The Billionaire's Runaway Bride (17 page)

Biting her lip she had looked at her mother with concern “Well then perhaps just a loan till you get settled”

Her mother had inclined her head softly “maybe” she had smiled, Grace grinning warmly back

“I have booked you a room here for the next couple of days or you can come and stay on the island with Alexos and me”

Looking at her with such love her mother had shaken her head. “If you don’t mind Grace…I think that here would be best for me…I need to start the ball rolling and talk with a lawyer. I have some money that I managed to save so I want to just get things moving”

As they had moved to the room that had been booked, Grace using some of her savings, feeling that it was worth it to ensure her mother was comfortable, they had organised for the best divorce lawyer to meet with them, Grace not really sure where she had got the name from. By nightfall her mother had been tired, and hugging her tightly she had returned to Alexos’ suite finding him waiting for her, concerned for her mother.

As she had explained everything that had been said, he had frowned softly.

“Your mother is right Grace. There are still those who will use your birth against you” his eyes solemn, she surprised that he would feel that way. Giving a small derisory half-laugh she had looked back at him

“Well I guess that you should thank your lucky stars that you dodged a bullet”

Alexos looking back at her with a firm set to his mouth. “I do not count myself amongst those…and I would certainly not ever say that I dodged a bullet”

Grace looked away, shame filling her “I’m sorry…that was uncalled for”

Pulling her into his arms he had kissed her tenderly “It will be fine Grace…I promise things will work out for you and your mother”, Grace had given him a none-too-sure return smile sighing softly.

The following day she had woken late, frowning at the realisation that she was alone, moving around the suite looking for him. With a groan of pain she had once more thought of Angelica Fleur. Was his unexpected trip back to the mainland too much of a temptation not to meet with the beauty, Grace once more remembering the way he had confirmed that her birth was a problem. Raising her small chin with pride she had told herself that she did not care. If it meant so much to him then he would be rid of her soon enough.

Moving to the shower she had let the jets of water run down her body, ignoring the way her tears had mingled with the warm water, telling herself over and over that she did not care, that she and her mother would be fine, her heart mocking her head.

Finally dressed, she had moved onto the veranda, enjoying the tea which she had ordered, allowing the sunshine to bring some peace to her fraught nerves, her eyes not really taking in the buzz of activity below.

Hearing the door open, she had fought the desire to run to meet him, demanding to know where he had been. His footsteps on the tiled surface had heralded that he had found her as he moved around to drop a kiss on her lips, Grace holding back from pushing him away.

“I thought you would still be asleep” his sensual voice had whispered against her mouth, she biting down the venomous comment which had risen to her lips, instead looking over at him as he had poured himself a drink

“Where were you?” she had managed to keep her tone calm and soft, the quirk of his lip sending a bolt of anger searing through her, Grace digging her nails into the soft palm of her hand not to say something she knew she would later regret.

“I went to see your mother”

His answer, so unexpected had caused her mouth to drop, her eyes staring at him with confusion

“M…my mother…why?”

Alexos giving a small smile back, as he had given a tired sigh, sitting back into the chair opposite her, his eyes holding hers.

“I was thinking over what you told me yesterday, and it struck me that what your mother needed was leverage”

Looking blankly at him, her eyes had shown her shock. Sitting forward he had taken her hand in his

“I signed over the loan agreement for your father’s business to your mother. She can now make sure that he never reveals the truth to anybody else…and the money that comes in from him will serve as income for her”

Grace had given a small strangled sob, her eyes flying to his as a small tear had spilled over her lid

“Y…you did what….why would you do that?”

Alexos giving a tortured sigh

“I have behaved so badly Grace. I don’t want you to see me like your father…ever. So it seemed that the one thing that I had done out of badness so long ago, and again recently…could now actually be used for good…to help you and your mother”

Dropping her eyes, her brows had been drawn up with confusion, the back of her hand dashing away the tears “I…I don’t know what to say Alexos”

His finger had moved to crook under her chin lifting her head once more to him “You do not have to say anything. Like I said…I never want you to think of me like your father”

Sniffling she had smiled tremulously, the look in her eyes making him groan softly as he had moved around and pulled her from the seat, kissing her with such passion before sweeping her into his arms they had moved back to the bedroom, neither leaving there for several hours.

The pair had remained on the mainland for another couple of days. Her father had been furious when he had discovered that his wife now controlled the loan he had taken out on the business so long ago. His determination to fight a divorce with her and to reveal that Grace was not his daughter had disappeared as it became apparent that not only did she control the loan, but also had the support of the billionaire. Even her father had known that it would be unwise to anger the Manetas family. They had found her mother a villa near the sea after she had chosen to remain in Greece, having fallen in love with the scenery and laid-back lifestyle with no wish to be anywhere near her soon to be ex-husband.

As things had settled down, the relationship between the two had been so good. Grace chastising herself at thinking that he was seeing another woman, each day finding her feelings for him grow deeper than she had ever thought would be possible. The thought of leaving him at the end of the month had become more and more painful with each passing hour that the two had spent together.

As they had prepared to return to the island, the two had hugged her mother, she already looking as though ten years had dropped from her, smiling so easily now. Grace had been happy to see how things were progressing, her eyes flicking to Alexos knowing that he had been the one to bring it to such a good ending. Her eyes sparkled as she had smiled up at him.

With a small thoughtful frown she had played over the events of that morning as Alexos had showered, as she luxuriated in bed, still basking in the after-glow of their lovemaking finding herself dozing contentedly.

It had been the ringing of her mobile that had eventually woken her, Grace lifting the device sleepily answering the call her body stiffening as she had sat bolt upright, a look of disbelief filling her features. When the person on the other end had finished talking, she had thanked them profusely before laughing and calling Carol.

“We got it…we got permission. So long as we stick to the original dates we are on for Libya”

The woman on the other end had cheered, a muffled noise indicating that she was passing on the good news to others.

“I will organise the boat and all the equipment” Carol’s happy voice had chipped in, before it had become more playful.

“But are you sure you want to come along…….now that you are all loved up and all?” making a small purring sound as Grace had laughed back.

Returning to the villa had for the first time been like returning home. Grace smiled softly at the whimsical thought, her heart wondering if perhaps it might not be more than just a pipe dream as she had taken Alexos hand, as the two moved together into the house. Inside she had taken the opportunity to check her email as Alexos had moved their bags to the bedroom, groaning softly at seeing the long list of demands and assurances the Libyan government had insisted on for the research to take place. Sighing loudly she had ran her eyes over the list gasping as the sheet of paper had been plucked out of her fingers by a smiling Alexos.

“Now what would make my beautiful fiancée sigh like that?” he had chuckled, looking down at the sheet, his happy features melting away into disbelief as he had read the contents of the email. Looking back at her his eyes had been cold, hostile.

“What the hell is this Grace?”

She had moved forward to try and take back the sheet, Alexos moving it out of her reach as she had nervously pushed her hair behind her ear. “You knew that there was one last area that we were trying to finalise”

Nodding, his lips had been set in a thin line “I know…but I understood that the chances were that you would not be going…that you were not able to get permission”

“I just found out that they have agreed. That we can spend the two weeks as we had originally planned”

Alexos had turned from her, his hands on his hips as he had looked at the ground “And when were you going to tell me?”

Moving forward she had softly touched his back, feeling as he had recoiled, his body becoming rigid.

“Alexos, this is important. I only found out this morning…I was going to tell you this morning, but my mother arrived. I wanted to wait until we were alone…so that we could talk about it”

His voice had been low, controlled, “OK … so talk. Are you going?”

As she had remained silent he had turned around, his eyes dark and cold. “What if I don’t want you to go?”

Groaning softly she had looked back at him “Please don’t do this Alexos”

He made an irritated noise, moving closer to lift her chin. “I don’t want you to go Grace. I want you to stay with me”

Her eyes had been beseeching as she had whispered back “I have to…you know I do, but…”

Alexos released her and quickly stepped away, anger on his handsome face. “So that’s that is it? You did your month and now you are just going to walk away?”

Grace had moved after him “That is not fair Alexos. My work is important - you know that…I don’t have a choice, it is now or never”

“We all have choices Grace” he had cried at her “You just seem to be really bad at making yours. Your choices affect everybody, they always have”

She was so tired of being made to feel guilty about her actions in the past and balling her hands she had cried back at him. “You knew this might happen. It was your choice to build up everybody’s expectations, not mine”

Cursing loudly he had looked at the sheet once more, before fixing her with an icy glare. “This says that you need to be there in two days time”

Grace had nodded, trying desperately to talk, his hand raised to silence her, his voice clipped.

“Fine. Like you said it was my choice to keep you here”

Grace feeling as her whole insides had dropped, opening her mouth to beg him to listen to her as he had balled up the sheet of paper and thrown it to the side of the room moving away “Then go Grace, get the hell out of my life…and this time stay out of it”

Grace had frozen in shock at his words. He couldn’t mean them, not after the month they had shared, not after everything he had done for her. As the door to the villa had slammed, closely followed by the loud whirring of the helicopter blades once more taking off, she had felt the small pained moan leave her lips.

What an idiot she had been, thinking that he could ever support her work, as with a self-deprecating curl of her lips as she had sneered at her own stupidity. Why would she think that any man was different from her father, just because he didn’t want to see himself that way didn’t make it so. He had used her and continued to use her, hoping no doubt that she would want to stay with him of her own free will. Sitting heavily on the leather chair she had looked down at her entwined fingers. She had nearly fallen for it too, nearly begged him to let her stay, what an idiot she had been.

Alexos had manipulated her in the past, blackmailing her to remain with him, and he had planned on doing the same to get her to continue as his fiancée. He didn’t care about her, his lack of support for her work proved that. He only wanted to continue the charade of being the perfect couple and with the bile rising in her throat she had known that that would only have been for as long as he felt the need to appease his father.

Angrily dashing away the tears that were sliding down her face she had risen slowly, moving to the bedroom where she had pulled out her bag, packing it with the clothes she had brought with her and leaving the rest. On the nightstand she had placed the large jewellery box with the necklace and bracelet, adding the ring to its contents, her eyes sadly taking one last look at the exquisite piece, telling herself that it had just been one more accessory to his plan.

Returning to the study she had organised for a boat from the mainland to pick her up, booking into a hotel for the night before the flight that would take her to Egypt where the group would meet. Sitting in the hotel room she had allowed the television to fill the space with sound, her mind numb with the events of that day. Looking down at her finger where the sapphire ring had sat, she again mocked herself for being so happy to be wearing such a bauble. Shuddering, she had suddenly felt naked, Grace needing to get back some control of her life, return it to what it had been before she had met up with Alexos once more. Rummaging in her bag she had found the gold wedding band, slipping it back onto her finger, feeling the tears once more rising, as for the first time since Daryle had placed it on her finger it had felt wrong. Grace had known that the wrong man had placed a wedding band on her hand.

Meeting the others in Egypt had been wonderful, all so full of stories of their holiday. The others had had a chance to read the research findings and there had been much debate about some of the more unusual results. None had questioned her about her stay with Alexos, although she had caught them on many occasions looking at each other, their looks so full of questions that none of them were prepared to voice, especially as she still wore her old wedding ring.