by Maya Blake
A mysterious little smile played on her lips. ‘It means mine,’ she said.
‘Oh...’ My heart lurched in a foolish, dizzy somersault before I could remind myself that Neo’s hand had been splayed over my belly when he’d said the words. That he had simply been revelling in his possession.
Nothing else.
Catching Callie’s speculative glance, I hurriedly changed the subject to one I hoped would distract her: her baby. It worked like a charm—the gorgeous Andreos was almost too cute in his little shorts, shirt and waistcoat combo.
The reprieve didn’t last, and the tingling along my nape alerted me that Neo had entered the room a second before my eyes were compelled to meet his. His incisive gaze raked my face as he stalked towards me, his brother a few steps behind him.
Axios made a beeline for his wife and son, catching up a giggling Andreos and tucking him against his side before he wrapped a possessive arm around his wife’s shoulders.
Sliding her arm around her husband’s waist, Callie said smilingly over her shoulder, ‘Welcome to the family, Sadie. I have a feeling you’ll find things interesting.’
Before I could ask what she meant by that, Neo closed the gap between us, one strong, lean hand held out. ‘My parents are leaving. Perhaps you’d be so kind as to join me to see them off?’ he enquired silkily.
That look before, as he stood next to his brother...
The terse, revealing little conversation before that...
The thought of taking his hand now...
My instincts shrieked at me to beware. And yet every argument as to why I shouldn’t burned to ashes when his hand crept up another imperious notch.
I raised my hand.
He took it, his fingers meshing with mine in a palm sliding that jolted electricity through my midriff before spreading out in gleeful abandon over my body, hardening my nipples, speeding my heartbeat and delivering a mocking weakness to my knees.
I was fighting—and losing—the battle for my equilibrium when we stepped outside and approached Electra and Theodolus Xenakis.
Neo had inherited Theo’s height and Electra’s piercing eyes. Together they were a striking couple, who regarded me with shrewd speculation.
‘Perhaps you and Neo would join us for dinner after you return from your honeymoon? I’d like to get to know my new daughter-in-law better,’ Electra said, the barest hint of a smile diluting the near command to a request.
About to reply that there was no honeymoon, I paused when Neo answered smoothly, ‘Thank you, Mama. We’ll let you know when we’re free.’
The tenor of his voice put paid to any more conversation. Within minutes they’d departed, followed closely by Axios and Callie.
My mother, the last one remaining, hurried to me, her face creased in smiles. ‘It’s been a wonderful day,’ she said, and sighed. Then her smile turned teary. ‘I can’t believe my little girl is married,’ she mused. ‘If only your—’
‘The helicopter’s waiting, Mum,’ I said hurriedly, before she could drop my father into the conversation. She’d agreed to enter rehab to deal with her gambling and the after-effects of my father’s desertion. ‘I’ll see you when I get back to Athens.’
As for my father—I’d tried to block him out, the part of me that blamed him for contributing to my dire straits giving way to the bone-deep hurt caused by his abandonment and never healing. Even the mere thought of walking away from my baby filled me with horror. That he’d done so without a backward glance...
Aware of Neo’s narrowed gaze on my face, I dredged up a wider smile, hugged my mother and watched her board the helicopter a minute later.
Then, in the dying rays of the sun, bar the dozen or so staff efficiently cleaning up, I was alone on a Greek island with the man I’d married.
The profundity of it hit me square in the chest. A quick glance showed he was still watching me. Still assessing me with those all-seeing eyes.
‘The helicopter is coming back for us, right?’
His gaze grew hooded, his eyes flicking towards the aircraft that was now a speck on the horizon. ‘Yes. But not till tomorrow evening.’
My heart stuttered and flipped. ‘What? Why?’
‘Because, as much as we both know why this event happened, I’d rather not fuel further speculation by spending what’s left of my wedding day behind my desk in Athens with my new wife in tow.’
‘I thought you didn’t care what anyone thought?’
He turned, his hand returning to my waist as he led me back inside the sprawling villa. ‘Everyone here today values discretion. Beyond the boundaries of that circle is another matter. You’ll learn the difference in time,’ he stated.
The quiet force behind his words seeped into me, drawing a shiver.
‘You could’ve told me this before trapping me here,’ I said, trying to summon irritation but only finding a bubble of hot excitement that swelled with each step I took inside the vast living room with Neo by my side. The potent whiff of his aftershave triggered a hunger deep inside.
‘I thought you’d appreciate the peace and quiet.’
And those who didn’t know better would imagine I was spending the night making love to my dynamic new husband?
The thought ramped up the heat inside me, making me grateful when Neo guided me past the grouping of sofas I’d used earlier to another set, facing endless lush greenery just beyond the sparkling pool, before dropping his hand.
‘Sit down, Sadie. You’ll better enjoy the sunset from this spot.’ His voice was low, deep, if a little on the stiff side.
One of the wait staff approached and spoke to Neo in Greek. Without another word he walked away, his shoulders still tense.
Choosing to enjoy the temporary release from his overwhelming presence, and grateful to be off my feet, I kicked off my heels. I was smoothing down the floaty layers of delicate chiffon when a beam of sunlight caught the gems in the band on my finger. I’d been a little shell-shocked during the ceremony, but now I stared at the perfectly fitting diamond-encrusted platinum ring, a quiet sense of awe overcoming me.
I didn’t need to be a jeweller to know the ring was near priceless. And I’d been stunned to see that Neo wore a similar band minus the diamonds. What was that supposed to prove? That he intended to take this role seriously, even though he was merely biding his time until his child was born? Or was it something else?
You have my word there will be no other...
My heart lurched, despite knowing I couldn’t, shouldn’t read anything into that.
I was writhing in confusion when his bold footsteps returned. I dropped my hand into my lap, sliding the weighted reminder of our wedding ceremony between the folds of chiffon just as he entered my eyeline.
He was carrying a large tray on which several platters of food had been arranged. ‘You’ll be so kind as not to argue with me over this again, won’t you?’ he enquired drolly, despite the implacable determination in his eyes.
As if he’d flipped a switch, my appetite came roaring back, the succulent scents emanating off the tray making my mouth water. ‘Not this time, no.’
With a satisfied nod, he set the tray on my lap.
‘I should change...’
His grey gaze swept over me, lingering at certain points on my body, including my bare feet, and igniting the sparks higher. When his gaze returned to mine the glint had turned stormy, the sensual line of his mouth seeming fuller.
‘There’s no hurry. Eat first. Then I’ll give you the tour.’
I polished off a portion of moussaka, then a salad with the chicken I’d rejected earlier, almost moaning at the flavours exploding on my tongue.
Keep talking. It’ll dissipate the heat threatening to eat you alive.
‘Earlier, you said you didn’t care what anyone thought about our reasons for doing this. But you’ll agree t
hat, you being who you are, everyone’s going to be curious about the woman you’ve married suddenly out of the blue?’
He gave a tight-lipped nod, his nostrils flaring slightly. ‘They’ll wonder if there’s more than meets the eye. They’ll wonder if you’re pregnant. How you got pregnant.’
The food turned to sawdust in my mouth. ‘You mean—’
‘Certain members of my family know I can’t produce children, yes.’
I pushed my tray away.
He firmly pushed the plate back in front of me. ‘The deal was that you’d eat.’
For the baby’s sake.
The words hung in the air between us.
I chewed. Swallowed. ‘So they’ll wonder if I’m a liar?’
His jaw rippled, tightened, but he shrugged. ‘Only time will resolve that situation.’
Or you could believe me...
The words stuck in my throat, along with the next mouthful of food that suddenly refused to go down.
‘The obvious workings of biology aside, why is it so hard for you to believe this baby is yours, Neo?’ The question emerged before I could stop it.
‘Because I’m not a man who accepts things at face value. Not anymore,’ he said with cold precision. ‘And I caution you against attempting to change that. You’ll be wasting both your time and mine.’
That stark warning should have killed any softening towards him. Put me on the path back to unfeeling composure. Instead it mired me deeper in a quiet urgency to know why.
The urge was stemmed when Neo summoned a hovering staff member to clear away the tray. About to rise, I stopped, suppressing a shiver when his fingers brushed my inner arm.
‘You haven’t seen the sunset yet,’ he murmured. ‘Besides, I have something for you.’
I was torn between the stunning sunset unfolding outside and curiosity as to what he had for me. Neo won out. Only he was in no hurry. He nodded at the view.
I watched, awed, as the magnificent combination of orange, yellow and grey danced over the sparkling pool and the sea beyond, stretching across the horizon until it felt as if the whole world was bathed in splendid colour.
‘It’s breathtaking.’
‘Yes,’ he said simply.
The weight of his gaze remained as the minutes ticked by slowly and the sun dropped into the ocean. When I turned my head he was staring at me, that fierce light blazing in his eyes. My heart banged against my ribs.
To cover the flustering billowing inside, I cleared my throat. ‘You mentioned a tour?’
He nodded, but didn’t move. Simply reached into his breast pocket, extracted a small velvet box and prised it open. ‘I should’ve given this to you earlier.’
The magnificent ring consisted of a large square diamond, with a red hue I’d never seen before, surrounded by two sloping tiers of smaller pure gems. The band was platinum, a perfect match to my wedding ring.
I was aware my jaw had dropped with stunned surprise, but I couldn’t look away from the most beautiful piece of jewellery I’d ever seen.
‘Do you like it?’ he asked, his voice a little gruff.
I tore my gaze away to meet his, and was immediately trapped by a different sort of captivation. The scorching sort. ‘Can I say I hate it, just so I don’t have to wear it?’
One eyebrow rose. He was clearly surprised by my answer. ‘I fail to see the logic,’ he drawled.
‘Wearing something like that in public is just inviting a mugging. Or worse.’
His lips twitched a tiniest fraction. ‘Let me worry about that.’ He held out his hand in silent command.
I hesitated. ‘Neo...’
‘Wear it, Sadie. It will invite less speculation. And it will please me.’
Perhaps it was the beautiful sunset and the food that had mellowed me. Perhaps this particular fight wasn’t worth it because there was no downside to wearing one more ring when I’d already accepted another, binding me to this dynamic man who made my insides twist with forbidden yearning when I should have been shoring up my barriers at every turn.
I gave him my hand.
The act of Neo sliding another ring onto my finger felt vastly intimate, much too visceral. So much so, I’d stopped breathing by the time the band was tucked securely next to its counterpart. And was even more lightheaded when he wrapped his fingers possessively around mine and tugged me up.
‘You won’t need them,’ he rasped, when I went to slip my feet back in my shoes.
He led me to the south wing, where every bedroom and salon was a lavish masterpiece of white and silver and more stunning than the last, and where a private cinema, study and wine cellar were filled to the brim with extravagances only obscenely wealthy men like Neo could afford.
The north wing contained fewer rooms, mainly an immense private living room dividing two master suites. Both suites were bordered by a tennis-court-sized terrace which housed a smaller semi-enclosed version of the swimming pool downstairs.
The urge to dip my bare toes into the sparkling water was too irresistible. I gave in, gasping in delight, only to look up to find Neo’s gaze locked on my mouth.
He didn’t look away.
Slowly, heat built to an inferno between us. Until that breathlessness invaded again, threatening to drive me to the edge of my sanity.
I stepped back from the pool, hoping to restore a level head. Because sex wasn’t part of our bargain. It was the mind-altering drug that had led us here in the first place.
‘So, does this island have a name?’ I asked as he slowly advanced.
‘Neostros,’ he supplied, without taking his hooded gaze from me.
‘You named your island after yourself? How...narcissistic.’
He shrugged off my words. ‘More like the other way around. My grandfather bought this place long before I was born and he named it. My parents were vacationing here when my mother went into labour. I was born in one of the houses on the other side of the island.’
That glimpse into his early life made me yearn for more.
‘Is your grandfather still alive?’
His face closed up, but not before a flash of twisted pain and bitterness marred his expression. ‘No. He died of a heart attack as a direct result of attempting to dig his family out of hard times.’
Looking around me, seeing unfettered opulence at every turn, it was hard to believe that any Xenakis had ever experienced a minute’s hardship. ‘Hard times? How?’
Again his mouth twisted cynically. ‘Another unfortunate example of someone wanting something more than they deserved. In this case it was my grandfather’s overambitious business partner. He ran the business into the ground, then left my grandfather to pick up the pieces—but not before extending to him a business loan with crippling interest rates. The strain was too much for him. It broke my grandmother first. After she died... Well, it broke him.’
‘From what I can tell, you come from a very large family. Didn’t anyone step up to help?’
Neo lifted his hand and caught up a curl of my hair that had come loose. For a long moment I thought he wouldn’t answer me, that he intended his intimate caress to swell higher between us until we drowned from it.
When his eyes eventually met mine, residual bitterness lingered, but the heat had grown. ‘I don’t want to talk about my family anymore. As you can see, someone did step up. Ax and I did what needed to be done to get back what we’d lost. But in doing so we were reminded over and over again that greed and avarice will push people into deplorable behaviour to the exclusion of all decency.’
I opened my mouth to refute it. His fingers left my hair to brush over my lips, stopping my words before I could speak them.
‘If you seek to convince me otherwise...again, Sadie, I urge you to save your breath.’
He’s showing you his true colours. Believe him.
‘So you choose to operate from a position of bitterness and cynicism?’
A hard light glinted in his eyes momentarily before his expression grew shrewd, almost calculating. ‘Don’t you? Tell me what happened with your father.’
The sudden switch sent a cold shock wave through me. ‘What?’
‘You take pains to avoid discussing him even though he’s alive. And I’ve deduced that he’s a major reason for your mother’s troubles. Why the secrecy? What did he do to you?’
I firmed my lips, refusing to be drawn into the painful subject. But he’d answered my questions, even though it had been clear he didn’t want to discuss it.
‘Up until I was sixteen? Absolutely nothing. He was a decent father and I guess a good enough husband—I never heard my parents argue or even disagree about anything major.’
Neo frowned. ‘What changed?’
‘I came home from school one day to find my mother sobbing hysterically. When she calmed down enough to be coherent she handed me a postcard my father had sent from Venezuela. Only problem was, he was supposed to be on a business trip to Ireland.’
Strangling pain gripped my chest, stopped the flow of words for a moment. Neo’s fingers trailed down my jaw to rest on my shoulder and, as weakening as it was, I took comfort from the warmth of his hand—enough to finish the sorry little tale of how my family had broken apart with a few scrawled lines on a cheery little exotic postcard.
‘He basically said he didn’t want to be married anymore. Didn’t want to be a father, and he was never coming back. He’d already instructed his lawyers to file divorce papers. What he didn’t warn us about was the fact that he hadn’t kept up with the mortgage payments for over six months. Or that he’d cleared out their joint bank account. I was still absorbing the news when the bailiffs turned up two hours later with a court order and threw us out of our home.’
Neo cursed under his breath. ‘Where did you go?’
‘My mother had some savings. Enough to rent us a flat for a year. It would probably have gone further if...’ I stopped, fresh shame and the raw anguish of laying myself bare halting my words.