“I was disrespectful.” Scarlett nearly choked on the words. “It was as much my fault as his.”
“How many times have you been disrespectful?” he asked in a cold voice. “I never considered the possibility he was violent to his children,” he said almost silently.
“This is the first time he’s ever done anything like this, and it’s your fault. You’ve put him under tremendous stress.”
“And hitting a woman is a great stress reliever?” he asked in a rough voice. “What a wise and wonderful man Rocco Terini is.”
“It’s not your business.” Scarlett replaced the mask.
“You look ridiculous with that thing on,” Carter said with a hard laugh. “I’ve already seen the mark, so you can stop hiding behind your mask.”
“I could say the same thing to you,” Scarlett said harshly, without thought. There was a moment of dead silence, and Scarlett’s stomach cramped with fear at his retaliation.
“What does that mean?”
“I’ve never seen you without a suit on. And you wear it like armor.”
“I have my reasons.”
“Oh? I doubt that,” she countered.
He eventually reacted, but not in the way she had expected. “You want to see why I wear long sleeves and suits all the time?” Without waiting for Scarlett’s response, he pulled up his sleeve.
The skin was puckered, lined with red and white scars, and healed burns. The wounds were old, but still fierce, and mouth dropped open. “How did it happen?” she whispered in a shaky voice.
“Acid.” That was his only answer as he fixed his sleeve and then adjusted his bowtie.
The rest of the ride passed in deep, uncomfortable silence, and Scarlett was grateful to escape to her room when they finally arrived back at his estate. It was exactly as she’d left it, with all her clothes still in the bureau and closet. Her things were undisturbed. After checking the bathroom, she removed the dress and slid into bed, wondering if she would sleep. Her afternoon nap had refreshed her, and her eyes resisted closing. Visions of Carter’s ruined arm continually paraded through her head. Tears dripped down her cheeks, and she didn’t know if they were for herself or for him. How he must have suffered. When she finally dropped off, nightmares of her own arm being plunged in acid plagued her sleep.
8
Scarlett
After a poor night’s sleep, Scarlett slept late and didn’t go downstairs until lunchtime. From looking in the mirror, she knew her face was pale, her purple eyes rimmed in red. Darren was on the phone, and he waved at her with two fingers as he continued his conversation. “Yes, the meeting is scheduled for two weeks from tomorrow, Mr. Nancy.” The unseen Mr. Nancy said something, to which Darren responded, “It will go to the highest bidder, just like everything else, sir. Yes, we look forward to seeing you.” Another response, then, “That’s right, the Ritz-Carlton, Banquet room number 2.” He hung up.
“What was that all about?” Scarlett asked as she took a seat on the couch and crossed her legs.
Darren shifted uncomfortably and dropped his eyes. “Just business,” he mumbled.
“My father’s business?”
“It was,” Darren said as he pulled at the collar of his black t-shirt. “You look tired.”
“Long night,” Scarlett said in a neutral voice.
“How’s your ankle?” Darren asked. “Does it still hurt?”
Scarlett nodded. “Yes, it still throbs, and I left my brace at my father’s house.”
“Are you hungry?” Darren asked, ignoring her running away.
“Um hm,” Scarlett confirmed, standing up to follow him in to the dining room. She wondered if Carter would join them, then wondered if they would argue again. Most of their confrontations had happened in this room. Her face warmed as she recalled the one that had taken place in her bedroom. Why couldn’t she just forget that kiss?
An unfamiliar maid brought lunch. “It’s Ann’s day off,” Darren said when she asked. They were mostly finished with their meal when Carter came in to join them. “I finished with those calls,” said Darren.
Carter nodded. “I’ve finished the financial statements and prepared the reports. Everything is as done as it can be until the meeting.” He sighed as he dropped into his seat at the head of the table. “How would you like a vacation, Darren?”
“You know I don’t like to leave you without protection,” Darren said quickly. “‘Besides, don’t you think now is a dangerous time for me to go away?” He shot a subtle look at Scarlett. “What with business and such?”
“We’re all going,” said Carter. “I’ve spoken with my mother and she’s expecting us in two days.”
Scarlett frowned. “Your mother?”
“Did you think I sprang fully formed from the head of Athena, as she did from Zeus?” Carter asked in a mocking tone, ignoring Darren’s grin.
“No.” Scarlett shook her head, unsure of what she wanted to say.
“Do you like Greece?” Carter asked. “Your father used to own a villa there.”
“I’ve only been to Greece once. That was the year my mother got sick. As far as I know, my father closed the place up after that.”
“I own an island in the Cyclades chain.” He looked at her as he spoke, gauging her reaction. “It’s situated between Mykanos and Naxos. My mitera and two of my siblings live there year-round, and I like to visit two or three times a year. I’ve arranged for us to stay with Mama for a couple of weeks.”
Scarlett shrugged. “Okay.”
“No objections?”
“Would it matter if I objected?” Scarlett shrugged. “What’s the difference between here and Greece? At least it’s warm there.”
Darren smiled. “Well, it’s not exactly tropical. This time of year, it’s usually in the seventies.”
“It will be nice to get away,” said Scarlett.
“We’ll stop in New York,” Carter said decisively. “You’ll need new clothes I’m sure, as you didn’t bring much with you, and then fly out the day after. Darren, will you see to booking us into the Regency?”
Scarlett didn’t bother to pack anything more than an overnight bag since they would be shopping in New York. She felt odd accepting clothes from Carter, but had little choice in the matter. If she refused, she could picture Carter simply ordering things for her anyway.
Despite her best efforts to be annoyed with everything he did she was growing excited about their trip to Greece, though she wondered what kind of reception Carter’s family would give her. How would he explain her presence? Would he tell his mother about their insane bargain? Of course he wouldn’t, so what would he tell her? That Scarlett was his girlfriend?
Scarlett rolled her eyes at her silly thoughts and forced her attention back to getting dressed. Carter wouldn’t tell his mother they were involved. Knowing him, he probably wouldn’t give any explanations.
Darren and Carter were waiting for her downstairs, and the driver stood in the doorway. He took her bag, and they followed him out to the car. After stowing her case in the trunk, the chauffeur held open the door for them.
To Scarlett’s surprise, they did not drive into San Francisco to make their flight. The driver stopped the town car at a private airfield a few miles from Carter’s home, and they boarded a personal jet. The interior was plush cream leather, and carpeted in thick white carpeting. A flight attendant was on duty, and he brought them all drinks.
Silence filled the cabin, and Scarlett grew uncomfortable. Carter, dressed casually in khakis and a white button up, looked busy. It was the first time he hadn’t worn a suit around her. Was he becoming more comfortable with her since showing his scars? She wasn’t sure. He was busy poring over a thick file of papers, and Darren was behind a thick book. Scarlett wished she’d thought to bring a book or her ebook reader, but finally settled for watching a movie on the small television bolted in front of her. She chose a DVD from the basket brought to her by the attendant and dozed off as the heroine was realizi
ng just how tough it was to make it as an actor in Hollywood.
9
Carter
Carter sat across from Scarlett, beside Darren, and she drew his gaze to her silky hair, secured in a braid that hung over her shoulder. Her unusual purple eyes were obscured by lids naked of any make-up, and her lips bowed in an O. The gentle rise and fall of her breasts as she exhaled mesmerized him.
She was so vulnerable. Scarlett appeared to be sweet and innocent, and for a brief time, Carter could believe she was. How could her father’s corruptness have touched her in twenty short years? She seemed too pure to be his daughter, too unaffected by wealth and social position to be guilty of the crimes of which he’d accused her.
His eyes moved back to her face and settled on the mark on her cheek, left by Rocco Terini. It was an angry pink shade, with tints of brown and purple showing through. Rage sat like a hot ball in his stomach as he looked at the bruise, and Carter’s determination to destroy Rocco grew even more.
The jet was designed for long trips, so they did not touch down to refuel anywhere between San Francisco and New York. They left the plane at another private airstrip and took a taxi to their hotel. Darren had booked Scarlett into a suite on the floor with Carter’s. Carter knew Darren was trying to push them together, but he wouldn’t have it. Regardless of taking Scarlett to meet his mother, this was still a business arrangement. No matter how beautiful and innocent she could be.
Scarlett
Not wanting to spend the night in her room on her first visit to New York, Scarlett changed into a black crop top and a high waisted skirt and set out to explore the nightlife. She didn’t have much money left, so she would be conservative of where she went, choosing to walk instead of hailing cabs. Her ankle would protest at the exercise, but she’d worn flat shoes to be on the safe side.
Just as she was passing Carter’s door, he opened it, revealing himself still dressed casually.
“Going somewhere?”
“Is that not allowed?”
“Scarlett, as I have assured you many times, you are not my prisoner.”
“Then stop treating me like one. I’m just going out for a bit.”
“And your ankle?”
So he was pretending to be concerned. That was crap. “It’s fine,” she lied.
“Then enjoy your evening. We’ll be shopping in the morning, I would appreciate if you weren’t totally spent.”
“Aka hungover. You’re telling me to not get wasted at some bar tonight.”
He didn’t respond.
“I’m a lady, a classy one at that. And I’m smart.”
“I never indicated you weren’t.”
She rolled her eyes, “Goodnight Carter.”
He stood in the door and smiled, it made her even crazier. “Good night.”
Scarlett stopped at a coffee shop for mocha just outside the hotel and watched the other customers come in and out. She wondered what it would be like to live in New York City, amidst the hustle and bustle of the daily grind. Though she’d lived near San Francisco all her life, she had grown up at Terini Manor, and was suddenly feeling very sheltered.
After all, how many other girls would have allowed themselves to be used as collateral in a business deal? Most daughters would have told their fathers to go to hell, but she’d been responsible, as usual. Look where it had gotten her. Practically a prisoner of a man who hated her and her entire family. A man who would never believe she could love him...
Scarlett’s eyes widened at that intrusive thought. She didn’t love Carter, and she wasn’t falling in love with him either. He couldn’t even tolerate her presence. When she was near him, he was rude and abrasive, accusing her of being manipulative and greedy at every turn. No, she simply could not be falling for that man, she assured herself.
It was late the next afternoon when the plane landed on Carter’s private island, Thakilopos. The temperature was peaking in the upper-eighties, and Scarlett wished she’d worn something cooler. Feeling absurdly nervous about meeting Carter’s family, she’d chosen to dress conservatively in khaki slacks and a prim white blouse with frilly cuffs. Now she longed to strip off the clothes and put on the new swimsuit she’d purchased in New York.
A silver Cadillac waited for them, and Darren rode in the front with the driver, while Scarlett and Carter shared the back seat. She stuck her head out the window and took a deep breath. The humidity was high, and the air felt heavy and moist, making beads of sweat appear on her brow almost instantly.
It was a small island and appeared to have only this one road cutting through it. They were only a mile or so from the sandy, brown beaches and sparkling Aegean Sea. The car halted after a few short minutes, and Scarlett stepped out of the Cadillac, anxious to see the villa.
It was a squarish stone building, whitewashed, with olive trees in the yard. The grass was bright green, freshly mown, and masses of greenery grew in organized chaos. Scarlett followed Carter inside the house, noticing the exquisite marble steps, and gasped in delight as they went in the entry way. A breathtaking mosaic of Diana was inlaid under their feet, the details painstaking. “This is lovely.”
“My sister Thea designed it.” Pride warmed his voice. “She studied art in Europe and worked at the Louvre for a time before returning home. Now she paints and sculpts. In her free time, what little there is,” he shared an amused look with Darren, “She donates her services to restore ancient Grecian art.”
“Does she live here?” asked Scarlett, eager to meet the woman responsible for the beautiful art they were standing on.
Carter nodded. “Yes, she lives here with Mama, and my other sister, Lydia, and her son Noah.”
Scarlett was unable to ask any more questions as his family descended upon them. The two younger women were beautiful, with olive complexions and wildly curling black hair. They both talked rapidly in Greek. Scarlett turned her attention to the older woman standing slightly behind her daughters and saw she was being observed.
Carter’s mother was tall and elegant. Her thick, black hair, streaked liberally through with gray, was bound on her head in a bun, making her look almost severe. The warm smile of welcome on her face counteracted Scarlett’s first impression. In accented English, she asked Carter, “Who is this lovely woman you have brought with you?”
Carter hesitated briefly, and Scarlett had an insane urge to blurt out a name, any name, as long as it wasn’t her own. She was saved from doing anything foolish by Carter’s reply. “This is Scarlett,” he said, pausing as he looked at his sisters, then his mother. “Terini.”
His sisters, who were filled with friendly chatter only moments ago, fell silent, their mouths gaping open. His mother’s eyes widened with surprise, and maybe something more. Her welcoming smile disappeared, and Scarlett felt exposed before them. “Hello,” she said, trying to sound bright and cheerful, but only managing flat and hoarse.
A sudden flurry of Greek began, and Carter responded to them in the language they all shared. Darren seemed to understand it too, as Scarlett saw him wince a couple of times, usually when Carter raised his voice.
A sullen silence fell, and they stood there awkwardly. Carter took a deep breath, but there was still a flush to his cheeks. “Scarlett, this is my mother, Athena.”
Scarlett held out her hand, and Athena accepted it. It wasn’t a cordial exchange, but she wasn’t openly hostile. She turned to be introduced to the taller sister. Her eyes were dark and full of anger, and she held herself stiffly. “Scarlett, this is Thea.”
Scarlett extended her hand, but the other woman made no move to accept it. “This is a beautiful mosaic,” she said, faltering as those angry eyes continued to drill into her.
“You are not worthy to stand upon it,” Thea snapped, earning a sharp rebuke in Greek from her brother.
The last sister, who could only be Lydia, was also openly hostile. Scarlett didn’t bother to offer her hand, and she said nothing. After a tense silence, Lydia suddenly burst out, “How can
you bring her here to our home, Carter? After what her father did? How can you bring such a traitor into this house?” With an angry sniff, Lydia turned on her heel and stomped away, quickly followed by Thea. Only Athena remained, and she was standing quietly, watchful.
Finally she spoke. “I did not know you were bringing a guest,” she said to Carter before turning to Scarlett, “So it will take a little time to arrange a room for you, Ms. Terini.”
“Please call me Scarlett.”
After a brief hesitation, Athena nodded once, “That would be for the best, I’m sure,” she said cryptically. “Let us have refreshments on the patio while we wait for your room.”
Scarlett followed Carter and his mother through the house, as Darren brought up the rear. Athena disappeared inside to order the room prepared before reappearing with a tray of fruit juice and biscuits. Conversation was stilted as they waited for the time to pass. “What do you do, Scarlett?” Athena asked as she refilled her glass.
“I’m a student. And you, Mrs. Braxton?”
“You may call me Athena,” she said. “Thanks to my son, I am a lady of leisure.” She gave Carter a proud smile.
“As you deserve to be,” Carter said quickly. “Mama is also active with several charities and often goes into Athens for social functions or charitable causes. Lydia is following in her footsteps.”
A maid appeared to let Athena know that the room was ready, so they went into the house and she took Scarlett into a spare room. It was not very large, but had a bed, a dresser, and a small attached bathroom, making it more than adequate.
To Scarlett’s surprise, Athena closed the door behind her and turned to Scarlett, looking very serious. “I must apologize for the reactions of my daughters, and for myself. I’m sure you can understand how shocked we were to hear your name, but that does not excuse our rudeness.”
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