by Susanna Carr
She felt the tears rolling onto her eyelashes. “Now?” Her voice cracked.
“I don’t want to give this guy any opportunity to hurt you.”
He was rushing her. Not giving her time to think. He was treating her like an opponent, determined to win before she knew what hit her. “I’m not packed.”
“You don’t need much. You have an apartment in New York,” he reminded her. “And you’ll be back soon.”
He’s telling you what you want to hear. You are infatuated with an illusion. She knew why Dimos’s words stuck with her. She had often been guilty of believing what she wanted to be true. How many times had she believed her parents’ promises before they had shipped her off to school? They had given her hope because they had been tired of her tears and bargaining. The more she had protested, the more they drew away.
“Are you coming with me? Just to make sure I’m okay?” she asked. She wasn’t ready to walk away from Stergios. Maybe she could convince him on the long plane ride that they would do better as a team.
A muscle twitched in his jaw. “It’s not a good idea.”
She felt like she was bleeding inside. “When will you come visit?”
“I don’t know,” he admitted in a gravelly voice.
She knew what that meant. He wouldn’t visit her. He might contact her. At first there would be a flurry of phone calls and texts. There would be promises to visit soon and proclamations of missing her. And then it would start to taper off. There would be a series of missed calls. Unanswered texts.
Tears burned her eyes and she took short, choppy breaths. Jodie tried to tell herself not to expect the worst. Stergios was not like her parents. He promised a commitment. He promised that she would come first.
So why did it feel as though he was abandoning her? His life would go on while hers was put on pause. She was going to be uprooted and sent away.
Stergios glanced at his wristwatch. “We need to leave as soon as possible. I have a jet waiting for you at the airport.”
He wasn’t even lingering. She knew the threat scared him. It was like his nightmare coming to life. She needed to respect it and yet...would he send her away if he loved her? Would he insist on this separation if he couldn’t live without her?
She didn’t know why she was torturing herself with these questions. She needed to accept the truth. He could live without her.
Jodie staggered back as the truth pierced her. She needed to protect herself before she splintered into pieces. “I’ll go get my passport.”
Stergios’s relief was palpable as she walked to the bedroom. She felt stunned and yet she was aware of her surroundings. She heard him reach for his cell phone before he spoke in a low, urgent tone.
Once Jodie closed the bedroom door, she walked to the middle of the room and stopped. She looked down at her engagement ring. It represented hope and commitment. Promises and family. But it had all been an illusion.
The tears clogged her throat as she pulled the ring off and placed it on the table by the bed. If Stergios wanted her back, if he wanted to marry her, then he was going to find her in New York and convince her to return.
Because right now, she was better off on her own.
CHAPTER SEVENTEEN
STERGIOS SAT ALONE in the ornate living room in Jodie’s Upper East Side apartment as he waited for her return. He hadn’t seen her in over a week and he had been in quiet agony. His life had been in disorder and he wanted his fiancée back.
He wasn’t certain of his welcome. On his flight over, he had imagined that she was at home, pining for him. But the surprise was on him. Jodie had plunged back into her full social life as if she had to make up for lost time.
Stergios heard the front door open and he sat up straight in his chair. Anticipation beat wildly inside him when he heard Jodie’s familiar voice as she spoke on her cell phone.
“Yes!” Her laugh made his heart take a tumble. “We definitely should meet up, Henry. It’s been a long time.”
Henry? Hot, bitter jealousy rolled through him and he clenched the armrest with his fingers. Who was Henry? The security team had not mentioned this man. And why did she sound so happy talking to this Henry?
He saw Jodie stride past the door and her cheerful voice faltered. Stergios didn’t move as he waited. He kept his steady gaze on the doorway and watched her slowly retrace her steps.
Jodie looked radiant and healthy as she stood at the threshold. Her gray dress acknowledged but didn’t accentuate her full breasts and pregnant belly. Her red lips parted open but she didn’t smile. Her blue eyes sparkled with surprise and joy but immediately went blank.
“Let me call you back,” she said in a trance before she disconnected the call. She lowered her hand and stood as still as a statue. “The security team didn’t tell me you were here,” she said through bloodless lips. “I guess we know where their loyalties lie.”
“Who is Henry?” Stergios winced at his harsh tone. This was not the reunion he had intended.
“An old friend.” She tossed her phone on a nearby table and leaned against the door frame. “And what have you done to my butler and my housekeeper?”
“I’ve given them the day off.”
She arched her eyebrow with displeasure. “What brings you to New York?”
“You,” he said in a husky purr. He didn’t want to spend another day without her.
“Isn’t it dangerous to be near me?” She pursed her lips as though she was holding back what she really wanted to say. “Wasn’t that why you sent me away?”
He heard the hurt weighing down her voice. “We caught the man who made the threats. He has a history of stalking celebrities and public figures.”
“So it’s over.” She gave a sharp, decisive nod and crossed her arms. “Thanks for letting me know. There was no reason to fly all the way over here. You could have left word with your security team.”
She showed no joy or relief like he had when he’d received the news. He had rushed over to America the moment it was safe and she didn’t feel the need to cross the room for him. “I’m here to take you back home.”
She motioned at the ornate walls and painted ceilings. “I am home.”
This was not her home. She didn’t stamp her personality anywhere in this four-bedroom penthouse apartment. It was as impersonal as a hotel room.
“You have a nursery to finish and we can get back to our wedding plans. Which reminds me.” He reached into the breast pocket of his jacket and held the diamond solitaire between his fingers. “You left this behind.”
He had been stunned to discover that Jodie had removed her engagement ring before she left Greece. Panic swelled deep inside him when Jodie stared wordlessly at the ring.
She glanced up and her gaze collided with his. “It no longer belongs to me,” she said in a hoarse whisper.
Stergios jumped from his seat and gripped the ring in his hands. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?”
She thrust out her chin. “It means that I’m not returning to Greece and I’m not returning to you.”
He was losing her. The diamond bit his palm. Stergios drew in a short breath as alarm squeezed his chest. He had realized how much he needed her when they were apart. Now he couldn’t get her back. “Why?”
“Why?” Anger flashed in her blue eyes as she pushed away from the door frame. “How can you ask that? You shipped me off at the first excuse.”
“It was not an excuse!”
“If you are going to send me away every time there’s a problem, then it’s better if I stay here in New York.”
“That is not going to happen. You made promises and—”
“So did you,” she lashed out and pointed accusingly at him.
He sliced his hands in the air. “We are getting married. The soo
ner the better.” He needed to bind Jodie to him in every possible way.
“No.” She waved her hands and took a step back. “I will still give you full access with the baby but not with me. That’s over.”
“Because I tried to keep you safe?” His voice rose in disbelief.
“Because you cast me off the first chance you got.” She glared at him as the hurt shimmered from her eyes. “Because you disregarded my fears in favor of yours.”
“That’s not what happened.” Or had it? He remembered her pleas when he had sent her away. He had wanted to give in and hold her in his arms, but he had known he had to stay strong. This time he hadn’t been able to let her have her way.
“Do you think I felt safe when I was sent away and I didn’t know for how long?” Her bright red lips trembled. “Am I supposed to feel some sort of security when I’m isolated and I don’t hear from you?”
“I didn’t call you right away because of security reasons. I didn’t want you to be located. And then when I tried to contact you I couldn’t reach you.”
She hastily wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. “I’ve heard every excuse when my parents didn’t stay in contact with me, but that’s a new one.”
He splayed his hands out as the anger and frustration billowed inside him. “Do you think I wanted to stay away from you?”
“Yes.”
The simple word was like a punch in the stomach. How could she believe that?
“I made the most difficult decision to let you go,” he said gruffly. “I didn’t know how long it would be until I saw you. I denied myself the pleasure of watching our child grow strong inside you. I knew it was a possibility that I would miss every milestone of this pregnancy and very possibly the birth. But I made that choice because I needed to keep you safe.”
“But you didn’t allow me a choice,” she argued, her eyes flashing with fire. “You didn’t give me any information or time to make a decision.”
“The less you knew about the threats—”
“No, you don’t get to say that. You made these decisions because you knew you had power over me. I have rarely refused you anything and that is my fault. I settled for commitment over love and this is where it got me.” A tear tracked down her cheek. “Alone and abandoned.”
He was suddenly in front of her. “Jodie,” he said in a ragged breath as he reached out and rubbed the tear away. Her pain was ripping him apart. He had hurt her without realizing it. He did this. And he didn’t know how to fix it.
“I trusted you but you took advantage of the love I have for you.” More tears spilled over her lashes. “You know my history. You know how miserable I was having no family connection, hating how I was forgotten and invisible. And yet you did the same to me as my parents.”
“It’s not the same,” he said as he cupped her face between his hands.
“Why did your fears take precedence over mine?” she whispered.
“The situation was urgent and—”
She pulled away from him. “The situation is always going to be urgent. Each separation will be temporary. That is, until it becomes routine. And eventually, I will be living away, alone and forgotten, because I had put my trust in you.”
“I won’t let that happen,” he promised. Stergios needed another chance to prove that he was worthy of her trust.
“It won’t happen because I’m not going to give you that power again. I won’t allow you to decide my fate.” She rubbed her hands over her face and rolled her shoulders back before she took a deep breath. “I will not marry you. We are co-parents and that’s it. That’s all you wanted, anyway.”
“I want more,” he said gruffly. “I want it all.”
Her mouth twisted into a bitter smile. “So did I. It didn’t work out. Goodbye, Stergios,” she said with a hitch in her voice.
The cold fear threatened to break him. Jodie was giving up on him. On them. He couldn’t let that happen. “No, I’m staying here.”
“Why now?” she asked tearfully. “Why not when I wanted you with me? Never mind. It doesn’t matter anymore.” She dismissed her questions with the wave of her hand. “New York City is big enough for the both of us.”
“I’m staying here with you in your apartment.”
She bristled at his commanding tone. “No, you’re not!”
“We’re co-parents, remember? You won’t deny me access to my child.” He sounded more confident than he felt. Stergios knew he was taking a big gamble. Jodie could strike back by keeping him away during the rest of her pregnancy. But he didn’t think she would do that, no matter how hurt and angry she was with him. It was more important to her that their child had a strong bond with both parents.
“You’re right, I won’t,” she said as her shoulders sagged with defeat. “That is the only reason I’m agreeing to this. I’ll have the housekeeper make up a bed for you and you can have the library as your office.”
“That’s generous of you,” he said softly as he watched her with suspicion. He thought he would have to fight tooth and nail for Jodie to make room for him.
“Only because I know it will be temporary,” she said as she walked out of the room. “You’ll leave and return to your old life once you realize that I’m not marrying you.”
* * *
She had to give Stergios credit, Jodie thought as she swept into her penthouse apartment three weeks later. The man was determined to prove her wrong. He had invaded her home, her life and her every waking moment.
She tensed as his hands caressed her bare arms as he removed her coat. Stergios was a charming companion at the breakfast table and a supportive father-to-be at the doctor’s office. He was the perfect escort to social events. She flicked her gaze at him, noting how sophisticated and sexy he appeared in his dark suit and tie.
He wasn’t leaving, Jodie realized. At first she thought it was simply a battle of wills but now that she had put all the pieces together, she knew he was setting down roots here.
It didn’t make sense, she decided as she marched away, her black cocktail dress swishing against her knees. He had other commitments. He couldn’t stay in New York.
“You are in a bad mood,” Stergios drawled as he followed her into the living room. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not moody,” she said through clenched teeth. “I’m pregnant.”
“Is it because Henry spent most of the time talking to me?” he teased. Her pulse gave a kick at his dazzling smile. “It’s only because he wants another chance to beat me in squash.”
“Who would have thought the two of you would have become fast friends?” she muttered. Stergios had made a point of meeting her closest friends during the past few weeks. They adored him and had loudly advised her to marry him before he got away.
Stergios shrugged. “Once I knew Henry wasn’t a romantic rival, I could see that he’s a good man who I could trust around you.”
Jodie felt her nostrils flare as she tamped down her annoyance. “I told you that he was an old friend.”
“Ne, you did.” He slowly turned and was suddenly in front of her. “However, what you didn’t tell me was that he was the first boy who was caught in your room at boarding school.”
“Oh, he told you that.” She felt her cheeks burn under Stergios’s possessive gaze. “Nothing happened between Henry and me. We’re just friends and we looked out for each other. No big deal.”
“He still looks out for you.” Stergios paused thoughtfully before he continued. “Which is why I asked him to watch over you while I’m gone.”
She flinched and she felt the blood drain from her face. “Gone?”
“I have to go to Athens for a few days.” His tone was careful as he cupped her shoulders with his big, warm hands. “I want you to come with me but you’ve made it clear that you won’t leave Ne
w York.”
Jodie didn’t want him to go. What if he chose not to come back? She was suddenly tempted to go on the trip with him but bit her lip before she revealed that to Stergios. “Why are you returning to Greece?”
His fingers flexed. She sensed that he wanted to gather her in his arms but he didn’t move. “That’s something I want to talk about with you. I’m prepared to step away from my position in the Antoniou Group.”
Shock pulsed through her and she jerked out of his hold. “What? Why?”
He slid his hands in his pockets and watched her through hooded eyes. “It’s the only way I can stay here with you.”
“No, no, no.” She raised her hands to stop him from that dangerous train of thought. “You can’t do that. I won’t let you.”
“I can’t abandon all of my responsibilities. I will stay on with the Antoniou Group as an advisor.”
He wasn’t listening to her. Jodie grabbed his arm. “Don’t do it. You’ll regret it.”
He covered her hand with his. “Oxi, I won’t.” His voice was soft but confident.
“Maybe you won’t regret it for a month or even a year, but you will one day.” Her fingers dug into his sleeve. “You are giving up everything you’ve worked your entire life for. I can’t let you do that.”
Stergios’s eyes darkened. “I know what I want, Jodie. It’s you.”
He was wrong. She bent her head as the chaotic emotions rushed through her. Stergios wanted access to the baby. He wanted to create a stable family life for his children. He didn’t want her.
“Go back to Greece, Stergios.” It hurt to say those words. Jodie closed her eyes as the pain tore through her. “Marry the heiress who can give you power. Rule the world. You don’t need to stay here. I’ll be fine.”
“I choose you, Jodie.” He wrapped his arm around her waist and drew her closer. “Why does that scare you?”
“You don’t understand,” she said in a whisper as her body went limp. “I’m not going to be enough for you. I’m not going to meet your expectations. I’m not the wife you need. I’m keeping you from what you need. What you really want.”