gaze fixed firmly on Tom, who’d gone incredibly pale.

  ‘I was worried. Lauranne dashed off without any explanation,’ he said stiffly, ‘and I wanted to see her. To check that she’s all right.’

  ‘And now you’ve seen her,’ Zander said silkily, ‘you can leave.’

  Lauranne saw the raw anger in his dark eyes and held her breath, horror holding her fixed to the spot. It was like a replay of five years previously. And then she saw Marina in the background, her face alight with satisfaction as she stood next to her astonished boss.

  Marina—

  Anger shot through Lauranne and suddenly she knew exactly why Tom had suddenly arrived on the island. She turned to Tom, an urgent look on her face. ‘You didn’t need to come. I’m fine. I’d like you to go, Tom. I’m honestly OK.’

  Dear God, how could Marina have done this?

  Tom’s presence was the one thing guaranteed to goad Zander into an unthinking fury.

  And that had been her intention, of course—

  Tom wasn’t looking at her. His eyes were fixed on Zander. ‘I’m not leaving without you, Lauranne. I know you’re only here to help him clinch his precious deal and if you ask me you’ve done enough for the guy—’

  Lauranne looked at him in confusion. ‘Tom, please—’