Painted the Other Woman

She lifted her head, staring sightlessly out over the kitchen. Once so familiar to her, now it was like an alien landscape. In front of her was not the cottage with its thick cob walls, its old fashioned cupboards and furniture, the smell of damp and mustiness.

Heat and blazing sun, and the lapping of azure waters, the feel of the sand beneath her feet and her heart full.

She felt her lungs tighten as though they must burst.

How could he do it to me? How?

How was it possible that he should have been able to take her in his arms, make love to her, and all the while it was just some cruel, calculating manoeuvre to get her out of his brother-in-law’s life?

Her tears dried on her cheeks, leaving dampened runnels and her expression like stone.

He deceived me from the very first—fooled me and conned me and lied to me. Lied in word and deed.

Grimly she stared blindly ahead. Lies, lies, lies. Foul, deceiving lies. Smiling while he lied. Kissing her while he lied. Making love to her while he lied.

She jumped to her feet as if to banish all the hot, angry, anguished thoughts from her head. Nothing could change what had happened. It was as if she’d swallowed a snake—a poisonous snake that was now biting at her with its fangs inside, injecting its venom into her blood.

Angrily she strode through the narrow corridor to the front door, seizing up her suitcases, and heading up the creaking stairs to her old bedroom. It was freezing upstairs, and the smell of damp prevailed. But what did she care? What did she care about anything any more?

He can go to hell! Go to hell and stay there!

Hatred seared through her as venomous as the poison in her veins, seeking only one target—Athan Teodarkis. The man who had brought her to this. Taken her to paradise—and then smashed her into the ground.

CHAPTER FIVE

‘ATHAN—what’s happening? What’s going on?’

Eva’s voice down the phone line from London sounded strained. Athan could hear the anxiety in it, the worry, and cursed inwardly.

‘Ian won’t explain—won’t tell me anything. But you and he have fallen out, haven’t you? I know you have.’

He took a breath and put on his most calming voice—the one he used to try and reassure her when she got stressed over things. ‘I don’t want you worrying—’ he began.

She cut across him, her voice rising in pitch. ‘How can I possibly not worry? I’m worried sick! My husband comes home and announces he’s resigned from his job! That he won’t work for you any more. Athan, what have you said to him? Why is he doing this?’

Athan’s hand around the phone receiver tightened. Ian had stormed out like a damn drama queen because he’d been shown up for the adulterous rat he was. But that was the last thing that Eva could ever know. Athan’s teeth ground together angrily. And to protect her he had to protect her husband’s dirty little secret.

‘Eva, it isn’t like that,’ he said soothingly. ‘It was a mutual decision,’ he lied. ‘Ian’s made it clear to me for some time that he’s restless, that he wants to quit.’

‘But why? I was so thrilled that you trusted him enough to take him on board!’

Athan rolled his eyes, glad his sister couldn’t see his expression. It wasn’t because he trusted Ian Randall that he’d taken him on. The complete reverse! It was because he’d wanted to keep him where he could see him—where he would have to toe the line. His mouth thinned. And that was just what he hadn’t done—and now Ian thought he could evade control by doing a runner.

Eva must not see it like that, though—that was essential. So he had to lie, to smooth it down, play it down.

‘I guess he felt a bit overpowered, Eva,’ he said. ‘It’s natural that he wants to try his wings out on his own—prove his own mettle. It could even be that he’s been head-hunted,’ he ventured placidly. ‘After all, a stint at one of the Teodarkis companies makes Ian very employable.’

His efforts to placate his sister, to assure her that her husband’s desertion was not a bad thing and did not indicate any falling out with his brother-in-law seemed to be working. Eva seemed to be calming down.

‘Well, I suppose that’s true,’ she said, her voice steadying and losing the nervous tension that had racked it when she’d first spoken. ‘But I was scared that he’d walked out because he’d quarrelled with you. You know he’s in awe of you, Athan.’ Her voice sounded sad. ‘I just want you and him to get on well together, that’s all.’

Athan said nothing. There were some things he couldn’t lie about. Like the fact that nothing could make him ‘get on well’ with the man who had married his sister against all his instinctive disapproval of the match. His sister deserved so much better than a philandering lightweight like Ian Randall.

As for what the man would do now—Athan had no idea. He’d trotted out that line about Ian being highly employable but he had no great belief in it. He knew perfectly well that others assumed Ian Randall held his prestigious position as director of marketing at one of the key subsidiaries within the Teodarkis organisation purely because his brother-in-law owned the company. He wouldn’t pick up another plum position like that out in the open market. No, without the shelter that he’d got from his brother-in-law Ian would find the corporate world a much harsher place. He might have enjoyed himself, storming out of his office, but reality would soon hit home. Athan’s lip curled. He’d take pleasure in seeing Ian come crawling back for his old job.

He gave an exasperated sigh. He’d get it, too—because Eva would be upset otherwise. In the meantime—well, Ian Randall could just stay out of his hair or do anything else he damn well liked.

With one exception.