by Kendrick, Sharon; Lawrence, Kim; Crews, Caitlin; Milburne, Melanie
He had too much power over her. Too much sensual power, which he had already demonstrated with stunning expertise. Seeing him in that sharply tailored suit and neatly aligned bow tie was enough to get her pulses racing. His dark-as-night gaze met hers and the edges of his mouth came up in a smile that spoke of triumph, rather than the emotion she hadn’t realised till now she wanted to see.
But she didn’t even like Draco. Of course she didn’t… And marrying a guy who only wanted you to secure a much-prized business deal was a little lowering, to say the least.
‘Ready to go?’ her father asked.
‘I could have done this on my own, you know,’ Allegra said in a low tone so no one nearby could overhear. ‘I don’t believe in fathers giving away their daughters. It’s positively feudal.’
Her father gave her arm a squeeze that was almost painful. ‘Don’t spoil it for me, Allegra. I’ve waited years for this day. I wasn’t sure it was ever going to happen.’
She drew in a tight breath, stung by the partially veiled criticism in his voice. ‘I’m only doing this for Elena and Nico. You do know that, don’t you?’
‘You should be grateful he was the one who won you,’ her father said with a clipped edge to his voice. ‘There were one or two other less savoury types who were interested but he outbid them with his offer of marriage. Hugely.’
A cold hand pressed on Allegra’s spine. What did her father mean, Draco was the one who’d won her? ‘What?’
‘Now is not the time to talk about it,’ her father said. ‘Ask him later.’
And then he led her inexorably towards Draco.
* * *
Draco had been prepared for Allegra looking beautiful. He had always known she would make a spectacularly gorgeous bride. And she didn’t disappoint. She was a vision in an oyster silk slip of a dress that clung to all her assets like an elegant evening glove. Her simple white veil hung over her face and down her back in a floating cloud. Her hair was swept up in a coronet do that gave her the look of a princess that was nothing less than breath-snatching. He covered his reaction to seeing her with a smile that could have been termed gloating, but there was no way he was going to let her see he considered this ceremony as anything but a means to an end.
The deal was balanced firmly in his favour and he was fine with that. It was the way he did business and this was, after all, about business. He stood to gain the most out of getting her hand in marriage. Allegra didn’t need his wealth or status because she had her own. He had played on her need to please her father who, in his opinion, didn’t deserve it. Cosimo Kallas was a narcissist who was only happy when the attention was squarely on him. His wife Elena had been chosen because she was young and beautiful and attracted to him.
Just like you chose Allegra.
Draco shook off the jarring thought like he was shaking something off the back of his suit jacket. His marriage to Allegra was much more than that. He hadn’t picked her from a line-up. He’d known her since she was a girl of sixteen. He admired her. He respected her. He wanted her.
And her father’s business—and, more importantly, her welfare—was a pressing issue that needed a solution, so here Draco was offering it. If he hadn’t offered for her, another man would have done so with far more nefarious purposes. The business world was cutthroat and conscienceless. He knew enough about some of the rich and powerful creditors to know they wouldn’t have thought twice about using her father’s debts to force Allegra into their bed. If she thought being married to him was bad, he didn’t like to guess what she would think about some of the alternatives.
This was his way of keeping them out of the equation.
It wasn’t as if they would be living in each other’s pockets. Draco liked that Allegra was independent, that she had her own career and commitments, because it would leave him free to see to his. He was prepared to be faithful because he didn’t see any reason not to be during a short-term marriage. His father had instilled in him the trust needed to have a satisfying relationship. He had always admired his father for the commitment he had made to his mother that had continued long after her death.
And Draco knew the chemistry between Allegra and him was the best he’d ever experienced. He could only expect it to improve the more they explored each other. He couldn’t wait for all this fuss to be over so he could get her alone and turn their marriage into a real one in every sense of the word. Allegra wanted him. Hadn’t he proved that down at the beach? Their relationship would be one based on mutual lust.
The string quartet began playing ‘The Bridal March’. Emily came up the red carpet first, but Draco couldn’t take his eyes off Allegra, waiting at the end of the archway with her father, to begin the walk towards him. Had he ever seen a more stunningly beautiful woman? She looked like a bride from an old black-and-white movie. Her skin was luminous, her make-up emphasising the intense blue of her eyes, the aristocratic height and slope of her cheekbones and the pink perfection of her kissable mouth with that gorgeous beauty spot just above it. The silk dress moved with her body, making his hands itch and twitch to unpeel her from it and explore those delectable curves.
He drew in a breath but was more than a little shocked to find it caught on something in his throat. He’d always made a point not to be moved by weddings. They reminded him too much of his ex. Of all the hopes he had invested in that doomed relationship. Of his own calf-love foolishness. He’d been to a few over the years—friends’ and colleagues’ and business associates’—and he had never had his breath lock in his throat. It felt almost as if his whole life had somehow been slowly but surely heading towards this moment. That every road so far had led to this time, this place, this person walking towards him.
Allegra came to stand beside him and through the gossamer of her veil met his gaze. She gave him a trembling smile that plucked on a tight string deep in his chest. ‘Hi…’
Draco had to clear his throat to speak. The uncertainty in her gaze, the slight wobble in her voice, made him wonder if she was experiencing the same unexpected groundswell of emotion. ‘You look beautiful.’
The priest stepped forward with a broad smile. ‘Dearly beloved, we are gathered here…’
Finally it was time to kiss his bride. Draco drew Allegra closer and pressed his mouth to hers in a kiss that felt unlike any other kiss he had ever experienced. It wasn’t because of the witnesses gathered or the solemnity of the occasion. It was a kiss that had a sacred element to it. A promise had been made and this kiss sealed it. Her lips clung to his, her hands resting against his chest, her right one over the thud of his heart.
Allegra smelt of summer flowers and her lips tasted of strawberries. He held her against him, praying his erection would cool it in time to turn to walk back through the gathered guests. He’d always considered it tacky when a wedding kiss went on too long. But now he wished he could freeze time. Stay right there and sup at her mouth until this burning ache in his flesh subsided—if it ever would.
He eased back to cradle her face in his hands. Her blue eyes shimmered as if she wasn’t far off crying. ‘Yia sou, Kyria Papandreou,’ he said.
She blinked a couple of times, as if to stop from tearing up any further. ‘Thanks for bringing Emily here. It means such a lot to me. And for all the other…stuff.’
Was that why she was feeling emotional? The little jab of disappointment hit him under the ribs. Of course it wasn’t about him. It was about her friend. He’d wanted to bring her friend here because Allegra no longer had a mother to support her and, besides, what bride didn’t need a bridesmaid? He had asked his best friend to be his best man so it only seemed fair for Allegra to have someone she trusted and valued by her side. ‘My pleasure,’ he said. ‘I thought she might hit it off with one of my friends from university, my best man—Loukas Kyprianos. He has a thing for English girls.’
‘Even so, it was nice of you to go to all th
at trouble.’
He looped her arm through his and turned with her so they were facing the guests. ‘Shall we let everyone get on with the party?’
* * *
It was a great party, Allegra had to admit, even though she spent most of it wondering about Draco’s true motives in marrying her. She hadn’t been able to get him alone to ask him to clarify what her father had told her. But it resonated with the sort of man he was. He might be ruthless when it suited him, but she knew him well enough to know he wouldn’t stand for any sort of criminal behaviour. Who were the faceless men who might have blackmailed her into their bed if he hadn’t intervened? The thought was too distressing to hold in her mind—like finding a cockroach in her glass of milk. It was revolting to picture herself with another of her father’s business associates. Surely her father wouldn’t have expected her to do it if Draco hadn’t put his hand up and proposed marriage?
Why had he put his hand up? Could there be any other reason?
No. Why else had he said the marriage was temporary? Because he wanted to have her, but he needed an escape route, that was why. He’d been prepared to do the honourable thing by her, but promising to love, protect and provide for her for the rest of her life was a step too far.
Allegra looked around the party of revelling guests, her mind still in a whirling turmoil. It didn’t take much for a gathering of Greeks to have fun when there was family, food and alcohol involved. Not that Draco had any family there. It struck her how alone in the world he was. He had friends and associates but no blood relatives. Weddings were times when families came together and celebrated with the couple.
She suddenly missed her mother with a pang that sat under her ribcage like a stitch pulled too tight. Not that her mother had really been there for her in the truest sense, but she ached for the mother she might have been if things had been different. But, strangely, she had a sense her mother would have approved of Draco. He was strong and disciplined, unlike her father, who had a tendency to live for himself rather than others. Draco didn’t talk himself up, either. He did things in the background that one would ever hear of if he had any say in it. Would he have told her about the other men? He hadn’t even told her about his commitment to Iona. His housekeeper had revealed it, not him. Iona had even told Allegra while she was helping her get dressed for the ceremony that Draco had set up a superannuation account for her with generous donations that set her up for a luxurious retirement.
Allegra stood with her arm looped through Draco’s as various guests came over to chat. As if Iona could sense Allegra had been thinking about her, she came bustling over, cheeks pink from drinking champagne, and her eyes bright with happiness for her employer and his new bride. She grasped each of their hands as though she was making a pledge, her eyes going misty as they had during the service. ‘Be happy. Be forgiving. Be friends.’
Draco leaned down to kiss his housekeeper on both cheeks. ‘We will. I promise.’
Allegra waited until Iona had wandered off to talk to some other guests before she looked up at Draco. ‘She’s so lucky to have you. She told me she would’ve still been on the streets begging if it hadn’t been for you.’
His arm went from around her waist to hold her hand, his thumb stroking the back of it in gentle movements. ‘What she needed when her husband ditched her for someone younger was a lawyer like you. She had no one to stand up for her. She reminds me of my mother. She’s a good woman, loyal and hard working.’ He waited a beat. ‘You rarely speak of your mother. Were you not close?’
Allegra grimaced. ‘My mother never got over my brother’s death. Losing him destroyed her. She gave up on life after that. My father would never admit it was suicide. He maintains the accidental overdose verdict the doctor put on the death certificate but I know she had given up. She simply couldn’t go on.’
His hand cupped hers as if he was holding something fragile and precious. ‘That must have been extremely tough on you, losing her under such awful circumstances. It’s not as if your father is the nurturing type.’
‘Yes, well, he wanted a son and heir, and when that son got sick he wanted another one to fix him, or—in a worst-case scenario—take his place,’ she said. ‘I turned up instead—female and an abject failure because I didn’t have the right genetic make-up to save Dion or replace him.’
Draco’s forehead creased into furrowed lines. ‘But surely your father never said—?’
‘He didn’t have to,’ Allegra said. ‘I got the message loud and clear. Even my mother on a bad day would make it pretty obvious what a disappointment I was. That’s why I was sent to boarding school in England so young. She didn’t like being reminded of her failure to produce a healthy son and heir. I ruined her chances of falling pregnant again. She had to have a hysterectomy after my birth because I ruptured her uterus. I only found all this out when I was older but it explained a lot about my childhood. She wasn’t the cuddling type, although there were plenty of photos with her cuddling my brother. She lost interest once he died and the only cuddles I got were from my nannies.’
Had she told him too much? Overloaded him with her Dickensian childhood drama? She rarely spoke of her childhood to anyone. Even Emily had only heard the cut-down version. She didn’t like painting herself as a victim, but growing up without the security and comfort of parental love was something she carried like a scar. Mostly she could ignore it, but when she saw people interact with their parents, and in particular their mothers, the wound opened all over again. But she and Draco were alike in that they had both lost their mothers while young. If anyone could understand, it would be him.
Draco let out a long sigh and stroked the back of her hands with his thumbs, holding her gaze in a concerned manner. ‘I’ve always been amazed at how well you turned out, given the tragic circumstances you were born into. But I had no idea you felt so unloved.’
And now I’ve signed up for a loveless marriage. Lucky me.
‘To be fair, I think my father loves me in his way. Or at least, he does now that I’ve saved his precious business.’ She met his gaze with a ‘no secrets now’ directness. ‘He told me there were other men who had their eye on me. Why didn’t you tell me that yourself?’
Draco’s frown lowered as if he was thinking deeply and was troubled by those thoughts. ‘I didn’t want you to worry about it. I’d solved the issue as far as I was concerned.’
‘It was an honourable thing to do…’
He shrugged as if they were talking about whose turn it was to take out the trash. ‘I figured, better the devil you know.’
Allegra studied his unreadable expression for a beat. ‘I’m starting to wonder if I know you at all. You’re full of little surprises.’
‘Don’t read too much into my actions,’ he said, expression still inscrutable. ‘Your father isn’t my favourite person in the world. I’ve always made excuses for him because the loss of a child is such a big thing. It’s not the sort of grief you can easily move on from on. Although, he seems to have done so now.’
‘Yes, his little affairs were his way of handling things,’ Allegra said. ‘My mother didn’t seem to care what he did—she accepted it as normal. Even as young as I was, that used to really bug me. I often wondered if he’d stayed faithful to her would it have helped her heal a little better?’
‘Maybe, maybe not.’ He gave her hands a squeeze. ‘Such sad talk for a wedding day, ne?’
Allegra gave a rueful smile. ‘It’s not like it’s a normal wedding day, though, is it? I felt a little guilty acting in front of Iona. I hope she doesn’t end up hating me for not being madly in love with you like every other woman on the planet.’
Draco’s thumbs stilled on her hands as if they’d been set on pause. His eyes held hers in a searching lock that made her feel that he was seeing more than she wanted him to see. Allegra’s heart stammered. Had she given herself away? Show
n how vulnerable she was to him? Not just in terms of physical attraction, but in terms of feelings she didn’t want to feel but couldn’t seem to control.
She couldn’t fall in love with him. Couldn’t. Couldn’t. Couldn’t. It would be unrequited if she did. He had locked his heart away and she had better not forget it. His reasons for marrying her were not just physical, but it didn’t mean he loved her. He’d wanted to protect her. Any decent man would have done the same. The best she could hope for was the desire he had for her would last. But it was a fragile hope. A hope on a ventilator and a timer.
But then he slipped her arm back through his and smiled. ‘Don’t you have a bouquet to toss?’
CHAPTER SIX
THE SUN WAS setting by the time Draco steered his luxury boat away from the jetty on his island. Allegra stood beside him, a light wrap around her shoulders, and waved back to the guests standing on the jetty and the beach, including Emily, who was in proud possession of the bouquet.
Emily was standing a short distance from Draco’s best man, Loukas Kyprianos, and Allegra could see the goggle-eyed looks Em was casting his way, as if she couldn’t believe what she was seeing. On the handsome scale, Loukas was like Draco—off the scale. But, while Draco had a tendency to smile rather than frown, Loukas had a more brooding demeanour, hinting at a man who preferred his own company and kept his own counsel. Emily wasn’t the sort of girl to get her head turned by a good-looking man, but she was a sucker for a man with secrets, given she had one or two of her own.
Draco manoeuvred the boat into the direction of the setting sun, which was now a fireball of red suspended on the smoky-blue plane of the horizon. A swathe of stratocumulus clouds reflected the burnished gold of the sun below and the grey and indigo bruise-like streaks of colour above.
A light breeze moved over the surface of the water, sped up by the passage of the boat. It played with Allegra’s hair, which was already in two minds whether to stay up in her coronet do or give up and swing about her back and shoulders. She pushed the straying strands away from her face and resisted the temptation to slip her hand into Draco’s outstretched one as he stood at the wheel.