The Greek Tycoon Box Set: The Complete Serial: Books 1-10 (31 page)

“Is that what you think is going on?” He laughed. “Well, listen, I assure you it’s not. I just really need that ring back. For reasons you wouldn’t understand. So now, one last time, hand it over and let’s get on with our day.”

He was sweating and felt like his whole body was on fire.

“No!” she hollered. “I won’t be dictated to by your fear!”

Something totally new took a hold of him. His eyes flickered over the open window and before he even knew what he was doing he’d grabbed her by the scruff of her shirt collar and dragged her over to it. He bent her back over the edge and clamped his hand over her screaming mouth.

He looked into her eyes and she immediately realized that this was more than just a fear of commitment.

“I’m gonna say it one more time,” he spat. “Take off the fucking ring or I’m tossing you over the side.”

The End
(of Book 7)

Continue on to read Book 8…

THE GREEK TYCOON

Book 8:
 
A Plot To Destroy

By Kay Brody

Chapter 1

Carla and Atreus strolled hand in hand through the flower garden, which bloomed in vivid pinks, sultry purples, and gentle creams. Carla breathed a satisfied sigh.

“I wish we could stay here forever,” she said, pointing after Dios, who toddled in his tiny sandals under the archways covered with flowers, his fat calves so adorable. “Look how happy he is.”

“Yes,” Atreus said, smiling. He drew Carla close to him, pausing under the archway; a stem of vibrant wisteria curled down behind him and the silvery clouds shimmered in the vast blue sky. “And look how happy you are, darling. You’re glowing.” By the way he beamed, she knew it made him happy to see her so glad.

She had never felt better in her life. There she was, without a scrap of makeup on, her hair pulled up into some falling apart top knot with curly flyaways, but still feeling gorgeous.
 

He looked at her like there was no other woman in the world.

“I love you, Atreus,” she whispered softly.
 

It seemed they said those words a hundred times a day, but she simply couldn’t say it enough—or hear it. Her relationship with Atreus felt like a healing balm for the terrible one that had come before—Brian. Her life was taking a new turn. Soon she was to be Atreus’ wife, the stepmother to his gorgeous son, and a mother herself.

“And I adore you,” he said, squeezing her tight and kissing her all over her face.

They walked on again, watching Dios as he navigated the path. She wondered at how massive it must look to him. The brick walkway over which the arches bloomed was raised above the main lawn. Another flower garden blossomed beyond it, an ornamental stream trickling through, and behind that the trees clustered into woodland. Carla looked out at it all, leaning against the archway and losing herself in the beauty for a moment.

Atreus watched her. His voice soft. “Would you really like to stay here, darling? Make it our home?”

She whirled around to face him, her eyes bright with excitement. “But, Atreus, we couldn’t—could we?” The home was only a rental, after all—just somewhere to stay while they found a suitable venue for the luxury boutique hotel they had planned.

Atreus reached out and took her hands. “I could try.” The look on his face made her heart melt.
 

“But buying two properties?” She knew money was no object for him, but it still felt strange to merely want something and get it right away. She realized then that she needed to be careful what you wish for.

She noted a twinkle in Atreus’ eye. “Well, we could, or…”

“Or…?”

“Or we could make
this
the hotel,” he said. “It’s perfect. There’s perhaps twelve bedrooms now.” He gestured back at the country house. “But I think we could convert them into seven or eight suites of the highest quality.”

Carla took in the new idea.

“Plus, we can keep the cottage just for us,” he said, leaning in with a conspiratorial grin. “And it has its very own meadow and flower garden.”

“Oh, wow!” Carla said.
 

She shared in his vision for a moment and it sounded perfect. The cottage was tucked behind a bank of flowering trees and a white picket fence, and covered with honeysuckle.
The Gardener’s Cottage
, a sign read on the gate. It was uninhabited, rented out with the rest of the house.

“But none of it’s for sale, is it?” Carla said, barely daring to get her hopes up.

She glanced toward Dios to find he was not in sight. She gasped and dashed over toward the end of the walkway but found him exploring more of the archway as its path curved toward a glorious view of mountains and sea. Her hand on her chest, she breathed with relief and turned to see Atreus behind her, just as relieved as she was. They chuckled together at their own fear.

“I know it’s not for sale,” Atreus said. “But maybe it could be.”

He had a mischievous glint in his eye and she flashed a grin back at him.

“Someone had a plan,” she said.

“You know me too well, Mrs. Kostas.”

She batted at him, giggling. “Mrs. Kostas! Not yet!”
 

The truth was, though, she loved hearing him say that. Once the hotel was up and running and their new baby was born, she planned to get into the important task of wedding planning—she’d already picked a shabby chic theme, and planned to decorate and make favors with pretty pastels, floral fabric, and plenty of lace and burlap. She’d always loved an elegant, vintage theme.

Atreus pulled his phone from his pocket and tapped on the screen a couple of times. Soon it began ringing and Atreus raised his eyebrows and smiled with one corner of his mouth. He still had the power to make Carla feel weak at the knees.

“Good morning?” A lady answered. Carla recognized her thick Scottish accent immediately. It was Mrs. Mayes, the elderly widower to whom the estate belonged.

“Good morning, it’s Atreus Kostas and Carla Simpson,” Atreus said.

“Oh, yes, jolly good,” Mrs. Mayes replied. “I trust all is well at Westling House?”

Carla beamed as Dios toddled over and snuggled into her leg. “Absolutely.”

“So well, in fact, that we had a rather unusual request,” Atreus said.

Carla crossed her fingers.

“What’s that?” Mrs. Mayes asked.

Atreus smiled, somewhat nervously. “We were wondering if the property was for sale?”

“Oh,” Mrs. Mayes said and then paused for a moment while Carla and Atreus stared at each other, waiting with baited breath.

“Well, this house has belonged to Mr. Mayes and I for a good many years,” she said. “It was our family home, and we even took in evacuee children from London during the Second World War.”

Goodness
, Carla thought.
 

That meant Mrs. Mayes was in her nineties! She looked down at Dios then and it made her think of the circle of life. Once Mrs. Mayes had been a tiny baby and someday Dios would become an old man. It was so strange to think about.

“I’ve been reluctant to let it go,” Mrs. Mayes continued, “but, I expect if I don’t sell it soon someone will tear it down. It needs extensive repairs to the roof and the electric system. I’m not sure many would be willing to take that on.”

“We would,” Atreus said quickly.

Mrs. Mayes sighed. “None of my children want it, neither do my grandchildren. If you promise to take good care of it, and you really are fond of it, I’d be glad to sell it to you.”

Carla suppressed a squeal, and Dios gazed up at her, delighted, as if he knew what was going on.

“Oh, thank you, Mrs. Mayes,” Carla breathed.

Atreus squeezed Carla’s hand. “That’s wonderful news.”

Carla could tell that Mrs. Mayes smiled as she spoke. “I can tell you love it. Simply give me a fair price and I’ll be glad to see Westling House have a new lease of life.”

*****

“Oh, Thomas,” Cressida said, dreamy in her post-passion euphoria.

Tom was already up and in the bathroom but he leaned back and poked his head out the door with a grin.
 

“How was it, babe?” he said, in the poshest accent he could muster.

“Exquisite,” she replied, rolling onto her back, her large bare breasts exposed.

“I thought so, too,” Tom said.
 

In truth, Cressida wasn’t his type at all. He preferred slim, petite blondes, and Cressida was about as opposite as it was possible to be. Though he knew she’d have plenty of men fawning over her, her voluptuous body, thick dark waves, and impressive stature did not entice him. The reason he pursued her was far more dangerous than lust or attraction. He needed to manipulate her for the plan he and Brian had concocted to unfold seamlessly.

It was the third time they’d had sex and he’d closed his eyes and squeezed as much pleasure out of it as he could, though he knew the act’s purpose was simply to grease the wheels of their crime.

“I can’t believe this,” Cressida said, laughing.

“Can’t believe what, sweetness?”

“That we’re … you know … lovers. Does it turn you on Thomas, to know that you’re bonking your boss?”

Tom turned the shower on.

“Ooh, tremendously.”

She laughed. “Me too, though it seems you’re the boss in the bedroom.”

He returned to the luxurious superior suite she had been installed in by Atreus and Carla.
 

“You like it that way?”

She bit her lip. “I love it.”

“Whatever makes you happy.”
 

He looked at her, sprawled out on the bed.
 
Despite her not being his type, her open legs made him want it all over again. He knew he’d be distracted all day, unable to concentrate on the hotel work, or, more importantly, their kidnapping plan, if he didn’t cum again.

He grinned down at her. “Care to take this to the shower?”

She grinned right back. “I’d love to.”

*****

“But you do understand, don’t you, babe?” Brian said, holding Olivia’s hand across the table and gazing into her eyes with what he hoped looked like sincerity. The truth was, there was nothing he wanted to do more than to tuck into the feast of garlic cheese bread and pizza spread out on the table between them. It was like torture having to play out this emotional scene with hunger clawing at his stomach.

“I think so,” Olivia said.

It was time to ramp things up a notch, he thought.
 

“Babe, don’t you know you mean the world to me?” He grabbed either side of her face with his palms and put on a pleasing look. “I want you in my life forever and ever.”

Olivia’s eyes welled up. “Oh, do you really mean it?”

“Babe,” he said feigning tears. “How can you even ask me that? Of course I mean it. I would never lie to you. Never. Not even once.”

The whole relationship was a lie. In fact, he couldn’t recall telling her a single truth in the whole time he’d known her. He’d scared her pretty bad when she wouldn’t return the ring and he’d been trying to make up for lost trust since then.
Why did she have to act so ridiculous?
Why couldn’t she just give him the ring when he asked? Eventually, he came to his senses and let her back in the window—spewing some shit about his fear of commitment and loving her. In true Olivia fashion, she forgave him and gave in, letting him have the ring, but only because he promised to “work on his commitment issues with her.”
 

“Just tell me one more time,” Olivia said with a gulp.

The scent of the Italian food drifted up into his nostrils and assaulted his stomach. It took all his self-control not to reach out and gobble it down. A flash of anger surged through him—
why do women always want to talk?!
—but he concealed it well. Deception had been his modus operandi for so many years.

“Babe,” he said, his voice the gentlest he could manage. “I wanted to propose to you, but just not yet. That’s why I took the ring back.”

Lies.

“But, why not now?” Olivia said. “Don’t you love me enough?”

“Of course I do,” he said quickly. “But there are two reasons why not now. One, because I wanted to create the perfect evening and ambience, because you deserve a day you’ll remember forever. Two, I know I need to work on me. I want to be a better man for you, baby. I mean, I know I’m a good man, but I want to be perfect because that’s what you deserve.”

Olivia leaned back in the leather booth, relief and satisfaction making her face soft and vulnerable.
 

He knew he’d hit the sweet spot.
 

“And my despicable behavior only proves it,” he said. “I need more time to grow into the man you want me to be—the man you need me to be. I am so sorry that I ever laid a finger on you, and I can only beg for your forgiveness.”

“Oh, Brian,” she said, her voice full of happiness as she leaned over the table and embraced him. “You
are
wonderful.”