The Renegade Billionaire (Harlequin Romance Large Print)

by Rebecca Winters

  “I don’t know. Your mannerisms maybe. The way you hold yourself. I really can’t explain it.”

  “You Greeks give off your own vibes too. At first, Sakis didn’t want to hire me because it would give a non-Greek a job.” She put the photos away.

  “But he was already smitten,” Stavros murmured, unable to prevent himself from eating her up with his eyes. “I saw it at his office. Combined with your résumé, he was hooked. That was a lucky day for him and my family’s corporation, even if my grandfather was the only one who had vision.”

  A gentle laugh escaped. “Do you miss him?”

  “Very much. Just once, he admitted that my father was a harsh taskmaster. He said it surprised him. That was my grandfather’s way of telling me he approved of me.”

  Her eyes misted over. “How difficult for you. I’m sorry.”

  “Don’t be. I’ve grown a second skin. I’d rather talk about you. Are you planning to stay with PanHellenic Tours as a career?”

  “Oh, no. Only until my father leaves for his new assignment in Indonesia.”

  Stavros felt as though he’d just been punched in the gut. That was one answer he hadn’t expected. “How soon will he be leaving Greece?”

  “Mid-October.”

  Less than two months?

  His stomach muscles tightened in reaction. “That country has seen a lot of turmoil.”

  “Not where Dad and I will be living.”

  Stavros stifled a groan. “Does your boss know yet?”

  “Yes. Why do you ask?”

  “The way he talked with you today, I got the feeling he won’t want to let you go.”

  “We’ve had a good relationship, but he always knew I’d leave when my father had to relocate.”

  He rubbed the back of his neck. “Is that what you want to do?”

  A haunted look crossed over her classic features. “Dad and I have never been separated. If Ferrante hadn’t died, we were going to live with my father wherever his work took him. Ferrante planned to give up his job. He was a linguist and would have found work with me so we could be together. The climb up Mont Blanc was going to be his last. As it turned out, it was his final climb.” Her voice shook.

  Stavros reached out to squeeze her hand before releasing it. “How old was he?”

  “Twenty-seven.”

  Ferrante had been young and so much in love with Andrea, he was willing to give up his interests to be with her. He didn’t know any man willing to do that. But to live with her father? Why? That question was on the tip of his tongue, but he didn’t feel now was the time to broach the subject.

  Her father couldn’t be an invalid—otherwise he wouldn’t be working at a mine site. Stavros didn’t understand. “What about his family?”

  “We planned to fly to Ticino for vacations to be with his parents.” Her soulful eyes searched his. “What’s wrong, Stavros?”

  What wasn’t!

  “Nothing important.” This new information had knocked him sideways. “Do you know your eyelids are drooping? It’s getting late and I must confess I’m tired too. Why don’t we put off more talk until tomorrow?” He needed time to think.

  “You’re a master at hiding your feelings, but I happen to know the incident in the foyer a little while ago has upset you. If you want to talk about it, I’m a good listener.”

  Stavros had already forgotten about it, but it was just as well she didn’t know what was really bothering him. “I’ve already learned that about you and will take you up on your offer in the morning.”

  “Then I’ll say good-night.”

  She shot out of the chair with her purse and disappeared from the dining room before he realized her intentions. He could have called her to come back, but then he’d have to admit he couldn’t comprehend his life without her in it. That was what was bothering him.

  He’d never wanted a woman so much in his life. But if he told her this soon, she’d never believe him. Stavros hardly believed it himself. What had it been? Only a week since they’d met each other? It was asking too much of her when she’d just been witness to Tina’s lie, a lie Stavros couldn’t rule out definitively without proof.

  On top of that nightmare was the news she’d be leaving with her father in October. Stavros was staggered by tonight’s events. He might as well have been smashed by one of those enormous marble slabs being loaded on one of the flatbed trucks. Heaven knew there’d be no sleep for him tonight. As for all the other nights to come, it didn’t bear thinking about.

  * * *

  After Andrea reached the guest bedroom, she shut the door and rummaged for the cell phone in her purse. Maybe her dad was already asleep, but she needed to hear his voice. Her call went through to his voice mail. She left a message for him to call her back when he could.

  Once she’d taken a quick shower and brushed her teeth, she climbed into bed with a bestselling Jean Sasson novel. She needed to keep her mind occupied so she wouldn’t think about a troubled Stavros somewhere in the villa. If Tina had lied, then he had to be enraged.

  When he’d locked Andrea in his arms a little while ago, it had felt so right she’d never wanted to leave them. Her heart had steamed into his. He was beyond wonderful. No man could compare to him.

  Andrea couldn’t imagine what it was like for Stavros to live with that kind of pressure to marry a woman his family had picked out for him. How sad his grandfather wasn’t still alive.

  But what if Stavros had lied to Andrea...?

  She barely knew him, yet until Tina had appeared, Andrea had felt she knew all the important things about the core of him. In her heart, she didn’t believe he would lie to her. Because you don’t want to?

  Her thoughts went back to Tina Nasso. Maybe she was pregnant, just not with Stavros’s baby. If that was true, then to confront him with Andrea standing there was a desperate act. Wretched and unconscionable, if Stavros wasn’t the father. What a nightmare for Stavros, who, through it all, had shown remarkable restraint.

  She’d never known pressure from her father. With him for a role model, she knew the kind of man she wanted to marry. One who had her dad’s goodness and gentleness. When she’d told her father she loved Ferrante and planned to get married, he’d been totally accepting because he’d liked him from the beginning.

  Maybe it was different between fathers and sons. Stavros’s mother had come right out, in front of Andrea, about her husband’s disapproval of the quarry tours Stavros had sanctioned. Those outspoken words—meant to chastise Stavros—had hurt Andrea for him.

  Her thoughts jumped to Sakis, who had admitted to problems with his son. Though he’d made light of it, Andrea suspected his son probably wouldn’t laugh.

  She decided she was the luckiest daughter in the world to have such a fantastic father. After showing Stavros her pictures, she was feeling exceptionally emotional. When the phone rang and she saw the caller ID, she picked up and blurted, “Dad? Do you have any idea how much I love you?”

  He laughed for a long time. “I love you too, honey. What has brought all this on?”

  “Things. Life.” Her voice wobbled. “Every day I appreciate you more and more. A lot has happened since we last talked.”

  “For me too. If you hadn’t phoned, I would have. You need to give your boss notice in the morning.”

  How strange he would mention her boss when Stavros had just questioned her about her job earlier. Alert to a serious tone in his voice, she sat up in bed. “What’s wrong?”

  “Nothing to do with me personally, honey. It looks like there’s too much political unrest at the mine in Papua. Remember my telling you about the Free Papua Movement?”

  “Vaguely.”

  “They’ve turned into a revolutionary organization whose purpose is to overthrow the government in Papua and West Papua. It has
been blamed for a lot of attacks happening near the mine.”

  Stavros had mentioned the turmoil there. The Konstantinos Corporation did business all over the world. That was why he knew everything.

  “My company doesn’t want me taking any chances, so I won’t be going there after all.”

  That meant they wouldn’t be leaving Greece for a long time! Thank you, thank you, her heart whispered.

  “The good news is, they’re sending me to Brazil for a short-term assignment. I have to be there in ten days. At this point, I’m finishing up my work here as fast as I can.”

  Andrea reeled. Wait a minute—in ten days she’d never see Stavros again? How was she going to handle that?

  “Think you can be ready by then?”

  She slid out of bed, too upset by his news to lie there. “O-of course I can.” Her voice faltered. “But the lease on the apartment isn’t up until the middle of October. We’ll have to pay for the time we won’t be living in it.”

  “No problem. I’ll take care of it. Honey, this short-term assignment in Brazil will be my last one. While we’re there, you don’t need to get a job. It might be fun for you to work on the language and add Portuguese to your long list.”

  Andrea held the phone tighter. She’d been listening, but one comment stood out. “What do you mean your last one?”

  “I’m finally tired of moving around. I miss Denver, and the main office wants me there. By Thanksgiving we’ll be home for good.”

  Home? For good? She’d never heard him sound so happy. His excitement rang in her ears.

  “We’ll buy a house and I’ll get all the furniture and possessions out of storage.”

  She had to sink down on the side of the bed or she would have fainted on the spot. Her father sounded so ecstatic about his future plans, she didn’t want to say anything to change that excitement. Denver was a long way away from Thassos Island. She couldn’t believe it, but her father sounded homesick.

  “Now tell me what’s been going on with you, honey.”

  Tears trickled down her cheeks. “Nothing as important as your news. I’ll fill you in later. Get a good sleep. I’ll call you soon. Love you, Dad.” She clicked off.

  For his whole life, he’d taken perfect care of her. He’d taken her everywhere with him so they’d never be apart. Now he wanted to go home and assumed she’d be going home with him.

  Up until a week ago, she would have been happy with his plans. But something earthshaking had happened to her.

  Never being with Stavros again was anathema to her.

  If only Sakis hadn’t asked him to come to his office—if only her boss hadn’t called her in at the same time—then Andrea wouldn’t have wound up at Stavros’s villa. But she had come. There was only one explanation. She’d fallen madly in love with him. It was as simple and painful as that.

  She knew Stavros was attracted to her, but she had no idea how deep his feelings ran. He’d just come out of another relationship. Had his mother sent Tina to Stavros’s villa because she believed Tina and was upset he hadn’t answered Tina’s calls or texts?

  Had his mother suspected Andrea would be here? Did she hope Andrea would stay away from Stavros when she heard the news about the pregnancy? Would a mother do that? Andrea didn’t know, but she didn’t want to believe his mother would be that calculating.

  As for Tina, Andrea had seen for herself that the Grecian beauty would do anything for Stavros’s affection. Was she so in love with him, she’d come to the villa on her own because she couldn’t help herself? Had this kind of thing happened to Stavros in the past with other women?

  If so, it could explain why he was still a bachelor. Maybe her father’s bad experience in Venezuela was the reason he hadn’t remarried. When there was no truth in it, how could any man ever trust in love, let alone marriage, after an exhibition like Ms. Nasso had put on tonight?

  But what if Stavros was lying? She’d told him she’d withhold judgment, but that took a lot of faith.

  Confused, bewildered, she got back in bed with an aching heart and pulled the covers over her shoulders, not knowing what to think. Ten more days would fly by, then no more Stavros. Maybe it was just as well. Just leave Greece before she got in too far over her head. But that was a joke.

  She turned on her stomach and buried her wet face in the pillow.

  The next thing she knew, it was morning. Crying herself to sleep had been one way of bringing on oblivion. But she’d awakened with the same pain, knowing her time with Stavros was growing shorter by the minute. She checked her watch. It was ten after nine.

  One look in the bathroom mirror and she did what she could to repair the damage before getting dressed. After brushing her hair, she slipped into white denims and a short-sleeved powder blue T-shirt. She’d just finished tying her white sneakers when Stavros rapped on her bedroom door.

  “Andrea? Are you up?”

  Ridiculous how the sound of his voice thrilled her. She reached for her purse and opened the door to the exciting man dressed in a black polo and jeans. Anything she might have said got blocked in her throat because of the way he was looking at her.

  “You look beautiful.”

  Heart attack. He was the one who was beautiful in that male way. “I don’t think you’re awake yet, but thank you.”

  His eyes narrowed on her mouth. “I’ve been wide awake for quite a while waiting for you. If you think I’m paying lip service, then take another look in the mirror. The color of your top has enhanced the blue of your eyes.”

  She got this suffocating feeling in her chest. “I can smell coffee.”

  “I’m good at coffee and toast. It’s waiting for us out on the patio.”

  “Admit you’re afraid I’m going to have another hunger attack. I’ve had several embarrassing moments in my life because of my stomach.”

  A chuckle followed her through the hallway and alcove to the patio, where they were treated to another glorious day of sunshine. He’d prepared eggs and fruit too. A feast. When they sat down to eat, she decided there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do.

  Andrea ate a second helping of eggs. “You’re such a great cook, I’d hire you to be mine if I could afford you.”

  “Let’s talk about that after we go for a Jeep ride. I want to show you something.”

  She’d only been teasing, but his unexpected remark sounded serious and sent a curious shiver down her spine. “I’m ready to leave whenever you are.” But first she got up and took their dishes to the kitchen.

  “Leave them. I spoke to Raisa. She’ll be in later.”

  “It will only take a minute.”

  “But I can’t wait that long.”

  She flicked him a glance, thinking he was being playful, but the hard set of his jaw wiped away that notion. Without saying anything to him, she went back to the patio for her purse, then followed him out the rear entrance of the house to his Jeep.

  He’d left the bedroll and blankets in the backseat. The sight of them brought back haunting memories of that first night with him. With that inscrutable expression on his face, Andrea couldn’t tell if he was remembering or not. Aware of her accelerated pulse, she climbed in the front seat and attached the lap belt.

  * * *

  Stavros’s near sleepless night had put him in a dark place. The idea that Andrea would be leaving Greece in two months had changed the timing on the playing field. He drove them out to the main road, heading in the opposite direction from the quarry.

  “Where are we going?”

  The breeze teased her hair. Each golden strand caught the light. “To the other side of my property.”

  “You mean we’re still on it?”

  “The villa and the swath of woods on your right are mine. Beyond them lies my future.”

  She shifted in her seat t
oward him. “That sounded cryptic.”

  He studied her profile. “Do you remember us talking about our dreams?”

  “How could I forget?”

  “I’m going to show you another one of mine, although it’s in its embryo stage. Every bit of money I earned growing up, I invested so that one day I could be independent. You’d have to belong to a family like mine to understand where I’m coming from.”

  “It doesn’t take a lot of imagination to realize you want to be your own man.”

  He breathed in deeply. “As you heard from my mother, last week I claimed my independence when I resigned at the board meeting. The Konstantinos family doesn’t own me anymore. Best of all, I don’t owe them.”

  He felt her speculative gaze on him while he made a turn to the right and followed the mountain road to an area of cleared land. It housed a cluster of new buildings, flatbed trucks and other machinery.

  Stavros brought the Jeep to a halt at the front entrance of the office building. “Welcome to Mount Ypsarion Enterprises.”

  She looked all around. “This isn’t a quarry.”

  “No. That’s my family’s business.”

  Her eyes flew to his. “What’s your business?”

  “That six-thousand-square-meter plant you see is putting out forty-five tons per hour of a new product I call Marma-Kon. It’s made from those mounds of marble waste dumps behind the buildings.”

  “Waste?”

  “Refuse from the cutting of the marble blocks. The idea came to me years ago when I visited the different quarries and saw the wasted marble. I began talking to a group of independent chemical engineers like myself from Kavala.”

  “I didn’t know you were an engineer like my dad.”

  Everything got down to her dad. Her hero worship of him meant they had a very strong bond. Ferrante had wanted her enough that he was willing to give up his own career to be with Andrea and her father. Had Andrea pressured him? Or had Ferrante loved her beyond reason and known it was the only way he could have a life with her?

  “It was necessary if I hoped to build a business. Together, my engineering friends and I brainstormed about what could be done with the residue because no one was interested in the waste. In time, we came up with various products used to make dry mortars, glues and tile adhesives that are superior to those on the market because of their marble base. They’re ideal for every application.