The Billionaire's Runaway Bride

by Marie Kelly

  With a small whimper she had pulled her mother in for another hug, the love between them so strong. As they had broken apart, her mother had looked at her with a strange expression on her features.

  “Seeing you like this Grace…I wish that I had been as strong and brave as you…but I wasn’t” her eyes hardening as she had looked over at her husband. “But I am going to be…I deserve to be happy”

  Gasping Grace had looked deeply into her mother’s eyes “A…are you leaving him?” her hand flying to cover her mouth as her mother had nodded softly.

  “I want my life back Grace…I want to enjoy life…I want to be brave like you. I want to look as happy as you”

  Her mother had lifted her finger, looking at the ring she wore before flicking a look at Alexos. “He loves you…and I see such love for him in your eyes Grace…you do love him don’t you?”

  Grace had given a small smile as she had admitted the truth “With everything in me mother. I always have I think…I just never realised it”

  Ellana Leotta had given another tremulous smile “You have it all now Grace…you are a true inspiration to me, and I deserve to be happy too” Her eyes holding her daughter’s.

  “Oh mum…you will be…you deserve to be…and I will always be here for you…always… whatever you need you only have to ask”

  Nodding, her mother had gently patted her hand. “Well I hope that you and Alexos still feel that way when I need a place to stay for a bit”

  Grace had swallowed the words that at the end of that month they would no longer be together, knowing instinctively that her mother needed to believe that all would be well.

  “You will always have a home with me” her only comment.

  That night as she had once more moved into her room, she was full of indecision. By the end of the month the two would once more go their own ways, could they maintain some form of believability for his father, and now her mother? Frowning softly the thoughts had played through her head as a gentle tap had broken her reverie.

  Hearing her soft voice, Alexos had moved into the room.

  “I thought you might need help removing that necklace” his voice full of laughter as she had looked back at him through the mirror a chuckle leaving her.

  “You are so thoughtful” a seductive edge coming to her voice, as she had allowed him to undo the catch placing the wonderful jewellery back into the box with the bracelet, her look once more meeting his in the mirror.

  “This dress is also difficult…do you think you could help there too?”

  With a laugh he had slowly turned her, pulling her into his arms and kissing her “To hell with ‘propriety’…I didn’t sleep well last night, and I am staying here”

  Grace smiling against his mouth, her tone full of laughter “Well …OK, if it is for your health”

  His kiss had been gentle, so loving this thought tearing at Grace as she had slid her arms around his neck, his fingers sliding the zip down allowing the dress to drop to the floor. Pulling back from her his eyes had once more skirted down her body, a small groan leaving him as she stood with only a small thong.

  “You are so beautiful Grace” his murmured words making her shiver, her fingers sliding down his chest, down his toned belly and grazing the front of his trousers. Her eyes had never once left his, feeling the rush of excitement as his eyes had closed with just the smallest touch of her hand against the straining hardness of him. With a masculine growl he had bent down, sweeping her into his arms and striding purposefully to the bed.

  “You are a wicked woman” his mouth smiling widely as he dropped her gently onto the bed, stepping back to throw off his own clothes, his movement frantic to remove the layers of clothing to be beside her once more. As he had finally stood naked, she had moved to her knees balancing on the edge of the bed, her small hand reaching out for the heat of him. Alexos had moaned softly as her hand had enveloped him, a tremor passing through his body. As she had leant forward, her small tongue flicking over the head of him he had shuddered, words of Greek leaving his mouth as his hands hand had gathered her hair pulling it from her lovely face.

  Looking up at him, she had no idea how sensual she looked, her mouth kissing along the length of him, Alexos hardly able to breathe.

  “Should I stop Alexos…should I stop being wicked?”

  Her words making his mouth quirk, his head shaking

  “No…never stop…never be anything less”

  Her laugh reverberated around him as her small mouth had taken the tip of him, Alexos seeing stars with the intensity of the sensations. As her hand had pulled on him that soft mouth had slid further down his hardness, his hands gripping her head, hips moving against her with a will of their own. Completely unable to believe how quickly she was bringing him to the ultimate release he had groaned and in a voice full of pleading he had pulled back from her “Too much Grace…stop”

  She had moved to take him into her hand, keeping up the onslaught on his body. As his head had fallen back, his hands had grown rigid through her hair and he had climaxed, panting and crying out her name his legs buckling as he had fallen on the bed beside her. Curling up beside him he had wrapped an arm around her shoulder Grace listening to the rapid way his heartbeat thudded against her, smiling gently.

  “Wow…we make an amazing team you and I Miss Leotta” he had chuckled as she had purred softly beside him. After several minutes, he had turned, moving her gently onto her back, a sensual smile filling his face.

  “You are not the only one who can be wicked…in fact …you are still an amateur, I on the other hand have been practicing”

  With a chuckle she had ran her fingers down his sides, eyes flashing back at him

  “Well I of course bow to your ….experience”

  Alexos laughing as his mouth had descended to take hers. For what seemed like forever, he had teased and tantalised every part of her until he had moved over her, entering her in one long sure stroke, Grace crying his name as she had exploded into a thousand fragments of light before the darkness had flooded in behind, her body going limp at the intensity of her own release.

  As she had clung to him, he had continued thrusting into her still-throbbing body until he too had cried out, once more experiencing the same mind-blowing release, collapsing heavily onto her, their breaths joining as they had both gasped in lungfuls of air, their slick sweating bodies cooling together.

  Pulling the sheets over them both, Alexos had kissed her once more; his eyes full of such warmth, Grace lost the fight to stay awake as her eyes had fluttered shut as sleep had taken her, Alexos quickly joining her.

  She had woken the next morning, light only just starting to fill the morning sky, to the sound of his quiet movements as he had pulled on his trousers and shirt, lifting his clothes as he had tiptoed to the door.

  “And how many times have you snuck out of a woman’s bedroom in your life?” Alexos straightening as he had given her a broad smile.

  “Not as many as you might think young lady” his voice full of fun as peeking out into the hall to ensure the coast was clear he had blown her a kiss slipping out of the room.

  Grace had given a contented sigh falling back against the pillows, a dreamy smile on her lovely face. She was in love. Her mother was finally escaping the clutches of her father…all seemed so well with the world, with a blissful look on her face she had once more fallen asleep.

  Several hours later, waking with the sunlight streaming through the window she had thrown back the covers, quickly jumping into her shower humming happily to herself. There seemed nothing that could ruin her day, everything was going so well. The image of Alexos had stilled her, pausing for a second as she had thought about him. The agreement they had was for her to stay with him for the month, but perhaps he might want to still see her, Grace feeling the rush of love for the man once more fill her.

  His comments to her father last night had filled her with hope; hope that perhaps there might be more to what was happening betwe
en them than just revenge, for the first time daring to believe that perhaps she really could have it all. The perfect job, the perfect husband - the perfect life.

  Downstairs Alexos and his father had been seated on the large sun deck, Alexos flashing her a wicked grin.

  “Did you sleep well?” a seemingly innocent question as Grace had held back the need to laugh as she had nodded smiling at his father.

  For the rest of the day they had enjoyed exploring his father’s Greek estate, Grace shaking her head to find out that he had only planned on staying there for a few days, his father needing to return to work the next day. Grace had watched as the two men had discussed business, she seeing how much of the workload Alexos was responsible for, realisation hitting her that while she had been working he had not been sunbathing.

  Later at night after another sumptuous meal, Nikoli had pulled out pictures of Alexos as a child, Grace hearing stories of his childhood and looking at the images of his mother and father, Grace so aware of the warmth that had filled the older man as he had talked of his wife.

  When Alexos had again snuck into her room she had lain beside him snuggled into his embrace, their hearts once more slowly resuming back to a normal beat, fingers entwined as he had held up her hand to admire the ring that flashed on her small finger.

  “Alexos…can I ask you something?”

  The nod and kiss on her forehead the answer as she had spoken so softly

  “What happened to your mother?”

  The long sigh had made her look up seeing the pain in his eyes.

  “Sorry…I didn’t mean to upset you…it doesn’t matter” her eyes full of apology. Giving her a kiss he had looked ahead his mind full of the woman they were talking about.

  “My mother was an amazing woman Grace. She was a journalist…covered most of the big stories”

  His eyes full of pride “She was fearless, didn’t matter who it was, she went after the truth like a bloodhound. She didn’t care if she was dealing with beggars on the street or kings of foreign countries, to her all that mattered was the truth”

  Smiling, Grace had enjoyed hearing the love in his voice hearing as he had paused, his tone becoming sombre, sadder.

  “When I was 23 she was coming back from the middle-east and her plane crashed”

  Groaning softy, Grace had turned “I’m so sorry Alexos…that must have been awful”

  Dropping another kiss onto her head he had nodded softly.

  “It was…but it destroyed my father…he was never the same. My parents used to live on the island, it was their main base. After she died he has never set foot on it again, it was almost as if he gave up the will to live” a weary sigh leaving him.

  “I guess that the men in our family only fall in love once” a strange smile lighting his handsome face as he had turned her over and kissed her, the fires once more lighting between the two.

  As he had again snuck out of her room, Grace had blown him a kiss, her whole face lighting up with radiant happiness, Alexos holding his breath at the need to return to her arms that had filled him. Curling up, pulling the pillow which still retained the scent of him to her, her mind played over his words ‘the men in our family only fall in love once’ wondering if he had meant anything by the comment, daring to hope that he had meant her.

  With a small frown it had hit her that at no point even when they had been talking about marriage had he ever proclaimed any real affection for her, especially love, Grace frowning softly. She had been expected to be his wife, mother of his children and convenient companion at formal occasions, at no time had he ever proclaimed love. Gasping, her eyes had flown open with shock. If it wasn’t her he had been in love with then who was it, jealousy ripping through her, the memory of Angelica Fleur and her coincidental appearance suddenly seeming not so coincidental.

  Six years ago he had wanted a wife, was that because the woman he loved was already married and it was easier to carry on a clandestine affair if he too was married? Now he had made it clear that he was only looking for someone to play his fiancée, was that because the woman he wanted to really marry was still not free, going through what he had called a ‘nasty divorce’? Groaning, this had caused her pain deep within, the thought tearing her apart.

  The following morning she had discovered that Alexos had been called to an important meeting leaving Grace to spend the day with Nikoli, the two getting on so well as he had opened up to her, talking about the old days, Grace listening silently as he had talked. As they had sat together over lunch she had flicked a wary look at him.

  “I appreciate that you have never said anything about what happened six years ago”, seeing the way the older man’s mouth had quirked, his look becoming a little harder

  “I will admit Grace that when Alexos informed me that the two of you were once more together…I was surprised…especially with how hard he took the breakup in the first place”

  Fidgeting slightly she had looked back in surprise

  “I…I never meant to hurt him”

  Nikoli Manetas silently watched her for a second before he had given a smile “Well, do not do it again Miss Leotta” an understanding falling between the two.

  Alexos had arrived back at the estate late, everybody else having gone to bed several hours previously. Grace had heard his car park and had waited patiently for him to knock at her door. However, as the minutes had slipped past she had savaged her lips before slipping out of the room and knocking on his.

  As the door had opened he had looked tired, a smile lighting his sensual lips.

  “Mmmmmmm….you are a definite sight for sore eyes, pulling her into his arms for a kiss”

  Grinning she had looked up at him with eyes full of fire

  “Well it seemed wrong you getting all the sneaking around fun” his laugh rumbling against her mouth. Peeling her gently from him he had given a sorrowful look down at her

  “I’m sorry Grace…I am washed out. Is it OK if we just sleep tonight?” Grace stepping back giving an awkward half-smile as she had felt so foolish, nervously touching her hair.

  “S…sure…not a problem.I’m sleepy anyway” Alexos giving her a smile. As she had made to turn she had caught a whiff of perfume, and leaning in she had given him a small kiss on the cheek, her nose catching the unmistakable aroma of another woman’s fragrance, the pain of what it meant hitting her harder than she would have ever thought possible. She recognised the scent, the image of Angelica Fleur filling her mind as she had stiffly left the room, once more returning to her own.

  She had not slept that night, staring unseeingly into the darkness. What a fool she had been. So he was still seeing her, the woman he loved, bitterness twisting her insides into a tight knot. Well she knew now and in another week she would be out of his life. The guilt she had felt for the past six years left her with the realisation that she had been right, right to leave him. He truly was like her father, a womaniser and deceiver.

  As the hazy half-light of dawn had broken the darkness she had finally given up on sleep, showering and dressing before sneaking out of the villa. Walking to one area she had been shown the previous day, she had sat on the cool grass. The hillside had opened up to reveal the beauty of the land below, as Grace allowed the serenity of the scenery to wash over her in wave upon wave of soothing calm. She had not known how long she sat there, her mind blank as she had watched the way the sun had brought the colour back to the land.

  The ringing of her mobile phone had broken the reverie as she had pulled the device from her pocket

  “Where the hell are you?” the voice of Alexos had sounded concerned, Grace fighting the desire to scream at him that she knew where he had been, as her fingers had clutched the device tightly, keeping her voice calm.

  “I woke early…thought I would just go for a walk”. On the other end of the line he had sighed softly, his still sleepy voice becoming more sensual.

  “Why didn’t you walk by here, wake me up gently” Grace gritting her teet
h.

  “You were tired…I thought you needed the lie in” Alexos chuckling “Mmmm that is not what I needed, and I’m guessing it is too late now”

  As she had signed off agreeing to return to the house her mouth had been clenched tightly. The man was unbelievable. He had spent yesterday in the arms of his mistress and still expected her the next day to perform the same duties. Grace felt dirty, used, as she had slowly made her way back.

  By now the house was bustling with morning activity, as the staff had moved around cleaning and preparing breakfast for the family, Grace met at the door by Alexos. Looking more rested, he had pulled her into his arms dropping a kiss on her soft lips.

  “Good morning Cara” his soft murmur against her mouth as she had held herself stiffly trying so unsuccessfully to relax and not show her hurt.

  “What is wrong?” his eyes had delved deeply into hers, taking in her pallor, the strained expression on her face, his frowning with concern.

  “Are you OK?” Grace giving a half-smile as she had ran her hand along her forehead “Just a headache. I thought that a walk would clear it … but …”

  Moving his arms around her shoulder he had kissed her head softly. “Well…I have organised for the helicopter to pick us up after breakfast…so when we get home you can go straight back to bed”

  With a wavering smile she had nodded against him “Yes…I think that would be for the best”

  Through breakfast that morning she had been quieter, Nikoli looked at her with surprise smiling as she had informed him that she had enjoyed staying at his home, the older man patting her hand affectionately.

  “You will always be welcome here Grace, always”

  After their meal the helicopter had arrived as planned, and with hugs all round the two had once more found themselves speeding their way back to the island, Grace able to escape from him for the rest of the day as she had fled to their bedroom. To her surprise she had fallen into a deep sleep almost immediately, not moving again for nearly five hours. It was the soft movement beside her that had woken her, eyes blinking open as her befuddled mind had tried to figure out where it had come from, just as a hand had moved around her