Читать книгу Irresistible Greeks: Defiance and Desire - Кэрол Мортимер, Кэрол Мортимер - Страница 15

GEMINI gave a definite shake of her head. ‘I’m sure to be exhausted after working on the wedding flowers all day tomorrow, but thank you for asking.’

Drakon had regretted making the invitation virtually as soon as he’d made it! Regretted it and inwardly berated himself for even thinking of seeing her again.

This woman had a way of slipping beneath his guard. Of totally demolishing the tight rein he always kept over his self-control. Of tempting him to behave in ways he never had before. If Max hadn’t interrupted them when he had then Drakon had no doubt he would actually have made love to Gemini—in a lift, of all places!

It was unacceptable to a man who totally rejected any and all hint of emotional vulnerability, and instead preferred to remain detached and in control at all times. Wanting to push a woman up against a wall and make unbridled love to her couldn’t be called either of those things!

No, it was better by far if Drakon never saw or spoke to her again. And after this evening there was absolutely no reason why he should ever need to do so…

‘Very well.’ He nodded stiffly. ‘But I will come outside with you and see you safely into a taxi.’

Gemini could have argued that she had lived in London all her life and as such was perfectly capable of seeing herself into a taxi, thank you very much! But no doubt Drakon would then argue the point, and delay her departure by doing so. Which she certainly didn’t want when she so desperately needed to get away from him.

It wasn’t in the least apparent from Drakon’s cool and controlled expression as he looked down the length of his arrogant nose at her that only minutes ago he had almost made love to her with a fire and intimacy no other man ever had. But she was only too well aware of it. Her breasts still ached with sensitivity, and she could feel that telltale dampness between her thighs…

As was to be expected, there was no scarcity of available taxis when Drakon Lyonedes needed one, and he had no trouble flagging down one of London’s black cabs almost immediately they stepped to the edge of the pavement; he was the type of man for whom life always ran the way in which he wanted it to.

Unlike Gemini, who had no choice but to accept that Bartholomew House was now totally beyond her reach.

She felt numbed and slightly hollow as she climbed into the back of the taxi, only half listening as Drakon leant in to give the driver the address of her apartment.

‘I can be contacted through my cousin Markos if you ever have need of me.’

Gemini blinked up at Drakon from the back seat of the taxi. Why would he suppose she might ever have need of him? ‘Managing to speak to one of the Lyonedes family didn’t work out too well for me last time,’ she reminded him pointedly, just wanting to be on her way so that she could lick her wounds in private.

All her wounds. Losing Bartholomew House and responding so uninhibitedly to this grim-faced man’s earlier passion. At the moment she wasn’t sure which of those things was going to be the more difficult to understand, let alone accept.

Drakon’s mouth was set firmly. ‘I will leave instructions that you are to be allowed to make an appointment to see either Markos or myself at any time.’

Gemini’s eyes widened. ‘Why on earth would you want to do that?’

A good question. And one that he wasn’t sure he had a logical answer to. Except to say that his Greek upbringing did not find it acceptable that Gemini had effectively been left completely alone in the world since her father died.

‘The instruction will be given,’ he reiterated firmly. ‘You may please yourself as to whether or not you ever choose to use the privilege.’

She sat back against the seat. ‘I’m pretty sure that I won’t.’

He had asked for that response, Drakon acknowledged ruefully, knowing that his present attitude was less than gracious. But this young woman had become like a burr under his skin—a discomfort he couldn’t seem to ignore.

‘I hope you do not have to work too hard tomorrow.’ He stepped back and closed the door, leaving a pale-faced Gemini bathed only in moonlight as the taxi drew away from the kerb.

Drakon stood on the pavement and watched the taxi until its tail lights disappeared amongst the other London evening traffic, then turned sharply on his heel and went back into Lyonedes Tower, knowing—well, hoping—he had seen the last of Gemini Bartholomew…

‘We may have a problem.’

Drakon looked up from where he had been packing the last of his papers into his briefcase in preparation for his flight back to New York early this evening, frowning as he saw the unhappy expression on Markos’s face as his cousin came into the study of the penthouse apartment at the top of Lyonedes Tower.

‘What sort of a problem?’ Having spent a quiet weekend in the apartment in preparation for two days of lengthy negotiation with Thompson Oil—which had, of course, been concluded to Lyonedes Enterprises’ advantage—Drakon wasn’t in the mood to deal with any hiccups that might now have occurred in the finalising of that contract. Nothing which could threaten his return to New York today. He had been away from his own office for long enough.

Markos grimaced. ‘Mrs Bartholomew came to see me this afternoon—’

‘Miss Bartholomew,’ Drakon corrected, wondering why, when he hadn’t yet left the country, Gemini had chosen to make an appointment with Markos rather than himself. And for what reason…‘Gemini is not married.’

‘If I’d meant Gemini then I would have said Gemini,’ Markos reasoned impatiently.

Drakon eyed his cousin guardedly as he slowly stepped away from the desk. ‘So it was her stepmother who came to see you today?’

His cousin nodded. ‘Well, I had the distinct impression she would have preferred it to have been you, but as you weren’t available this afternoon she settled for seeing me instead.’

Drakon had spent the past four days trying not to think about Gemini. Not too successfully, admittedly. Several times he had found himself lost in thoughts of making love with her, and usually at the most inappropriate of times. The last thing he had been expecting was a visit to Lyonedes Tower by her stepmother.

‘What did she want?’

‘You. Or, alternatively, me.’ Markos gave a disgusted snort.

He shook his head. ‘Is there some problem with our purchase of the Bartholomew property?’ Such as a more recent Miles Bartholomew will making a sudden and unexpected appearance? That would certainly solve all Gemini’s problems—whilst at the same time opening up a legal nightmare for Lyonedes Enterprises!

‘Not that I’m aware.’ Markos immediately dismissed that possibility. ‘Angela Bartholomew’s interest in the Lyonedes family appeared to be completely personal,’ he added, with a contemptuous curl of his top lip. ‘She invited me out to dinner this evening,’ he expanded when Drakon still looked nonplussed. ‘And she left me in no doubt that dinner would very swiftly be followed by bed.’

It was so much in keeping with the things Gemini had implied if not said about her stepmother that Drakon found it difficult to hold his smile in check. ‘And did you accept the invitation?’

‘Don’t be so damned stupid! Have you ever met the woman?’ His cousin glared at Drakon’s obvious amusement. ‘She’s a barracuda wrapped in designer-label silk!’

Drakon bit his top lip to stop his smile from deepening. ‘I have had the…pleasure of meeting her once, yes. When the contracts were signed.’

‘And?’

‘She’s a barracuda wrapped in designer-label silk,’ he agreed.

‘This isn’t funny, Drakon.’ Markos scowled. ‘I thought it was a business meeting, and I was so surprised by the obvious sexual intent in her invitation that I’m afraid I was less than my usual discreet self.’

Drakon’s humour instantly faded. ‘What did you do?’

His cousin looked annoyed. ‘I merely commented what a charming stepdaughter she has—at which she asked very sweetly when and how I had met her stepdaughter.’

‘Did you tell her?’ Drakon rasped sharply.

‘At the time I didn’t think there was any reason not to.’

‘Exactly what did you tell her, Markos?’ Drakon demanded.

‘I said we had both met her when she came here last week to talk to you. That was when that sweetness completely disappeared and I saw the true nature of the woman.’ Markos winced at the memory. ‘I’ve never seen such a change in anyone. She was muttering something about killing her as she left.’

‘How long ago was that?’

‘Only ten minutes or so—where are you going?’ Markos asked in surprise as Drakon strode forcefully towards the door.

He turned in the doorway. ‘To ensure she does not succeed in harming Gemini, of course.’

His cousin raised dark brows. ‘What about your flight?’

Drakon shrugged dismissively. ‘If necessary I’ll reschedule the jet for tomorrow. Right now I believe I need to go and ensure Gemini’s safety.’

Markos looked shocked. ‘You really think Angela Bartholomew would physically harm her?’

Drakon gave a humourless smile. ‘From what I have learnt, I don’t believe that woman needs to lay a finger on Gemini in order to hurt her. Or to enjoy every moment of doing so,’ he added grimly.

‘Do you want me to come with you? Probably not.’ Markos raised placatory hands as Drakon turned to glare at him.

‘I think you’ve already done enough for one day, don’t you?’ he asked accusingly.

‘I really had no idea how she felt about Gemini until she changed from sex-kitten into tigress just at the mention of her name!’ his cousin defended.

No, in all fairness, Markos hadn’t known of the depth of animosity that existed between Gemini and her stepmother. Drakon had chosen to tell his cousin only the rudimentary details of the reason for her visit to him the previous week. And he had only told Markos that much out of self-defence—to illustrate that it had been a business meeting and nothing more—after his cousin had teased him over the weekend about whether or not he would be seeing Gemini again before he returned to New York.

Much as it irked Drakon to admit it even to himself, these past four days he had wanted to see her again. He had wanted it very much. Those occasions when he had been unable to succeed in putting her from his mind had usually resulted in him having to take a cold shower. Yes, Drakon had really wanted to see Gemini again.

He had just never imagined it would be under circumstances such as these…

‘Exactly what did you think you were doing?’

Gemini had taken advantage of a brief lull in the day’s business and left her assistant in charge of the shop while she retired to her office, intending to go through the accounts and check on the rest of the month’s bookings. The last thing she had been expecting late on a Tuesday afternoon—or at any time, in fact—was a visit from Angela!

She drew in a deep breath before glancing up at her father’s widow, not in the least reassured by the angry glitter she could see in Angela’s eyes and the bright spots of colour in her cheeks. The rest of her appearance was as elegantly beautiful as usual; her hair was perfectly styled, the blue silk knee-length suit a perfect match in colour for her eyes, the three-inch heels on the matching shoes making her legs appear both slender and shapely. An elegantly beautiful viper!

‘What did I think I was doing in regard to what?’ Gemini enquired calmly as she placed her pen carefully down on the desktop in front of her.

‘Don’t try and play the innocent with me!’ Angela snapped as she stepped fully into the office and slammed the door behind her before striding over to stand in front of the desk and look down at Gemini contemptuously. ‘You’ve always acted so primly self-righteous. I never would have guessed that you would attempt something so underhand!’

Gemini looked at her blankly. ‘Flattered as I am to have so obviously succeeded in surprising you, I still have absolutely no idea what you’re talking about.’

Angela’s pale blue gaze swept over her scornfully. ‘You know exactly what I’m talking about.’

Her patience with this woman had worn thin long ago, and now that her father was dead, and Angela was selling everything he had ever worked for and owned, Gemini saw absolutely no reason why she should even attempt to hide her dislike any longer.

She stood up impatiently. ‘If you don’t tell me what you’re doing here in the next few minutes then I’m afraid you’ll leave me with no choice but to demand that you leave.’

Those blue eyes flashed angrily. ‘Perhaps the name Drakon Lyonedes might help to jog your memory?’

Gemini felt the colour drain from her cheeks. Drakon? Angela was here because she knew Gemini had been to Lyonedes Tower to talk to him concerning Bartholomew House? Did Angela also know she’d had dinner with him there on Friday evening? That they’d kissed? And, if so, how did she know? Surely Angela could only have learnt those things from Drakon himself?

Did that mean he had been lying to her, after all, when he’d denied any personal involvement with Angela?

Gemini eyed the other woman guardedly. ‘What about him?’

Angela gave an inelegant snort. ‘I told you not to try and play the little innocent with me.’ She looked daggers at Gemini. ‘And to think Miles always believed you were such a sweet little thing too.’

‘Whatever problem you think you have with me, you will leave my father out of this,’ Gemini said, her hands clenched so tightly at her sides that her nails were digging painfully into her palms.

‘Will I?’ the older woman challenged derisively as she perched one slender hip against the side of the desk. ‘I wonder what Miles would have thought about your having thrown yourself at a man like Drakon Lyonedes.’

‘I did not throw myself at him!’ Gemini protested.

‘Liar!’ Angela straightened abruptly, her eyes once again glittering. ‘I always knew you didn’t like me, Gemini—and, believe me, the feeling is completely reciprocated. As far as I’m concerned you’ve always been far too much of a reminder of the perfect first wife that Miles so obviously adored.’

‘How could you possibly have been jealous of a dead woman?’ Gemini gasped.

‘I was never jealous of Rosemary!’ Angela glared furiously.

‘It sounds distinctly like jealousy to me,’ she retorted.

‘And what would you know about it, little rich girl?’ the other woman demanded. ‘You lived in a mansion all your life, doted on by rich and indulgent parents, you owned your own pony, attended private schools, and holidayed in exotic places all over the world several times a year. What would you know about growing up on the twelfth floor of a tenement building in a family of six who had nothing to look forward to but the next dole cheque?’

‘I—That was you?’

‘Oh, yes,’ Angela sneered. ‘Until I reached sixteen and was old enough to break my ties with my family in order to reinvent myself and use the one asset I have—my body and the way that I look. Of course I had to put up with the pawing of a succession of wealthy old men, but it was all worth it when I finally persuaded the wealthiest one into marrying me.’

Gemini went deathly white at these revelations. ‘You told my father that your father had gambled away your family fortune before committing suicide—’

‘And he did gamble—probably still does. What little money the government gave us always went to the bookies or on another bottle of whisky to throw down his throat,’ Angela said harshly. ‘He rarely, if ever, gave my mother enough money to actually feed any of us.’

‘You told my father that both your parents were dead.’

‘I lied,’ Angela admitted. ‘I’ve never been back, but as far as I’m aware both my parents are still alive—and no doubt living in exactly the same squalor as always.’

Gemini could perhaps understand what had driven Angela into seducing Miles into marriage now that she knew the truth of the other woman’s background—obviously any wealthy man would have done. Could understand and even sympathise with her. What she couldn’t accept was the unhappiness that selfishness had caused her disillusioned father before he died…

She took a deep breath. ‘I’m sorry if that truly is how you were forced to live as a child—’

‘Oh, it’s all true,’ Angela assured her. ‘And you can keep your sympathy for someone who might actually appreciate it. After all, I came out the winner in the end, didn’t I?’

Oh, yes, Angela had certainly triumphed. Spectacularly, in fact, with regard to Gemini’s father.

‘I suppose Drakon Lyonedes was to be your second, even wealthier husband?’

‘Why not?’ Angela demanded aggressively.

Gemini gave a pained frown. ‘Don’t you have enough money now, having sold off everything my father left you?’

‘I’ll never have enough money,’ the older woman said with hard determination.

‘And never care who you have to trample over in order to get it, apparently,’ Gemini said dully.

‘That’s rich, coming from you!’ Angela jeered. ‘You’re still so desperate to own Bartholomew House that you would even stoop to trying to seduce Drakon yourself to get it!’

Gemini felt ill. In fact she thought she might actually be sick if she had to stand and listen to this woman for too much longer. ‘Considering your claim that you’re involved with Drakon, I’m surprised you believe he could be seduced—by me or any other woman.’

‘I believe I said you had tried to seduce him,’ Angela scoffed. ‘I’m sure you very quickly learnt that a man like Drakon requires a woman who’s a little more adventurous and experienced than a mere baby like you!’

Just thinking of Drakon and Angela together intimately, after the passionate way he had kissed her in the lift four days ago, brought on another wave of nausea. She swallowed hard. ‘I’m afraid I’m going to have to ask you to leave after all.’

‘I’m not going anywhere until I’ve made it perfectly clear to you that Bartholomew House—and Drakon—will never be yours!’ Angela announced.

Gemini gave a slow and disbelieving shake of her head. ‘What on earth could a man like Drakon possibly see in someone like you?’

Those blue eyes flashed angrily. ‘Oh, climb down off your alabaster pedestal, Gemini. If you haven’t realised it yet, your own pathetic attempt to seduce Drakon makes you exactly like me!’

Gemini closed her eyes and gave a shudder of distaste. ‘God, I hope not.’

‘Offends your naive little sensibilities, does it?’ Angela taunted.

‘Everything about you offends my sensibilities,’ Gemini shot back.

‘Why, you little—’

‘I think not,’ interrupted a dangerously soft voice that Gemini instantly recognised.

She opened wide, startled eyes in time to see Drakon take hold of the arm that Angela had raised with the intention of slapping Gemini on the face.

The older woman’s face twisted into an ugly mask of hatred as she turned to see who her assailant was. The change that came over Angela’s expression then was even more sickening than all that had gone before it. Her eyes softened to a sultry blue as she looked up at Drakon. Her painted red lips curved into an inviting smile, the anger leaving her body as she leant into him.

‘Oh, dear, Drakon, I’m afraid you’ve been caught in the middle of a rather silly argument between two even sillier women,’ she murmured throatily.

Gemini felt nausea rise up inside her, and knew she was actually going to be ill after witnessing this sickeningly kittenish display. She only had time to gasp ‘Excuse me!’ before she brushed past Drakon, heading for the stairs and the privacy of the bathroom in her apartment above the shop.