The Fallen Greek Bride\At the Greek Boss's Bidding (16 page)

She shook her head, and sat down on the chaise, smoothing her skirt over her knees. “No. My parents did. My mother did. My dad approved, but it was Mother who insisted. She said you would never want me back the way I was.” Morgan looked up at him, eyes bright, above the pallor of her cheeks. “So I went through the treatment, but it didn’t help. It didn’t work. They wanted me to say I could live without you, and I couldn’t.”

“Why not?”

Her slim shoulders lifted and fell. “Because I couldn’t.”

“So why did you leave me in the first place?”

“I started falling apart in Ekali. I was fine when we first got there, but after the first month, something happened to me. I began to cry when you were at work and I tried to hide it from you when you came home, but you must have known, because you changed, too. You became colder and distant, and maybe it wasn’t you...maybe it was all me...because I needed too much from you, and God knows, my needs weren’t healthy—”

“And who told you that you needs weren’t healthy?” he growled, trying desperately hard to hang on to his temper. “Your parents?”

“And the doctors. And the therapists.”

“Christ,” he muttered under his breath, dragging a hand through his hair. “That’s not true, you know,” he said, looking at her. “You were young and isolated and lonely and I wasn’t there for you. I know that now. I know I wasn’t fair to you. I worked ridiculous hours, and expected you to be able to entertain yourself, and I owe you an apology. Actually, I owe you many, many apologies.”

She managed a small, tight smile. “It’s hard to remember...hard to go back...because what we had was good, so good, and then it all became so bad....” She sighed and rubbed her head. “I wish we could go back, and do it all again, and make different decisions this time.”

“There’s no going back, though, only going forward.”

Morgan nodded. “I know, and I’m trying. And seeing Pompeii with you today made me realize that we have to go forward. We have to have hope and courage and build new lives.”

He came to her, crouched before her, his hands on either side of her knees, his gaze searching hers. “I know I failed you—”

“No more than I failed you, Drakon.”

“But you didn’t fail me. You were perfect...you were warm and real and hopeful and sensitive.”

“So why did you pull away? Why shut me out...because it felt like you did—”

“I did. I definitely shut you out, and you weren’t imagining that I pulled away, because I did that, too.”

“Why?”

He hesitated a moment and then drew a breath. “Because I loved you so much, and yet I was overwhelmed by feelings of inadequacy...I couldn’t make you happy, I couldn’t meet your needs, I couldn’t be who or what you wanted, so I...pushed you away.”

Her eyes searched his. “It wasn’t my imagination?”

“No.”

“I wasn’t crazy when I left you then?”

“No.”

She made a soft, hoarse sound. “So I just went crazy when I left you.”

“You were never crazy, Morgan.”

She smiled, sadly. “But I was. Leaving you tore me apart. I felt my heart break when I left you. Everyone kept telling me I was developing this disorder or that disorder but they didn’t understand...I just needed you. I just wanted you. And they wouldn’t let me have you.” Tears filled her eyes. “No one believed that I could love you that deeply...but why was it wrong to love you so much? Why did it make me bad...and mad...to miss you that much?”

“They were wrong, Morgan. And I was wrong. And I know you weren’t insane, because I felt the same way, too. And I couldn’t get to you, either. I couldn’t find you, and all I wanted was to find you and apologize, and fix things, and change things, so that we could be happy. I knew we could be happy. I just needed you home.”

She reached up to knock away a tear before it could fall. “But I didn’t come back.”

“No. But I wouldn’t give up on you, or us. I still can’t give up on us.” He reached out to wipe her cheek dry with his thumb. “Tell me, my love, that I haven’t waited in vain. Tell me there’s a place in your life for me. Give me hope, Morgan.”

She just looked at him, deep into his eyes, for a long moment before leaning forward and kissing him. “Yes,” she whispered against his mouth. “Yes, there’s a place in my life for you. There will always be a place in my life for you. I need you, Drakon. Can’t live without you, Drakon.”

His mouth covered hers, and he kissed her deeply, but it wasn’t enough for her. Morgan needed more, craved more, and she wrapped her arms around his neck, and opened her knees so he could move between them, his big body pressed against hers. Still kissing her, he pressed her back onto the chaise, his towel falling off as he stretched out over her, his hand sliding up her rib cage to cup her breast.

Morgan hissed a breath as his fingers rubbed her nipple, making the sensitive peak pucker and tighten. His other hand was moving down her torso, tugging up the hem of her dress, finding her bare inner thigh, his touch sending lightning forks of sensation zinging through her body, making her body heat and her core melt. She wanted him, wanted him so much, and she sucked on his tongue, desperate for him to strip her and feel his warm, bare skin on hers.

And then his phone rang on the bedside table, chiming with a unique ringtone that Morgan had never heard before.

He lifted his head, listened, frowning. “Damn.”

“What?”

He shook his head and rolled away from her, leaving the chaise to pick up his phone from the table near the bed. “Damn,” he muttered, reading the message. “She needs to talk to me before she returns to Athens.”

Morgan didn’t even need to ask who “she” was, knowing perfectly well it was Bronwyn. “Now?”

“She’s leaving soon. Tonight.”

“Surely she can wait a half hour?”

He didn’t answer immediately, simply rolled away, his towel falling off in the process. “I won’t be long.”

“You really have to go now?”

“I’ll be back in less than fifteen minutes.”

Morgan watched him walk, without a stitch of clothing, to the closet. Dressed, Drakon Xanthis was a handsome, sophisticated man. Naked, he was absolutely beautiful.

He was beautiful now, and her mouth dried, her heart hurting as he disappeared into the closet, his body tan, skin gleaming, his muscles taut. Honed. He had those big shoulders and broad chest and lean flat abs and long strong legs, and between those legs hung his thick shaft, impressive even now, when he wasn’t erect.

As the closet light came on, Morgan felt a surge of jealousy, hating that Drakon and his beautiful, hard, honed body was leaving her to go meet Bronwyn.

When he emerged a few minutes later, buckling the belt on his trousers, buttoning his shirt and tucking it into the waistband, Morgan felt almost sick.

Suddenly she felt like the young bride she’d been five years ago...uncertain, insecure, overwhelmed by her new life as Drakon Xanthis’s American bride.

Drakon must have seen her fear because his brow furrowed as he gazed down at her. “There’s no need to be threatened by Bronwyn. She works for me, but you’re my wife.”

But she’d been his wife before, and it hadn’t helped her feel secure, or close to him. And while she’d been home alone for twelve, fourteen, sometimes sixteen hours a day, he’d been at the office with Bronwyn. Even if there was nothing sexual between him and Bronwyn, by virtue of being his trusted right hand, Bronwyn still got to spend time with Drakon...time Morgan would love to have. Not because Morgan couldn’t be alone and needed Drakon to prop her up, but because she loved Drakon and enjoyed his company more than anyone else.

“I just don’t want to feel as if I have to fight Bronwyn for you anymore,” she said quietly, calmly, grateful that her voice could sound so steady when her heart was racing so fast.

“But you don’t have to fight Bron for me. You never have.”

And while this conversation was brutal, it was also necessary and long overdue. They should have talked about Bronwyn years ago. Morgan should have told Drakon how uncomfortable she was around her when they first married, but she hadn’t, too afraid of displeasing him. And so the wound had festered, and her fear grew, until their entire relationship had become stunted and toxic.

“You love me?” she whispered.

“How can you doubt it?”

She bit down into her lip, holding back her fears, and her need to be reassured, knowing that her fears were irrational. Drakon wouldn’t be here, helping her, if he didn’t want to be. Drakon wouldn’t have brought in Rowan to rescue her father if he didn’t care about her. It was time she stopped panicking and stopped allowing her insecurities to get the upper hand. Drakon loved her. Drakon had always loved her. But he wasn’t a woman...he was a man, a Greek man that had been raised to conceal vulnerabilities and avoid emotion. “I don’t doubt it,” she whispered. “I know you love me. Without question.”

“There is no competition between you and Bron,” he said roughly, his handsome, chiseled features hard.

She nodded, wanting to believe it, needing to believe it, but as he’d told her once, actions spoke louder than words. If he stayed at his office night after night until ten, making decisions, talking with Bronwyn, how was Morgan supposed to feel?

She felt a twinge of panic at the idea of returning to that life, but she had to be strong and confident. She believed in Drakon, and she had to believe that Drakon would do what was right for her...for them.

“Promise me you’re not threatened by her,” he said, stalking closer to her, forcing her to tilt her head back to meet his eyes.

“Promise me you won’t be upset if I have to work long days, and late into the night, with her,” he added.

Morgan’s mouth opened, closed. She wanted to tell him she’d be fine, and she would try to be fine with it, but she couldn’t promise him she’d be perfectly comfortable. She didn’t know any woman who’d be perfectly comfortable with her husband being alone with a gorgeous woman night after night...day after day. Working in such close proximity created an intimacy that could lead to other things...and Morgan was sure Bronwyn did have feelings for Drakon. In fact, Morgan was sure Bronwyn was the problem here, not Drakon, but how could she tell him that?

She couldn’t. But she also couldn’t lie. And so with her heart racing, she swallowed convulsively. “I’m here for the long haul, Drakon. I’m here to stay. I’m playing for keeps.”

His amber gaze drilled into her. “Playing for keeps,” he repeated softly.

She licked her dry lips. “Yes.”

“Is that a threat or a promise?”

“It’s whatever you want it to be.”

He laughed once, the mocking sound such a contrast to the sudden fire in his eyes. And then he was gone, walking out, leaving the door wide open behind him.

CHAPTER TWELVE

H
E
WASN
’
T
GONE
just a few minutes. He was gone a long time, over an hour, and Morgan returned to her room, wondering if she should dress for dinner, or if dinner would even be served tonight as it was growing late, well past the time they normally gathered in the living room for
aperitivos.

Morgan eventually did change and go downstairs. Rowan was in the living room, having a drink.

“Can I pour you something?” he offered as she entered the candle lit living room.

“The Campari,” she said, even as she tried to listen to the house, trying to hear where Drakon and Bronwyn might be.

Rowan filled her glass, handed her the cocktail. “They’re outside,” he said. “Or they were.”

She sipped the cocktail. Campari and orange. It was tart and sweet at the same time. “Why do you say, ‘were’?”

“A car arrived a half hour ago, and it just pulled away a few minutes ago.” Rowan turned, nodded at the hall. “And here he is. Drakon Xanthis in the flesh.” Rowan raised his glass. “I’ve a few calls to make. I’ll have more privacy elsewhere. Cheers.” And then Rowan walked out, leaving Drakon and Morgan alone.

Drakon walked past Morgan without saying a word, going to the bar where he made himself a drink. Morgan watched him, wondering what had happened between him and Bronwyn.

Drakon carried his drink to the window, where he sipped it and stared out at the dark sky.

“She’s gone,” he said at last. “Back to Athens.”

Morgan looked at his rigid back, and the set of his shoulders. “Did something happen?” she asked quietly.

“I let her go.”

“What?”

“I let her go. Fired her. Terminated her employment. Whatever you want to call it.”

“Why?”

“I watched her here, how she behaved around you, and I didn’t like it. She has worked for me for a long time—eight years—and she was good at what she did, but I won’t have any woman snubbing you, not anymore. I won’t look the other way, especially if it’s my employee, or a friend of mine. It’s not acceptable, and you shouldn’t have to endure slights and snubs...not from anyone.”

Morgan heard what he was saying and appreciated everything he was saying, but there was something else happening here. Drakon was upset...angry...but Morgan didn’t understand who he was upset with—Bronwyn, himself, or Morgan.

“You didn’t have to fire her because of me,” Morgan said, choosing her words carefully. “I meant it when I said, I was sticking around. I’m not going to let anyone scare me away. I’m not twenty-two anymore. I’m twenty-seven and I know a lot more about the world now, and a lot more about myself.”

He sipped his cocktail. “I agree you’ve changed, but I’ve also changed, and Bronwyn has, too. There was a time I needed her—and she saved me, I owe her a lot, if not everything—but that was four years ago, and things are different and it’s time for her to move on. It’ll be better for her.”

Morgan’s inside flipped nervously. “How did she save you?”

He took another long drink from his crystal tumbler and then looked over his shoulder at Morgan. “If it weren’t for her, I wouldn’t have a company. I wouldn’t have this villa. I wouldn’t have anything.”

“I don’t understand.”

“I know you don’t.” He sighed, shrugged, took another quick drink before continuing. “I would prefer you didn’t know, and I’d promised Bron years ago I wouldn’t tell you, she didn’t want me to tell you. She said you wouldn’t like it...you wouldn’t respect me...but that’s a risk I’ll have to take.”

Morgan sat down in one of the chairs. “Please tell me.”

He walked the length of the room, and it was a long room, before dropping into a chair not far from hers. “A number of years ago, I made a mistake. Normally it wouldn’t be an issue, but with the situation being what it was, the mistake was serious. It nearly bankrupted me.”

He closed his eyes, shook his head, then opened them again and looked at her. “I was close to losing everything. And I mean everything. The company. The ships. The contracts. Our offices. Our homes. The cars, planes, yachts...everything...” His voice faded and for a moment there was just silence, a heavy, suffocating silence that blanketed the room. “And the worst of it was, I didn’t care.”

Drakon was still looking at her, but he didn’t seem to see her. He seemed to be seeing something else, his expression tortured. “I didn’t care,” he repeated lowly, strangely detached.

Morgan had never heard him talk this way, or sound this way, and her heart thumped uncomfortably and she wasn’t sure if she wanted to hear more, but there was no way she would stop him from talking.

After a long, uneasy moment Drakon continued. “I wasn’t able to make good decisions during this time, and I didn’t do what I should have done to protect my company, my future, or my employees. I was willing to lose it all. But Bronwyn refused to just stand there, a witness, as my company and life imploded.”

“So she took over,” he continued. “She stepped into my empty shoes and vacant office and became me...became president and CEO and no one knew it was Bronwyn Harper forging my signature, shifting funds, slashing spending, liquidating assets.” Drakon’s gaze met Morgan’s. “Not all of her decisions were the right ones. Some of her actions had negative consequences, but if she hadn’t stepped in when she did, there would be nothing here today.”

It was hard for Morgan to hear Drakon speak of Bronwyn so reverently, because Morgan wished she’d been the one who had been there for Drakon when he needed someone. “I’m glad she helped you,” Morgan said huskily. “Glad she was able to help you, because I couldn’t have, even if I’d wanted to.”

He looked at her, amber gaze piercing. “So yes, she helped me, but she was never more than a valuable employee. She was never your rival. I never once wanted her. I have only wanted you.”

“Then why fire her? If she was such a help, and you feel so grateful—”

“She wanted more than what we had.” His mouth curved but the smile didn’t reach his eyes. “She made it clear she wanted more, that she was in love with me, but I didn’t feel that way about her. I loved you, and only you, and Bronwyn knew that.”

“But she stuck around all these years...she stuck around because she had to hope she had a chance.”

He shrugged. “Maybe. Probably. But she didn’t. If I couldn’t have you, there wouldn’t have been anyone else for me. It was you or nobody.”

Morgan exhaled slowly, her head spinning. “She must be heartbroken right now.”

“She’ll be fine. She’s strong. She’s smart. She’ll have a better life now, away from me.” Drakon drew Morgan into his arms and pressed a kiss to her temple, and then another to her cheekbone. “It’s you I’m worried about.”

“You don’t need to worry about me.”

“Rowan hasn’t found your father yet.”

“But he hasn’t given up.”

“No. And Rowan won’t, not until we find your father. There is no one better than Rowan and Dunamas. They will continue looking for your father, until he is found.”

“What if it takes weeks...months...years?”

“Doesn’t matter. I promise you, we will never forget him, and never give up.”