Gemini grimaced. ‘I believe Angela’s way of thanking Jackie for her assistance was to have an affair with her fiancé only weeks after my father died.’
‘That would do it,’ Max agreed.
‘But is this will still legal if it was…obtained in the way it was?’ she asked.
‘It is most certainly legal.’ Drakon nodded firmly. ‘And I don’t think Angela Bartholomew would care to go to the authorities with accusations of theft when to do so would mean she would have to explain why she did not admit to knowing of the existence of this will months ago.’
‘I wonder why she didn’t simply burn it?’ Gemini mused.
‘I don’t know, and I don’t particularly care,’ he rasped. ‘Admittedly it would have been better for all concerned if your father had gone to his lawyers and left the signed will with them, but perhaps he believed a private will, with the signature of two members of his household as witnesses, would be a safer way of dealing with the matter.’
‘Less obvious to the eagle-eyed Angela, you mean?’ Gemini guessed. ‘Yes, I’m sure you’re right. Although she obviously found the new will anyway, after Daddy died so suddenly.’
‘Unfortunately, yes,’ he agreed. ‘Max has also ascertained this morning that she dismissed the two witnesses to the will from their employment at Bartholomew House shortly after your father’s death. In an effort, no doubt, to prevent them from stepping forward with knowledge of the existence of a new will.’
‘Knowing Daddy, they wouldn’t have been aware of the exact contents of the will anyway,’ she said. ‘It was really in the safe at Bartholomew House all this time, then?’
‘Yes.’
She glanced across at the stony-faced Max where he still stood in front of the window. ‘And you were the one who…found it there?’
He grimaced. ‘I think I’ll take the fifth on that one, if you don’t mind.’
Gemini knew that was the only admission she was likely to get that he had indeed been the one to enter Bartholomew House the previous evening.
She stood up to cross the room and throw her arms around his waist. ‘Thank you, Max!’ She hugged him tight. ‘Thank you so much!’
He stood uncomfortably in her arms for several seconds. ‘I think your hug is misdirected, lass,’ he finally murmured gruffly, and patted her back awkwardly.
Gemini knew exactly who she had to thank for her sudden change of fortune—knew perfectly well that Max had been acting directly under Drakon’s orders.
She gave Max another brief hug before turning to face Drakon, knowing that what he had done, what he had asked Max to do, was going to cause him and Lyonedes Enterprises serious problems.
The new will proved Angela a liar and a cheat. And because of that Lyonedes Enterprises would no longer acquire the much-coveted site in London on which it had intended building a hotel complex. Drakon himself could come in for serious legal ramifications if Angela decided to go to the authorities after all. In fact, the only one to benefit from the actions of the past twelve hours would appear to be Gemini herself…
‘I don’t know how to thank you—’
‘No thanks are necessary,’ he assured her stiffly.
She threw Max an amused glance. ‘Now you know why I thanked you first,’ she murmured exasperatedly.
‘Don’t bring me into this.’ The older man held up his hands in mock protest before turning back towards the window. ‘Uh-oh—I believe trouble has arrived,’ he announced.
‘Angela?’ Gemini said knowingly.
‘Oh, yes,’ Max confirmed as he turned back to look at Drakon. ‘Do you want me to go down and—’
‘Let her come up.’ Gemini was the one to answer him. ‘Drakon, if Angela has somehow worked out who was responsible for the break-in at Bartholomew House last night then we’d only be delaying this confrontation by ignoring her now,’ she reasoned, just as he was about to issue instructions to Max.
Drakon’s admiration for Gemini grew by the minute, it seemed. Admittedly she had fainted once she knew of her father’s more recent will, and realised she was the owner of Bartholomew House after all, but that had been understandable. Her stoicism since then had been indomitable.
As he had told Max earlier, Gemini truly was a woman like no other…
The intercom buzzed in announcement of Angela’s presence downstairs.
Drakon sighed. ‘Gemini is right, Max. We might as well get this over with now.’
‘I think that’s best.’ Gemini walked over to the speaker on the intercom. ‘Come up, Angela,’ she instructed the other woman coldly, and pressed the button to open the external door.
Drakon frowned. ‘Gemini—’
‘Don’t worry, Drakon,’ she said as her stepmother could be heard coming up the stairs. ‘Now that I know the truth I’m more than capable of handling her.’
Drakon was sure that she was; he only feared what further emotional damage Angela might do to her in the meantime…
The older woman’s expression was contemptuous as she entered the room. ‘I should have known that you would be here too.’ She gave Drakon a scathing glance. ‘And no doubt this is one of your henchman!’ she said, glaring at Max.
‘Mrs Bartholomew.’ Max gave a terse nod, his steely gaze narrowed in warning.
Blue eyes glittered angrily as Angela turned to Gemini. ‘You do realise that I could have you arrested for theft, as well as for breaking and entering at Bartholomew House?’
‘There has been a break-in at Bartholomew House?’ Drakon was the one to address her smoothly.
‘You know damn well there has!’
He raised dark brows. ‘And why on earth should I know that?’
‘Oh, please!’ Angela snapped. ‘You even arranged for your cousin to take me to dinner last night in order to make sure I was out of the house.’
Drakon turned as he sensed Gemini looking at him incredulously, nodding slightly in confirmation when she mouthed, Markos took her out to dinner?
‘What does your date with Markos last night have to do with me?’ he asked.
‘It worked very effectively as a means of ensuring you could sneak in and do your little Houdini act with certain contents of my safe!’
Drakon shrugged. ‘I assure you I have absolutely no control over my cousin’s actions. Nor do I understand what you mean by my “Houdini act”.’
Angela gave a disbelieving snort. ‘I didn’t even discover there was anything missing until I went to the safe this morning to return the jewellery I wore to go out last night.’
‘And you believe I am the one responsible for those items being missing?’ He raised haughty brows.
‘I know you are!’
‘I am afraid you are under a misapprehension, Mrs Bartholomew,’ Drakon bit out coldly. ‘Neither I, nor indeed Gemini, were even in England last night. We flew to Verona for the evening. For the opera, you know. We returned only a short time ago.’
Gemini looked at Drakon sharply as it became glaringly obvious to her exactly why they had flown to Verona and stayed the night there; by doing so Drakon had ensured that they both had an alibi for the break-in.
Angela seemed to notice their evening clothes for the first time, and her cheeks became flushed. ‘Then you had your henchman do it for you—’
‘I believe this conversation is over, Mrs Bartholomew,’ Drakon cut in repressively.
‘A word of advice, Drakon,’ Angela jeered. ‘Never try to deceive a deceiver.’
‘At last we seem to be agreed on something,’ he replied.
Angela’s face darkened angrily. ‘Why, you—’
‘That’s quite enough!’ Gemini stepped forward to grip Angela’s arm as she swung it with the obvious intention of slapping Drakon’s face. ‘You may have done your best to make me miserable, Angela, but you will never—ever—attack any of my friends.’ She thrust her face in front of the shorter woman’s. ‘Is that understood?’
‘Is that what you call him? ‘Your “friend”?’ Ange
la sneered.
Gemini drew in a sharp breath at the deliberate insult, but at the same time she knew the accusation was far from the truth; Drakon wasn’t, never had been, and now probably never would be her lover, as Angela was implying he was. Unfortunately…
“Not having any of your own, you probably wouldn’t recognise friendship if it bit you on the nose,’ she said coldly. ‘But, yes, Drakon is my friend. And this is my home. As such, you will not insult one of my friends in my home. Is that understood? Is it?’ she pressed.
A grudging respect entered the glittering blue eyes that stared up into Gemini’s. ‘Yes,’ Angela finally grated tightly.
‘Good.’ Gemini released her arm and stepped back. ‘Now, for my father’s sake, not yours, I’m willing to let you walk out of here and take up permanent residence in either the Paris apartment or the Spanish villa you apparently own. If,’ she continued firmly as Angela would have spoken, ‘you don’t do either of those things, then you will leave me with no choice but to go to the police and tell them of your duplicity.’
‘If you did that you would only implicate yourself and your “friends” in the robbery at my home.’
‘Actually, that would be my home,’ Gemini corrected. ‘And, as such, the contents of the safe there would also be my property,’ she added challengingly.
Angela’s face paled. ‘But you didn’t know any of that when the will was taken.’
‘I know it now,’ Gemini pointed out. ‘Which I believe will be all that matters in the eyes of the law,’ she added, with much more confidence that she actually felt. ‘But feel free to challenge my claim if that’s what you want to do.’
Angela scowled. ‘Exactly when did you develop claws?’
‘Oh, they were always there,’ Gemini assured the other woman. ‘Merely sheathed for my father’s sake. So which is it to be, Angela? Paris or the villa in Spain? Whichever one you choose, I will give you two days to vacate Bartholomew House and leave England for good,’ she added. ‘Oh, and I also expect you to return the rather large deposit you received from Lyonedes Enterprises when you agreed to sell them a property you knew you didn’t actually own.’
The older woman seemed to fight an inner battle with herself for several long seconds, as if she were exploring each avenue of escape open to her, and her shoulders finally dropped in defeat as she obviously found they all ended in a cul-de-sac.
‘You should have just burnt the new will,’ Gemini said.
‘Yes, I should.’ Angela sighed. ‘I just couldn’t quite bring myself to do it. For what it’s worth, I did love Miles,’ she finally admitted tightly. ‘In my own way.’
Gemini gave a weary shake of her head. ‘I’m not sure whether that makes your behaviour better or worse.’
‘No,’ Angela acknowledged heavily before glancing at Drakon and Max. ‘Touché, gentlemen. Now, if you will all excuse me,’ she drawled, ‘it appears I have a lot of packing to do. And a visit to make to my bank to return funds to Lyonedes Enterprises. I take it you will deal with the legal side of things?’ She looked enquiringly at Drakon.
‘Already being dealt with,’ he confirmed.
Angela nodded again before turning on one three-inch heel and leaving. The door downstairs closed quietly behind her seconds later.
Gemini sank down weakly into one of her armchairs, more relieved than she could say that the situation had finally been resolved in such a way that it took Angela out of her life for good and at the same time gave her back Bartholomew House.
And it was all thanks to Drakon…
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
DRAKON had watched and listened proudly as Gemini completely dominated the woman who had taken advantage of the deep love Gemini felt for her father in order to manipulate and steal from her.
But at the same time he’d felt a heavy weight in his chest at Gemini’s insistence that she considered him only as a friend.
‘I’ll go too now, if that’s okay?’ Max murmured.
‘Gemini?’ Drakon prompted gruffly.
She roused herself enough to look up and smile at Max. ‘Thank you once again. For everything.’
‘No problem.’ He nodded to them both before leaving.
Drakon was unsure what to say in order to breach the tense silence left behind by the other man’s departure. Uncertainty, in any given situation, was not an emotion that sat well on his shoulders.
Gemini looked across at him. ‘Do you think we’ll—I’ll—ever hear from Angela again?’
He smiled confidently. ‘Somehow I think not. You were like a tigress just now in defence of your…friends.’
She nodded. ‘And I meant every word. You and Max, and poor Markos, have all been wonderful.’
‘I believe I may speak for the others when I say it was our pleasure,’ Drakon said. ‘I should leave now as well,’ he added. ‘You will no doubt need time and space in which to properly absorb your change of circumstances.’
Gemini gave herself a mental shake, knowing that this was Drakon’s way of saying goodbye. ‘Did Markos really take Angela out to dinner last night in order to make sure she was out of the house for several hours?’
‘Yes.’ Drakon’s mouth twisted. ‘He felt it was the least he could do after his error earlier this week.’ He shrugged those broad shoulders. ‘I believe he also likes you.’
And Gemini liked Markos too.
But she loved Drakon…
Completely.
It was a discovery, an admission she had made to herself, as she’d lain awake and alone in her bed in the hotel in Verona the previous night…
She loved everything about Drakon. The way he looked obviously made her feel weak at the knees, and when he kissed her, made love to her, she simply melted. But it was so much more than that. She loved his obvious love and loyalty towards his family, his integrity in business, his self-confidence in any situation, his ability to make Gemini feel protected while at the same time respecting her freedom of choice.
Alone in her bed last night she had realised that Drakon was everything, and more, she could ever have wished for in the man she loved.
That love had only deepened today in the knowledge that he had believed in her, cared enough—even if it was only as a friend—to ensure that Bartholomew House was returned to her.
She moistened her lips before speaking. ‘Will you be returning to New York now?’
Drakon was silent for several seconds. Several long seconds. ‘That depends on you,’ he finally answered.
Gemini gave him a startled glance. ‘Me?’
‘Yes,’ he confirmed wryly. ‘Shall I go back to New York today, Gemini, or shall I remain here in London, so that we might perhaps start again?’ His expression was strained.
‘Start what again?’ Gemini was aware that she sounded idiotic, virtually repeating every word Drakon said, but she was afraid of misunderstanding him, and by doing so causing embarrassment to them both.
Drakon breathed heavily. ‘Everything,’ he bit out forcefully. ‘We met in unusual circumstances, and our relationship has continued in that unusual way ever since.’ He moved forward until he was close enough to crouch down beside the chair in which she sat. ‘I am asking, Gemini, if we could not begin again?’ He reached out to take one of her hands in his, and became aware of the envelope he still held. ‘I totally forgot…’ He frowned down at the bulky envelope. ‘I should have given you this earlier.’
‘Haven’t you given me enough already?’ Gemini looked totally bewildered.
Drakon reached into the envelope and drew out a small green box before resting it in his palm and holding it out to her. ‘I believe this also belongs to you,’ he said.
Gemini could only stare down blankly at the ring box in Drakon’s hand, still befuddled by the possibilities of what Drakon had just said to her. It had seemed as if he wanted another chance with her.
‘What is it?’ she prompted breathlessly.
He smiled gently. ‘I am sure that you already know.’
/>
Yes, she did know. Was positive that inside the ring box would be her mother’s emerald and diamond engagement ring and her plain gold wedding band!
She blinked in an effort to clear the tears that suddenly stung her eyes. ‘Was this the private telephone call you made yesterday evening when we arrived in Verona?’
‘Yes,’ he acknowledged simply.
Gemini reached out and took the box tentatively before slowly raising the lid. The familiarity of the rings inside caused her to close her eyes, sending those scalding tears cascading down her cheeks.
‘Oh, Drakon…’ She began to sob in earnest.
‘Don’t cry, Gemini!’ He reached out and gathered her into his arms, pressed her face into the warmth of his chest. ‘I thought only to make you happy,’ he murmured huskily as he crushed her to him. ‘Please don’t cry, agapi mou,’ he entreated. ‘I cannot bear it!’
Gemini couldn’t seem to stop crying. She couldn’t remember anyone—not even her father, whom she had adored and who had adored her—doing anything so absolutely, unselfishly wonderful for her. Put that together with Drakon’s earlier conversation, and his endearment just now, and her earlier hopes began to take flight…
She raised her head and looked at Drakon, seeing his concern for her in those dark, dark eyes. And something else…
She moistened her lips before speaking, and saw emotion darken those now jet-black eyes. ‘Drakon, why, when it must have been obvious how willing I was, did you change your mind about making love to me last night?’
His expression became strained. ‘In the circumstances, it would have been wrong of me to take advantage of you…’
‘And?’ Gemini pressed, her heart pounding loudly in her chest.
He gave a tight smile. ‘I told you—there was no four-poster bed and no rose petals.’
‘But I told you those things didn’t matter to me any more…’
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