Expectant Bride Page 12

  Dio strode into the airy drawing room, his lean, strong face grim, black eyes flat and unfathomable. He emanated stress and tension like a forcefield.

  ‘I understand that Helena paid you a visit,’ Dio drawled icily, immediately knocking the ground from beneath Ellie’s feet by admitting his knowledge of that fact. ‘It was a very generous act on her part, but only what I have learnt to expect from her.’

  Thoroughly thrown by that opening, Ellie gasped. ‘A generous act? Are you out of your mind or just plain stupid?’

  Dio stilled, his darkly handsome features emanating a freezing distaste that cut Ellie to the bone. ‘She offered you her support and assistance. You were rude and offensive. I did not enjoy having to apologise for your behaviour.’

  ‘Having to apologise for my behaviour…?’ Ellie repeated almost incoherently, registering that she had seriously underestimated the older woman. Support and assistance? The abortion package? Helena had clearly got in first with her own version of events, and Ellie wondered why she herself should even care. ‘She offered me a million pounds to have an abortion.’

  Dio studied her for a full ten seconds with widening black eyes full of sheer, lancing disbelief. ‘If you must lie, strive to come up with something more credible and less melodramatic,’ he derided harshly. ‘Helena would never sink to such a level.’

  Silenced by the level of assurance with which he made that claim, Ellie stared back at him with bitter anger. ‘You really do deserve her,’ she breathed in a stark undertone, two high spots of red banishing her previous pallor. ‘And if she’s so blasted special, why were you with me?’

  Dio froze. ‘I will not discuss Helena with you, Ellie.’

  ‘What a pity you couldn’t award me the same respect!’ Ellie bit out, so mad with rage and pain she could hardly get the words out.

  A slight rise of colour burnished the slant of Dio’s stunning but rigid cheekbones. ‘The very least I owed Helena was a frank explanation.’

  ‘But you couldn’t even bring yourself to refer to her existence around me. You must have known that I hadn’t a clue who she was the day of the funeral!’ Ellie condemned in an emotive appeal. ‘I thought she was just a relative—’

  ‘We are distantly related,’ Dio conceded, tight-mouthed.

  ‘How very cosy. No wonder you didn’t introduce me to her! That’s some kinky, twisted relationship you two have…and if she was a nicer person, I might have pitied her for being that desperate to hold onto you!’

  Dio rested glittering dark golden eyes on her that burned like lasers. ‘I will not listen to you abusing Helena. You don’t understand what you’re talking about.’

  A torn laugh escaped Ellie. ‘And if it’s anything to do with you, I never will, will I? But it really doesn’t matter any more. I trusted you. I thought you were a free man. I would never have got involved with you had I known about her.’

  ‘Helena and I are not lovers,’ Dio delivered grimly. ‘Before last night I had never actually discussed marriage with her. But there was a strong understanding between our families that at some time in the future we would marry.’

  ‘Why the heck didn’t you just marry her when your father wanted you to?’ Ellie demanded bitterly.

  ‘I resented the pressure being put on me. I should emphasise that Helena played no part in creating that pressure,’ Dio imparted flatly.

  Saint Helena, safe on her pedestal of perfection, Ellie reflected sickly. And what had she herself been but a last little fling that night on the island of Chindos? A physical release, a momentary distraction from his grief? ‘That night we spent together…you already knew you were going to go ahead and marry her.’

  ‘Ultimately I always expected to marry Helena. No matter how much you resent that reality, I can’t alter it,’ Dio asserted with bleak emphasis.

  ‘But you weren’t honest with me. You never gave me a choice. I can’t ever forgive that. And now that I do know about her, I find it absolutely disgusting that you were planning to set me up as your mistress before you even married her,’ she admitted, with a quiver of repulsion at such naked calculation. ‘What’s the point of marrying someone you can’t even be faithful to?’

  Dio threw up both hands in a sudden sweeping gesture of violent frustration. ‘The last twenty-four hours have been unadulterated hell for me. I am in no mood to stand much more from you,’ he vented rawly. ‘Whether you like it or not, Helena is the wounded party in this situation. I have hurt her pride and let her down, but she voiced not a single word of reproach.’

  ‘Yes, she’s a very clever woman, much cleverer than I am.’

  ‘Cristos…’ Dio blazed back at her. ‘How can you be so bloody spiteful? It is you whom I am going to marry now!’

  Ellie stooped to lift her bag with a trembling hand and then straightened to survey him with eyes empty of all emotion, for she was drained. ‘I wouldn’t have you as a gift, Dio.’

  Dio shot her a look of volatile black fury. ‘I swear that I will strangle you before I get you to the altar!’

  ‘I mean it,’ Ellie told him quietly, watching a sort of stunned light begin to make inroads into his anger as he absorbed her determination. ‘Yesterday I was panicking, and foolish enough to grab at your offer of marriage. But your loyalty is with Helena, not where it should be, and I’m not becoming part of some nasty triangle—’

  ‘You are being totally unreasonable!’ Dio condemned harshly.

  ‘No, I’m being very sensible.’

  ‘You are carrying my child—’

  ‘And that’s the only reason you asked me to marry you…it’s not enough.’ And, sidestepping him in a sudden move of desperation, Ellie walked swiftly out into the hall.

  ‘There is more than that between us, pethi mou,’ Dio growled in her wake.

  ‘I can get by without the sex too,’ Ellie told him witheringly, although even the sound of that dark, deep drawl pulled at her senses.

  ‘Come back here!’ Dio grated. ‘This is ridiculous!’

  Ellie glanced back at him, her lovely face pale as marble and just about as unyielding. ‘No…what was ridiculous was that we ever got together in the first place.’

  ‘Ellie—’

  ‘Please, give me some space,’ she urged with charged emphasis. ‘Don’t phone, don’t come near me. Maybe when the dust has settled on all this we can talk about the baby…just not now.’

  For the next week Ellie functioned on automatic pilot. Locked into the need to conquer her desperate craving for Dio, even when she hated him like poison for hurting her so much, she felt totally detached from the rest of the world.

  In spite of her request that he leave her alone, Dio phoned every day. On each occasion she put the phone straight back down again, refusing to speak to him. The truth was that she didn’t trust herself yet, even on the phone. She was far too vulnerable.

  Finding out about Helena Teriakos had devastated Ellie with guilt, jealousy and mortification. Discovering that Dio trusted Helena infinitely more than he trusted her had literally torn Ellie apart at the seams. How much in touch with his own emotions was Dio? Did he even appreciate how much he already cared about Helena Teriakos? Once he had resented the pressure put on him to marry her. Wouldn’t it be ironic if Dio was only now truly valuing Helena because he had had to face the prospect of giving her up?

  All she herself could ever be to Dio was a very poor second best. If she hadn’t conceived, Dio would never have offered her more than a casual affair. ‘A little amusement,’ as Helena had so succinctly put it. That had made Ellie feel about an inch tall. It hurt even more to frankly acknowledge herself outclassed by the competition. Helena belonged in Dio’s elite world. Dio could marry the woman his father had selected and feel very good about doing so. A gorgeous, accomplished, intelligent, rich and classy ice cube, who was fond of him and didn’t even care if he kept a mistress. Maybe a lot of guys would be happy to marry a woman as understanding as that, Ellie reflected with helpless bitterness.
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br />   That weekend, Horace Barry’s nephew, Joe Barry, phoned to tell her that his uncle had flu and wouldn’t be in. Ellie was run off her feet. On the Sunday afternoon she went to see Meg Bucknall, to explain that she wouldn’t be returning to her job at the Alexiakis building again.

  Meg ushered her into her small cosy front room with a real smile of pleasure. ‘You really do know how to get the gossip going into orbit, Ellie. I think you’re making a wise decision, though. I’ll miss you, but you’d have to put up with some stick if you did come back. Some of the younger girls are just eaten with envy.’

  ‘If they knew how I was fixed right now, I don’t think they would be,’ Ellie fielded wryly. ‘It’s all off, Meg…was never really on, to tell you the truth.’

  ‘He’s turning night into day at the office right now. Half the top floor staff are having to work the same hours. They look worn out, and I heard them muttering that he’s in a really foul black mood—’

  ‘I don’t really want to hear about Dio, Meg,’ Ellie shared, having paled at those edifying titbits.

  ‘Just one little question,’ Mega almost pleaded. ‘Did you dump him?’

  Not having expected so personal a question from the older woman, Ellie stared.

  Meg flushed guiltily. ‘It’s just that’s what we’re all hoping. The word is he’s never been dumped before, but he could do with being taken down a peg or two.’

  ‘Meg…it would take an attack with an axe to dent Dio’s ego,’ Ellie retorted.

  A surprise awaited her when she arrived home again. Her employer’s nephew, a portly pompous man in his early fifties, was seated in the tiny rear office behind the shop, going through the accounts. Standing up, Joe Barry smoothed his sparse hair back from his brow. Ignoring her enquiry as to his uncle’s state of health, he disconcerted her by admitting that he had come over in the hope of finding her at home.

  But it was what he had to say next which really shook Ellie up. He informed her that his uncle had retired and that he was now taking charge of the bookshop.

  The bottom fell out of what remained of Ellie’s world. Struggling to come to terms with the shock of that blithe announcement, she frowned. ‘But you already have a job.’

  ‘I’m taking early retirement. I intend to plough a good deal of money into remodelling this place. However…’ He paused, pursing his lips. ‘I’m sorry to say that your services will no longer be required.’

  ‘I beg your pardon?’ Ellie practically whispered.

  ‘I have no need for a full-time assistant.’

  The silence hung there.

  ‘Are you aware that your uncle had already agreed to sell me the business?’ Ellie asked starkly.

  Joe Barry dealt her a rather smug appraisal. ‘My solicitor assures me that without a witness or anything written you would find it virtually impossible to prove that such a ludicrous agreement ever existed.’

  ‘But that’s not—’

  ‘My uncle should’ve told you weeks ago. You can’t blame me for the fact that he couldn’t face telling you that he had changed his mind,’ the older man told her impatiently. ‘Naturally he would prefer to see the shop stay in the family.’

  Ellie held her upper body very stiffly, but her legs were trembling. The prospect of buying the shop had been like a life raft, and now she felt as if she was sinking.

  ‘You’ll receive everything due to you, of course. I’m giving you a month’s notice,’ he continued, ‘and I’ll expect you to move out of that room upstairs at the same time. You’ve never had a tenancy agreement, and I require that room for other purposes.’

  ‘I’ll be out of here sooner than that,’ Ellie framed with bleak dignity.

  ‘Well, I must admit that that would suit me very well!’

  He had the hide of a rhinoceros. Awarding her a relieved look, he closed up the books and departed, humming under his breath.

  It was only six o’clock. Ellie sank down at the foot of the stairs. Five years of minimal holidays, low pay and all those extra hours keeping up the accounts. And at the end of it? One month’s notice. What an idiot she had been, dreaming her stupid dreams! There were other businesses out there, but precious few would be within her financial reach. It was time to take stock and make fresh plans. She splayed her fingers over her still flat tummy, thinking about her baby, trying not to think about his father.

  She was climbing the stairs when the bell went. With a sigh, she turned back. She looked out of the shop’s window and simply did not credit the sight of the male grinning at her. Ricky Bolton.

  ‘Come on, Ellie…open sesame!’

  Maybe he would give her a laugh. Dio had been notoriously low on giving her a laugh. Ellie unlocked the door. ‘How did you find out where I lived?’

  Ricky kept on grinning, all white teeth, suntan and bold blue eyes. He exuded a buoyant conceit as powerful as an aura. ‘I stole a look at your personnel file before I moved on. I’ve been meaning to call by for ages, but you know how it is—’

  ‘So many women, so little time?’

  ‘Yeah, well, I can’t help being a hot property!’ Ricky ran appreciative fingers through his thick blond hair and then grimaced. ‘Well, to be honest, I got mixed up with this real terrifying bunny boiler for a while…’

  Ellie found herself smiling warmly. ‘Tell me more,’ she encouraged. ‘What did she want? A second date?’

  ‘Could I, like…come inside out of the cold?’

  ‘I’m not feeling that friendly, Ricky. You made a real nuisance of yourself on level eight. I also hear you left under something of a cloud? Am I right?’

  ‘Dead wrong!’ he contradicted with another hugely self-satisfied grin. ‘Good luck came my way and I rocketed up the career ladder.’

  ‘Are you still in that new position?’ she couldn’t resist asking, wondering if Dio’s forecast that he would be fired even faster had been accurate.

  ‘No way! I got myself headhunted out of there again. It wasn’t a safe house, if you know what I mean. Fancy a spin in my company car?’

  ‘I’m pregnant, Ricky.’

  His grin fell right off his handsome face. ‘You’re…what? My God, what happened?’

  ‘Well…’

  ‘Flamin’ hell, who is this guy? Casanova? Where is he?’

  Ellie shrugged.

  ‘It figures. Yeah, well, maybe I’ll look you up like…next year or something,’ Ricky muttered ruefully. ‘Probably never. I’m just not into kids at this stage of my life.’

  Helplessly amused, Ellie stood up on tiptoes and kissed his cheek. ‘Thank you for being that honest.’

  Startled, Ricky laughed and rested his arms down on her narrow shoulders. He lowered his head to murmur with recovering good humour, ‘Take it from me, you missed a hell of an experience!’

  A split second later, the tall blond was literally wrenched away from her. Ellie stumbled back a step in bewilderment. She was just in time to see Dio throw Ricky up against the wall with a snarled Greek expletive and punch him.

  ‘Stop it!’ Ellie screeched, absolutely appalled.

  Ricky doubled up, groaning.

  ‘You stay away from her!’ Dio roared, hauling him up again. ‘You hear me? You stay away from my woman or I’ll rip you apart!’

  Ricky focused on his assailant with enlarged eyes full of incredulous recognition.

  ‘You’re behaving like an animal, Dio!’ Ellie gasped, shattered by his violent intervention.

  Dio released Ricky with a volatile gesture of savage derision. He studied Ellie, dark golden eyes blazing condemnation. ‘And you ask yourself, whose fault is that? I saw you kissing him—’

  ‘On the cheek,’ Ricky grunted as he struggled to try and recover his breath. ‘You know, I could make a real killing if I charged you with assault.’

  ‘You do what you like,’ Dio ground out with magnificent unconcern, still glowering at Ellie full force.

  ‘And an even bigger killing if I went to the tabloids with this extraordinary litt
le set-up,’ Ricky mused.

  ‘You deserved a good thump for flogging that tip-off you overheard!’ Ellie told him roundly.

  Dio froze. His arrogant dark head turned slowly. ‘This…this is Ricky Bolton?’

  ‘Yeah, you’re right, we’re definitely evens…’ Ricky decided out loud, and displayed his innate survival skills by hurriedly backing into his car. He was gone within a minute.

  Ellie shivered in the night air. But even though she was shaken and furious her eyes clung to Dio. His black hair gleamed beneath the street light, accentuating the hard edges of his taut bone structure.

  ‘Ricky Bolton!’ Dio suddenly seethed through gritted white teeth. ‘What the hell was he doing here?’

  ‘Oh, please!’ she moaned. ‘He just called by. And I don’t care what you think you saw. You had no business acting like a thug!’

  ‘Cristos! How do you think I felt, seeing you wrapped round another man?’ Dio growled. ‘You told me to stay away. You’re treating me like a leper. I’ve had just about all I can take!’

  Perhaps for the first time since she had learnt that she was carrying his baby, Ellie faced the fact that Dio was under stress as well. Dio had made instant decisions when her pregnancy had been confirmed. Without hesitation Dio had asked her to marry him and had flown over to Paris to explain the situation to Helena. But Ellie had then rejected his matrimonial solution, refused to see him or speak to him and had withdrawn to wallow in her own bitterness. But now she felt guilty. Dio had a right to know where he stood and what was going to happen next.

  ‘I just don’t know what’s going to happen next,’ Ellie confided raggedly.

  ‘I do…’ Dio breathed, reaching for her with determined hands and raising her up to crush her startled mouth under his.

  That fiery demanding kiss knocked Ellie sideways. His raw hunger snapped her control, released all the seething emotions she had been trying to control. Her head spun; her heart thundered. Sexual heat zapped her. She quivered, locking her straining body to the hard muscle and power of his, a needy moan sounding deep in her throat as she clutched feverishly at his shoulders.