Aristide's Convenient Wife

by Jaqeuline Baird

The shock of his repeated apology made her head spin. Too little, too late, she thought bitterly.

  ‘Well, I sure as hell wouldn’t trust you as far as I could throw you,’ she lashed back. ‘I met a friend of yours today and he was most informative. It seems the only reason you wanted Nicholas and I was to keep overall control of your bloody bank.’

  His mouth hardened into a thin line as he demanded, ‘What friend?’

  ‘I bumped into Takis on the way to see you. Dr Savalas had confirmed my pregnancy and I wanted you to be the first to know. More fool me.’ She glared at him. ‘Takis stopped to congratulate me on becoming a wealthy woman and to warn me about you. We had a coffee together, and after chatting to him I suddenly found I had no desire to see you. Instead I decided to come back here.’

  ‘Don’t try my patience,’ Leon said softly, his dark gaze roaming over her face and down to where her breasts were barely covered by the lace bra. ‘What exactly did Takis say to you that changed the very willing wife I left in bed this morning into the tense angry woman before me now?’

  She briefly closed her eyes against the pull of sensuality his blatant masculine look had aroused. The happiness of this morning felt like a lifetime ago now, Helen thought sadly.

  ‘Takis told me the truth—something you seem to have an aversion to.’ She shook her head, she hadn’t the strength to yell at him and it took all her willpower to continue coolly, ‘Ironic, isn’t it, Leon? When you arrived at my home you accused me of being a gold-digger, when all the time it was you that was driven by money.’

  She looked at him then and was slightly shocked by the ferocious anger on his hard face, but not totally shocked. Like most powerful men he probably did not like to have his faults revealed.

  ‘I know all about the wills,’ she said flatly. ‘The fact your father died first meant Delia inherited from his estate and consequently Nicholas and I got a lot more than you bargained for. Discovering we existed must have been one hell of a shock to you. No wonder you hotfooted it to England—your absolute control over Aristides International was threatened.’

  She saw his face darken and thought he had a good right to look guilty. ‘And your oh, so sensible offer of a convenient marriage while carefully avoiding telling me you were not named as Nicholas’ guardian was a hell of a lot more devious than anything I ever did. As for adopting Nicholas, that was a master stroke.’

  Helen stopped, unable to go on for a moment as the full extent of his deception struck her all over again. ‘You were so efficient and considerate, even to arranging a meeting for me with Mr Smyth.’

  She glanced up, her challenging gaze roaming over his hard face.

  ‘Tell me, how much did you pay him?’ she asked scathingly, recalling when he had asked her the same thing and flinging his own words back at him.

  ‘That is enough,’ he grated between clenched teeth. ‘I never paid him a penny. And I never said I was Nicholas’ guardian, I said I was a trustee of his estate.’

  Thinking back she realised he was right, but it didn’t alter the fact he had let her think it—hismuddy water principle, no doubt.

  ‘Maybe not.’ She shrugged. ‘He did tell me to read the will, but I was in a hurry to buy my wedding dress and didn’t bother. How’s that for a sick joke? But to give Mr Smyth his due he did tell me not to sign away my inheritance until I had thought about it for a few months. So he was honest, unlike you. Amazingly I was naive enough then to believe what you told me, but not any more.’

  ‘If you shut up I can explain,’ Leon began, lifting a hand towards her, and she knocked it away.

  ‘Oh, please, spare your breath,’ she said with a sarcastic lift of a finely arched brow. ‘You tricked me into marriage. You tricked me into bed, and you would have quite happily let me trick myself out of the inheritance Delia left me.’

  ‘No,’ he growled and wrapping an arm around her waist, hauled her against him. ‘That is not true and the main reason Takis has gone to such lengths to try to poison your mind against me is because I confronted him today with the final result of the investigation into Delia’s drug taking. Takis is the party animal who handed out drugs like candy to his friends, Delia being one of them. The police can do nothing about it, because they can’t prove it. But I told him if I ever saw him in Athens again I would destroy him.’

  Helen believed him, but it didn’t make any difference; it simply confirmed what a ruthless bastard Leon was. She drew in a deep, shuddering breath and suddenly she was intensely aware of his great body hard against her own. The scent of him, a mixture of tangy cologne and musky male, was clouding her senses and her cool control took a serious knock.

  ‘You’re probably right but it doesn’t really matter any more,’ she said flatly, determined not to be blinded by sex again. ‘You don’t need to worry; I have not changed my mind. I will still sign everything over to Nicholas. Now, if you don’t mind, will you please leave?’ Her head was suddenly spinning, her legs felt weak and she could not take any more.

  ‘I want to get dressed,’ she murmured, and felt herself falling against him.

  Helen opened her eyes, and for a moment wondered where she was. She glanced around and realised she was lying on the bed. How did she get here? The door opened and Anna appeared with Nicholas by her side and a cup of tea in her hand. Helen pulled herself up to sitting position, wiping her damp hair from her face.

  ‘What happened?’ she asked.

  ‘You fainted.’ Anna smiled and stopped by the bed. ‘Not unusual for a girl in your condition. Master Leon caught you and put you on the bed. He told me you were pregnant and now he is calling the doctor.’ Handing her the cup, she added, ‘Men are helpless at times like this. Now, drink that tea, and tell Nicholas you are fine.’

  The little boy climbed on the bed.

  As the events of the afternoon came back to her in all their horror, she hugged Nicholas close and with a few words and a cuddle she reassured him she was fine, and he was off like a shot to resume playing.

  ‘Have you eaten today?’ Anna questioned as he left. ‘The chauffeur thought you were lunching with Master Leon, but he said you did not, and you are eating for two now, remember.’

  ‘No, I’m afraid I missed lunch.’ Helen shook her head and Anna left to return five minutes later with a ham salad, and left again.

  After eating the salad Helen was about to get up and dress when the door opened again, and Leon walked in. He was the last person she wanted to see, she thought, her eyes flicking bitterly over him. He had lost the jacket and tie, his shirt was unbuttoned and if she had not known better she might have thought he was upset. A small grey haired man followed behind him, whom Leon introduced as the doctor.

  ‘I don’t need a doctor,’ she began. ‘I—’

  ‘I will be the judge of that,’ Leon said grimly, striding over to the bed and lowering her back down. ‘You are too damn volatile to know what you need,’ he muttered, pulling the sheet up over her thighs.

  The doctor took her temperature, felt her pulse, asked a few questions, and nodded his approval when she mentioned Dr Savalas, while Leon stood in brooding silence listening to the whole proceedings.

  ‘I will see the doctor out,’ Leon declared, looking down at her with cold, hard eyes. ‘Then I will be back.’

  Helen inwardly shivered sensing the threat in his tone, and began to get up again. She needed to be dressed and on her feet to face him.

  ‘Don’t even think about getting up,’ Leon commanded, and the doctor agreed. Helen silently fumed. Defying her autocratic husband’s orders didn’t bother her one bit, but the doctor was a different proposition. Nothing and no one, herself included was going to do anything to harm the precious life inside her.

  Punching up the pillows, she eased her body up the bed. She had to stay in bed, but she didn’t have to lie down. She had lain down enough for Leon Aristides, but not any more. Once she got out of this bed she was never sharing another bed with the man again.

  For the
sake of the child she carried and Nicholas she would stay and willingly sign everything over to the child or children. Leon was hard-headed and ruthless enough that once he got what he really wanted she knew he would leave her alone. It would not be a problem for him. He had told her himself his first marriage had been just such an arrangement for years; as for her, she could get used to anything in time. God knew, she had had enough practice, and this time she had the compensation of not one, but hopefully two children to love.

  The door opened yet again and a glimmer of humour lightened her eyes. She was beginning to feel as if she were in the middle of Grand Central Station. But one look at the grim expression on Leon’s hard face as he strode over to the bed and her amusement vanished. Suddenly she did not feel quite so brave, or so sure.

  ‘The doctor said you must rest for a half an hour and then you can get up. Is there anything I can get you?’

  ‘No.’ She just wanted him to go. ‘I think you have done quite enough for me already,’ she drawled facetiously. ‘I have nothing more to say to you except terms. If you wish to remain married, I am prepared to stay in this house for Nicholas’ and our unborn child’s sake, but not in this room. If you want a divorce I will give you one, but I keep the children.’ At last she was taking back control of her life.

  For a long tense moment there was silence. ‘You really don’t trust me at all. But this conversation is not over.’

  His black eyes raked over her with insulting arrogance that did not help her budding confidence. ‘We will discuss your terms later in my study after Nicholas is in bed. Don’t make me have to come and fetch you.’ He left, slamming the door.

  Helen stood outside the study, reluctant to go in. Nicholas was safely tucked up in bed, and she had not seen Leon since he had stormed out of their room. She squared her slender shoulders, and nervously adjusted the neckline of the blue silk wrap around the top she had opted to wear. With not quite steady hands she smoothed the fabric of her slim fitting navy skirt down over her hips and drew in a deep steadying breath. She had to face Leon some time and she could no longer delay the confrontation.

  The door opening interrupted her thoughts and Leon was standing in the aperture, a glass of what looked like whisky in his hand. He had changed, she noticed, into a crisp blue tailored shirt and dark blue trousers. They were a matching pair, the thought struck her. Not anymore, she amended swiftly, and lifted her head to fearlessly meet his gaze.

  ‘Come in, we are expecting you,’ he said smoothly, and stepped back to allow her to enter.

  What did he mean ‘we’? Helen was immediately thrown into confusion, her startled gaze sweeping around the room to rest on Chris Stefano standing by the desk.

  ‘Chris. Hello,’ she managed to get out through suddenly dry lips walking into the middle of the room. ‘Nice to see you.’

  ‘Take the social exchange as read,’ Leon said curtly. ‘Chris has some documents for you to sign and he is in a hurry.’ And raising the glass to his mouth, he drained the contents.

  Helen stopped, her slender body tensing. Chris was Leon’s lawyer. Leon had said documents, plural. Had he already decided to take her up on her offer of, not just the inheritance, but a divorce as well? The sudden stab of pain in her heart made her wince.

  ‘Are you sure you are all right?’ Leon placed a hand on her arm.

  She felt the pressure of his fingers against her bare skin and glanced up at him. His hard face looked drawn, his lips tight, and his deep set eyes had a troubled look about them. Concern for her? No, Leon was a man who had never truly cared for a woman in his life.

  ‘Yes, I am fine.’ She shrugged off his hand and walked to the desk. ‘Show me where I have to sign.’

  She forced herself to smile at Chris and picked up a pen from the desk.

  ‘Sorry for the rush, Helen, but Mary and I are supposed to be going out to dinner. But you know your husband—if he wants something done, he wants it done yesterday.’ He chuckled, and placed two papers in front of her. ‘I am sure Leon has explained everything to you, but if you want to read them go ahead.’

  It took every bit of self control Helen possessed to smile back at Chris. ‘No, that won’t be necessary. But you could run the important points by me again.’

  Was it a divorce Leon was going for? She cast a sidelong glance at her husband. He had moved to the opposite side of the room, where he was refilling his glass from a decanter. ‘They are perfectly straightforward,’ Chris said, and she quickly turned her attention back to him. ‘The first is simply your acceptance of the money and shares, et cetera, Delia left you. I will need the name and number of the account you want them held in and the transfer will be through in five days.’

  ‘Wait a minute! That’s not right. I told Leon I want everything to go directly to Nicholas,’ Helen exclaimed.

  ‘I know, but he wouldn’t hear of it. He told me before Easter to make sure everything was transferred into your name.’

  ‘Before Easter, but…’

  That could not be true, and yet she trusted Chris, and if it was true she had made the biggest mistake in her life today. She had believed everything Takis had told her, a man she hardly knew, and she had condemned Leon without giving him a chance to explain. She turned shocked eyes to Leon. He was leaning against the fireplace glass in hand, his expression inscrutable.

  She thought back over the twelve weeks she had been married, and realised the preconceived notions she’d had of Leon had coloured her thinking the whole time. Being brutally honest, she knew it probably would not have mattered what he did. The wonderful lover, the great father, the magnificent diamonds he gave her, and most importantly his explanation of Louisa, while not pleasant to hear, had been truthful.

  But still she had not credited him with an ounce of trust. Instead she had believed a virtual stranger over him. What had she done?

  ‘I am in a bit of a hurry, Helen,’ Chris prompted. ‘The other document is the first stage in adopting Nicholas.’

  ‘No. I am not signing anything,’ she stated, looking back at Chris. ‘I thought…’

  What she had thought was shaming and she stopped in mid-sentence.

  ‘Like most women, my wife has trouble thinking clearly.’ Leon addressed Chris as he crossed the room to Helen’s side, closing his hands on her shoulders and turning her round to face him.

  ‘I’ve told you before. Let me do the thinking.’

  She was so heart-stoppingly beautiful both inside and out, and so thoroughly confused, and he knew he was to blame.

  ‘You must sign the first document, Helen, to close the estate, afterwards you can do what you like with the money. As for the second document it can wait if you prefer. But Chris can’t; he is in a hurry.’ He held her shocked gaze, the air between them thickening with tension. He saw the kaleidoscope of emotions flickering in the violet depths of her eyes. Unlike him, she never could hide what she was feeling and he knew the moment she made her decision.

  Helen signed both documents quietly.

  ‘Why, Leon?’ she asked quietly as Chris departed. ‘Why did you not stop me this afternoon? Why did you ignore what I said about giving everything to Nicholas? I misjudged you so dreadfully. I didn’t trust you an inch and I feel such a fool,’ she admitted bleakly.

  ‘No. I am the fool,’ Leon declared, his dark gaze raking over her with a burning intensity that made her pulse race and her heart beat loudly in her breast. ‘I ignored what you said, because I wanted you to have everything.’

  ‘You said that once before,’ Helen murmured. ‘A couple of weeks after we married, when you took me to the bank.’

  ‘I meant it then, and I mean it now,’ he said simply, and, bending towards her, he had swept her up in his arms before she knew what was happening.

  ‘What are you doing?’ Helen cried inanely, flinging her arms around his neck.

  ‘What I should have done weeks ago.’

  He carried her to the sofa and, dropping down, he held her firmly on his
lap. His dark gaze narrowed intently on her pale face.

  ‘Told you I love you,’ he said thickly.

  Stunned, Helen stared at him like a woman transfixed.

  ‘Me…You love me.’ She had to be dreaming, or she had finally flipped and she was hearing voices.

  ‘Yes, you, Helen. I never thought love existed until I met you.’

  A great surge of hope swept through her. She wasn’t crazy, Leon had said the words she had longed to hear.

  ‘Oh, Leon, I—’

  He lifted a finger and laid it against her soft lips.

  ‘Say nothing. I have to do this now or I may never have the courage again.’ He stopped her, a self deriding smile curving his mouth.

  ‘From the day we met again in England I wanted you sexually. But you were right, and so was Takis in a way—my main motivation was to get you and Nicholas under my control. Technically I could have lost control of the company, but it would never happen. Some of the small shareholders like Chris and Alex and a few more would never vote against me. But I like to be thorough and when you offered to sign everything over to Nicholas, I said nothing and married you for my convenience, not yours,’ he confessed in a rush.