by Penny Jordan
‘I’d already got a loan and Alexei gave me just enough to subsidise it. That’s all. The only thing I regret is that my shares obviously weren’t enough to help him turn the business around. If they had been, we mightn’t be here now.’
Her words rang with bitterness and Alexandros felt something move in his chest. He couldn’t analyse it. One of the biggest accusations he’d made in his own head about her was crumbling. He didn’t even question the fact that he believed her. All he knew was that he wanted them to stop fighting, sniping…and do something else.
He pulled her into his arms. She stayed stiff against him. He tipped her chin up with one hand. ‘Whatever has happened between us, that was uncalled for. I had no right to assume to know what you did with those shares. And I had no right to assume that you were some vacuous limpet on the social circuit.’
She searched his face, sure he was laughing at her somehow and shocked at this abrupt turnaround. How could he believe her about this but not that? He had to be doing it for some reason…she didn’t think he meant it for a second.
‘Are you making fun of me?’
He shifted his hips slightly and her eyes widened in silent eloquence when she felt what he was feeling. He shook his head. ‘I’ve never been more serious in my life. Can we call a truce, Kallie? Make a pact not to talk about the past, just focus on this. And now.’
He was offering her a truce. A space to make things easier. For him? For her, too, she knew, if she accepted it. Although his ruthlessness could not be forgotten. He still had the power to ruin her family if he so wished. He’d keep her until she stopped pleasing him in bed. Bed. She felt weak. She’d tasted heaven now. The heaven she had longed for all those years ago. How could she go back? And she knew she wasn’t strong enough to give it up. Just yet.
She nodded her head, saw the flare of something in his eyes and closed hers in mute supplication as he bent his head and all that did exist was now.
After that tacit agreement to a truce of sorts, the next days of their so-called honeymoon fled. Kallie and Alexandros circled each other warily. Careful of what they said. There seemed to be an unspoken agreement that all they had to focus on was the physical connection. And they couldn’t get enough of one another.
The villa became a place outside reality. Kallie knew she was in danger of indulging in a fantasy that somehow this was real. That this existed. As if in some bizarre stroke of fate, her dreams as a seventeen-year-old had come true and she’d got her prince.
But that dream was quashed over and over again as it became all too clear that for Alexandros this was purely physical. Kallie had tried to start countless conversations, trying to get to know him better. Last night, Thea had served dinner on the terrace again. While Kallie had tried to find things to talk about, Alexandros had remained largely monosyllabic. In desperation at her own increasing sense of humiliation and futility, she’d jumped up in agitation.
‘This is crazy…why can’t you just talk to me? Why can’t we have a conversation? Am I so boring—?’
Alexandros had jumped up, too, frightening Kallie with his barely leashed anger and the intensity on his face. He’d taken two quick steps, lifted her into his arms and brought her straight to bed, throwing her down. She’d scrambled backwards.
‘You’re…an animal,’ she’d spluttered in indignation, and had watched with a traitorous and increasing excitement as he’d calmly proceeded to strip off. Completely.
He’d come down beside her, holding her an easy captive with his leanly muscled body, with the desires that made her quiver in his arms, even as she tried to pull away.
‘Yes, Kallie. But you want me. That’s all. We’re not here to talk, or to get to know one another. I know all I need to know.’
And he’d subjected her to such an erotic attack that she’d been hard pushed to remember her own name afterwards, never mind hold a conversation. He’d made his point.
Kallie woke early, her head resting on Alexandros’s chest, her leg thrown over his. She just lay there. Immediately awake. Emotion swirled around her head, in her chest, making it tight. She tried to keep her breathing even, closed her eyes tight. The ache built in her throat. She couldn’t believe she’d done it again. Or rather, she had to acknowledge, things had never changed. She was still in love with Alexandros. The only thing different to when she’d been a child and a teenager was that back then she hadn’t known the depth of that love, how all-permeating it was and how sleeping with him would crack her open and let her taste the extreme despair that would come from loving a man like him. A man beholden to none, least of all her.
The past few days he’d been looking at her with that heated gaze, stopping her in her tracks again and again. He’d brutally ignored her wish to talk last night, had effortlessly made her acquiesce to what he wanted…How could she be so weak? She could see very well what he was doing. It was tantamount to a kidnapper not calling their victim by their name so they wouldn’t identify with the captive.
How could she be in love with someone who was doing that to her?
Because she knew him. It was that simple. He was her soul mate. The part of him that she had once known, that he kept from her now, would never be hers. She might be his, but he was not hers. And never would be.
A large hand cupped her jaw, taking her by surprise. She hadn’t noticed that he’d woken up. Her eyes stayed shut, the ache clogging her throat. Still no words, not even now…and yet her body was already humming, opening, moistening for his touch. The gratification that only he could bring her.
His hand smoothed its way down her collar-bone to the space between her breasts where her heart was beating steadily, and speeding up when he shifted them subtly and a leg came over hers, nudging them apart. The frisson of awareness, the hunger and need after a night of love-making scared her with its intensity. Today they were going back to Paris. Back to reality, back to the cruel, harsh world of media and photographers and reminders that all was not what it seemed.
She turned her head and opened her eyes. Her pain was buried deep and hidden inside her. He pressed a kiss to her lips, long and lingering, drew her up on top of him so that her breasts were crushed to his chest. His hands spanned her waist and moved her up and then down slightly where she could feel the powerful thrust of his erection.
She was already wet, ready for him. She slid her legs on either side of his hips and rocked back gently, coming up slightly, and sucked in a deep breath when she felt him thrust up and into her. Looking deep into his eyes, Kallie could feel the need rise up, the need to speak, to say something. The monumental realisation that she still loved him utterly was clawing at her insides to get out, even as he took them both on an ever-increasing spiral towards oblivion.
Approaching her climax, Kallie could feel the words tremble on her lips…She felt desperate but couldn’t control it. Not when they were joined, literally. In desperation to avoid the ultimate act of self-destruction, she bent down and pressed her feverish lips against Alexandros’s mouth, and her words were stifled as the wave broke over her, as he ruthlessly held her hips and his own release spilled into her body.
With Kallie resting on his chest, their bodies still joined, Alexandros couldn’t believe the strength of his climax, every time, with this woman. She gave so freely, so generously. She was so responsive. With one touch…hell, without even a touch, with a look, she’d be his. He’d see her whole body start to quiver, like a bow, waiting for his touch. Those huge eyes would follow him, widen as he got closer, pupils dilating, making them look darker. And as he’d bend to kiss her, her mouth would open, soft lips waiting…
But last night…every night…ever since that day in the park, when she’d want to talk, he just couldn’t. Something shut down inside him. He didn’t want to. He wasn’t interested. But even as he told himself that, he knew it was a lie. He knew it and hated it.
When he’d carried Kallie up to the bedroom last night, thrown her on the bed like some Neanderthal, he’d felt like a complete bas
tard. The truth was, he did want to talk to her. He did want to get to know her better. And that was not a part of the plan. Bed her, get her out of his system. She’d betrayed him before, she could do it again. It had taken a stronger will than he cared to admit to avoid talking to her.
She lifted her head at that moment and something in her eyes caught him. Something he didn’t know, didn’t recognise. Something he’d never seen in a woman’s eyes. And he didn’t want to know. He shifted his hips slightly and saw the flare of colour come into her cheeks when she could feel him still inside her, growing hard again. With the same ruthlessness as last night he watched with relief as whatever had been in Kallie’s eyes faded, to be replaced by desire…as he took her with him again.
And when they were finished, he extricated himself from her embrace, got out of the bed, and as he went to shower, he coolly informed her that they’d leave in a couple of hours.
Under the spray he rested his hands on the wall, dropped his head and felt the crushing weight of something take residence in his chest. When he came out, Kallie had gone back to her own bedroom and Alexandros wanted to smash his fist into something very hard. He was at war with something…and he was very much afraid it was himself. And that he didn’t know the terms of engagement.
CHAPTER THIRTEEN
KALLIE had walked around Alexandros’s apartment, which was on the Rue du Faubourg Saint-Honoré. One of the most exclusive addresses in Paris. It was huge. It was her first time there. And now she stood in the main living room with her bags at her feet. When she’d returned home earlier that evening, her small apartment had been mobbed with the paparazzi who’d followed them from the airport. She’d been bombarded with questions. Why are you here? Why aren’t you living with Alexandros? Trouble in paradise already?
Alexandros, behind her in the car, had stepped out and coolly informed them that they were merely picking up some things and that Kallie was moving in with him.
Too shocked to speak outside, she’d rounded on him in her tiny apartment, her voice high with tension. ‘Since when was I going to move in with you?’
He’d merely shrugged, looking around with interest, making Kallie frightened. She’d wanted to kick and scream, tell him to get out of her sanctuary. It was too much. Her private space was the only place he hadn’t invaded completely and now he was here, too, looking around like an inspector. This cool, aloof man scared her. He had the power to make her weak. To break her in two.
He’d fixed her with those eyes. Black and unreadable. ‘Kallie, it makes sense. They’ll be like dogs with a bone. Do you want that kind of attention? I certainly don’t and I’d say your neighbours could do without it as well.’
Guilt had flooded her. A lot of old people lived in her building and she could only imagine what they’d make of having to step over photographers every day. They might even get hurt. But the thought of living with him terrified her. ‘But surely it won’t last?’
He’d shrugged again and she’d wanted to hit him. ‘As long as they think there’s a story, they’ll hound you here. And by not moving in with me, that’s a story.’
She’d closed her eyes briefly. The more time they spent together, the sooner he’d want to get rid of her. Maybe it was the best solution.
‘I’ll only do it out of respect for my area, for this building. I can’t afford to be thrown out because I’m causing a disturbance.’
Kallie walked over to the window of his palatial living room now and looked out. They were between the Ritz Hotel and the Jardin des Tuileries. A truly spectacular address. And she couldn’t have cared less. She could have been in the gritty suburbs for all she cared, as long as she was away from him. She sighed deeply. Because she knew that wasn’t true.
Alexandros watched her back from the door. It was ramrod straight, her hands stuck into the back pockets of her jeans. Her cashmere cardigan buttoned down the back, making his fingers itch to go and unbutton it, run his hands around to her front and up to cup her breasts. He could feel their warmth and weight in his hands.
She was getting him hard just looking at her back!
She was the image of simplicity and natural beauty. Her hair was tied back in a ponytail, exposing her neck. He knew without looking that her skin had a glow from the Athenian sun, that more freckles had appeared on her nose. In a rare moment of lightness that had snuck up all too easily, he’d teased her and she’d become embarrassed. And then he’d taken her mind off it by insisting on checking the rest of her body for freckles.
His smile faded when he recalled her reaction to moving in with him. Especially when he hadn’t even planned on asking her. He was meant to be saying goodbye, arranging for the divorce, having slaked his lust for this woman. And now she was here, living with him…But right now that lust still held him in its hot grip and he didn’t feel like it was ever going to wane. A rebellious feeling rose up. He had her right where he wanted her. He didn’t need to look into it any deeper than that.
Like an irritating itch, he remembered following her up to her apartment, which he’d only seen from the door before. He’d been pleasantly surprised by the chic, clean minimalism. The shelves filled with books. It had peace and tranquillity, inherent good taste that called to something inside him.
Kallie had paced up and down, agitated. Alexandros had felt a surge of dissatisfaction. What was so abhorrent about coming to live with him? He knew countless women who’d jump at the chance. He’d suddenly realised that, apart from paying for her tickets to Greece and covering meals out, he hadn’t given Kallie any money or any gifts. It felt strange. He had to remind himself that he hadn’t wanted to give her anything. And yet, why hadn’t she asked? Why hadn’t she cajoled something out of him by now? He just couldn’t imagine her doing it.
She turned around now and saw him. His breath stopped. Her eyes that looked at him now so gravely were not the eyes of the Isabelle Zolanzes of the world. From what he’d seen in the past couple of weeks, she took too much delight in ordinary things. If he offered her a diamond bracelet right now, she’d probably wonder what he was up to and hand it back. It startled him how clearly he knew this, felt this. And how far removed it was from the woman he’d imagined her to be that night at the Ritz Hotel.
And how far removed it was from any woman he’d ever known.
That’s why he couldn’t trust it. He walked towards her, slowly and with intent. Catching her to him, he could feel that initial rigidity, as if she had to let him know she was fighting this, and as he took her mouth, feeling as though it was the first time again, he triumphed in the way with a little sigh she sank against him and became…his.
‘Well, when is she going to be finished?’
‘I’m not sure, Mr Kouros. It’s a big function and Pierre Baudat has specifically requested that Kallie be here for the whole thing.’
Alexandros muttered something unintelligible and put down the phone. He stood up and strode over to his window, hands stuck deep in his pockets. When his secretary put her head around the door he told her to leave him alone for ten minutes. She scuttled back out.
In the past couple of weeks, since Kallie had moved into his apartment, he could count on his hands the amount of hours they’d spent together. The day after she’d moved in she’d got a contract to organise a last-minute function for one of France’s top actor/directors.
Now, much to his chagrin, she was invariably up before him, home after him and so tired when she did get back that she didn’t have the energy for much else. He’d actually found himself in the unique situation of living with a woman for the first time, yet not having a willing partner waiting for him every evening, and had to acknowledge the fact that she was possibly even busier than he was. This certainly wasn’t part of the plan. She’d told him she worked hard but he hadn’t expected her to do it while she was with him!
Alexandros frowned. The question niggled again. It had been haunting him for days now. Why didn’t he just get the divorce? He’d only needed to get marri
ed for the minimum amount of time and that had been well served by now. He didn’t need Kallie any more. She’d fulfilled her end of the agreement. Agreement…don’t you mean blackmail?
He conveniently ignored the ever-present hum of desire in his body that told him exactly why he hadn’t arranged for the divorce yet.
They’d exchanged a few terse words the previous evening, when he’d made a comment about how late she’d been working. ‘You’re not doing this just to avoid me, are you?’
When he’d walked towards her in the kitchen, she’d backed away, making a spike of anger spiral through him.
‘Of course not. This is a huge job, Alexandros. I’m doing it because I was offered it, not just to annoy you. If you feel like you’re not getting your money’s worth then maybe—’
‘Kallie…’ he’d warned.
She’d swung away, towards the door, and he’d seen her hand in a white-knuckled grip on the handle. He’d wanted to go and prise her fingers free, make her relax…against him.
‘Alexandros…unless you’re going to take this revenge even further and sabotage my career somehow, then I will be doing this…’
He’d come close, trapping her before she could leave the room, and surprised himself by thinking, Does she really think I would go that far?
‘Kallie, I have no problem with your work. As long as you’re in my bed every night, you can do what you want.’
A dark frown marred his face as he looked unseeingly out the window, still back there with Kallie. With an abrupt movement he picked up his coat, walked out of his office and instructed his bemused secretary to hold all meetings for the rest of the evening. Kallie was avoiding him and he was tired of it.
Kallie’s feet ached. She had visions of buckets of hot water and Epsom salts. She smiled and greeted the umpteenth person coming in through the heavily decorated damask-covered doors. The function for Pierre Baudat was a celebration of his life’s work. A-listers from all over the world were there. This was the biggest event she’d been given so far and she’d been working night and day to get it organised. She hadn’t failed to notice how Alexandros’s bemusement over recent days had turned to irritation pretty quickly. No doubt, she thought bitterly, this wasn’t part of the game plan. A wife who worked.