Greek Billionaire's Blackmailed Bride (The Rosso Family Series, #1) (8 page)

“Antonio? What’s going on?” Alexandra asked.

He hung up and grabbed his towel. “Nothing to worry about. A minor problem, but with an account that has been with the family for a long time.”

Alexandra wrinkled her nose. “Someone father knew.”

“Exactly. And someone who thinks our family has nothing better to do than to drop everything. I’ll have to head into the city.” He didn’t mind, however. He’d been meaning to drop by Diamond Club Danelian, the most exclusive jewelers in Athens—and one of the best in the world. He needed to buy a ring for Claire. He also needed some space from Claire—he only had to look at her and he wanted his hands on her. He ached to have her in his bed, but she was right. They were two different people from two different worlds. He had to remember that. This was only a pretend marriage. A sham. When the time came, he would arrange for photos of him with another woman, and Claire could divorce him for adultery. He frowned—he didn’t like the idea, but his father had forced him into this. He started for the house. “I’ll be back in time for dinner, but if I’m not, don’t wait for me.”

***

A
lexandra stood watching her brother’s back disappear into the house. Was it her imagination or did it seem like Claire and Antonio were avoiding each other. She could swear the looks that had passed between them this afternoon showed more than a little interest—yet, here they were heading off in opposite directions. Shouldn’t a couple about to marry be holding hands and thinking up excuses to be together?

She turned back to the pool in time to see Dareios climbing out. Rather than use the stairs, he pulled himself from the water and turned to sit on the edge of the pool with just his feet dangling in the pool. She could see small rivulets of water running down the muscles of his back. She’d always enjoyed being around Dareios, but since she’d come back from university, something had changed.

It had been easy to ignore the change while dealing with her father’s death, and everything that had been included, but now she was at a loss for how to deal with him. Did she just keep on treating him as she always had—as he seemed to want?

She’d dated a lot while in college, but growing up with a father like Matthias, she had learned to keep to herself—and to keep all her relationships light and away from her father’s notice. She’d had Antonio’s example of his failed fling with Claire to guide her, and that had taught her that it was just better if she didn’t ever bring anyone home. She gave a sigh—maybe she just wasn’t cut out for a relationship.

Sitting down on the edge of the pool a few inches away from Dareios, she bumped her shoulder against his. “What do you think of Antonio and Claire?”

Dareios glanced at her and shrugged. “I think Antonio will do what Antonio always does.”

“Meaning.”

His mouth twisted into a smile. “He’s too like his father at times. He thinks he knows best, but I’m not sure Claire thinks that is true. She’s good for him—in a way. But...”

He let the word trail off. Alexandra bumped his shoulder with hers again. “But what? They don’t really match? You can’t tell me those two aren’t dying to jump into bed.”

Dareios frowned. “I can’t believe you’re talking about your brother’s sex life. Maybe it’s just wedding jitters that has them both...both acting a little weird.”

“If by weird you mean acting like they can’t look at each other, but also can’t help but look—and like each of them is an explosive they don’t dare touch—you’re right about that. I thought...well, Antonio could be a lot more attentive to Claire.

Swinging his legs out of the pool, Dareios pushed to his feet. He stared down at her. “They’re getting married next week. If Antonio’s set the date, that’s that. He’s already sent in the newspaper announcement, and had me get Claire to get her birth certificate here. He’s even rushing the American Consulate to get all the paperwork done in record time. That sounds pretty serious to me.”

Alexandra parted her lips and was about to tell Dareios about the conditions for Antonio to inherit. She closed her mouth again. Antonio had either told his friend—or he hadn’t. It wasn’t up to her to question that. She pushed to her feet as well and faced Dareios. “I think you’re being about as unromantic as Antonio.”

“And I think you’re pushing into your brother’s business. He’s a grown man. Let him handle this.” Dareios strode away, grabbing his towel as he left.

She watched him, admiring the view. But she wasn’t about to admit that he was right. There was a spark between Claire and Antonio—she was going to have to talk to Eva about that. And she and Eva were going to have to see if they couldn’t fan that flame a little. Her brother might think he was getting married just to inherit—but there was a reason their father had left Villa Livia to Claire. And now Alexandra was starting to think her father had been smarter than anyone ever knew.

But how could she and Eva make the very stubborn Antonio admit that he needed Claire to be more than a wife for a month?

A
lexandra and Eva planned the ambush so they caught Antonio coming back from the city two nights later. They’d already exhausted Claire with a day walking Athens—now they waited for Antonio and pulled him into the drawing room.

“Well?” Alexandra asked.

“Well, what?”

Eva rolled her eyes. “What about the wedding? What about a ring? What about the cake? Are you going to marry Claire with her in jeans?” Heading to the bar, Antonio poured himself a glass of ouzo. Eva sat up. “Pour me one, too.”

He glanced at her. “You can have lemonade. I’ll ask Gaia to bring some.”

Eva wrinkled her nose. “Never mind.”

Alexandra plopped down on the sofa. “Antonio, let us help you.”

“I took Claire shopping already,” Antonio said. He took a sip of the liquor. He remembered how he could smell Claire on his fingers all that day. They hadn’t found a wedding dress for her—and he hadn’t been able to lure her into any more private dressing rooms.

With a wave of her hand, Alexandra dismissed Antonio’s efforts. “She doesn’t have a dress. And you don’t have a ring.”

“I’ve ordered one. It will be ready.”

“Do you have favors for the wedding guests? Candied almonds for luck? And what about blessing your wedding bed? Aren’t you going to hold with any traditions?” Eva asked.

Antonio frowned. Alexandra knew they could only push their brother so far—and then he would go even more stubborn than father ever had. Smiling, she said, “Let us help, Antonio. We have nothing else to do. Eva doesn’t start school for three months yet, and I...well, I’m at loose ends.”

He sat on the couch arm. “You could come into the city with me.”

She shook her head. “I am not getting a job in the family business just because I am family.”

Sitting up, Eva said, “Antonio, have you thought where you are going for your honeymoon?”

He shrugged. “I was thinking Kato Antikeri maybe. Or perhaps Crete. Claire liked Crete last time we were there.”

Alexandra stiffened. She swapped a look with Eva and knew her sister was thinking the same thing—these two should not go back to someplace they’d been before. That might only stir up old memories and old hurts. They needed freshness. Smiling, Alexandra nodded. “Kato Antikeri—you should definitely go to Villa Livia. But not just for days. Take a week. Or even two.”

Antonio stood. “I don’t think Claire would like two weeks with nothing more to do than read a book.”

“You could swim,” Eva said.

“Picnics. Explore,” Alexandra added.

Antonio looked from Alexandra to Eva and back again. “What are you two plotting?”

“Nothing.” Both girls said the word at the same time. Alexandra could feel her face heating up, but she kept her expression blank.

“I like Claire,” Eva said. The words came out with such force that Alexandra turned to stare at her sister. So did Antonio. Eva’s chin jutted out. “I do. And if you’re going to dump her after a month, the least you can do is give her a great time during that month. Don’t cheat her out of a great time on Kato Antikeri.”

Alexandra glanced at Antonio. Now his face had darkened with a blush. He threw back his ouzo and grimaced. “I’m not going to cheat her out of anything. But I’ll think about a week—or two on Kato Antikeri.” Putting down his glass, he headed out of the room.

Eva came over to Alexandra and offered up her hand for a high five. “That went better than I thought it would. Now what?”

Alexandra smiled. “Now...now we make Claire fall in love not just with Antonio but with Greece. She needs to realize her heart is here.”

Eva shook her head. “Do you think that’s really possible?”

“If it’s not, then she shouldn’t be with Antonio.”

***

W
hen Claire woke, her first thought was that today she was marrying Antonio. Her heart slammed into her chest and for a moment she couldn’t suck down a breath—then she inhaled and sat up. A few years ago, the idea would have filled her with excitement and joy. Today the butterflies in her stomach felt more like B52 bombers.

Am I really doing the right thing?

Getting up, she strode to the French doors, pulled them open and stared out at the gardens. In some ways, the past week or two felt like a dream. Since Antonio’s sisters had come home, they’d insisted on taking her shopping and sightseeing. They’d taken her to the exclusive Attica Department Store, in a beautiful old building, and the Golden Hall on Kifisia in Maroussi, a huge shopping mall. They’d also taken her to the National Gardens, and made her climb Mount Lycabettus—and Eva had hinted how romantic it was to watch sunsets from that spot. Eva and Alexandra had then giggled like schoolgirls. They’d gone to the Plaka District for lunch and the boutiques, and they’d gone to the Exir Spa on Cape Sounio for a day, which had turned into a grueling interrogation with Alexandra asking a thousand questions about the wedding. Was it going to be in a church, or traditional? There was no question about Dareios being Antonio’s
koumbaro
, or best man, who would stand with him, but who was going to be Claire’s
koumbara
to help her dress? Who did Claire invite? What would Claire wear? Why hadn’t Antonio bought a ring for Claire yet?

Claire finally asked both Eva and Alexandra to be her maids of honor, but Alexandra shook her head and Eva looked horrified—odd numbers were good luck and so it had to be one or three. And Claire suddenly wished she could have Brenna with her.

She glanced at her phone now, sitting beside the bed. She’d been texting Brenna almost every day, but they hadn’t talked—the seven hour time difference was a headache and a problem. But now she wished she could just call Brenna and spill everything. She really couldn’t bring herself to wake her friend. She also hadn’t told her parents anything about this marriage—how could she call them and ask them to be here when it was all just pretend?

With a groan, she headed for the bathroom, her head starting to pound and her stomach in knots. At the least she could soak in the tub for a half hour. Maybe that would help.

It didn’t. The jets at least eased the tension in her back, but as she dried herself, she had to admit that it felt wrong to have agreed to this fake marriage. Even for just a month. Or maybe it was because it was only for a month. If she closed her eyes, she could feel Antonio’s hands on her—she could hear his voice. Her pulse picked up and her skin tingled. He’d been wonderful these past few days—but he’d also been distant. And she couldn’t decided if she appreciated his restraint or if she wanted to throw him to the ground and jump his bones.

She shook her head and started to brush out her hair.

If she didn’t marry Antonio today, he’d need to find another girl to marry—and fast. And that might not go so well. At least she and Antonio had gotten over the past and were becoming something like friends. She had to admit, too, that the thought of being with him for a month was more than tempting. She couldn’t help but think about that day in the dressing room. His hands had been so strong—so certain. He’d made her feel...special. She wanted that again. She wanted to feel his body against hers again—she wanted to hold him. But if she did, was she going to fall for him? How could she share his bed and not end up sharing her heart?

She’d tossed and turned most of last night, trying to figure out what it was she really wanted. Antonio—or her own life? She was pretty sure if she married him for real, she’d end up being his shadow. He was as forceful a personality as his father had been—how could she hold out against that? And how could she just up and move here to Greece? Even with the recording studio he’d built for her, she knew her career would change—might possibly even end. People would start to think of her as Antonio Rosso’ wife, not as Claire Bennett.

Wrapping a huge bath towel around her, Claire headed back into the bedroom. Maybe after the wedding, she’d be able to focus better.

The wedding was to take place right before lunch here at the Rosso estate. She was glad they weren’t doing a traditional Greek wedding in a church—saying her vows that way would make her feel worse than bad. Only Antonio’s closest friends, his sisters, Dareios, some of his relatives and a couple of her sound recording friends would be here. Steve and George had arrived, with their wives—and they’d been having a great time, vacationing more than working. She was just glad she wouldn’t have to try and fool masses of people. Although Antonio had warned her to expect a ton of photos to hit the tabloids—the paparazzi would be using telephoto lenses and maybe even helicopters to get wedding shots.

And Gaia—as well as the rest of the staff—had been working hard not just to prepare for the wedding, but sending Claire sly glances and smiles.

If I don’t see anyone before the ceremony, I might actually hold it together!

But a knock on her door told her she wasn’t going to get away with that plan.

Alexandra opened the door and came in with a tray. She had on a high waisted, sky-blue dress that emphasized her dark good looks. Claire also recognized the Greek version of biscotti,
koulourakia
, on the tray which Gaia made with raisins, cinnamon, and orange rind. She could also smell the strong Greek coffee, which Alexandra took honey sweet, or what the Greeks called,
glykys.