The Greek Tycoon Box Set: The Complete Serial: Books 1-10 (10 page)

*****

Atreus blinked back his shock, warmth suddenly filling his eyes. Carla smiled. “You – you
do
know Greek?” Atreus stuttered, a smile breaking across his face despite himself.

Carla nodded.

“I figured it was really important that I knew one phrase in particular,” she whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

“Is it true?” Atreus demanded, his pulse quickening. “Do you mean it?”
 

Carla looked deep into his eyes. “I do. I love you, Atreus. I love you more than I have ever loved anyone. I love you more than I knew I could love. I love you. Σ 'αγαπώ.” Carla’s frightened tears gave way to a joyful smile, and Atreus knew that she was being truthful with him. He swept her into a kiss so filled with passion it lifted Carla off the ground and into his arms.
 

“You are not going anywhere,” Atreus murmured, setting her down and pressing his forehead against hers. “I’ll have the bastard deported. I’ll ground his plane. I’ll do what I have to; you’re staying with me.”
 

“I will. Of course, I will,” Carla replied, holding Atreus tight to her trembling body. “There’s nowhere I would rather be; no one I would rather be with. I’m staying.” She sighed against his strong chest. Atreus pulled away suddenly. “What is it, Atreus?” Carla asked, blinking away happy tears. Atreus looked at the ground for a long moment, making Carla fearful. Atreus looked up at Carla, his eyes deeper than ever as they roved over her face, brimming with emotion. Carla’s breath caught in her chest at the sight of him, completely undone by what he felt for her. He took her hand, and he felt her heart rate double as he looked at her and said the words he thought he would never say again.
 

“Marry me?”

The End (of Book 2)

Continue on to read Book 3…

THE GREEK TYCOON

Book 3:
 
The Ties That Bind

By Kay Brody

Chapter 1

For most of her life, Carla had dreamed of the perfect man, and the perfect proposal. As an adolescent she daydreamed about how “The One” might propose, down on one knee at some fabulous location. She dreamt up luxurious restaurants, beautiful beaches at sunset, the steps of Montmartre or the top of the Empire State building. She tried to imagine what the ring might look like, and whether or not her betrothed would be nervous to pop the question. As a grown woman, she’d learned to appreciate the spontaneity of life, of
not
having expectations and of letting things unfold the way they may. But from time to time she did imagine a wedding, something small and elegant somewhere serene, and tried to picture herself in a wedding gown. It was difficult - Carla couldn’t always see herself as a traditional bride. Yet, even when the images didn’t come in clearly, one thing was always true: she couldn’t wait to be married. She couldn’t wait to find “The One.”
 

She just never expected the proposal to happen like this.

Still reeling from seeing Brian, her notorious ex, at the villa, here was Atreus, asking her the most important question she would ever answer.
 

This is crazy
, Carla thought, her heart beating faster than she knew was possible.
It’s come to this.
 

“Yes,” Carla breathed before her head knew what her heart was saying. “Yes, of course I’ll marry you.”
 

Atreus laughed, his face full of joy as he cupped Carla’s face in his hands and kissed her.
 

“I – I’m sorry,” Atreus stuttered. “I don’t have a ring.”
 

“It’s fine,” Carla laughed. “I don’t need one.”

“But you do! Everyone should know that you and I are engaged.” Atreus’s eyes were wide as he stroked her hand, lingering on her ring finger.

Engaged
, Carla thought.
Just a moment ago Brian was trying to spin some yarn about us being engaged and now . . . Atreus and I really are.
It was all she could do to stifle a tearful, happy giggle.
 

“We’ll go out tomorrow – no, tonight – and pick one out. Okay?” Atreus said.

Carla nodded. Atreus’s eyes lifted from Carla’s and focused behind her. Carla turned to see Andria, beaming in the doorway.
 

“Mom,” Atreus said, holding out a hand to his mother. “Carla has just agreed to become the new Mrs. Kostas.” He laughed again, his head thrown back, as though the joy was too much to be contained. “You will have to give up your title again!”
 

“And gladly!” Andria cried, rushing the room to embrace the couple. She emphatically kissed Carla on both cheeks and began weeping at the sight of the pair. “You deserve this,” she said. “Both of you. Truly.”
 

“Thank you, Mom,” Carla said, trying the word on for size. Andria grinned, and Atreus looked as though he might burst.
 

“You could have called me that long ago, child.” Andria hugged her tightly. There was a slight knock on the door as Hanna entered, carrying Dios. “Perfect!” Andria cried, taking the baby from Hanna’s arms. “Little Dios is here to receive the news!”
 

“What news?” Hanna asked, though she looked positively ashamed of herself for doing so. “Apologies, I mean. It’s not my business.” Embarrassed, she turned to leave, but Atreus raised a hand to stop her.
 

“Carla and I are getting married,” Atreus said, putting an arm around his bride-to-be. “I’ve asked her just now, and she said yes.”
 

“
REALLY
?!” Hanna squealed, suddenly becoming girlish in all her excitement. Shrieking happily, she grabbed Carla’s hands and jumped up and down, abandoning all her usual starch. “Oh, Miss Carla, I’m so happy for you! I knew it, I did! Didn’t I, Mrs. Kostas?” Atreus and Carla turned amused eyes to Andria, whose attention had been called away from her grandson by Hanna’s exclaiming.
 

“You two were gossiping about us?” Atreus asked, incredulous. Carla giggled as Andria shifted her eyes between the couple and Hanna, comically.
 

“A little,” Hanna conceded. “Just a little.”

“Yes, just a bit,” Andria agreed, looking as though she was the cat who had gotten the cream. “We didn’t
mean
anything by it, it’s just that . . .”

“Any fool could see that you’re in love!” Hanna seemed to bubble over at the thought, and the room dissolved into laughter. Even Dios, aloft in Andria’s arms, joined in, though he surely didn’t know what all the noise was about. Realizing such, Carla went to Andria and lifted the infant from her arms. She held Dios tenderly, her soft locks falling gently into his waiting hands, and while he latched on to her hair, she whispered to him.

“Dios, I’m going to be your new mommy. For real. Would you like that?” At that moment, Dios smiled and cooed.
 

“Ma-ma!” He wriggled with delight, and it was as though he could understand the weight and importance of Carla’s words. And with his family smiling down on him, it was hard to believe that Dios would feel anything other than absolutely loved at that moment. Carla felt her heart swell and was suddenly struck by the realness of it all.
 

This is really my life
, she thought, feeling Atreus’s hand on her shoulder.
He’s really here with me. We’re getting married. This precious baby boy . . . will be my son. Is it happening too fast?

Doubts swirled in Carla’s mind despite the smile that seemed permanently fixed on her face. It wasn’t that she didn’t love Atreus and Dios – as a matter of fact, that was one of the only things she was sure of these days. But her thoughts turned to her friends and family back in London, who had suffered her abrupt departure.
 

Onella
, she thought.
Onella will be my sister!
 

No one back home knew what had happened to her here in Greece. No one knew that she had fallen in love with a man and his son, and no one knew that she planned on giving up her life to play wife and mother.
 

Wait . . . do I mean that?
Carla thought; the proposal was so unexpected that she had scarcely thought what she might do if Atreus wanted her to stay in Greece forever.
Can I give up my life in London?

Though her parents were gone, she still had her grandparents. She thought of her gran’s rose garden, and of watching football on the weekends with her granddad, even though she knew so little about the sport. She thought of fish and chips with curry sauce from her favorite chip shop at midnight, and of pleasantly gray, rainy mornings spent with tea and toast before heading to work. Life was simple there – as simple as it could be with Brian at her heels, trying so hard to make her love him. And even with that complication, she still felt so close to her life in London. It was her home. She had been born there, raised there –
and now I’m going to abscond to Greece
, she thought,
and abandon my family, my heritage?
 

And Dios
, she thought.
No, he isn’t mine by blood, but surely he will have a brother or a sister someday, and I would want them to know their mother’s homeland. I’d want them to know their great-grandparents.
 

Never mind the newly flowering thought of having children of her own with Atreus, Carla knew she would want Dios to see London.

Gran and Granddad will be so happy to have a baby in the family
, Carla thought.
They will accept him as mine - at least, I hope they will.

Carla imagined her grandmother chasing Dios around the dewy garden while Atreus offered her grandfather sailing lessons when they came to Greece to visit.
 

“Atreus,” Carla said abruptly. “We need to go to London.”

“What?” Atreus asked, his smile fading only slightly.

“I – I know this is crazy, but . . . I think I need to see my grandparents. It’s important in our family that you ask the father for permission – you know, for his daughter’s hand – and my gran and granddad are all I have left. And . . . I want them to meet you, and Dios, and know that we’re going to be a family.” Carla suddenly felt small as she spoke about her needs, as though she were a child asking for more candy after so many helpings.
Travel costs money
, Carla thought,
silently berating herself. And here you are, just dying to throw his money around already.
“I’m sorry, I know it’s expensive to go, but -”

Atreus quieted her with a kiss.
 

“
Nothing
in this life is too expensive for the love of my life, do you understand me? If you want to go home, we’ll fly to London as soon as we can. Onella will be happy that we pay her a visit while we’re there.” Carla nodded. Atreus continued, “My darling, when we are married, my wealth is your wealth. And you will never want for anything, ever again. I promise.”
 

“Look at her, the poor thing, worried to bits about the money,” Hanna said, grinning. “And to think he was with that gold-digging Serene when he could have been with
her
!” Andria burst out in boisterous laughter, and Hanna blushed, realizing she had spoken out of turn. “I’m so sorry!” Hanna cried, covering her mouth with her hands. “It’s just that – Miss Carla, you are so good.”

Hanna’s sincerity moved Carla to tears, and the four – plus Dios – embraced, creating the first portrait of the new family.

And to think
, Carla considered, nuzzling Dios.
I was just a nanny. And now I’m going to be the billionaire’s wife.

*****

Chapter 2

The next morning when Carla woke, it was as though she was coming out of the sweetest hazy dream. She greeted the morning sun with a stretch and took a moment to appreciate the way her silk pajamas felt on her skin, the coolness of her blankets, and the pleasant mussed quality her hair had taken on in her sleep. She felt so well rested, so deeply content, that she almost didn’t notice the new addition to her attire sparkling away on her left hand. The sight of the diamond ring – a gigantic emerald-cut on a platinum band lined with a hundred smaller diamonds – sent a thrill through her, and she remembered what had transpired the day before.

After all the excitement of the proposal, Atreus had whisked her away into the city to select an engagement ring. Together they poured over cases upon cases of sparkling diamonds, and although Atreus had to coax Carla into admitting which were her favorites because she was bashful about price, they had finally settled on the one that now graced her finger. Returning home, there was champagne and chocolate-covered strawberries waiting for them, courtesy of Andria and Hanna, who put Dios to bed and promptly began a celebration. Together, the four toasted to a long and happy life together beneath the star-studded Grecian sky. Resting her head against Atreus’s shoulder, Carla felt more at peace than she had ever felt in her life.
 

And later that night, when Atreus had come to her room to make love to her, it was like nothing she had ever experienced. The first time had been extraordinary, without a doubt, but their connection had only deepened now that their commitment was official. As Atreus laid tiny kisses down her body, Carla sighed with pleasure, and when his kisses heightened at the juncture between her legs, she cried out. Her fingers wrapped in the gentle ringlets of his hair, he worshipped her with his tongue, and on the verge of her climax he murmuring her name over and over and over again. Arms clasped around each other, eyes locked in an intense dance, their lovemaking rose to tremendous heights, pleasure breaking over them like waves. Ever the gentleman, Atreus kissed her goodnight and left for his own room, insisting that they could not share a bed like husband and wife until their union was final.