Bought for the Marriage Bed

by MELANIE MILBURNE

  ‘You looked very beautiful tonight,’ he said, taking her hand as she got out of the car, his eyes holding hers as his thumb moved back and forth on the sensitive skin of her wrist.

  ‘Marc…’ She moistened her mouth, her throat closing over when his head came down, her breath stalling as his lips found hers.

  His kiss was gentle at first, his hands light on her as he drew her even closer. Nina felt herself melting against him, her limbs loosening as his kiss became more insistent and his tongue more demanding as it mated sensually with hers.

  Her hands found their way to his hair, her fingers burying in the black silk while her chest pushed against his with the urgency of her fast-growing need for more. She felt his hands at her breasts, shaping her, caressing her through the slippery fabric of her gown, the slide of silk over her tingling flesh an added delight to her highly tuned senses.

  His groan as he pressed her back against the car stirred her into a frenzy of wanting. She ached for his hard thick presence and reached to touch him intimately, her fingers going to his waistband and releasing it to explore his jutting contours. He was hot and hard and heavy in her hands, his breathing becoming ragged as she explored him boldly.

  His hand reached for the fall of her dress, sliding it up over her hips to bunch at her waist as his long fingers sought her liquid warmth. She gasped as he shifted the tiny lace panties out of his way, his fingers touching her tenderly but masterfully until she was breathless with the building sensations that were ricocheting through her.

  She clung to him as he withdrew his fingers, replacing them with his solid length in one deep thrust that arched her backwards against the car. She felt her inner muscles clench him tightly, the shockwaves of delight coursing through her as he moved within her deeply and possessively, his building urgency inciting her own.

  A cry burst from her lips as she neared the summit, her hips rocking with the motion of his to take her that final step. Her breath whooshed out of her when she finally made it, the earth-shattering feelings cascading through her veins like bubbles of champagne instead of blood. She felt light-headed and disconnected, her brain floating on a sea of pleasure, the receding tide washing over her in soft strokes like the lace of a foamy wave.

  She opened her eyes to see the dark intensity of Marc’s looking at her as he neared his own pinnacle of pleasure, his face contorted with the anticipation of rapidly approaching ecstasy. She held him as he shuddered against her, his body spilling into hers, his deeply muttered groans of release making her skin tingle with vicarious pleasure.

  He was still breathing hard when he stepped back from her, his hands readjusting his trousers, his eyes still lit from behind as he held her gaze without speaking.

  Nina smoothed down her gown and put a hand to her tumbling hair, her eyes falling away from his as she bent to retrieve the bag that had slipped to the floor at her feet.

  His hand reached her bag first and they straightened together, Nina doing her best to appear unaffected by what had happened between them even though her legs were still shaking with reaction.

  Marc tipped up her chin and forced her to look at him. ‘Do not hide from me, Nina. I like to see the light of pleasure in your eyes.’

  ‘I’m not hiding from you.’ She took a breath and twisted out of his hold. ‘Let’s go inside. I feel cold.’

  Marc let her go, following her into the house with a small frown etched between his brows.

  Lucia was hovering in the foyer as soon as Nina opened the door, Marc just a few steps behind.

  ‘What’s wrong?’ Nina asked, her blood running cold at the worried look on the housekeeper’s face. ‘Is Georgia all right?’

  ‘Georgia is fine.’ Lucia’s hands twisted together as her eyes flicked towards the salon leading off the foyer.

  ‘What is going on?’ Marc asked as he closed the door behind him.

  The housekeeper sent Nina an agonised look before turning to her employer. ‘Signora Marcello has a visitor,’ she announced.

  Nina felt her colour drain away, her limbs going weak and her head swimming with panic.

  ‘Who is it?’ Marc asked as he shrugged himself out of his dinner jacket. ‘Anyone I would know?’

  There was a sound as the salon door opened and Marc looked up to see a mirror image of his wife framed in the doorway.

  ‘Hello, Marc,’ Nadia purred.

  Nina felt the full force of Marc’s dark eyes as they sought hers, his mouth a rigid line of incredulity, shock and unmistakable anger.

  ‘Are you going to tell me what the hell is going on or am I supposed to guess?’ His voice was razor-sharp.

  Nina gave a convulsive swallow. ‘I was going to tell you—’

  Nadia stepped forward with a seductive sway of her hips, cutting her sister off mid-sentence. ‘Isn’t she a naughty little thing, Marc? Pretending to be me so she could get her hands on Georgia’s inheritance.’

  Nina gasped and grabbed Marc’s arm to make him look at her. ‘That’s not true!’

  He looked down at her hand on his sleeve, his expression one of distaste as he peeled it off, finger by finger.

  He turned to his housekeeper and politely asked her to leave. Lucia gave Nina one last worried glance and made her way down the hall with slow steps that communicated her reluctance.

  ‘Both of you.’ Marc indicated the door of the salon. ‘In here—now.’

  Nadia sashayed her way back into the room, casting a sultry look over her shoulder at Marc as she did so.

  Nina clenched her jaw and followed stiffly in her wake, her stomach twisting in despair.

  Marc waited until the door was closed behind him before he spoke. ‘Now, let us start from the beginning. Which of you is Georgia’s mother?’

  ‘I am.’ Nadia stepped forward. ‘I left her with Nina for a short period only to find she had stepped into my shoes while my back was turned.’

  Nina’s eyes flared in anger. ‘I did no such thing! You abandoned her!’

  ‘Don’t listen to her.’ Nadia’s eyes glistened with ready tears. ‘I love my daughter; she’s all I have left of Andre. Nina was jealous. All she’s ever wanted was to get married and have a baby. She tricked you into marrying her.’

  ‘Marc!’ Nina swung to face him. ‘You mustn’t listen to her! She’s making it up!’

  He looked at her for a brief moment before turning back to Nadia. ‘I would like to speak to my…Nina alone for a moment. Will you excuse us?’

  Nadia lifted her chin. ‘She’ll only tell more lies to cover her back. She did it for the money, you know. In spite of what she says, that’s what she’s after.’

  Marc’s hold on Nina’s arm bit into her flesh as he led her out of the room, his face tight and his usually full mouth thin-lipped.

  Nina didn’t speak as he escorted her upstairs. She took one look at the rage on his features and decided to wait until they were out of earshot of her twin.

  Marc pushed open the door of his room and ushered her in, snapping it shut behind them.

  His eyes hit hers—hard.

  ‘You had better have a very good explanation for your behaviour or I swear to God you will wish you had never been born.’

  ‘I was going to tell you—’

  ‘When?’ he barked at her. ‘When were you going to tell me you had deceived me in such a despicable way?’

  ‘I didn’t do it deliberately—’ she began.

  ‘Do not lie to me!’ he shouted. ‘You played me for a fool from the start.’ He shoved a hand through his hair and stepped away from her, shaking his head in disbelief. ‘I cannot believe you would stoop so low.’ He turned back to glare at her. ‘Was it worth it? Did you have a good laugh behind my back at how you had tricked me?’

  ‘No! I—’

  ‘Damn you, Nina,’ he ground out darkly as he came towards her, his hands clenched by his sides. ‘You made a fool out of me and that I will not forgive.’

  ‘Marc…please let me explain.’ She twisted her ha
nds in front of her in agitation. ‘I didn’t mean it to go this far. When you arrived at my flat that day I was so concerned you were going to take Georgia away. I had to do something! I didn’t know it would lead to this, I swear I didn’t.’

  ‘Why did you not come clean when you had the chance?’ he asked. ‘You have strung me along with a web of lies the whole time. You have had numerous opportunities to tell me and yet you did not.’

  ‘I know! I’m sorry…I was frightened. I thought you wouldn’t let me see Georgia any more. You kept threatening to take her away; I had no choice.’

  He gave a disgusted sound at the back of his throat and turned away from her. ‘You must think me the biggest fool, but don’t forget I know that as soon as that money was put in your account you spent it.’

  ‘I didn’t spend it! I gave it to Nadia as she insist—’

  ‘You cooked this up together, did you not?’ His eyes grew dark and dangerous.

  ‘What?’ She looked at him in bewilderment.

  He gave a cynical snort. ‘I can see what you have been up to. The twin routine is an old one but effective if played well. And you certainly played it very well, very well indeed. You switched personalities with the blink of an eye.’

  ‘I’m not proud of what I did but I—’

  His venomous look cut her off. ‘Was it fun, Nina? Was it fun making a fool out of me? Did you enjoy yourself? Did you get off on the fact that I could not help myself, that I slept with you in spite of my determination not to?’

  ‘I never intended sleeping with you. You have to believe that.’

  ‘I believe nothing of what you say!’ he spat. ‘How can I, after all you have done?’

  ‘I didn’t mean to hurt you.’

  ‘Hurt me?’ He gave her an imperious look. ‘You would have to try much harder, Nina, if you wanted to hurt me. I am well used to the perfidious nature of women like you and know how to protect myself.’ He swung away to open the door, indicating he was finished with her. ‘I will give you until midday tomorrow to get out of my house. I will send the divorce papers to you as soon as you provide me with a forwarding address.’

  Nina stared at him, shock rendering her immobile, her legs refusing to take her even one step forward.

  ‘Did you not hear me?’ he asked.

  ‘I want to see Georgia regularly,’ she said, trying to keep the tears back.

  A tiny nerve pulsed at the corner of his mouth. ‘That will depend entirely on her mother.’

  ‘Nadia doesn’t care for Georgia. She only cares for herself. She abused her. I know it for a fact. And she’ll do it again just as our mother did.’

  ‘Your sister is Georgia’s mother and therefore her legal guardian. You have no say in what happens to her.’

  ‘Nor do you,’ she pointed out.

  ‘Your sister and I will no doubt come to some mutually satisfying arrangement.’

  ‘As long as there is plenty of money involved, Nadia will be very satisfied,’ she said bitterly. ‘But you should think twice before you leave her alone with Georgia. She is not to be trusted.’

  ‘And you think you have the market cornered on trust?’ he sneered. ‘You, who lied to me every time you could? Why should I believe a single word you say?’

  ‘I wanted what was best for Georgia. That was my only motivation. I don’t care if you don’t believe me; you can’t make it untrue just by not believing what I say.’

  He gave her a brittle look. ‘I would prefer it if I did not have to see you again. I will arrange for a car to take you to the airport tomorrow but as far as I am concerned I never want to set eyes on you again.’

  Nina knew she was beaten. She saw it in the hard glitter of his eyes and in the tight set of his mouth. Hatred seeped from every pore of his body towards her, stinging her in its intensity.

  She stalked past him, refusing to allow him to see how broken she really was. She kept her expression blank, her shoulders straight and her head at a devil-may-care angle.

  She made it to her room just in time, the tears flowing from so deep inside her she couldn’t stem the flow. She lay face down on the bed and sobbed until her throat was raw and her eyes swollen. After a few minutes she dragged herself up and, stuffing what she could into a small bag, hoisted it over her shoulder. She crept into Georgia’s room and stood looking down at her for a few heart-wrenching moments.

  She touched the baby’s petal-like cheek with her fingers. ‘Goodbye, darling, I will never forget you as long as I live. I’d do anything to keep you, but Marc…’ She bit her lip. ‘Marc doesn’t want me.’ She choked back a sob and continued. ‘He loves you, sweetie. He loves you a lot. I know he will be a wonderful father to you. I know that with every beat of my heart.’

  Nina closed the door softly and made her way down the stairs and, with barely a sound, walked out of the house and out of Marc’s life as if she had never been.

  Marc had returned to the salon, where Nadia Selbourne was helping herself to a large tumbler of his best brandy. She gave him a seductive smile and raised her glass in a toast as he came in.

  ‘Sorted out everything, Marc? Did she confess?’

  He compressed his lips and ran a hand through his hair in a distracted manner without answering.

  ‘She’s always been jealous of me, you know,’ Nadia continued. ‘I’ve always been the one with the boyfriends but no one takes a second look at her because she’s too shy. Pathetic, don’t you think? I mean she’s still a bloody virgin, unless you’ve dealt with that. At twenty-four! Can you believe it?’

  Marc froze.

  Nadia sat down and crossed her long legs, her eyes running over him speculatively. ‘I take it you want to keep Georgia?’

  He finally located his voice. ‘Yes.’

  She gave him a look from beneath her lashes, the glass in her hand making a slight ringing noise as she ran her fingertip around the rim. ‘I can’t give her what you can give her.’ She made a little moue with her lips. ‘But if you want to adopt her…well…’ She gave a streetwise smile. ‘I won’t stand in your way if the price is right, so to speak.’

  Marc forced himself to concentrate on what she was saying, even though his mind was flying off at disturbing tangents.

  ‘Name your price.’

  She named a figure that would have shocked him under any other circumstances.

  ‘I’ll have the legal papers drawn up in the morning,’ he said.

  Nadia uncrossed then re-crossed her legs, a little smile still playing about her mouth. ‘Why not give me an advance right now? I need to find somewhere to stay—unless you have a bed I could use?’

  Marc ground his teeth behind his cool polite smile. ‘How much?’ he asked, reaching for his wallet.

  She got up from the sofa and floated over to him, her talon-tipped fingers taking the wad of notes he held out to her. ‘You know…’ She tiptoed her fingertips up the front of his shirt. ‘You are so much nicer than your brother. He wouldn’t give me anything in the end.’

  Marc removed her hand. ‘He gave you a child.’

  She gave another pout. ‘I never wanted her. I only went through with it because Nina insisted.’

  Marc fought with himself not to physically throw her out. He couldn’t believe how two sisters, and twins at that, could be so different. Nadia was everything Nina was not. And, fool that he was, he hadn’t realised it till now.

  ‘I will call you a cab,’ he said, moving towards the phone.

  ‘Are you sure you don’t want me to stay and keep you company?’ She gave him a little wink as she slid a hand down her hip in a seductive manner.

  ‘No.’ He held the door open for her. ‘I will see you out.’

  Once Nadia had left, Marc went upstairs in search of Nina, his apology already rehearsed in his head. How could he have got it so wrong? Of course Nina would have done whatever she could to protect Georgia—including marrying a man she didn’t know—rather than allow her niece to suffer being brought up by a totally self
ish mother.

  How had he not guessed? She was nothing like Nadia. She was loyal and devoted, selfless and shy, and—he gave a painful swallow—she had been a virgin.

  ‘Nina?’ He knocked at her door but there was no answer. He opened it but it was empty except for a few scattered articles of clothing suggesting she had packed in a hurry, not bothering to take everything with her.

  ‘Nina!’He called out louder as he went through to the nursery, the door swinging back against the wall in his haste.

  Georgia awoke with a start and immediately began crying, her tiny frightened sobs galvanizing him out of his temporary stasis.

  ‘Hey there, little one,’ he soothed as he picked her up, holding her over his shoulder, stroking her as he made his way back through the rest of the villa in search of Nina.

  Georgia was inconsolable, her cries growing louder and more frantic, as if she sensed the panic coming off him in waves.

  ‘Do not cry,’ he pleaded as he searched the downstairs rooms. ‘We will find her, do not worry. We have to find her.’

  After twenty minutes he knew he was beaten. Nina was gone and he was left holding the baby—a very unhappy baby who was crying out for the mother she had come to know as her own.

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  NINA decided against using the airport at Naples and hailed a cab to take her to Rome instead. She took the first available flight, arriving in Sydney bleary-eyed and broken-hearted. She stayed with Elizabeth for a week, hardly coming out of her room, her eyes red from bouts of weeping, her slim build visibly shrinking as each day passed.

  Elizabeth sat on the end of her bed on the seventh day and frowned in concern. ‘Come on, Nina. Don’t take this lying down. Go and see him and tell him how you feel. Yesterday’s paper said he’s back in town now.’

  ‘I can’t,’ Nina sobbed.

  ‘Yes, you can,’ her friend insisted. ‘You love him and you love Georgia. He needs to know.’