Husband By Request

“Did you promise to take your vacation with her?”

He impaled her with a piercing gaze. “You know I didn’t. I only flew out there for a few days, to make sure everything was running smoothly.”

“Yet, according to you, her vacation isn’t supposed to be over for three weeks. Don’t you find it odd that she should cut it short by twenty-one days and then call me the second she returned to Athens on Friday, wanting to go shopping?”

“She and Maris used to love it.”

“Doesn’t she have any friends her own age?”

“Of course.”

“If she’s lived here all her life, how come I’m the only person she could think of to spend an afternoon with?”

For once he had no response.

“She knew you and I had been separated for a year, that we craved private time together. What kind of a family friend intrudes on something so personal with total disregard for our feelings? For that matter, what kind of family friend would show up every weekend of our honeymoon on the yacht? Or did you invite her and never tell me?”

Again, silence.

“Most grooms I know don’t want to see any family members or old friends on their honeymoon. Would Maris have intruded? I hardly think so. Andreas—I’m not saying these things to be mean or cruel. All I want you to do is think about her behavior. If you go on letting her be the third party in our marriage, it won’t work. A man and wife are supposed to cleave to each other. There’s no room in there for anyone else.

“Though I’d hoped never to have to tell you this, Olympia was extremely insensitive to me when we met. She put unkind words in Theo’s mouth, insinuating that you were courageous to marry me, that most men would have a problem with a woman like me.”

“She actually said those things to you?” Andreas demanded harshly.

“Yes. Those things and much more. Little insidious comments about me being too young and unsophisticated for you. She never talked to me if it wasn’t something to do with my cancer. Was I feeling all right today? Did I think I could handle marriage considering I might have to face another mastectomy down the road? Was it really fair to marry you knowing there would be a death sentence hanging over our marriage?”

He swore savagely. Maybe she was reaching him after all.

“I’ve never known a really mean-spirited person before. I assumed it had to be her extreme jealousy that brought out the worst in her. But I never imagined she’d go so far as to turn Theo against you. Didn’t you ever wonder why he became so upset he felt driven to shame you in court? You were business friends. I found his actions totally out of character. Because Olympia lived with him, I believe she played a major role in that.

“She knew what she was doing when she swore you to secrecy about the rape. It bound you to her in a new way that gave her power. It’s my opinion she’ll continue to work on you unless you put a stop to it. You’re the only one who can.

“I’ve only been in Greece a week, and already she has infiltrated our family dinner and called you at your office, begging for help. What’s next, Andreas? A phone call in the middle of the night because she wants you to come over and see what’s wrong with Ari?

“All she has to do is ask, and you come running. It’s because for years and years you’ve been programmed to respond that way, and she knows it. Only she’s not a teenager anymore. Her ploys are growing more desperate. If you can’t see that every time she calls, it’s an excuse to be with you, then what hope do we have?” she cried. “I don’t ever want to leave you, but I’ll have to if something doesn’t change.”

His mouth had gone white around the edges.

“You know how much I love you, Andreas. I came back to fight for you—for us. But she’s always there, right in the middle. We can’t possibly think about making future plans or having a baby under these circumstances.”

She’d promised herself she wouldn’t break down, but the tears fell anyway.

“Dominique—”

She heard his unspoken entreaty. For once she couldn’t respond to it.

“If you don’t mind, I’d prefer we don’t make love for a while. I could be ovulating. Even with protection, mistakes happen. As I said before, our marriage needs to be on firm ground if we’re going to become parents. Until Olympia is out of our lives, it’s never going to happen.”

Dominique had delivered her ultimatum. But she was counting on him to grab her and assure her she would never have to worry about Olympia again.

To her horror, seconds turned into minutes. Then he disappeared from the bedroom.

Another nightmare had begun—much worse than before.

“Paul?”

“Andreas—”