by Marie Kelly
Yanis had moved up behind her, his arms moving to hold her against him as his cheek had nuzzled against her ear.
“Bed, Cara” he whispered sensually
Lee closed her eyes with pain, seeing him holding the other woman.
“Yes..I feel really tired” she finally managed, as he had turned her around to face him with a puzzled look on his face
“Are you OK Lee” he asked, his voice full of concern, as he had taken in how pale she suddenly looked
“Are you not well”
Grabbing the lifeline he had thrown her she had smiled painfully at him as she touched her head with her fingers
“I’m just a little tired” she managed her voice a little shaky
Pulling her in a little closer, he had walked with her to their room
“I am sorry, then an early night it is” he said gently kissing the top of her head
That night as they lay together in bed, Lee had listened to his deep breathing, as he lay so peacefully asleep beside her. She stared up at the ceiling watching the way the shadows moved over it unable to sleep herself. Biting her lip, she saw Yanis and Diona her mind adding to the scene she had witnessed. Where they lovers she wondered to herself as her eyes momentarily closed in pain.
As the sun streamed into the room, Lee had found that she had only dozed the whole night, her mind tortured by what she had imagined as her head mocked her for listening to her heart and allowing herself to fall in love with a man who was solely interested in teaching her a lesson.
As he had moved beside her Yanis had seen that she was awake, and raising himself onto his arm, he had looked down at her frowning slightly at how pale and drawn she still looked
“Good morning” he whispered gently, his voice still full of concern “Are you feeling better” he asked softly
Lee had looked back at him, surprising him with the look in her eyes, an almost dead look
“I feel fine” she managed, her voice taut, as the look in her eyes had become tortured
“How long are you going to keep this up Yanis” she asked, her voice pained and cracked
He had looked at her with surprise
“Keep up what” he asked his eyes mirroring his confusion
“Let me go Yanis….. stop this game, and let me go”
Yanis had sat up quickly, his back to her his whole body rigid, before he had once more turned to look down on her. Now his face was once more cold, his expression one of contempt
“Wow Lee, I really never saw that coming, why the sudden need to be free of me” he demanded before he had thrown back the sheets with anger pacing up and down the room, as she watched him with tears brimming on her lids.
Finally he had stopped, looking coldly down on her
“Like I said Lee, I will end this when I am good and ready and not before” and with that he had moved into the shower. When he had finally moved from the bathroom, he had ignored Lee, pulling clothes on angrily, before leaving the room and her lying so quietly on the bed.
Lee had pulled herself into the bathroom her senses immediately bombarded by the smell of his aftershave as it invaded her very soul, causing her to feel even more pain. As she stood under the shower, feeling the jets hitting her body, she had calmed herself, remembering Jim. Jim, who they were informed, could wake at any time. With all her heart she prayed that it would be soon.
When she had joined him at the pool, he had scowled at her
“We are leaving in one hour” he had said his voice cold “there seems little point of us being here any more”. Lee had nodded, turning to pack their things, not even questioning the change of plans in which they should have spent the rest of the day on the island, as part of her was relieved to be going.
The journey back was a far distant cry from the one coming. Lee had sat quietly looking out of the window with unseeing eyes, lost in her own thoughts. Yanis had sat looking through business papers, drinking whisky. Occasionally he had looked over at Lee, frowning with a strange look in his eyes.
As they once more entered his London estate she had moved upstairs, by now her head thumping painfully causing her to jump with every sudden movement. Yanis had silently let her go up to their room watching her with hooded eyes, his mouth set firmly. As she had disappeared from sight, he had moved into the study slamming the door behind him.
Finally in the familiar setting of their room, Lee had lain down on the bed as the tears had flowed from her eyes, the sobs racking her, before she had fallen asleep, her fists clenched beside her. There she lay for three hours, before something woke her. Lying still with her eyes still closed, she allowed the sounds of the room to fill her. With relief her headache from earlier had gone, and slowly she opened her eyes seeing the room filled with darkness, frowning slightly not sure what had actually woken her.
As she had raised herself she jumped slightly to see Yanis sitting on one of the easy chairs watching her.
“What are you doing” she asked him softly seeing how he had ran his fingers through his thick glossy hair causing it to stick up at strange angles.
Slowly he had risen, moving over to the bed before sitting to look down on her. Lee could smell whisky from him, but his voice was steady as he held her eyes
“Why” he finally asked
“Why the sudden need to get away Lee”
Lee had looked at him, for one moment wanting to tell him to go to hell, before she saw the tortured look in his eyes. Lying back down on the pillow she had torn her eyes from his looking up at the ceiling, hers so full of pain
“I saw you Yanis” she said, her voice low and broken
“I saw you and Diona on the balcony… I saw the way you held her….and…”
For a second she paused to steady her breathing
“And I don’t want to play this game any more” she had said looking back at him
She saw Yanis’s eyes close for a second, a look of relief almost crossing them before he had placed his arms on either side of her looking so intently down into her eyes
“There is nothing between Diona and I Lee” he had said softly “I know you might find this hard to believe, but I only ever get involved with one woman at a time”
Lee had looked at him with disbelief, as he continued
“And right now you are the one woman I am involved with”
Lee had looked at him her eyes full of such sadness
“I saw you Yanis…I saw you”
He had shaken his head
“It’s not what you think” he said his voice firm and full of a relief she didn’t understand
“I have known Alexis and Diona since we were all children. She has been in love with her father’s business partner for years. But her father didn’t approve given the age difference, despite the fact that his partner felt the same way about her. He had not looked kindly on the relationship, but now her father has accepted the way she feels and Sergio has finally asked her to marry him…. I was hugging her to congratulate her Lee, Diona is getting married”
Lee had looked up at him wanting so badly to believe him, the emotions on her face betraying her
His hand had gently stroked her cheek
“I promise this is the truth”
Lee had finally looked up at him, her eyes shining as she believed him her mouth trembling slightly
“I’m sorry” she whispered “I thought…”
With a small smile he had said
“I thought you didn’t do jealousy Lee”, he whispered, as she had smiled gently
“Well I guess it turns out I do a little” she had answered her voice sensual, as her eyes had looked at his lips with such need on her face.
With that Yanis had moved one arm around her back and the other around her shoulder to lift her up to cradle her in his arms, as his mouth had sought hers. Lee could taste the heady whisky on her tongue as his mouth had demanded hers, his tongue flicking inside her softness, as she caressed his with hers making him moan, a soft sensual sound fr
As he lay holding her in his arms, he couldn’t help but relive the panic her words that morning had raised within him. With a frown he had wondered why should he care, she was there for one reason and one reason only – revenge. He would have justice for his friend. He had always known they would be lovers, but Lee was so different from any other woman he knew. His head told him exactly what this woman was, but recently he had doubted himself, not something Yanis Demitri did, he was never wrong, and people like Lee Andrews were only ever characters from story books. Nobody was that good or kind or gentle. With a look down on her lovely face he once more felt the desire which raged through him whenever she was there. He was not ready to let her go, not until she showed her true colours, but with a small frown he wondered even then if he was prepared to let her go.
He had remembered seeing her against the tree on the island, memories of his mother coming flooding back to him, memories he had suppressed many years ago. Why did Lee Andrews remind him so much of her, she had been the most wonderful woman in the world, the light of his fathers life, nothing like the gold digger he held in his arms. With a frown and his whole being in turmoil, Yanis had finally fallen asleep beside her, determined to think about it in the morning. Perhaps something could be arranged which would suit them both was his final thought as his eyes had closed his expression determined.
CHAPTER TEN
The next morning waking up, she had found herself alone, suddenly sad not to have him there with her. She had hoped that he would spend some time with her that day, suddenly feeling lonely, until at that point the door had slowly opened as he had moved back into the room
“I thought I would try my hand at breakfast” he said softly coming in with a tray of what resembled burnt toast
“I may not be taking this up as a career” he had added ruefully, as she had giggled. With a laugh back he had placed the tray back outside before returning to her in the bed.
“Are you mocking my hard work” he asked his eyes sparkling
“Now that deserves punishment” he said as his fingers moved to her as he enjoyed the way her face lit up with the laughter on her face, as she giggled under him as he tickling her making her once again squirm. As they lay panting and still laughing she had looked into his eyes the feeling of love in her heart so strong she could no longer contain it. Placing her hands on his cheeks she had said softly
“I love you Yanis”
His reaction was one of complete shock. Freezing instantly, the smile falling from his lips at her words his eyes had scanned her face in complete surprise. In them there was briefly a fierce fire which burnt so brightly before his expression had hardened and the look was replaced by an icy coldness. Lee’s heart sank as she watched this all happen in a split second.
Yanis rolled off her onto his back, his face frowning at the ceiling as she watched him, only aware that she was holding her breath as he began to speak and a small sob had escaped her
“So now you have decided on a new victim eh Lee…or is this a ruse to get away from me. Well it won’t work, Cara. You can tell me you love me.. I don’t believe you, but even if you did.. remember you are nothing more than a body in a bed to me… remember your words”
Lee had closed her eyes to stop the hurt from showing in them as he continued
“And you will remain in my bed until I decide it’s over .. and not before”
Before he could stop her she had stumbled out of the bed somehow making her way to the bathroom
“I need a shower” she stuttered as she locked the door behind her.
In automatic pilot she had turned on the jets of water before a sudden sense of nausea had made her run to the toilet to be violently sick. As she then took off her clothes stepping into the water the tears came, heartbroken silent tears which streamed down her face as she slowly sank to the corner of the shower hugging herself protectively, letting the water stream over her as she sank her head into her arms.
She didn’t know how long she had stayed like that but the knocking on the door pulled her round as she heard Yanis’s voice
“Lee, Jim is awake, we have to go”
Her heart had jumped at the news
“OK” she stammered “10 minutes”
“I’ll get ready in the other room meet you down stairs” she heard him say, his tone sombre, as once more everything went quiet.
Stepping into an empty bedroom Lee had quickly dressed, brushing her hair and putting on some make-up to disguise how pale she looked and how red her eyes were. However, the reflection which stared back at her still looked tired and vulnerable.
Jim was awake she thought to herself, finally the truth would be known and she would be free. She stopped the sob which rose within her at the thought that she would never see Yanis again, although part of her thanked whatever God had woken Jim so that she didn’t have to spend any more time seeing the contempt in his eyes as he ridiculed her declaration of love.
Slowly a strange calm had fallen over Lee as she felt herself become numb and almost serenely she had moved down the stairs to join Yanis who was watching her with a strange expression on his face.
She had sat quietly in the car, as he drove through the traffic, after several minutes he had looked over at her
“So have you thought what you are going to say to him Lee” he asked softly, frowning as she had replied
“I’m not the one who needs to worry Yanis”
Her voice was cold and toneless
“How do you think he will feel to find out his best friend is engaged too and sleeping with the woman he loves?”
He had looked at her in shock, cursing angrily in Greek.
“So finally you drop the pretence Lee” he said scathingly. She had just given a mirthless laugh
“I might as well say what you want to hear… you don’t believe a word I say anyway”
She said coldly her eyes looking unseeingly out of the window. He had frowned a look of concern crossing his handsome features, as he opened his mouth to say something before closing it again with an angry sigh as he turned into the hospital car park.
As she had made to leave the car, he had locked the doors stopping her exit. Lee had sat back unflinching staring ahead of herself, her face a mask of indifference
“Lee, he said gently” as she had looked over at him
“I’ve given it a lot of thought.” He said his face frowning with concentration
“Maybe we should get married” Lee looked up at him with shocked surprise on her face
“What” she gasped “but you said…” she began, as he had continued
“It would be the perfect solution. You want the lifestyle, and having a wife would make things easier for me. The press love you and…” his voice had become quieter and softer “in exchange I want children. On the island, you asked what was missing from my life, and it is children. You would be the perfect mother I know that and I know that we could have the perfect marriage”
“But you don’t love me” she said in surprise as he had frowned
“Love, doesn’t come into it…I’m talking about an arrangement which suits us both”
“A loveless marriage” she said softly
“What does love have to do with anything” he bit back “I am offering you everything you ever wanted. All the money you could ever spend”
Sadly she had looked at him “How do you know what I want Yanis”
“You tagged me as a heartbreaking, gold digging heartless bitch from the moment you saw me and despite everything you have never changed your opinion of me. I don’t need your money” she said softly
“I have plenty of my own”
Seeing Yanis about to argue she had looked at him
“I inherited a fortune from Mrs Green.. “she said a small note of pain audible as she mentioned the other woman’s name
“it was never about your money Yanis, and there seems little point in trying to make you understand because you can’t you are completely incapable of understanding…I feel sorry for you, you will never be able to love anybody, you will just move from one meaningless relationship to another”
She looked down again at her hands clasped so tightly on her knees
“I could never bring children into that kind of marriage Yanis, and I never want it for myself. When I do get married it will be to somebody who loves me”
He had looked at her with confusion and what seemed close to panic before anger once more filled those lovely eyes “Somebody like David Jones you mean”, he threw at her. “It must be such a relief to know that he is still interested Lee” he cried at her. “But just remember that the terms of our contract mean that you stay with me until I decide to end it” he said through gritted teeth, a strange wild look in his eyes
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