Alex stood, his long body uncoiling as he rose from the chair. This was a man who held more power in his pinkie than most men did in their lifetime. No wonder why Alex, while working for his father, had been the one who had single-handedly helped change the family olive oil business into a worldwide foods conglomerate with a variety of popular products.
Lauren trembled slightly as he came closer. She’d loved this man, held him in her arms. She’d soothed his brow, made love to him until both of them had drifted into a contented and satiated sleep. She’d ached for him, and she’d wanted nothing more than to spend the rest of her life by his side. She’d wanted to be his wife.
And now he’d offered her marriage, but for all the wrong reasons. He had no idea the things she’d been through, the real reasons why she’d left him. But some things were best kept secret, and this was one of those times.
She faced him as he walked toward the door. His breath felt warm on her cheek, almost like a lover’s caress. “This is not over, Lauren. I’m leaving tonight. When you become reasonable, I’m living here. My direct cell phone line is on the back.”
He’d moved? He’d let their apartment go? He attempted to hand her a business card, but she averted her face, clenched her fist, and let the white cardstock drift to the worn wood floor. And with that he was gone.
Lauren waited until she heard the outer door slam before slumping against the doorframe.
“Senora! Esta usted bien?” Concern laced her assistant’s voice.
“I’m fine, Lupe.” Lauren managed a small smile designed to reassure the older woman as she came forward.
Lupe’s Spanish came rapidly, and Lauren shook her head in attempt to reassure her worried secretary. “No, you’re sweet, Lupe, but I don’t want to take the rest of the day off. It’s only a few more hours and I have work to do, things to wrap up. I can’t leave Christopher’s dissertation undone. I must finish and ship it to New York before I have the baby and transfer to Peru.”
Lupe’s face radiated sympathy. She picked up the business card and placed it on Lauren’s desk. “At least he is gone. You will not have to deal with him again.”
Lauren didn’t answer. She wasn’t a fool. Unlike last time when she’d relaxed her guard, she wasn’t making that mistake again. The situation was far from over.
*****
Chapter Four
The call from the executive director of the IBF came through two days following Alex’s departure. “Lauren, hello. This is Vincent Gravini. How are you?”
“Mr. Gravini.” Lauren twisted the peeling spiral phone cord around her left index finger as she debated her answer. In all of her time working for the IBF, she’d never spoken personally to its executive director, even after Christopher’s death. Now Vincent Gravini had personally called.
“I’m doing fine. Thank you for asking,” she said.
“You’re welcome, and I’m glad to hear you’re doing well under such tragic circumstances. First, let me offer my sincere condolences. Christopher was one of our finest employees, and from his constant ravings, it was obvious to all of us how much he cared about you. I know you were unable to travel to New York because of your condition, so take my assurances that it was a lovely ceremony and burial. A packed church. You would have approved and you were very much missed.”
Despite the vast distance between New York City and Central Mexico, Lauren heard the sincerity in his voice. “Thank you,” she managed, fighting to keep the tears back.
“Which brings me to the other reason I’m calling. Lauren, you have many people worried about you, right now, including me.”
Vincent’s tone attempted to soothe but instead mental warning bells resounded in Lauren’s head.
“I’m sorry,” she said automatically.
“Lauren, let me first tell you that you have done a wonderful job for us over the past four years. Your time in Rwanda three years ago was phenomenal. But you’re twenty-seven and pregnant. As I’m sure you’re aware of company policy, it’s time for you to leave the field.”
“What!” Lauren tightened the cord, the end of her fingertip turning an ominous shade of red.
“I know this seems harsh, but you’re a United States citizen with a little one arriving soon. IBF policy states that single mothers may not remain in the field once a child is born. The repercussions in some areas of the world are too grave, and it’s also a blanket foundation policy that we pull all expectant mothers from the field so that no one employee feels discriminated against.”
Lauren let the cord go before the tight plastic permanently damaged her fingertip. Instead she twisted the small heirloom ring she wore on her left hand, the only piece of jewelry that still fit. Since they’d never contacted her, she’d assumed IBF headquarters had forgotten about the policy. Once more her assumptions had been mistaken.
“I’m sorry, Lauren, but we’re canceling your upcoming Peruvian posting. Instead, we’re reassigning you to the IBF headquarters here in New York. We have a wonderful opportunity open. You’ll be in charge of training our new field operatives. With your extensive field service and real world experience, you’ll be even more invaluable to us here at IBF world headquarters.”
“I have to finish Christopher’s work.”
“My dear, in some areas, the work will never be finished. However, if you’d like, we can let you complete the paperwork portion of it here in New York. I can’t wait to read what he’d had so far.”
The baby moved, and Lauren put her palm on her stomach. A foot or a hand pressed against her. There was no way she could return to New York City and the Pappas family. That was not an option.
“I understand you must follow policy, Mr. Gravini. Thank you for the wonderful opportunity you’ve offered me, but if I may, I’d like some time to consider all my options. At this juncture, perhaps a career change might be in order. I need to at least think about all this. It’s all rather sudden.”
There was a slight pause.
“Lauren, we would hate to lose you, but I must admit that you’d be doing the right thing in taking some time to consider. You need to do what’s best for you and your child. Either way, we’re making travel arrangements to bring you back to the States at the end of the week. If you choose to leave us, we will provide you with the separation package outlined in your employment contract.”
When Lauren didn’t say anything, Vincent quickly continued. “However, let me stress again that we hope you won’t quit. We have a wonderful onsite childcare facility in our building and with the Pappas family here, you’ll have all the support you need. In fact, I’d like for you to be one of the first people to know that Maria Pappas has donated an unrestricted five million dollars in Christopher’s name. You know they never did donate while Christopher was alive so you can imagine our surprise and how much we’re thrilled with the gift. The IBF can use the money however it wishes. We have many ideas and if you are here, you can be a part of them.”
“That’s wonderful.” Lauren clenched her hands together to keep from clawing her eyes out. Alex hadn’t been able to bend her to his will, so instead he had bought her job.
Miles away, Vincent remained oblivious to Lauren’s inner turmoil. “It is a wonderful gift. I can tell you that Maria Pappas is thrilled that you’ll be relocating to New York. This is her first grandchild.”
“Mr. Gravini, is it okay if I give you my decision by tomorrow afternoon?”
He was more than agreeable. “Of course. We can discuss terms of your position then if you’d like, but at least let me whet your appetite about the job we have for you here. It’s rather exciting.”
Vincent then went through her new position and then named what to Lauren sounded like an outrageous sum. Did one really need that much money even to live in pricey New York? Life wasn’t about getting rich, but being happy and fulfilled. If she’d wanted money and grief she could have stayed with Alex.
She could call and accept his offer.
She concentrated on wh
at Vincent was now saying about the job in New York, but the fact that she’d been signed, sealed and delivered made focus near impossible.
“You’ll find it’s a very generous offer,” Vincent said, “and one that more than compensates for New York’s higher cost of living. Until tomorrow, Lauren,” he finished.
“Tomorrow.” Lauren hung up the receiver. She’d known IBF policy moved single mothers out of the field, but not once in the past seven and a half months had anyone said anything to her about a transfer to New York. Perhaps Christopher had stymied them.
The key was relocating to New York. The IBF could have sent her anywhere, like the Sydney office, which oversaw Australia and Asia; or the London office, which oversaw Europe and Africa. Instead she’d been called to New York. While she was American, America had never been her real home. The world was. With her missionary parents, she’d lived in five different countries and three continents by the time she’d been ten.
She had no desire to ever live in New York or anywhere else where the American legal system could lay claim to her or her child. The decisions confronting her seemed so enormous and so overpowering, that to ward off tears, Lauren made the rare gesture of burying her head in her hands. The baby moved again.
“It will be fine, I promise,” Lauren whispered. She prayed the words weren’t a lie.
#
“Lauren Andrews?”
“Si.” Lauren shaded her eyes and glanced up from the book she’d been reading. From underneath the tilt of her straw hat, two policemen came into view.
The taller one on her right spoke to her in Spanish. “We’d like it if you came with us.”
Lauren set her book down into the pristine white sand of a secluded Yucatan beach that few tourists frequented. It had been three days since she’d left the IBF and since Alex hadn’t contacted her, she’d been looking over her shoulder ever since expecting him to pop up the moment he learned she wasn’t returning to New York.
She assessed the officers. Her training had invisible chills creeping up her spine. This wasn’t a social call. “May I ask what this is about? And may I see some identification?”
The shorter man shifted his weight and quickly flashed a badge at her. “You need to come back to the hotel with us.”
At this point, Lauren knew the wisest thing to do would be to rise to her feet. She was in clear view of the small cottage hotel, and already curiosity seekers stared. She wiggled her feet into her sandals and reached for her canvas beach bag.
“I’ll take that,” the shorter policeman said as he removed it from her fingers. Flanking her, they escorted her back toward the tiny hotel room she’d rented. After leaving the IBF, she’d wanted the opportunity to escape and decide what to do. Obviously she hadn’t disappeared well enough.
Fear rooted itself in her stomach when Lauren saw that her hotel room door was already open. Had she been robbed? Using Spanish, Lauren again asked what was going on. Neither man answered and panic overtook her. Years of training told her this was more than a break-in.
A longhaired Mexican woman came down the hallway and pointed at Lauren. “That’s her! Blond, si? Just like I told you! You believe Angelina now, don’t you? Hiding behind her pregnancy. For shame! Smuggling the stuff back with her. She offered me some! Good stuff, she said. Small fortune in America.”
Lauren stared at the woman, memorizing all of her features and mentally replaying the tape. She’d never seen this woman before. She was being set up. A cry of despair left Lauren’s lips before her innate crisis training could react and stop it. “This is a mistake!”
“We don’t make mistakes,” the shorter policeman said flatly. “This is your room, and this is your suitcase.”
He pulled open the louvered doors of Lauren’s tiny closet and Lauren gasped. She’d never seen drugs in her life, much less the quantity of packaged white powder exposed on the floor of her closet.
“Can you deny this is your hotel room?” the taller policeman asked.
Lauren’s baby kicked her sharply in the ribs as if somehow knowing the stakes had been raised. Damn you, Pappas family for doing this to me. “No.”
“We’re taking you in.”
Of course they were. As the cold slap of steel circled her wrists, Lauren didn’t need proof to know she’d been framed. She knew exactly who had given her every American tourist’s nightmare of being imprisoned forever in a small Mexican jail, a jail where guilty until proven innocent American justice didn’t exist.
Despite the early June heat, the handcuffs chilled her skin. The ride to the nondescript police station seemed endless, and once there, two hours passed before the police allowed her to use the phone. “Do you know who you will call?” the taller policeman asked.
“Yes.” She’d thought of nothing else since seeing her defiled duffle bag.
He led her into a small, guarded room. She saw her belongings, tagged as evidence, already in residence on a shelf. The policeman handcuffed her to the opposite wall, leaving her one arm free to use the phone receiver he had yet to hand her.
“What is the number?” he asked.
“It’s in my purse,” she said.
“Where is it?” Retrieving her purse, he dumped the contents onto a table and began holding up items one by one. Relief filled her as the officer finally held up what she was looking for.
“There, that business card.” The one she’d almost thrown away after Alex had left. Lupe had placed it on her desk, Lauren had placed it in the trashcan, but then she’d had second thoughts. Her survival instincts had saved her again.
A sudden hysterical thought filled her. She could not let them convict her of a crime she didn’t commit. If so, then the Pappas family could just steal her baby and….
The policeman handed Lauren the cardstock and her hand trembled as she flipped it over. Alex had penciled in his private cell phone number on the back and she pointed to it.
Calling Alex instead of a lawyer was a risk she had to take. He might laugh in her face and tell her that he was going to leave her to rot. Then again, maybe this was just a show of Pappas strength, a way to bend her to his will.
Lines creased her brow as she frantically tried to figure things out. Despite his preoccupation with the family foods business, she had never seen Alex act unethically. He’d never played a dirty hand before. Doing something like this, even in desperate times, would be out of character. Had he changed that much since she’d left?
As she contemplated that, another scenario entered her head. She was having a Pappas baby. This show of strength, this play in a deadly game was most likely Theo’s. He’d like nothing more for her to be an unfit mother. Then he could get the baby and be the hero. He’d never wanted her with Alex. To have her rot in prison would be win-win.
If Theo was behind this, turning to Alex was her only option. Even if he hadn’t believed her before when she’d tried to tell him about Theo’s duplicity, he was the only one could protect her.
While she didn’t totally trust Alex Pappas, she had no choice. He was the only one who could save her. All she had to do was give him what he wanted. The policeman dialed and handed her the receiver. As the international connection was made, moments seemed forever.
“Pappas.”
He’d answered. Lauren’s heart raced as his deep, husky voice rumbled through the line. Despite her current hatred of the man, a joyous relief filled her. The policeman’s eyes narrowed speculatively.
She gripped the phone like the lifeline it was. Her voice shook, barely came out above a whisper. “It’s Lauren.”
“Lauren?” Was that surprise she heard in his voice? Did it matter? He sensed her silence. “Lauren, what is it? What’s going on?”
The police officer was already tapping his watch. The words on her tongue tasted worse than aluminum foil. “You win. I’ll marry you.”
There was a moment of stunned silence before he said, “You’ve changed your mind? You’re sure?”
Hysteria threaten
ed to consume her. She had no other choice. She had a baby to protect. She’d been dealt a losing hand. “I’m sure.”
“I see.” He seemed hesitant and fear joined Lauren’s hysteria. What was taking him so long? Surely he hadn’t changed his mind.
“Well then, I guess we’ll have some arrangements to make.”
He sounded uncertain, as if not expecting her to change her mind. But Lauren didn’t care. “Oh, yes, I’d say we do.”
Amazing now that the deal was sealed, how level and calm her voice sounded. The steel of the handcuff cut into her captured wrist and she stepped towards the shackle to relieve some of the pressure.
“You won. I have no other choice. I’ve said I’ll marry you and endure a loveless marriage forever for the sake of my baby.”
A quiver crept into her voice as the policeman frowned and tapped his wristwatch again.
“So do me a favor and please come get me.”
“Lauren, I’m right in the middle of a board meeting. The Favazzas are moving in on our territory again. Give me a number and I’ll call you back in twenty minutes or so and—”
Business. Always business. Twenty minutes would become ten days. Ten days could become ten years.
“You will not leave me here!”
Lauren screeched the words so loudly that the policeman took a step back. IBF training be darned, Lauren gulped for much-needed air. “Please get me out of here! Please.”
She somehow avoided screaming at him again when there was another slight pause. “Lauren, exactly where are you?”
She laughed hollowly, the sound echoing in her ears. “Spare me your lies, Alex. I know your family tracks my movements and I cannot believe your right hand thug didn’t tell you exactly where I am. He’s being this. I know it.”
“Lauren,” his voice sounded tired.
“Get me out of here, Alex. Come and get me now. Get me out of jail.”
*****
Chapter Five
Alex’s suite in The Plaza Hotel afforded Lauren a million-dollar view of New York City’s Central Park but even the soothing expanse of green in the middle of the concrete jungle did little to assuage her wounded and shaky nerves.
The Greek Billionaire's Secret Baby (Contemporary Romance) Page 4