The Billionaire's Runaway Bride (19 page)

“I am sorry Mr Manetas…but only her husband”

Daryle had seen the frustration on the man’s face as he had gently patted his arm. “It will be fine…I am sure that she is fine”

As the two men’s eyes had met, Daryle had seen the light of panic inside Alexos’; this man so in charge of everything whom he realised was fighting hard to keep things together.

Nodding softly Alexos had moved over to sit on one of the hard plastic chairs, his hands shakily running through his hair, Daryle following the doctor to her room.

Grace had looked up as the door to the room had opened. She was tired of sitting around the hospital, having the strict but kindly doctor constantly telling her to rest, that she was being picked up as soon as her husband arrived. The news that had been given to her had both stunned and shocked her while making her feel euphoric at the same time, Grace having to sit back down before she had started to laugh and cry. However, she had soon realised the implications, knowing that Daryle was the only person who could indeed help her.

As the door had swung open she had cried out “Can I at least have a phone call?” her voice stalled as she saw Daryle move into the room, the words turning into sobs of relief and joy as she had leapt from the seat and thrown herself into his arms, Daryle holding her tightly as tears had also sprung to his eyes. The doctor behind had smiled at the reunion of the couple, a warmth filling him.

Daryle had pulled back his eyes flicking all over her taking in everything about her.

“Are you OK?…what happened?…nobody has told me anything” the questions tumbling out of his mouth as she had laughed, holding up her hand to silence him before turning to look at the doctor who had stepped forward.

As he had explained Daryle himself had felt his legs buckle, his eyes widening in shock. Looking at Grace, her face showing such concern at his reaction he had laughed once more rising before pulling her back into his arms and kissing her, more tears in his eyes.

The doctor had grinned widely at the reaction of her husband, finally happy with the situation as he had signed the release form, giving permission for Daryle to take his wife home. Grace, who was already fully dressed, had grabbed his arm, looking deeply into his eyes whispering softly.

“There is somewhere I need to go first”

Daryle grinning warmly down at her “I have a surprise for you” his enigmatic words making her eyebrow rise as they had left the private room. As the three had entered the waiting room, Alexos had already been on his feet having heard the footsteps as they had moved down the sterile corridor.

Seeing Grace, seemingly so healthy, his eyes had glowed, everything in him wanting to rush forward and pull her in against him, knowing that he could not for her safety. She however, had taken one look at him, her knees becoming weak. Seeing her reaction Daryle had pulled her into his arms to hide the sudden falter, not prepared for her to be sent back to the ward whispering so softly against her ear.

“I will explain everything…you have to be strong” Grace had looked back at him, nodding thankfully that he had covered up her shock.

Alexos had watched in surprise as Daryle had enveloped her in his arms, fighting hard not to pull her into his own. Turning to the doctor he had shaken his hand before moving again to the corridor where the guards still stood waiting for them.

Grace had looked at the two men in surprise, seeing the solemn looks on both of their faces, realising that her rescue had been more difficult than even she had imagined.

From the hospital the group had once more been taken to the airport, one of the officers taking Alexos to the side before he would allow them to board the small plane. Grace had watched as Alexos had handed over an envelope looking up at Daryle with questioning eyes. Leaning down he had told her of the bribe and the amount, her eyes opening in shock “That much?” groaning at how much she now owed the Greek.

Having checked the contents of the envelope the officer had smiled widely, shaking Alexos’ hand happily before returning to the other. Rejoining them with his face sombre Alexos had guided them onto the plane.

“Let’s get the hell out of here before they change their minds”, his voice serious as he had instructed the pilot to take off. Only when they were in the air had he finally turned to Grace, his face etched with real concern as he had moved to hunch down before her in the seat she sat buckled tightly in, her hand still in Daryle’s.

“Are you OK?” his voice tortured, Greek words of frustration and pain spilling from him. Unbuckling she had thrown herself into his arms.

“I was so scared Alexos….I didn’t know what would happen”

Daryle watched the way Alexos had held her so tightly, the relief on his face as he had pulled back, his hands moving to cup her face before laying small kisses on her lips.

“Don’t you EVER scare me like that again” he had said softly, Grace’s lips twitching as she had nodded gently. Daryle’s small cough had made the other two look at him, small embarrassed smiles leaving both as they had remembered that they were not alone.

Moving back to his seat he had allowed his eyes to look over her, seeing that she was thinner than a few weeks before and paler “What is wrong….what happened? We were told that you collapsed. Are you OK?”

As Daryle had leant forward, Grace had laid her hand on his arm, her eyes pleading as she had nodded.

“I am fine…honest…they said that I had overexerted that is all”

Alexos had caught the interaction between the two, not happy knowing that there was something that they were not telling him, but he had smiled at her with relief, his eyes holding hers.

“I can take you anywhere you want to go” Grace saying nothing as he had added “But I am asking you to come home with me”

Her smile had lit up her lovely face as Grace had nodded fervently, he feeling heat fill his whole body

“I would like that Alexos, I really, really would”

As he sat back Daryle had watched the two, feeling contentment to his very bones at the way things were working out. Grinning he had started to laugh, Alexos pulling his look from Grace holding back the words that had wanted to spill from him as he had been relieved to turn the conversation to something else as the two had talked over the rescue, Grace’s eyes widening with all it had taken to get her out of the country.

Soon the plane had landed on the Greek mainland and Alexos had once more pulled his phone out to call for his helicopter to be readied. He had invited Daryle to join them, to stay at the villa, but giving Grace a wink Daryle had shaken his head “No…I think that I will find a hotel and leave you two crazy kids to talk”

Alexos had shaken his head. “The least I can do is offer you the use of my hotel suite” Grace giving Daryle a wide smile. “Yes…you should…it is amazing”

Daryle had nodded in thanks as again Alexos had organised for him to be picked up and taken to the luxury suite. However, he had also insisted that Daryle visit them before returning back to the UK, the other man nodding happily before pulling Grace into his arms.

“Now I expect a phone call, you know how much I love happy endings” his wicked grin causing her to flick a small amused smile towards Alexos as she had nodded gently back.

“You know I will”

Pulling back from him she had looked down at her hand, biting her lip softly before pulling the gold ring from her finger. Placing it gently into his hand she had given him a small tremulous smile, his eyes crinkling with a return one.

“I guess it’s time for you to have this back”

Closing his hand over the small band Daryle had nodded

“I guess it is” another strange look passing between the two.

Watching the exchange Alexos had smiled, knowing that she had truly put something behind her, the hope rising within him that perhaps it was because she saw a different future for herself.

As the car had arrived for Daryle the two had moved to the helicopter, the loud burring of the blades making it impossible to talk for the short journey. As they had entered the villa he had insisted on her returning to bed, Grace chuckling with dancing eyes.

“Please Alexos…I am just out of the hospital…control yourself”

His lips twitching with humour “You know exactly what I mean young lady” Grace moving to the living room flicking him a smile. With a small sigh he had followed her.

“Can I get you a drink?”

Grace shook her head slowly, a strange expression on her face as she had taken a seat. Pausing almost nervously he had helped himself to whiskey, quickly taking a large gulp before moving to sit beside her, the two watching each other warily. Alexos was the first to speak his voice holding a small tortured note to it.

“I’m sorry Grace…sorry for what I said to you - I didn’t mean a word of it” bleakness filling the darkness of his eyes “If you knew how much I have regretted those words. I’ve left messages for you, tried calling…I have been going out of my mind”

She had moved her hand to place it gently on his “I had to go Alexos, I had to” her voice softening “but I wanted to come back…if you would have let me”

The smile that had lit his face had made her grin back “God I’ve been such a fool” his groan making her stroke his cheek so lovingly.

“Daryle told me what happened six years ago…I had no idea” covering her hand with his he had pulled it to his mouth to kiss it

“I would have encouraged you to go to university Grace…I would have wanted you to be happy…do you know why?”

Grace shaking her head, biting her lips softly “No…”

Alexos moving his hand to cup her cheeks as he had leant in to kiss her so tenderly

“Because I love you…because I have always loved you”

Pulling back from her he had seen the tears rising to her lids; her lips start to tremble, unease filling him as she had given a small choked half-laugh, a smile spreading over her lovely features.

“Y…you do?” her voice incredulous as he had nodded back.

“My father always told me that he fell in love with my mother the moment he met her” softness in his eyes “I thought that was fanciful…and then I met you” chuckling he had looked more sheepish

“Do you remember the first dive we shared?” Grace nodding softly, her eyes huge as she had listened to him

“I remember getting out of the water and looking at you, and I knew. I knew instantly that I was in love with you…my Grace…so shy, so sweet…yet so prepared to chase sharks”

A another sob had left her lips as her eyes had shone, glistening with happy tears, before a shadow had crossed her features, her look becoming unsure.

“What about Angelica?” she had asked in a small voice, looking tentatively at him seeing the bafflement on his

“What about her?” confusion filling his face as he had looked at her “You think there is something between the two of us?”

Grace looked uncomfortably back at him “You were with her the night you came home late to your father’s…I smelt her perfume…and you didn’t want me to stay”

His sigh had been pained as Grace had bit her lip

“Yes…I saw her…but I hadn’t planned it Grace”

She looked back at him warily

“Angelica and I used to date…you knew that, but when I wouldn’t marry her she ran off and married Anton instead”

Shrugging softly he had given her a rueful smile.

“To be honest I was relieved…she had become a bit much. But recently she had started to just appear in places I was, and that is what happened the other day. When she saw you I think that she panicked. Apparently she thought that she and I could make a go of it” a harder look in his eyes

“I tried to be friendly, tried making it clear I was not interested but somehow I don’t think she got the message” His hand taking hers “That night she phoned me crying and begging for help. I went over to her place because she sounded so desperate…big mistake, she was waiting half naked, proclaiming love for me”

He had given a long sigh continuing

“All I wanted to do Grace was get the hell out of there and then she started having a go at you and I got mad. I suppose that was when I realised that I was still in love with you. I had been kidding myself on till then that I was only interested in payback for what happened six years ago. So I told her to stay away from me”

Looking at him, a large smile slowly spread over her beautiful features as she had chuckled happily, her eyes flashing with such emotion.

“Oh Alexos…I love you…I think I always have…but I thought that you were like my father and yet I knew you weren’t”

Her words tumbling out over each other before she had given up, launching herself into his arms, as Alexos fell backwards onto the ground laughing as his arms had wrapped securely around her holding her on top of him kissing her as he had rolled to lay her under him.

“My Grace…my fearless, innocent, beautiful Grace” her eyes had shone so brightly back at him, his large smile filled his handsome features, giving a soft groan

“God if you were not just out of hospital…I would show you how much I love you”

Laying under him her face had become so serene, a light filling her hazel eyes.

“Oh I think I hold the proof of how much you love me” she had chuckled softly as her thumb ran lightly over his lips “Ask me again why I was in hospital?”

Frowning slightly he had given a small laugh “OK…why were you in hospital?”

Grace looked back at him with such love

“Because apparently pregnant women should not spend so much time in the burning sun and overexert themselves”

She had waited as the words had sank in, seeing the very moment the meaning of her words had hit him as his eyes had filled up with moisture moving to sweep down to her belly. He had pushed himself from lying partially over her, his voice full of wonder and shock.

“You’re pregnant!”

Grace nodded back, her whole features alive with happiness “Seems that some statistics are more probable than others”

Lifting her in his arms he had held her tightly, his lips kissing her hair, neck and any other part of her that his mouth met “I …I don’t know what to say” pulling back as his face had glowed. “Oh Grace…I love you” she returning the look with a more sensual one of her own