Читать книгу Bought For Marriage - Маргарет Майо - Страница 9

THEO looked with interest at the woman standing in front of him. He was aware that Yannis Keristari had a daughter but he had never met her and was pleasantly surprised.

She was tall and slender and very fine looking, somewhere in her twenties, he imagined. She wore a grey jacket with a matching pencil-slim skirt and high-heeled shoes. The jacket was fastened to just above her breasts and a gold pendant dangled enticingly close to her cleavage. He couldn’t help wondering why she had chosen to fasten it so demurely on such a warm day, and it amused him to assume that she wore nothing beneath.

Her eyes were dark and sloe-shaped with a fan of thick lashes, her nose straight and small, and her mouth—was delicious. He forced himself to look from it. She was nothing like her father, which came as something of a surprise. And totally unlike any other Greek woman he’d met. He was fascinated. Even more so than with the reason she was here.

Which had yet to be revealed.

Clearly Keristari had sent her. Theo had heard through the grapevine that Yannis Keristari’s business was in trouble. Had his daughter’s visit anything to do with it? Perhaps he was offering to sell him his restaurants?

He showed his visitor to a seat, not once taking his eyes off her, and waited for her to speak. She was graceful in her movements and smelled like a dream.

‘Mr Tsardikos.’

‘Please, call me Theo.’

‘This isn’t a social visit,’ she declared with a delightful toss of her head that revealed a long, slender neck simply begging to be kissed. Theo sat down behind his desk to stop himself from advancing towards her. ‘Maybe,’ he growled. ‘But there’s no need for formalities, especially when you’re the daughter of an old…acquaintance of mine.’ He’d been about to say enemy, but realised that this could get her back up before she’d even given her reason for being here. ‘Would you like coffee? I can get someone to—’

‘No!’

It was an instant decision. She was clearly on a mission and wanted to get it over with. ‘So how can I help you?’ He folded his arms, allowing his eyes to half close as he studied her intently. He could feel a stirring in his groin that shocked him to the core. This was the daughter of a man he hadn’t the faintest admiration for. He should be totally indifferent to her. So why wasn’t he?

‘My father needs money.’

He felt quite sure she hadn’t intended to blurt it out like that because a tell-tale colouring to her skin belied her cool outer image. But he was glad that she had because he now knew where he stood. His mind had run to the fact that her father could be offering him first refusal on the business. But money! How much had it cost Keristari to send her here?

‘Is that so?’ he asked with cool indifference. He had no intention in the world of helping this man out.

Dione nodded. ‘He believes that you might be able to help him.’

Theo wanted to tell her straight away that he wouldn’t. Keristari was a bully of the highest order and most definitely not a man to do business with.

But he didn’t want to let Dione go yet. He was fascinated. She was quite the sexiest woman he had met in a long time. There was something refreshingly different about her. It was as though she had no idea of her own sexuality. How he would like to introduce her to it.

‘Why ask me?’ he asked, leaning back in his chair, his hands linked behind his head. ‘Why not his bank?’

‘I think he’s in too deep for that,’ admitted Dione. ‘He says you’re his only hope. He’s counting on it.’

Dione saw the disbelief on Theo Tsardikos’ face, the hint of anger quickly suppressed, and knew that her mission was doomed to failure. But she still needed to try. The image of her father lying helpless in hospital flashed in front of her mind’s eye. Much as she feared him, much as she sometimes despised him, she couldn’t bear to see him so ill and worried.

‘He’s counting on it!’ repeated Theo disbelievingly, dragging dark brows together over velvety brown eyes. ‘Why would he ask me, the man he probably hates more than anyone else in the world, for money? Unless, of course, he’s exhausted all his other options.’

‘I don’t know,’ said Dione, her eyes steady on this tall, undeniably handsome man with a shock of dark hair that looked as though he constantly ran his fingers through it. ‘I didn’t know anything about it until yesterday. I’ve been visiting my mother in England.’

‘So Phrosini isn’t your birth mother?’ he enquired, sharp interest on his face.

Dione shook her head. She wished he wasn’t quite so good-looking. She wished his eyes wouldn’t rake over her as though he wanted to take her to bed.

‘That explains why you look nothing like either of your parents.’

‘Which has nothing to do with the reason I’m here,’ declared Dione heatedly. She certainly wasn’t here to discuss her parentage.

He allowed himself to smile and his very even white teeth looked predatory in her heightened state. Like a wolf about to pounce, she thought. This was a man she had to watch closely. He looked relaxed leaning back in his chair, his shirt collar undone, but his mind was as sharp as a razor.

‘Your father’s using you, you do know that?’ he pointed out. ‘Like he uses everyone he comes into contact with. The best thing you can do, Dione—do you mind if I call you Dione?—is to go right back and tell him the answer’s no.’

Dione drew in a pained breath. What a heartless brute the man was. ‘You haven’t even asked how much he wants,’ she retorted, her back stiff, her eyes sparking resentment.

‘It’s immaterial,’ he said. ‘I wouldn’t lend your father one euro, let alone thousands of them, which I presume is the kind of amount he’d want. What’s happened?’

Dione shrugged. ‘All I know is that he’s nearly bankrupt.’

‘Bad management,’ drawled Theo uncaringly.

‘So that’s your final answer?’ she snapped, her heart dipping so low it almost touched her shoes.

Theo leaned back in his chair, a smile playing on well-shaped lips, and an unfathomable gleam in his eyes. ‘There could be another solution.’

Dione’s heart leapt with hope.

‘I could save your father’s business—on one condition.’

‘And that is?’ asked Dione eagerly.

There was a long pause before he answered, a space of time when his eyes raked insolently over her body, sending a shiver of unease through her limbs. But she didn’t let him see it; she sat still, her hands folded primly in her lap, and waited to hear what he had to say.

‘That you become my wife.’

The shock of his suggestion couldn’t have been greater. This man was a stranger to her, as she was to him, and yet he was talking about marriage! Was he out of his mind? Would he lend her father money just to get his hands on her? What sort of a monster was he? Dione shivered as rivers of ice raced down her spine.

She jumped to her feet and glared. ‘That is the most outrageous suggestion I’ve ever heard. What makes you think I’d marry a total stranger?’

A faint, insolent smile curved his mouth. ‘I thought you had your father’s best interests at heart. Otherwise why would you be here?’

‘I do,’ she admitted, ‘but that doesn’t include giving myself away to you.’ The man had no idea what he was asking. He was probably a fantastic lover with years of experience, but it meant nothing to her. She didn’t know the first thing about him. And nor did she want to if these were his tactics.

‘It’s your choice,’ he said, as simply as if they were discussing a normal business proposition. ‘If your answer’s no then we have nothing else to discuss.’

‘Of course my answer’s no,’ she spat at him. ‘What do you take me for?’ And with that she whirled on her heel and stormed out of the room.

His mocking voice called after her. ‘I’ll be waiting should you change your mind.’

‘Then you’ll wait a lifetime,’ she hissed beneath her breath.

Dione didn’t go straight to the hospital; she was far too wound up for that. She had taken a taxi to Theo’s office but now decided to walk. Even then she took a circuitous route and by the time she did reach the hospital she was almost able to laugh at Theo Tsardikos’ suggestion.

But her father didn’t laugh. ‘You could do worse,’ he said. ‘I’ve always wanted you to marry a proud Greek male and Tsardikos is as good as they come.’

Praise indeed coming from her father, thought Dione.

‘I’ve been so afraid that on one of your trips to England you’ll fall in love. It would break my heart.’

It was on the tip of Dione’s tongue to tell him about Chris, but at the last moment she decided against it. Yannis’ health was so bad that such an admission might finish him off altogether. In fact he looked even worse today that he had yesterday. His breathing was laboured and his skin a ghostly yellow and Phrosini hovered, not knowing what to do to help her beloved husband.

‘I can’t marry a complete stranger,’ Dione said miserably.

‘Not even for me?’ demanded Yannis in a rough, angry voice. ‘Not even though my life and my livelihood depend on it? What sort of a daughter are you?’

He made Dione feel guilty, but even so she stuck to her guns. ‘I’d be prostituting myself.’

‘With Tsardikos? He’s an exciting male. Half the female population of Greece are after him. You’ll be the envy of thousands.’ And then he slumped in his chair and hardly seemed to be breathing.

Phrosini beckoned her out of the room. ‘We must leave him for a while,’ she said.

‘Don’t you know he’s asking the impossible?’ asked Dione, as they made their way to the hospital restaurant. ‘I haven’t said anything to my father, and I don’t want you to either, but there’s a man in England I’ve promised to marry.’

‘Oh, Dione, why didn’t you say?’ Her stepmother was full of concern.

‘How could I when my father’s so ill, and more especially after what he’s just said?’

‘And this boy, you love him?’

‘Of course.’ But Dione’s face gave away the fact that it wasn’t exactly going to be a marriage made in heaven.

‘You’re doing it because you don’t want your father to arrange a marriage for you?’ she asked intuitively.

Dione nodded faintly, her lips clamped together. When it was put to her like that she realised it was probably true. The love she felt for Chris wasn’t like the stuff you read about, but she had been happy enough—until she heard that he’d been seen with his ex-girlfriend!

‘Oh, Dione, is that really the answer? I don’t want you to be unhappy like I was with my first husband, like your mother was.’

‘I’d be happier with Chris than Theo Tsardikos,’ said Dione quietly.

‘Theo’s a good man. His offer is a lifeline to your father. In fact it might save his life. The doctors are very fearful today.’ There were tears in Phrosini’s eyes. ‘And if he doesn’t recover…well, your father’s always wanted me to carry on the business if anything should happen to him.’

Meaning she would be letting them both down. Put like that, how could she refuse? Dione breathed in deeply, closed her eyes, then took the plunge, hating herself for it but knowing it was something she had to do.

‘OK—I’ll—marry him.’ Her words floated in the air like a storm cloud threatening to bear down and drown her in a black deluge of unhappiness.

Phrosini hugged her tightly, tears streaming down her cheeks. ‘My precious child.’

There was nothing precious about it, thought Dione, but she made up her mind there and then that Theo Tsardikos would not get it all his own way. This marriage would be on her terms.

He was savagely handsome, quite the best-looking man she’d ever seen—tall, with a perfectly honed body and long-fingered, well-manicured hands. It was one of the first things she’d noticed about him. But it didn’t mean that she would eagerly jump into his bed. Quite the opposite! She would be a good and dutiful wife in every other respect. She would cook for him, entertain for him, accompany him whenever necessary, but nothing more.

Maybe this was what he wanted her to be—a good hostess? A man in his position would need someone at his side on special occasions.

And who was she trying to kid?

She had seen the way he looked at her, the way his eyes had raked insolently over her body, and she had known what he was thinking, even though she’d done her very best to ignore it.

Already she was beginning to lament her decision but her father was overjoyed when they went back to tell him, his eyes brightening and becoming alert and interested. ‘My darling daughter! You won’t regret this, I promise you.’

Dione wasn’t so sure.

She spent a sleepless night worrying about it, telling herself there was still time to back out, but then recalling her father’s pleasure. How could she deny him his dying wish?

As Dione sat outside Theo Tsardikos’ office for the second time in the same number of days her heart leapt with alarming violence. This was going to be the hardest thing she had ever done. Giving herself to a man she didn’t know was crazy. She had to be insane to do it.

And the man in question was taking great delight in keeping her waiting!

And the longer Dione waited the more irritated she became, until at last she jumped to her feet and prepared to leave. She couldn’t do this, not even for her father’s sake. No one knew the courage it had taken her to come here this morning; courage that was fast deserting her.

‘Leaving, are we?’

Dione spun round at the sound of a deep, gravelly voice and looked into a pair of amused dark eyes. ‘I’d begun to think you didn’t want to see me. I’ve sat here for twenty minutes.’

‘I’m a busy man, Dione. And you did arrive without an appointment. But now I’m all yours. Do come in.’ And he touched a hand to her arm as he led her into his office.

It was a large, airy room with a wooden floor and pale grey walls hung with photographs of his various hotels. His desk was in front of the massive window with its views over Athens, and in one corner was a trio of armchairs. Against another wall was a series of bookcases. It was clean and clinical and efficient. Like the man himself.

She headed towards the desk, prepared to sit in the seat opposite him, as she had before, but instead he steered her towards the armchairs. ‘We’ll be more comfortable here.’

Dione did not want to be comfortable; she wanted to say what she had to say and get out quickly. Not the right sort of thought when Theo was her prospective husband—though actually she was hoping that he’d had a change of heart. A hope that was quickly dashed when he flashed his wolfish teeth.

‘Can I presume that the reason you’re here is to declare that you’ll marry me after all?’

Two pairs of brown eyes met and warred, and Dione was the first to look away. ‘I’d like to be able to say no,’ she snapped, ignoring the stammer of her heart. This man was lethal. Deadly attractive but a danger all the same.

‘You’re a free agent.’ The words were tossed lightly and dismissively into the air and Dione gained the impression that he couldn’t care less. That this was all some sort of game to him.

‘Meaning you’ve changed your mind?’ she enquired sharply, mentally crossing her fingers that this was so.

‘Not at all.’ It was a simple, matter-of-fact answer; he was giving her no help whatsoever. In fact he was enjoying her discomfort.

‘In that case,’ she said in a voice not much above a whisper, ‘I’ll do as you ask.’

‘I’m sorry, I can’t hear you.’

Damn the man! A satisfied smile played about his sculpted lips and his eyes were filled with amusement. She felt pretty sure that he had heard. He just wanted to hear her say it again. He liked seeing her squirm.

‘I said, I’ll do as you ask.’ There, was that loud enough for him? She’d projected the words as though she was throwing a missile, hoping they’d smash into his face and wipe some of the pleasure off it.

No such luck! His smile widened and deepened and he leaned forward and took her hands into his. ‘There, that wasn’t so bad, was it?’

Dione huffed and said nothing.

‘You’re not happy?’

‘No, I’m not.’

‘But I’m guessing your father’s delirious?’

‘He was pleased, yes.’

‘He must really have hit rock-bottom.’

Dione flashed furious dark eyes at him. ‘He has, and he’s in hospital fighting for his life because of it.’

Theo frowned. ‘I didn’t know that.’

‘There’s a lot about my father you don’t know.’

‘And a lot I do,’ he growled. ‘He’s unscrupulous. I bet he had no hesitation in saying you should marry me. How he could have produced a daughter like you I don’t know.’

‘How do you know I’m not unscrupulous too?’ she riposted, wishing she could jump up and run. This was the most humiliating experience of her life.

‘I’m good at reading people.’

‘How do you know that if I marry you I won’t take you for every penny you’ve got?’ she slammed at him.

‘Because I’ve already had a contract drawn up. I—’

‘You’ve what?’ interjected Dione in horror. ‘You were that sure I’d say yes?’

‘Absolutely,’ he agreed, stretching out his long legs and linking his hands behind his head.

He looked so relaxed she wanted to take a swipe at him, knock some of that pleasure off his damnably handsome face. ‘You bastard!’

Theo’s well-shaped brows rose. ‘Tut, tut, Dione! Here was I, thinking you were a lady.’

‘You bring out the worst in me,’ she savaged.

‘It’s not all I plan to bring out in you,’ he said with a cruel smile. ‘Let’s get down to business. You are here to say that you will marry me in return for me bailing your father out of trouble?’

Dione swallowed hard, ignored the little voice inside her head that told her to get up and run, ignored the thought of a nice, safe English marriage to Chris Donovan, and nodded.

His lips curved in satisfaction. ‘I never thought I’d say this, but your father’s a very lucky man, do you know that? Not many girls would do this for their father. Pray tell me, why do you love him so much? Or is it perhaps because you fear him?’ He saw the flicker in her eyes and nodded. ‘He has you in the same stranglehold as everyone else. I pity you, Dione, having a father like that, though I applaud what you are doing.’

‘Only because it’s in your favour,’ she snorted, deeply annoyed that he had summed up the situation so correctly. Did everyone know that her father was a control freak?

‘As I said, I’ve had a contract drawn up; all you have to do is sign it.’ He rose from the chair and strode across to his desk.

Dione watched, her heart aching with a pain she had never felt before. Sorrow, anger, despair. Not that she let Theo see any of this. When he returned to his seat she lifted her chin and sat that little bit straighter. ‘I have a few stipulations of my own before I sign anything.’

Dark brows rose. ‘Are you in any position?’

‘I think I am.’

He lifted broad shoulders. ‘I beg to differ on that point, but go ahead. Unless, of course, you’d like to read my contract first? You might be pleasantly surprised.’

Dione privately doubted it, but maybe she ought to take a look before she jumped in with her own criteria.

It wasn’t a long document, but in essence it gave him full power to treat her as he liked in return for helping her father out of his financial troubles. ‘To become my wife in every sense for as long as I desire,’ were the words that sprang out from the page.

Not on his life!

She thrust it back at him. ‘No! Absolutely no!’

‘To what exactly?’ he enquired insouciantly. He had clearly expected her denial and was now going to take great pleasure in having her spell it out to him.

‘I will not go to bed with you.’ When all her friends had been sleeping around Dione had kept her virginity, saving it for the man she would eventually marry—someone she loved and respected. She had thought Chris that man until very recently. But she was definitely not giving herself to Theo Tsardikos. Not ever! ‘Nor will I remain married to you for longer than one year,’ she added stormily. ‘In all other respects I will be your wife.’

‘There are no other respects,’ he growled. ‘A wife is a wife. A wife spends time in her husband’s bed. A wife pleasures her man.’

‘A wife also cooks and cleans and entertains.’

‘I have people to do that sort of thing,’ he answered dismissively. ‘It’s a bed companion I want and I think you’ll fit the bill admirably. You’re beautiful, you’re spirited, you’re caring. What more could a man ask for? But—maybe I can agree to your condition.’

Theo smiled to himself. It had never been his intention for them to sleep in separate beds. On the other hand it would be interesting trying to change her mind. In fact, the chase could be as enjoyable as the kill.

He had wanted her from the first second he saw her. She was quite the most striking and intriguing woman he’d ever met. He had dreamed about her last night, and what an exciting lover she had been! If dream became actuality, however…His gut twisted at the very thought.

In one respect he felt sorry for Dione, and the pressure Keristari had put on her. He wanted to make their sham of a marriage reality; he wanted her to learn to love him as a woman should love a man, not to marry him under duress and out of loyalty to her father. Keristari was a man whom no one liked except for his very loyal wife. Phrosini deserved a medal for putting up with his bullying ways.

What had happened, he wondered, between him and Dione’s mother? Clearly she hadn’t tolerated his dictatorial manner; she had got out while she could. And good for her! Maybe Dione would tell him the story one day.

‘So do you intend drawing up another contract?’ she asked him now, her chin determinedly high, her lovely, liquid brown eyes revealing her distaste of what was about to happen.

Lord, he wanted to take her into his arms and assure her that everything would be all right. That he wasn’t an ogre, that he wouldn’t hurt her. And that he admired what she was doing. But that wasn’t part of the game.

He was frankly appalled that she would marry him simply to please her father and drag him out of the mire he’d got himself into. It was misplaced loyalty as far as he was concerned.

Naturally he was sympathetic towards Keristari’s illness, but that didn’t change him from the bullying tyrant he’d always been. And even in his illness he was controlling all those around him. It was no way to behave towards your loved ones. He did not deserve their devotion.

He was so angry with the man that his tone was sharply aggressive when he answered her question. ‘Naturally. I will have it ready for your signature this afternoon.’

Dione’s head jerked as she stared at him wild-eyed. ‘So soon?’

‘Why wait?’ he asked smoothly. ‘I don’t imagine your father will want to drag this thing out. If he’s in as much trouble as you say he’ll want the money now. But no marriage, no funding! Shall we set the wedding for Sunday? Is two days enough for you to get your head round it?’