by Penny Jordan
A shiver ran down her spine. ‘You’re still angry about that?’
His eyes flashed. ‘Angry? No. Disgusted? Yes.’ He dragged a hand through his hair, as though mentally shaking himself. ‘He would spend a lifetime repaying his creditors.’
Nikos was conscious that he was driving a proverbial knife into her. He didn’t stop.
‘Some of his decisions might even be seen as criminally negligent.’
‘Oh, my God, Nikos, don’t.’ She spun to face him; it was like being hit with a sledgehammer.
He ground his teeth, refusing to feel sympathy for her even when her world was shattering. ‘It is the truth. Would you prefer I’d said nothing?’
When she spoke her voice was hoarse, momentarily weakened by the strength of her feelings. ‘Does this bring you pleasure? Did you bring me here to gloat?’
‘To gloat?’ His smile was like a wolf’s. ‘No.’
‘Well? Then what do you want? Why are you telling me any of this?’
A muscle jerked in his cheek. ‘I could alleviate all of your father’s problems, you know.’
Hope, a fragile bird, fluttered in her gut. ‘Yes?’
‘It would not be difficult for me to fix this,’ he said with a shrug.
Marnie’s head spun at the ease of his declaration. ‘Even a hundred million pounds?’
‘I am a wealthy man. Do you not read the papers?’
‘God, Nikos.’ Relief was so palpable that she didn’t even acknowledge the insult. Hope loomed. ‘I don’t know how to thank you.’
‘Delay your gratitude until you have considered the terms.’
‘The terms?’ Her brows drew together in confusion.
‘I have the means to help your father, but not yet the inducement.’
Aware she was parroting, she murmured, ‘What inducement?’
The breath burned in her lungs. Her heart was hammering so hard in her chest that she thought it might break free and make a bid for freedom. Tension was a rope, twisting around them. She waited on tenterhooks that seemed to have sharp gnashing teeth.
‘You, Marnie.’ His dark voice was at its arrogant best. ‘As my wife. Marry me and I will help him.’
Copyright © 2017 by Clare Connelly
Don’t miss
BOUGHT FOR THE BILLIONAIRE’S REVENGE
by debut Harlequin author
Clare Connelly,
available August 2017 wherever
Harlequin Books and ebooks are sold.
www.Harlequin.com
If you enjoyed this story by
NEW YORK TIMES bestselling author
PENNY JORDAN,
you will love
Harlequin® Presents!
Do you want alpha males, decadent glamour and jet-set lifestyles? Step into the sensational, sophisticated world of Harlequin® Presents, where sinfully tempting heroes ignite a fierce and wickedly irresistible passion!
Look for eight new stories every month!
Recommended Reads for August 2017
An Heir Made in the Marriage Bed
The Prince’s Stolen Virgin
Protecting His Defiant Innocent
Pregnant at Acosta’s Demand
Carrying the Spaniard’s Child
The Secret He Must Claim
A Ring for the Greek’s Baby
Bought for the Billionaire’s Revenge
ISBN-13: 978-1-488-08095-1
BITTER BETRAYAL
First published in 1989
This edition published in 2017
Copyright © 1989 by Penny Jordan.
All rights reserved. By payment of the required fees, you have been granted the non-exclusive, non-transferable right to access and read the text of this e-book on-screen. No part of this text may be reproduced, transmitted, down-loaded, decompiled, reverse engineered, or stored in or introduced into any information storage and retrieval system, in any form or by any means, whether electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, without the express written permission of publisher, Harlequin Enterprises Limited, 225 Duncan Mill Road, Don Mills, Ontario, Canada M3B 3K9.
All characters in this book have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.
This edition published by arrangement with Harlequin Books S.A.
® and ™ are trademarks of the publisher. Trademarks indicated with ® are registered in the United States Patent and Trademark Office, the Canadian Intellectual Property Office and in other countries.
www.Harlequin.com
