The Billion-Dollar Marriage Contract

by Alyssa Urbano

  Nikos looked at her and he stifled the urge to gather her in his arms and hold her close. Then he reeled with shock at his own thoughts.

  Now where did that come from?

  He stopped himself from reaching across the space between them and placing her head on his shoulder or brushing that stray lock of hair away from her cheek.

  He knew she wasn’t ready for that yet.

  Neither was he.

  They’d just end up having another fight and he’d rather they both reserved their energy for later. He knew she would not like it when he told her that he really intended to bring her to his private island in Greece. There was also the inevitable talk about what happened earlier and what Hector Petrides had to do with all of this.

  After a few more seconds, Cassia’s breathing evened. Nikos told his driver to drive slowly. He reached under him and pulled out a small pillow and a thick blanket. He placed the pillow under her head and wrapped the blanket around her.

  Then, he contented himself by sitting back and looking at her while she rested.

  A few minutes later he looked down and noticed the dried blood in his shirt.

  He crinkled his nose in disgust and decided that a bath would be the very first thing on his list to do once they arrive at the on his plane. For now, he just grabbed a hand towel from the back of his car and emptied the remaining contents of his bottled drinking water on it. He rubbed it on his skin until all traces of the blood vanished. He then grabbed a new shirt and changed.

  After an hour of being driven through New York City traffic, Cassia opened her eyes and looked wearily at her surroundings. She seemed to be confused but when she looked at the man beside her, the haze in her eyes quickly cleared.

  “Nikos? My apartment is at 157 West 57th Street. Where are we going?”

  “Somewhere safe,” he replied tersely.

  “Where exactly is that?”

  “I told you. My home.My island in Greece.”

  “I thought that was some sick joke! You can’t seriously consider bringing me to Greece!”

  This time her voice was more of a growl. Nikos could definitely hear the threat behind the question.

  “We will go to Greece,” he said firmly.

  “No way!”

  Her voice was loud enough that the driver flinched and swerved to the right. Nikos quickly grabbed Cassia so that her injured shoulder wouldn’t hit the door of the car. He cursed in his native tongue as he held her tightly but she pushed him away and he was forced to let go.

  Nikos decided to vent his anger on the driver instead. He barked loud and low and told him to be more careful next time.

  “There’s no way in hell that I am going to Greece with you, Nikos Demakis. No fucking way.”

  She said his name with such disdain that he winced.

  “Yes, you are. I will keep you safe there, Cassia Demakis.” He emphasized her last name and this time it was she who flinched.

  He had hoped that she would sleep throughout the ride to the airport but it seemed as if the fight would have to happen early.

  Nikos rubbed his temples and faced his spitfire of a wife.

  “Cassia, we will go to Greece so that you will be better protected. I live in a private island so it’s much better. It’s safe and it’s built like a fortress.”

  “I don’t care! I can protect myself, Nikos! I also have money! I can hire a team of bodyguards!”

  “Their loyalty can be bought. When it comes to security, I trust only my own people and Alex’s. My home is in a small island that can only be reached by boat or by plane. It’s a convenient location.”

  “Again, there’s no way I am going to Greece with you, Nikos. You hear me? No way!”

  “Remember our anniversary dinner at the restaurant? Well, just think of this as the start of us spending time together,” he suggested.

  The man truly had some nerve.

  “I already told you no! Have you forgotten that I’ll be divorcing you?! Have you heard nothing of what I’ve told you?” Cassia seethed.

  “Hearing and understanding are two different things. Yes, I heard you but I chose ignore what you said. I told you that divorce is out of the question. There will be no divorce, ever. Now, the only option left is whether you want to make the rest of our lives hell or if you will try and work with me to attain some sort of peace between us.”

  Cassia glared at him and then threw her head back and gave a sarcastic laugh.“That’s never going to happen. In your eyes, I am a lying, money-grabbing, spoiled bitch.”

  “I will reconsider all your past lies and behavior if you, too, would decide to bury the past so we could both move forward,” Nikos declared calmly.

  “No.”

  “Very well then, choose the hard way. We are still going to Greece. End of story.”

  “I can’t just go to Greece! My life and my work are here! I have several social commitments!”

  “We can always fly back for those if needed. My private jet is at your disposal. By the way, from your shop, I saw that you were already planning for a vacation. My assistant saw the list and the things you’ve packed. I asked him to bring all of it and to go back to your apartment and get the others so that you’d have everything you need when we land on Greece. I have several free rooms in my house and you can convert one of them into your office or studio.”

  “Everyone will look for me!” Cassia shouted.

  Nikos just raised an eyebrow.

  “Then I’ll tell them you’re with me; that we are in our home in Greece. It’s natural for a husband and wife to get together.”

  “But...but—“ Cassia spluttered.

  “Ran out of excuses, agape mou?”

  Her jaw fell open at the arrogance displayed by the man in front of her. She wanted to say a clever retort but the shock and fury going through her body seemed to also numb her brain. Instead, she looked out of the window and took several deep breaths to calm herself while thinking of another excuse.

  “I can’t go to Greece because I have a vacation planned with someone.”

  Nikos lifted a brow in query and then leaned forward and placed his chin in his hand.

  “By all means, tell me. Is it with Hector Petrides?”

  “None of your business.”

  “It is my business because you are my wife and you are under my protection. You carry my name and everything you do has an effect on me and the company.”

  “I didn’t give a shit what you did all those years, Nikos. I didn’t bat an eye when you dated all the supermodels in the world. I did not lecture you with ‘because you are my husband, every bimbo you dated reflects on me and the company.’ So don’t give me that reason. It’s bullshit.”

  “I didn’t know you kept tabs on me all those years, agape mou. Contrary to popular belief, I did not date all the supermodels in the world. That would have been impossible.” Nikos grinned.

  Cassia snorted, “Don’t think too highly of yourself.”

  Nikos chuckled. She infuriated him unlike any other person and it was a refreshing change.

  “We are still going to Greece. My word is final. There are things going on here that you don’t know anything about. Things connected to your attempted kidnapping and to your Hector Petrides,” the last few words came out as a low growl.

  Cassia snapped at attention when she heard Hector’s name.

  “What is it about Hector? What happened?” she asked in a shrill voice.

  Nikos’ lips pursed into a tight line.

  “This conversation will be reserved for later until you are well enough for it,” he answered.

  “Don’t treat me as an invalid! I can handle anything!”

  “I doubt it. Trust me on this one, Cassia. We’ll talk about this. There’s a proper time and place for everything. For now, rest and don’t do anything ridiculous. I’ll have you guarded all the time so there’s no use escaping,” Nikos told her as he crossed his arms over his chest.

  Cassia grabbed his arm an
d squeezed.

  “Please, Nikos. I have a right to know. I can handle it,” she swore.

  He sighed and ran his fingers through his hair.

  For a few minutes, he gazed out the window contemplating as to whether he should tell her or not. She had a right to know but he felt like he didn’t have the proper words to tell her. Then maybe evidence could speak for him at this point.

  “Hand me my briefcase in the back, will you?” he asked the bodyguards who sat behind them. They handed it to him and he retrieved an envelope from it and handed it to her.

  Fear raced down her spine when she saw several pictures of Hector.

  “What is this?”

  “Alex believes that Hector Petrides has been involved in several illegal activities. Years ago, his business was failing and in order to save it, he struck a deal with the devil. The devil was in the form of one of the drug lords from the one and only Greek drug cartel.”

  Cassia’s hand shook as she flipped through the photographs.

  “He’s been the instrument of this drug cartel to ship their drugs to the United States in return for their protection for him and for more and more money for his business.”

  “No...”

  “Alex is working on this case. He’s been tracking that drug cartel as one of his assignments. He stumbled across Hector’s involvement and further unearthed his involvement with you. Alex came and told me you were at risk.”

  “No! This isn’t true! Hector is not involved with drugs!” she cried.

  She tried to deny it repeatedly but deep down she knew there was some truth in what Nikos was saying.

  About five or six years ago, Hector’s business had been failing. He talked to her about closing everything and he was so beat up about it. She even offered him a loan but he didn’t want to accept. One day, he told her he had the money to reopen his business and it flourished ever since.

  But...

  Also starting that day, Hector had less time for her. He was always away on what he said were business trips. When he returned, he was more stressed than before. When they went out on dates, he often received a call and then he would just simply disappear.

  What baffled Cassia was that Hector was now at the top of his game. He should be able to always take a break and enjoy the money he got from his hard work! He had a highly competent staff to which he could delegate the running of his business for a few days so that he could go on a vacation.

  But he always said no.

  He always told her that there were things he should handle by himself and could never delegate. She did not understand it back then but she just assumed he was one of those people who were perfectionists and wanted to do everything themselves.

  I could never be more wrong.

  Tears filled Cassia’s eyes as her shaking fingers took hold of one of the photographs where drugs placed in boxes were being hauled at the docks then placed inside vans painted with the logo of his hotel. There was also a clear photo of him supervising everything.

  It was truly damning evidence.

  “This isn’t possible...” she whispered.

  Her vision was already clouded by tears but she hastily wiped them away so she could gaze more at the photographs and the written report in front of her.

  “Cassia...” Nikos’ voice shook. He frowned when he saw the tears in her eyes and reached out towards her but she slapped his hand away.

  “What is this?” Cassia gasped.

  She lifted a photograph and then showed it to him. It showed the body of a boy, someone who could not be more than twenty, and there was a bullet hole in his forehead.

  Nikos pursed his lips and grabbed the photograph from her.

  “We believe it’s one of the waiters from Hector’s staff who found out what the shipment contained. He was killed because of the knowledge he bore.”

  Cassia’s stomach rolled and nausea overwhelmed her. She covered her mouth and tried to breathe deeply to avoid being sick. At the same time, a heavy feeling of dread settled over her shoulders and her tears turned into huge sobs.

  She picked up one photograph of Hector where his face was clear. She gripped it tightly and raised her other hand to trace along the edges of his handsome features.

  Uncaring about who was listening, she cried her heart out.

  “Cassia...shh...” Nikos gathered her in his arms.

  He kissed her temple as he tried to comfort her.

  “Now, I hope you understand why I have to protect you. Hector fucked up somehow and now the entire cartel is after him. They would use you to get to him.”

  Cassia sobbed harder when she realized the truth in his words. This was why Hector sounded so frantic when he last spoke to her. This was why he wanted her to take a vacation and told her she wasn’t safe.

  “I won’t grant you the divorce either. I can’t have you go to someone like him. The life you believe you’ll be having with him is all an illusion. He can’t give you something normal. The drug cartel would always come first. There’s no escaping them.”

  Cassia gasped in outrage and pushed Nikos back.

  “How dare you speak like that?! You know nothing, Nikos! Hector is a good man! I know that his desperation for his business caused him to do this! But his intentions were pure! He did this because his business was all he had! Desperation drives even the best men to sin and to do what they don’t want to! You should know, right?”

  Nikos sucked in a breath after hearing her question.

  “You were forced to marry someone you believe is equivalent to a spoiled heiress and a monster when Demakis International was about to be snatched away from your family!”

  Nikos opened his mouth to argue but Cassia kept on speaking.

  “What makes you any different? Please stop making accusations and stop pointing fingers! You are just like him!” Cassia snapped.

  Her words chilled him to his very core. He could not accept that she was comparing him to Hector.

  But he also couldn’t help the tightening in his chest as he realized what she told him was true.

  Later that Day

  La Guardia Airport

  New York City

  “Before we board the plane, I need to go to the bathroom.”

  “There’s one on the plane. You can just go there,” Nikos replied dryly as he looked up from the newspaper he was reading. They were seated in the VIP lounge of the airport while they waited for his private jet to be ready.

  “No. I have to go now.”

  In truth, she needed to escape his presence so that she could call Hector and ask him about what she just learned.

  Nikos sighed, “Very well then.”

  He nodded to two of Cassia’s guards and asked them to escort her to the nearest comfort room. The guards thoroughly checked the stalls before they let Cassia inside. After she was done with her business, she began looking for pay phones.

  But there were none.

  She poked her head outside of the door and called one of her guards.

  “Can I borrow your phone?” she whispered.

  “Ma’am, I do not think that is wise,” the guard told her firmly.

  “I have just been attacked and my store has been ruined. I need to call my assistant toleave instructions about the shop and about what happened earlier. In a few minutes, I’ll be flying to Greece and I’ll be leaving the poor guy alone to handle everything that happened.”

  “I advise that you discuss this with your husband.”

  “Haven’t you noticed that he’s a busy man? Besides, I have a few instructions for my assistant regarding private matters that he need not bother himself about. I promise I will just be quick.”

  Reluctantly, the guard handed her his phone.

  “Please be quick, ma’am. I think the jet is almost ready.”

  Cassia nodded to her guard and then closed the door and went to the farthest part of the bathroom where she was sure they wouldn’t overhear any conversation.

  She quickly dialed He
ctor’s number. He told her last time that he’d change his number but she prayed that it was still the one he used.

  His phone rang but he didn’t pick up. She decided that she would just leave him a message and waited for his voicemail.

  “Hector... It’s me Cassia. Something happened and I—“

  “Cassia?!I told you not to call. It isn’t safe!” he cried frantically.

  “Hector...listen. Something happened. My store was attacked. There were men who came there with the intent of kidnapping me—“

  “What?! Are you okay? What happened? Where are you?”

  “Calm down, Hector. I’m fine. Just a little bit shaken. I was shot in the arm but it’s only a flesh wound and I already had it tended by doctors. I was just in my shop while packing my things to go on that vacation as you ordered. Before I knew it, the glass shattered and there were men barging inside my store.”

  Hector cursed under his breath.

  “Cassia...I don’t know what to say. This is all my fault.”

  “Hector...I know this is not the time to talk about this...but Nikos told me several things. And I just have to know.”

  “What did he say?” Hector’s tone was icy.

  She never heard him use that tone before.

  “He said that you are part of the Greek drug cartel.”

  There was silence from his end for a long time. Finally, he sighed.

  “It’s true Cassia. But I don’t want to be with them anymore. I wanted to end it all so I could be free. I did it for you! For us! I talked to them about it and they agreed on one condition. There was a last shipment. It was bigger than anything else. I think it was worth close to a billion dollars,” he confessed.

  “What happened?” she asked hesitantly.

  Each word from him broke hear heart. But she needed to know the entire truth.

  “I failed that shipment. Something happened. I don’t know what. Maybe someone heard about it and stole everything. Maybe someone fucked up from my team. It’s lost and no matter what I do, I can’t retrieve it...I failed them Cassia...” his voice broke on a sob.

  “Hector... it’s going to be all right. I promise you.”

  “It’s not! That mistake is going to cost me my life! This is why I am hiding! This is why I want you to hide! We’ll never be safe. What happened to you is my fault.”