The Fallen Greek Bride\At the Greek Boss's Bidding (17 page)

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

T
HEY
ATE
DINNER
, just the two of them, as Rowan was nowhere to be found, and then skipping coffee and dessert, they headed upstairs to Drakon’s room, where they made love, soundlessly, wordlessly, so quiet in the dark silent night.

Their lovemaking wasn’t fierce and hot, or carnal and raw, but slow, careful, tender, so tender that Morgan wept after she climaxed because she’d never felt this way with Drakon before, had never made love with him like this before, their bodies so close, so connected, they’d felt like one.

Afterward, they lay side by side, his body wrapped around hers, his muscular arm holding her close to him, and still they said nothing, because there were no words, at least not the right ones. So much had happened since they’d met. So much love and yet so much loss. So much anger and pain and heartbreak...

But words right now wouldn’t help, words would just get in the way, so they didn’t talk, but instead lay close, filled with emotion, intense emotion that surged and ached and trembled and twisted.

Lying there in the dark, wrapped in Drakon’s warmth and listening to him breathe, Morgan knew these things—she still loved him, deeply, passionately.

She also knew she wouldn’t leave him. Not ever again.

But for them to have a future, they would have to talk more, and they’d need patience, forgiveness, courage and strength.

She knew she was willing to fight for Drakon and her marriage, but there were still things she didn’t understand about Drakon, things she didn’t understand about the past.

And when, a half hour later, he kissed her shoulder but eased away to climb from the bed, she was filled with unease.

Turning over, she watched as he stepped into his cotton pajama pants, settling the drawstring waist low on his hips, leaving that magnificent torso bare. She watched him walk to the French door and push open the curtains. Propping an arm against the glass, he stared out at the sea, which rippled silver with moonlight.

She sat up and wrapped an arm around her knees, pressing the covers closer to her legs. “I’ve been thinking about what you said earlier, and how you feel so grateful to Bronwyn for saving your company...and saving you...when you made a mistake and nearly lost everything. But I know you. You don’t make mistakes. What mistake did you make, that could have possibly cost you your company?”

He said nothing right away and Morgan was afraid he wouldn’t speak, but then he shrugged. “I was distracted. Wasn’t focused on work. And suddenly there was no money. No money to pay anybody, no money for taxes, no money at all.”

“How could there be no money? Where did it go?”

Again, another long, excruciating silence. “Bad investments.”

Ice filled her veins and she flashed to her father, and Michael Amery. No...he wouldn’t...not a second time. She held her breath, even as her heart began to race. “You said...bad investments....plural.” Morgan swallowed around the lump of panic forming in her throat. “Did you mean, investments, plural, or was there just that one horrible, huge loss to my father?”

He was silent so long that bile rose up in her throat, and she knew, she knew, there was more. She knew something else had happened, something he’d never told her. “Drakon,
agapo mou,
please, please tell me.”

Drakon shifted his weight, muscles ripping across his shoulders and down his back, and then he turned toward her, the moonlight glancing briefly over his features until he’d turned his back to the window, with the light behind him, shadowing his face again. “Your father came to me asking for help after you’d left me.”

Pain shot through her. Tears filled her eyes. “You gave him more money.”

Drakon’s lips compressed. “He was your father. He needed help.”

“How much did he ask for?”

“A billion.”

“Oh, my God.” She pressed her hand to her mouth. “Drakon, no. You didn’t...”

“What was I to do, Morgan? He was in trouble. I was his son-in-law, and I loved you. Family is family—”

“But I’d left you!”

“But I hadn’t left you.”

She ground her teeth together, tears blinding her, her stomach churning in bitter protest. “I can’t believe this.”

He laughed hollowly. “When your father came to me, telling me he was in trouble...that he had investors who needed their money back, but he didn’t have the liquidity to give them their money...I thought it was my chance to win you back. But I didn’t have that kind of money sitting in an account, no one has money like that, so I took loans from banks, as well as other resources, to come up with the money for your father.”

“And you didn’t get me back, did you?” she whispered.

For a minute there was just silence, and an almost unbearable pain, and then Drakon shook his head. “No. I gave him the money but Daniel refused to tell me where you were. Said that you’d contact me when you were ready.”

“And I couldn’t contact you, not at McLean.” She blinked to clear her eyes. “And then what happened?”

“The economy started crashing. My creditors and lenders began to call their loans. But there was no money to give them. There was nothing I could do but file for bankruptcy, and fold. And I was fine with that, because without you, I didn’t care.”

“You’re breaking my heart,” Morgan whispered.

“I was pathetic. Bron said you’d find me pathetic—”

“Pathetic? How could I find you, who sacrificed everything for me, pathetic?” She rose up on her knees. “You were a hero. You loved me. You fought for me. You were willing to sacrifice everything for me.”

He turned and looked at her, his face still shadowed but she felt his intensity. “I don’t want to live without you, Morgan. I don’t like life without you. And maybe that’s weak—”

“Not weak,” she said, leaving the bed to go to him, wrap her arms around his waist. She held him tightly, chilled by what he had told her, as well as chilled by the reality of her parents taking her to McLean and leaving her there when they knew Drakon wanted her, when they knew Drakon loved her. She didn’t understand their motivations, but then, their lives were about money and appearances and Morgan knew she’d embarrassed them by coming home from Greece, heartbroken and hysterical.

He slid a hand down her back, shaping her to him. “I don’t think you understand how much I loved you,” he said roughly. “How much I will always love you.” His voice cracked, turned hoarse. “There is no one else for me, but you. You aren’t just my wife. You are my world.”

“And you are mine.”

“Why did you leave then?”

“I was honestly falling apart.”

“Why?”

“I loved you so much, it scared me. I’d never felt for anyone what I felt for you...but the feelings were so intense, it made me feel out of control. And then when we made love...that started to do something to my head. Played games with me, made me afraid.”

“Afraid? Why? How?”

“I had so little experience when I met you, and you had so much, and in bed you’re...hot. Erotic. Demanding. You make everything hot and erotic, too.”

“I demanded too much of you?”

“There were times I felt overwhelmed.”

“Thus, your disgust.”

“You never disgusted me. I shouldn’t have said that. It wasn’t true. I was just angry and hurt, and trying desperately hard to keep you at arm’s length since I find you impossible to resist.”

He stepped away from her and went to flip the light switch, turning on the small wall sconces so the room glowed with soft yellow light. “Maybe I didn’t disgust you, but I must have scared you at times for you to even say such a thing.”

“I never minded it being...hot...when you were relaxed with me, and spent a lot of time with me, but once we returned to Athens, I didn’t see you often and then we weren’t talking and it didn’t feel the same. It didn’t feel as warm and safe. It felt more dangerous.”

“But you always came.”

“Because you’ve got great technique.” She managed an unsteady smile. “But I’d rather not come, and just be close to you, feel close to you, than have erotic sex and have you feel like a stranger.”

He sat down on the side of the bed. “Come here.” He smiled crookedly. “Please.”

Morgan walked to him, heart thumping, and feeling painfully shy. “Yes?”

He drew her down onto the bed next to him, and kissed her, once and again, before lifting his head to look down into her eyes. “I love how sensual you are. I love your passionate nature. But I never want you to be uncomfortable with me again...in bed, or out of bed. I love you too much to hurt you or scare you or to push you away. But you have to tell me when something is too much. You have to tell me when I’m being distant or when you feel nervous or lonely or afraid.”

“You want me to talk to you,” she said.

“Yes. I want you to talk to me.”

“That means you have to talk to me, too.”

He smiled even more crookedly. “I know.”

“Okay.”

“But I don’t want you bored...especially in bed.”

“My God, Morgan, I could never be bored in bed with you.”

“No?”

“No! When we’re together it’s not about sex...its about me showing you how much you mean to me. How much I cherish you. How much I worship you. When I touch you, Morgan, I’m telling you that nothing is more important to me than you, and that I love you with all of my heart, and all of my soul.”

“Really?”

“Really.” His gaze searched hers. “All I have wanted for these past five years is to have you come home. I want you home. Morgan, please come home with me—”

“Yes.” She reached up, cupped his cheek, drawing his face toward hers. She kissed him, deeply, and a shiver raced through her as his tongue met hers, teasing her. “Yes. I’m staying with you, going home with you, back to Athens.”

“Even though you hate that white ice cube tray?” he asked, turning his mouth into her hand and kissing her palm.

Another delicious shiver ran through her and she smiled. “But would you mind if I added a few colorful rugs? A few paintings...some throw pillows?”

“Maybe what we really need is a new house for a fresh start—”

“No.”

“Yes. I don’t like the house, either.”

“What?”

He laughed softly. “I hate it. It’s awful. I never liked it. Not while they were building it, and not even when we moved in, but I thought you did like it, so I never told you.”

“I think we have a slight communication problem,” she said drily.

“You think?” he teased, pressing her backward onto the bed, and then stretching out over her, his long hard body covering hers.

“We need to work on it.”

“Mmm,” he agreed, kissing her throat and pushing the covers down to bare her breasts. “We’re going to have to start talking more,” he said, alternately kissing and licking the slope of her breast.

She sighed and arched as he latched onto one of her tight, pebbled nipples. “Okay,” she gasped, desire coiling in her belly.

“Do you like this?” he asked, as he stroked down her flat belly.

“Um, yes.”

“And this?” he asked, his fingers slipping between her legs.

She gasped as he caressed her most sensitive spot. “Yes. And I’m glad we’re talking...but do we have to do it now?”

She felt his silent laughter as his teeth scraped her nipple. “No,” he answered. “I’d much rather just concentrate on you, and making you come.”

“Good.”

She gasped again as his fingers slipped down, where she was slick and wet, and then caressed up over the nub again. “Drakon?”

“Yes,
gynaika mou?
”

“Make love to me. And love me. Forever.”

He shifted, bracing his weight on his arms and looked down into her eyes for an endless moment. “Always. Always, and forever, until I die.”

EPILOGUE

“W
ILL
YOU
DO
it, Logan? Cover for me for a few days so Drakon and I can have a brief getaway?” Morgan asked, speaking calmly into the phone, trying to sound relaxed, even though she was frustrated with Logan for dodging her calls for the past week. “You’d just be a point person for a few days, if there are any communication issues, but I doubt there will be.”

“I can’t drop everything and take over Dad’s search just so you and Drakon can have a second honeymoon,” Logan said, her voice sharp on the speakerphone. “Some of us have jobs, Morgan. Some of us must work as we don’t have wealthy husbands to take care of us.”

“Would you like a wealthy husband, Logan?” Drakon said, unable to remain silent in his seat across from Morgan’s on his private jet. They were still on the ground, hadn’t closed the doors, because Morgan had refused to take off until Logan promised she’d help. “You know it can be arranged.”

“No, thank you, Drakon. I am quite capable of taking care of myself,” Logan retorted crisply.

Drakon smiled. “You might actually enjoy a strong Greek husband...almost as much as he’d enjoy managing you.”

“Not going to happen,” Logan snapped. “But if it will help me get off this call, then yes, Morgan, I will be your contact person should something happen while you and Drakon are doing whatever you and Drakon do.”

Drakon arched a brow at Morgan, and Morgan shook her head at him, blushing. “I seriously doubt anything will happen, though. We’re only going to be gone a few days...just for a long weekend—”

“I got it. You’re just gone a few days. Dunamas is doing all the intelligence work and orchestrating the rescue. They’ll call me if they can’t reach you should there be developments.” Logan paused. “Did I forget anything?”

Morgan grimaced. “No. That’s pretty much it.”

“Good. Now go...scram. Enjoy your trip. And try to have fun. Dad’s going to be okay.” Logan’s voice suddenly softened. “I’ll make sure he is, I promise.”

Morgan hung up and looked at Drakon, who had just signaled to his flight crew that they were ready to take off. “Why am I worrying so much?”

His amber gaze met hers. “Because you deliberately withheld information from her, knowing she’d never agree to help us if she thought she’d have to deal with Rowan.”

Morgan chewed on her lip. “Let’s just hope she doesn’t have to deal with him. Otherwise there’s going to be hell to pay.”

“Rowan said the exact same thing.”

* * * * *