The Andreou Marriage Arrangement (14 page)

Loukas stepped behind her and wrapped an arm around her slender waist, then he rested his chin against the top of her head.

Only that morning he'd received the confirmation his strategy with Alesha's ex had reached its completion.

Seth Armitage's investments had diminished to almost nil; he'd been forced to sell all his assets at rock-bottom prices, and his reputation was in tatters. A fitting end for an unscrupulous and cruel man.

It had taken considerable effort to achieve such an outcome, and all the relevant strings were tied…with one exception.

With care he turned her round to face him and extracted a sealed envelope from the pocket of his jacket. ‘For you.'

Alesha's eyes widened as she searched his features…and gleaned little other than the deep passion evident, together with something indefinable. Resolve?

‘I have everything I need,' Alesha assured quietly.

‘Open it.'

She did, releasing the flap with care, and extracting a slim piece of paper. Her lips parted in startled surprise as she identified a certified bank cheque for five million dollars.

Her eyes flew to his. ‘What is this?'

‘The settlement your father paid your ex for an uncontested divorce on the condition he got out of your life.'

Ohmigod. Her breathing became ragged as shock encompassed her body.
That much?

‘I won't accept it from you,' she refused in a voice husky with emotion.

‘It represents the sale of Seth Armitage's business, his home and everything he owned.'

Blood money.

The realization hit her, and she simply looked at him, her eyes locked with his own.

‘You ruined him.'

‘You doubt I could?'

There was only one answer. ‘No.'

He had the power, the ruthlessness to tear Seth limb from figurative limb in a manner that would hurt more than anything else…stripping her ex of everything he'd gained out of their marriage and the divorce.

Loukas captured her chin and tilted it. ‘I wanted to kill him for what he did to you.' He traced gentle fingers over her trembling mouth.

‘Instead you devised a fitting revenge.'

‘One he deserved.'

She was silent for several long minutes as she mustered the courage to reveal details she hadn't told a living soul.

‘It began a few days after the wedding,' she began quietly. ‘The belittlement when I failed to satisfy him. The cruel taunts when I refused to comply with his demand for kinky sex. I was too uptight, too straight-laced and needed to be taught a lesson.' Her eyes didn't leave his, and she glimpsed his pain, the darkness of his anger…and she placed a soothing hand on his rigid jaw. ‘I ended up in hospital with a few fractured ribs, a fractured arm, and bruising.'

She'd started this…she needed to finish it.

‘I called a lawyer, and hired security to stand guard in shifts outside my room.'

‘Dimitri—'

‘Was in Melbourne on business, and was only apprised of my injuries on his return.'

A muscle tensed at the edge of his jaw as he recalled her fear, the nightmares, the evidence of broken and fractured bones.

‘Yet you didn't press charges.'

‘My decision. I didn't want the episode to become fodder for the media or dragged through the court.' She drew a deep breath. ‘It was done…over. Seth took a financial settlement.' Her eyes hardened at the amount her father had added to ensure Seth never made any further demand on her again. ‘And I moved on with my life.'

‘Alesha—'

Anything else he might have said remained stilled as she placed light fingers over his mouth.

‘Don't…please.' Her expression softened, her incredible eyes became luminous with emotion. ‘We have the future together,
love
…the once-in-a-lifetime kind. Infinitely special,' she added gently. ‘Everything I ever wanted…and more, so much more. With you. I can't keep this money, Loukas. I don't want it—it's tainted. But I can put it to some use and help others who might be in the same position as I was—do you agree?'

Loukas lowered his head down to hers and brushed his lips to her forehead.

‘I thought the marriage clause in Dimitri's will a cruel and heartless act.' She moved her head to look at him. ‘Instead ultimately it became a unique gift.'

‘Without question.'

‘It would be wonderful if somehow he knows,' she pondered a trifle pensively.

‘Perhaps he does.'

She turned slightly and looked out over the bay whose surface rippled beneath the stiffening breeze.

‘This is an incredible place,' Alesha voiced wistfully.

His arm tightened a little and she felt his lips nuzzle the
sensitive pulse beneath an ear lobe. ‘A private haven with no tourists, no marina housing a host of boats.'

Just us…heaven.

‘I want to thank you,' she began quietly.

‘For what, in particular?'

He sounded mildly amused, and Alesha smiled a little.

‘Believing in me,' she said simply. ‘Being there. You're my life. My love. Everything.'

Loukas turned her to face him, and she became lost in the wealth of emotion evident in his dark eyes.

He brushed his lips across her own, parted them, then lingered to savour a little. ‘I imagined a contented union, a compliant wife, cementing a successful business merger.'

‘Instead you gained a neurotic divorcee with emotional baggage.'

He drew her lower lip between his teeth and nipped the fullness. ‘A beautiful young woman,' he corrected, ‘who crept beneath my skin and captured my heart.' He eased the tip of his tongue over her lip, soothing it.

‘You taught me to believe in love,' Alesha added gently.

‘
Agape mou.
I exist only for you.'

She wanted to cry…and almost did. He was a very special man. She intended to show him just how special every day for the rest of her life.

Her eyes acquired a wicked sparkle as she tilted her head to one side and regarded him with musing humour. ‘The sex helped. You're rather good at it.'

A husky laugh emerged from his throat as he caught hold of her hand and threaded his fingers through her own. ‘Let's go back to the house.'

The air held a chill as they trod the path and traversed the
slight incline. The house was warm, and she turned towards the kitchen.

‘It's Sofia's night off. I'll fix dinner.'

‘Later.' He pulled her close and took her mouth in a deep slow kiss, then he captured her hand and led her upstairs to the bedroom.

A
YEAR
later a number of invited guests, including Constantine, Angelina, Daria and Lexi who flew in from Athens, attended a party at Loukas and Alesha's Point Piper mansion to celebrate the christening of their twins…Sebastian Loukas and his sister Sienna Lucille.

Two beautiful children whose birth via Caesarean section saw Sienna emerge seconds ahead of her brother, and whose cry…
howl
, her father amended…was loud in protest. Not to be outdone, Sebastian surpassed her in pitch, and only subsided when he was placed into his mother's arms.

Now three months of age, they slept in their nursery in adjacent cribs, in the care of a nanny.

‘You have gifted us the joy of beautiful grandchildren,' Constantine declared as he and Angelina prepared to leave the party at evening's end.

‘Beautiful,' Daria echoed, and brushed her lips to Alesha's cheek, before she turned to Loukas. ‘You're a fortunate man.' She assumed a stern expression, which was totally contrived. ‘Take good care of your family.'

‘With my life,
Thia
,' he assured gently.

It was late when Loukas set the security system after the
last guest departed, and he curved an arm around Alesha's waist as they crossed the foyer.

Together they ascended the stairs and crossed to the nursery. A dimmed night light revealed two dark-haired babes, their chubby faces serene in sleep.

‘Special,' Loukas said softly. ‘So very special,
agape mou
.'

They moved quietly from the room and entered their bedroom suite.

‘Have I told you how much I adore you?' Loukas turned her into his arms and took possession of her mouth in a kiss that stole the breath from her throat.

Only every night. ‘A wife can't hear too much of a good thing,' she responded with teasing lightness, knowing every word came from the heart.

Her pregnancy had delighted him, for he'd been there for her every step of the way, loving the changes to her body, amazed at the discovery the babe she carried was in fact
two
. He'd gowned up and witnessed their birth, marvelled at the miracle, and become as much of a hands-on father as time would allow.

‘I've been thinking.'

‘Why do I suddenly have the feeling that could be dangerous?'

Her mouth curved into a winsome smile. ‘This is a very large home with several bedrooms.'

His eyes darkened measurably. ‘You say this…because?'

‘Perhaps we should consider providing Sebastian and Sienna with a brother or sister.'

‘Are you sure you're ready for another pregnancy so soon?'

‘How does May sound to you?'

‘A year from now?'

‘Ah, my husband is good at maths.'

‘Witch.'

‘It will give you time to get used to the idea,' Alesha said with a wicked gleam as she linked her hands at his nape.

‘My concern is only for you.'

‘I know.'

And she did, aware she'd come full circle in a marriage to a man she hadn't expected to love more than life itself.