The Kyriakos Virgin Bride (16 page)

“How can Zac want me anymore? I've been nothing but trouble to him.” A sob escaped her throat. “But you're right. I can't leave him to weather this crisis alone. Thank you, Daddy.” Pandora said a subdued goodbye and made her way downstairs. From the windows beside the staircase it was clear that the town house was under siege, reporters thronging against the gate.

She shuddered in horror. They were after photos of the scandalous Kyriakos virgin bride.
Soiled goods.
Stavros's words taunted her. It was what the tabloids would be screaming, too.

Pausing in the archway to the sitting room, her heart missed a beat as she took in Zac's tall, lean frame. With a sense of inevitability, she saw the paper in his hands.

“Let me see that.”

Poker-faced, he tried to hide it behind his back, but Pandora would have none of it. “I want to read what they say about me.”

He handed it to her with a sigh. “Don't let it get to you. So much is lies.”

The headlines were a thousand times worse than she'd anticipated, and for a moment Pandora wished she had fled back to her father, to the sanctuary of High Ridge.

“Zac duped by fake virgin,” proclaimed one. And “Marriage turns tycoon into fool,” screamed another.

“What impact is all this going to have on the company?” she asked, her hand over her mouth.

“The share price has already hiccupped.” He must have read something of the devastation that ripped at her insides, because he said dismissively, “It will be a temporary thing. It will stabilise. We'll see what happens by the close of day on Wall Street.”

“I'm so sorry,” she said in a small voice.

“Try not to think about it,” Zac advised. “We will get through this.”

“I wish there was something I could do,” she said.

But Zac had already picked up the remote and started flicking through the news channels, a frown on his face, and he didn't answer.

 

By the end of the day she was a wreck. She crawled into her bed—alone—unable to face Zac after the ignominy of the day's headlines.

She half hoped that Zac might come find her, make love to her, help her forget what was happening.

As she waited, tense and distressed, thoughts spun wildly inside her head. Finally, a long time later, she started to think clearly.

Zac would not come to her tonight. Zac could not stay married to her after this. He would have to divorce her. He had no choice.

And as she faced that truth, loss ripped through her. Despite the heat, she shivered against the cool sheets. The future that lay ahead would be bleak and a little scary without Zac.

But she still had tonight. And tomorrow night. And all the other nights until Zac asked her to release him from their vows. Those nights ahead offered a respite from the emptiness that she knew would dog her in the months to come. Could she do it? Could she climb into Zac's bed?

Was that something she could do for Zac—give him a few nights of mind-blowing pleasure? Would that go part of the way to easing the chaos she'd caused in his life?

Quaking a little with apprehension, she crawled out of bed and made her way to the cupboard into which a maid had unpacked her clothes. With trembling hands Pandora lifted out a wisp of pale silver silk that she'd bought for her honeymoon but never worn. It took less than a minute to shuck off her comfortable cotton nightie, brush her hair, spray on a little scent and don the silky garment that had been made for seduction. Her heart thudding against her ribs, she clicked off the bedroom light and stepped out into the moonlit corridor, her bare feet soundless against the thickly carpeted floor.

On reaching Zac's bedroom door she halted, her heart pounding. Could she do this? She turned the door handle and stepped into the room.

Zac was propped up against plump pillows. He glanced up, then froze. A lightning-swift look revealed his sleek, bare chest covered from the waist down by a white sheet.

“I came to say sorry.” The expression on his face made Pandora conscious of exactly how little she wore, how skimpy the sexy little nightgown was and how provocative she must appear. She swallowed nervously. “Maybe this isn't such a good idea.”

Zac's eyes flared, turning his face starkly male. “Come here.”

F
or a moment Pandora looked as if she were about to flee, and Zac discovered that he was not going to let that happen.

Suddenly he didn't give a damn why she was here, that this might be about guilt for lying to him or penance for the headlines. It didn't matter. All he cared about was that she was here. That he would be able to kiss her, feel the touch of her skin against his, feel her silken walls closing against his hardening erection.

He lifted the covers. “Come,” he said hoarsely.

She was across the room in a second and slid under the sheet, taking care not to touch him.

Rolling onto his side and raising himself onto an elbow, Zac faced his wife. She lay on her back, stiff and silent, staring at the ceiling. Her skin was luminous, her profile delicate and her pale hair gleamed against the snowy sheets. “You are the most beautiful woman in the whole world.” Reaching out his hand, he stroked her shoulder. The shoelace tie of her nightgown fell away and she turned her head. Her eyes were wide and something sparked inside the silver depths as their gazes connected.

The heat started deep in Zac's stomach, spreading outward, pushing through his bloodstream…into his head. Never had he wanted a woman this much. Never had he felt the tenderness…the pain…that this woman roused in him.

Her lips parted. He dipped his head. Her mouth was warm and moist and so, so soft. His tongue touched hers, smooth and intoxicating, while his hand pushed the bit of silver silk down the length of her body, his fingers lingering against her skin. With a groan, Zac shifted closer, until his torso brushed her breasts.

Zac brought his hands up, spanned her rib cage, and his blunt fingertips sank into soft flesh. She moaned, stretched, and her breasts rose into proud, taut mounds, enticing him.

“You're beautiful.” He reached out to touch. The peaks hardened, nudging his fingers, and he bent his head to take a pale pink tip into his mouth. Pandora gasped out loud and arched under him. His tongue flicked across the tight tip. She shuddered and moved restlessly against him.

His body responded, blood pumping through his veins in a hot rush. He could feel his erection pulsing, ready for her. Then her hand slipped between them, closed around him, holding him.

Zac raised his head. “Are you sure?” he gritted out.

“Oh, yes.”

Her fingers started to caress him, sliding along his length, driving him wild.

His breath caught. “
Don't.
I can't hold back.”

But she ignored him. Her hand moved. Zac didn't know whether to curse or kiss her.

She moved beneath him, positioning him so that he could feel the hot heat of her against him. He moaned, surged forward. And then he was inside her. Home, where he belonged. Clenching his teeth, forcing himself to slow down, Zac drew away and sank slowly back into her. Her body was tight and hot and utterly irresistible.

“Zeus, this is good.”

He moved again.

And again.

She murmured something and wiggled her hips against him. He felt her tongue slick and smooth against his neck. The little licks sent shivers exploding through him. He drove his hips forward. Pandora responded instantly, her body arched against his, her breath ragged against his neck.

To slow the tightening tension, he slid out, waited a heartbeat and thrust back into her. She gave a little hoarse cry. Then her tongue was back, touching him, tantalising him, circling his earlobe, her hot breath sending adrenaline rocketing through him.

She whispered, “I'm almost there.”

“Pandora!” The pressure spiralled up, pleasure and still more pressure until he could hold no longer, until it spun away. He let it all go and heard her gasp as he sank into her again and again, faster and faster until it all tore free.

“Now.” His voice was hoarse. The spasms engulfed them, and he shuddered at the sensation.

Afterward, raising himself onto his elbows, he fought for breath. “Wow.”

“Is that all you can say?” Her face glowed with desire and a hint of an emotion he'd never seen before.

He gave a broken, shaky laugh and smoothed a lock of her hair off her forehead.

“It's not over yet,” she said.

But something in her tone caught his attention. Zac lifted his head. There was resignation in her eyes…and a hint of—what?—desperation? Zac's heart tightened into a band of pain inside his chest. He swallowed and stared down into her eyes, darkened to a cloudy grey and saddened by an emotion that looked suspiciously like regret.

No.
She couldn't mean this to be goodbye.

“What do you mean it's not over yet?” He tried to hide his own desperation.

Her lips curved into a smile, but her eyes remained grave. “Tonight, we have tonight. And tomorrow night. And some nights beyond that. But sometime soon you're going to have to make that decision, Zac. About us. About our marriage. And I already know what it will be. Divorce. It can't be any other way.”

Divorce.

The end of this magic sweetness between them. It was the last thing he wanted. He'd been raised to believe that a Kyriakos never divorced. The band inside him tightened.
It can't be any other way.
Anguish followed in the wake of her words.

Or could it?
Deep inside the heart of him, something gave. For the first time in his life he didn't care about the future. About what people thought. Her past didn't matter any longer. More than anything in the world he wanted to banish the shadows from her eyes, to see her happy again.

What mattered most was that she was his. He no longer cared what people thought of the Kyriakos heir. He no longer cared about his dead grandfather's expectations—or that he might be considered a failure to the family name. He was not like his father. He would never fail his wife.

Because he had no intention of letting his bride go.

Ever.

Before he had time to ponder on the blindsiding discovery, Pandora touched him again.

“Are you ready? Or do you want to wait a while? We have all night.”

Amazingly he found he was already hard again. Need surged through him and he pulled her toward him. “All night? Then let's not waste one minute.” And he moved her warm, naked body over his.

 

When she awoke, it was morning. Zac stood beside the window, dressed in a suit, his back to her, his hands on his lean hips.

He must have heard her stir, because he turned.

“Pandora—” He started to say something, broke off. There was a sudden sense of awkwardness. “Did you have enough sleep?” he said at last. “You must be tired. It's Friday—take your time, relax, don't hurry to get up.”

The memory of the night came to her. The things they'd done, the magic of their togetherness…the terrible sense of time running out. She searched his eyes, seeking answers to the questions she was too scared to ask. Is this the end? How many nights more? When do I go? Why did you have to be the man you are…and why could I not be the woman you needed?

Finally she said only, “I'm a little tired.” Oh, dear God, why were they spouting banalities when she needed—

Zac's cell phone trilled.

He reached for it, glanced at the number and answered, keeping his responses short.

Pandora bit her lip. What had the press printed now?

Zac killed the line. “Katy is on her way over. She says she needs to see us. She sounded in a bad way.” His gaze softened. “I'm sorry, Pandora, no chance for a lie in today. You'll need to get up and dressed.”

Once downstairs, the tension in the sitting room was thick and palpable between them, the awkwardness of earlier undiminished. At last the sound of heels clicking on the marble entrance hall made Pandora look up from the book she'd been pretending to read.

Katy stood in the doorway, her face red and blotchy from crying, her heart-shaped face wearing a hurt, vulnerable expression.

Pandora shut her eyes. Katy had obviously been reading the papers. Pandora hadn't seen or spoken to Zac's sister since that awful moment on Kiranos. The last thing she needed was Katy's condemnation. Beside her she heard Zac rise to his feet. She opened her eyes to see him making his way across the room, intent on cutting Katy off.

Katy flung herself into her brother's arms. “It's terrible.”

“I know.” Over Katy's head Pandora read the pain in Zac's eyes. “But it will pass.”

Poor Katy, having to read about her husband's lover along with everyone else. God, how many more people was that reckless one-night stand going to affect? If she could only have the time over, she'd never have done it. But she'd been seventeen, in love—or so she'd thought. Hardly surprising she'd had so little sense.

Zac had produced a hanky and was mopping up Katy's tears. But that only made Katy cry harder. “You're going to hate Stavros even more. But I
have
to tell you.”

Zac froze. “What has that stupid bastard done now?”

“Zac!” Stepping back, Katy said, “Don't swear.”

“Sorry, but he is a thorn in my side.”

“I know,” Katy wailed. “And now it will be even worse. I just found out today—a journalist called looking for him. Stavros contacted the papers, sold the story about him and Pandora.”

“He did
what?
”

The fury in Zac's voice made Pandora cringe. At the expression on Katy's face, she leaped to her feet and rushed across the room. “Don't be mad at Katy. It's not her fault.”

Katy fell into Pandora's arms. “I thought you'd never speak to me again. Stavros has done you such harm.”

“But
you
haven't,” Pandora pointed out gently. Over Katy's shoulder she caught a glimpse of Zac's stunned expression.

“I'm leaving him,” Katy declared. “I never want to see him again. This time he's gone too far.”

Zac closed his eyes. “I never thought you'd see sense.”

“I can't believe he did this.” Katy's eyes were full of bewilderment. “I knew he wasn't strong or invulnerable like you, but he's funny and he always makes me feel so…special.”

“He's a lightweight, a fortune—”

Pandora shot Zac a warning look. For once he heeded it and broke off.

“I know what you think of him.” Katy looked gutted. “But I thought you were wrong. I honestly, truly believed he loved me. That's why I never listened to you. And there's never been anyone else. If he'd been what you said, I thought he'd give himself away long ago.”

“A bird in the hand is worth—”

“Zac,” Pandora said quellingly. “Shut up.”

To her amazement, he did.

Katy started to laugh—a touch hysterically. “Oh, Pandora, I love you. I don't think I've ever heard anyone tell Zac to shut up and live to tell the tale. Please never leave my brother. You're the only one who can keep him in line.”

For a moment Zac looked as if he wanted to object, then he closed his mouth and shook his head. “Women,” he muttered.

Pandora assessed Katy critically. It was obvious that Zac's sister had been through hell, but despite her tear-blotched face she looked composed. “Will you be okay staying alone, without Stavros? Or have you got a friend that can stay over for a few nights and keep you company? Do you want to stay here?”

“I'm staying with Stacy. She will handle my divorce. Stavros keeps calling me at home and I don't want to talk to him. Stacy's arranged for the number to be changed. But for the meantime the calls are being forwarded to her service. I've got a new cell-phone number, too. Stacy's taken my old cell phone and she's fielding the incoming calls.”

“You're serious about this, aren't you?” Zac was looking at his sister as if he'd never seen her before.

“I have to be. It's going to be even harder when the baby comes.”

“Baby?” Zac and Pandora spoke together.

“What baby?” Zac asked.

Katy's hand went to her mouth. “I haven't told anyone. I only found out today. We've been trying ever since that first miscarriage. I was so excited. But then I found out about Stavros selling that disgusting story—” she blinked as Pandora blanched “—sorry, Pandora. So I called Stavros and told him he shouldn't bother coming home. Not ever again.”

“Did you tell Stavros about the baby?”

Katy glared at Zac. “Stavros doesn't need to know about the baby. I'm perfectly capable of raising her alone.”

The eyes so like her brother's were flashing. Despite her own misery, Pandora suppressed the urge to cheer.

“You already know it's a girl?” Zac cast his sister a sharp look.

“I hope it is. I want a girl. I'm so sick of men.”