The Billionaire's Blackmailed Heiress (12 page)

As the tremors had subsided the two had looked disbelievingly at the other. This had not been love making, it had been more feral, raw, animalistic and Nikos had felt the way his whole body buzzed still for this woman. Sliding from her he had pulled her against himself, their sweat slicked bodies cooling as they had fought to bring their ragged breathing under control.

Mina had allowed her head to rest on his shoulder; her nostrils full of the scent of him, her fingers resting on his taut body, and smiling softly, her eyes had fluttered closed as sleep had taken her. Nikos had still not understood what had happened, fumbling around in his brain for the right words. Frowning he had become aware of her softly stroking hand on his body stilling, her head on his shoulder heavier, her breathing becoming deeper and more regular knowing that she had fallen asleep.

Looking down at her beautiful face, her hair strewn around him, his body had jumped once more with the awareness for her. In sleep she was relaxed, a small smile playing on those lovely lips, Nikos wanting to reach down and cover them once more with his own, to wake her and to satisfy the growing need already building within him, hardly able to believe the strength of his own desire even now. Moving slowly from her he had laid her head onto the pillow, covering her luscious body with the soft sheet as every fibre in his being had wanted to run his fingers along her curves once more. However, she was hurting - the inevitability of her mother’s illness moving to the next level so hard for her and she needed rest. Holding back the small groan he had slid from the bed retrieving his clothes. If he stayed, then he would eventually give in to the craving to wake her, to once more taste that soft mouth, the force of that need causing him to shudder violently as he had averted his eyes, moving from the room needing a cold shower.

Waking, Mina had languorously stretched her limbs, her body turning onto her back, as her hands had flattened out against the bedclothes stroking the soft sheets. The realisation that she was naked and the memories of the previous night had all hit her at the same time, Mina moaning softly, while her eyes had flown open finding herself alone.

Giving a small groan of pain, she had turned onto her stomach, feeling the self-loathing fill her. She had allowed him to seduce her, the very thing she had vowed not to let happen, fought so hard to control, the memories of their lovemaking causing her to colour, while her body still buzzed with the memories, wanting more. Pushing the thoughts from her head with a soft expletive she had moved into the bathroom. He had not even woken her, Mina closing her eyes with pain, knowing that he too would be feeling the self-loathing of what had happened. He thought her beneath him, his words rushing back to her. He did not want her as a mistress, yet it had not stopped him from satiating his lust for her. Well now that he had bedded her he had obviously got her out of his system, his absence a confirmation of his contempt for her. Moving under the shower, to remove his touch and smell from her body she could not even cry. Everything seemed to be stacked on top of her, and this was just one more piece of hurt to add to all the rest, her mother’s frail face filling her mind.

The shower had helped to bring some life back to her body, as pulling out her bag she had packed her clothes, leaving the cocktail dresses behind. Her mother needed her now and what had transpired that night could not be allowed to take up any more of her thoughts. Nikos had got everything he wanted. He had saved his company, and even slept with the daughter of the man he loathed the most. With a small sound of pain she had been angry with herself. He must be feeling really good with himself she had thought, angrily stuffing a t-shirt into the bag. However, with a sound of pain she had known that he was not solely to blame, in the end she had allowed him to do it to her.

Moving downstairs, she had been met by Yanis who had frowned seeing the bag in her hands.

“Mina? What are you doing?”

He had asked in surprise, taking in how pale the lovely woman looked.

With a small attempt at a smile, sadness filling her large green eyes, she had stopped at the base of the steps “I have to go Yanis. My mother is …”

The crack in her voice, had said more than any words could, as he had looked sympathetically at her.

“I am so sorry Mina….Please let me help” he had insisted taking the bag from her fingers before moving out of the villa with her.

“I could drive you” he had offered, seeing as she had shaken her head.

“No…..thank you Yanis, I will need the car, so best to take it with me”.

He had nodded stowing the bag in the boot, before surprising her as he had pulled her into his arms to hug her.

“Take care Mina. Please give our best wishes to your mother, tell her our prayers are with her”.

His words had caused a small lump in her throat, her eyes filling with water. With a gentle smile, he had pulled back his thumb rubbing away the small tear that slide down her cheek, before he had leant down and given her a small gentle kiss on the lips.

“You are family to us Mina……and we are all here for you. Please remember that”.

With a small tremulous smile she had nodded before moving quickly into the car, not trusting herself to say more with the conflicting emotions thundering through her.

For three days Nikos had tried to get in touch with Mina. Angry that she had left without informing him she was going he had told himself that she had made a commitment to him to be available for the many events that he had expected her to accompany him. However, images of her distraught features had kept pushing themselves into his mind, knowing that her mother was now very sick. Other images of her naked, her soft lips whispering his name also pushing their way into his mind making him slam down the phone as she had once more refused to answer. From the door a small face had watched him, shock on her features at the violence of his actions, Nikos immediately fixing a small smile on his lips.

“Silly fly” he had cried “missed it again”, Dina pushing the door open and smiling brightly as she had entered the room, running up to him and leaping onto his knee.

“When is Mina coming back?” she had asked in her childlike voice, her face frowning “I miss her”.

Nikos had patted her gently, the realisation hitting him that he was missing her too filling him.

“I don’t know princess…..she is very sad right now”.

Dina had given him a thoughtful look “When Yanis kisses me I don’t get sad” her brows furrowing

“Do you think Mina did?”

Nikos had felt the cold icy fingers of jealousy ripping through him as he had froze, his eyes staring disbelievingly at the small girl.

“You saw Yanis kiss Mina?” he had asked, trying hard not to show the shock his whole body felt.

She had looked back at him, not realising the effect her words had had.

“Yes … then she got in her car and left”.

Her voice sad once more “I am going to tell Yanis off for sending her away” With that she had leapt onto the floor, running from the room in her innocent quest. Nikos had sat back for a few moments, feeling the anger fill him. How dare she lead him on, sleep with him and then turn her affections onto another man? He could see the small red mist dancing before his eyes at the thought of any other man, particularly Yanis, holding her, kissing those soft lips, running their hands over her body. Rising with determination he had moved out of the door. It was time that Mina and he had a talk.

For the past two days, Mina had moved in an almost sleep-like trance, her concentration solely on her mother, who had each day seemed to weaken just a little more. There had been many calls from Nikos, Mina ignoring each and every one, not willing or able to handle dealing with him, so unsure why she felt so much hurt at his having used her. Moving to the pool she had smiled, seeing as her mother had lain so serene against a lounger sitting in the one beside her as she had heard more stories of the years that she had spent there with Alexander, the love for the man still shining from her, Mina once more grateful that she had been able to give her mother this one last gift.

On the third day, while Alice was looking after her mother, the doorbell had rung. Opening it, she had stood mouth agape seeing Nikos on the doorstep.

“W…what are you doing here?” she had finally managed to stutter out, her voice low, her body jumping to instant awareness having him so close.

“You don’t answer your phone, texts, emails……what else was I supposed to do?”

He had bitten out, his mouth grim his dark eyes flashing angrily.

Raising her hand to rub her brow, she had regarded him warily.

“I have a lot on my mind right now Nikos… My mother…”

His face had instantly softened his expression apologetic as he had shuffled slightly “I know…and I am sorry Mina…but we have to talk”.

Shaking her head with determination she had groaned gently.

“No…no we don’t. It was a mistake….let’s just leave it at that”.

Before he could respond, another voice, a soft almost inaudible silvery one had interrupted.

“Who is it Mina?” Mina’s eyes closing with dread, before opening and looking beseechingly at Nikos.

“It is Nikos Dupris mother” she had replied, allowing the door to open to reveal the man to the small woman who had moved slowly into the hallway.

Nikos had moved his eyes from Mina to the frail woman before him. He could still see the lovely features of the woman who had been his stepfathers mistress, seen the lovely eyes inherited by her daughter. She was smiling with real joy at seeing him, this taking him aback, as he had moved into the foyer of the Villa Aqua.

“Nikos!” she had exclaimed shuffling slowly forward to meet him, Nikos quickening his step to save her from having to strain herself.

“It is wonderful to meet you. Your mother spoke so highly of you”.

Two pairs of eyes had looked back at the small woman with surprise.

“My mother?” he had questioned, the shock so clear on his voice. “You knew my mother?”

Taking his arm, and allowing the tall man to walk with her back to the comfortable living room she had nodded softly, a small chuckle leaving her.

“I suppose many would find it strange, but yes we became good friends”.

As he had helped her to sit on the seat full of pillows, her frail body lost in the cushions, he had looked intently at her.

“I did not know that you knew each other” his tone kindly but questioning.

Her mother had held onto Nikos’ hand, gently patting it.

“Yes. It was your mother who insisted that I live here”.

She had given a small laugh, seeing the shock on the two other faces, a slight frown falling on her brow.

“You are aware of the kind of marriage your mother and Alexander had?”

Nikos had shaken his head, a small look of anger once more filling his eyes.

“My mother was a very private person Miss Lane. However, I do not think that their marriage was a happy one”.

The frail woman had shaken her head.

“No…no you must not think that. Please. They were good friends”.

Nikos had looked up at Mina for answers, seeing the dumbfound shock on her face also.

“Your mother and Alexander married for convenience. He was Greek aristocracy, with no money, and her family were rich but needed the connections. It seemed an ideal solution for them both…until he and I met”.

A small wistful look had come to her face.

“He wanted to divorce your mother and marry me…especially when Mina was born…but it would have been disastrous and your mother made us see that”.

She had lain back as coughs had wracked her small frame, Mina rushing forward with water. As the coughing had died down she had continued.

“Your company was in a bad way, and the divorce would have meant the end, so we all talked and came up with this solution, and it worked well…until your mother died…then Alexander” her face filling with sorrow, before leaning forward she had gently patted his cheek.

“You have your mother’s eyes Nikos. She was a good woman”.

Mina could see as Nikos had blinked, surprised to see what looked like tears, before he had managed to pull himself together, smiling softly at the other woman.

“Yes…yes she was…but she never told me any of this”.

About to say more her mother had once more started to cough, this time struggling to breath, both Nikos and Mina becoming concerned, as Alice had rushed in, her professional voice calm as she had taken control of the situation, pulling oxygen from behind the chair and giving it to the older woman to help her breath. Looking at the other two people in the room she had smiled, her voice brooking no argument.

“Mina perhaps you should show your visitor the grounds” both recognising the instruction to leave, as they had risen.

“S…sure” Mina looking lovingly at her mother “I will show Nikos the beach mother” seeing as she had nodded, breathing in shallow gulps of air, Mina not aware as her body had shaken with seeing her like that.

As they had moved out of the villa, he had pulled her around to look into her eyes.

“You don’t really expect me to believe any of that do you?” he had bitten out at her, his eyes full of anger and confusion, as she had looked back at him, hers full of pain at seeing her mother struggling just to breath.

“She is dying Nikos…why would she lie?”

Looking down adding in a smaller voice “She has nothing to gain from telling anything but the truth”.

Pulling away from him, she had moved away down towards the beach, seeing as the sun was starting to set, needing to put some distance between herself and this man who was having such a disturbing effect on her with just his presence. She had heard as he had followed her, Mina moving to where the water gently lapped at the sand, kicking off her sandals and stepping into the icy water feeling as it had cooled her suddenly burning skin.

Behind her she had been aware as he had stood silently for several seconds before finally speaking, no longer talking of the revelation her mother had just made.

“Why did you leave Mina?”

The question had caught her by surprise, glad that she was facing away from him, so that he would not see the hurt which had filled her lovely face.