Defying Drakon

Gemini would just bet that she was! She was sure Angela had been aware of it and no doubt inwardly gloated about it! It wasn’t enough that she now owned the home that she knew full well Gemini had wanted for herself; the other woman was selling Bartholomew House to Lyonedes Enterprises knowing it was that company’s intention to totally change, if not obliterate, the house and grounds as Gemini knew them…

‘Intentions that I assure you I would have done everything in my power to block if I had known of them!’ she cried.

‘No doubt.’

‘It would appear that I’m only just in time to present you with my own offer.’

Drakon’s eyes narrowed as he turned slowly, allowing none of the regret he felt at seeing Gemini so pale and obviously distressed to show in the deliberate blandness of his expression. Which didn’t mean that at that moment he wouldn’t have liked to strangle Angela Bartholomew with his bare hands for being the initial cause of that distress!

He’d had no idea of the rift that existed between the two Bartholomew women when he’d entered into negotiations for the family house and grounds. Not that it would ultimately have made the slightest difference to those negotiations—but he usually made a point of being aware of any extraneous circumstances in his company’s dealings.

He did not particularly care for the way Gemini now looked at him as if he were about to commit murder! ‘What sort of offer?’ he asked.

She stood up, only to sway slightly on her feet as the effects of the wine she had just consumed kicked in. ‘Do you have a bread roll or something that I could eat?’ she asked self-consciously.

Drakon gave an impatient sigh. ‘We will sit down and eat dinner. Afterwards you will tell me about this offer you wish to make me.’

Sit down and eat dinner? Gemini felt as if even attempting to eat the bread roll she had requested would probably choke her! ‘I think we’ve gone well past the stage of politely eating dinner together, don’t you, Drakon?’ she said dully.

‘Then I suggest we impolitely eat dinner together.’ He pulled one of the chairs back from the table and looked at her pointedly.

She gave a humourless smile as she walked slowly across the room and sat down abruptly in that chair. ‘It might be as well if you gave lighting the candles a miss,’ she advised heavily.

He nodded as he stepped round the table and began to take food from the hostess trolley and place it in front of her. ‘We will not talk again until you have eaten something,’ he assured her gruffly as he sat down opposite her.

For all the notice Gemini took of the meal—smoked salmon, followed by individual beef Wellingtons and tiny roasted vegetables, with some intricate chocolate confection to finish—Drakon might as well not have bothered putting it in front of her. Gemini was only able to chew disconsolately on a bread roll as she remained lost in the misery of imagining the beauty of Bartholomew House swallowed up by a hotel complex. It was unthinkable—unacceptable that such a thing should be allowed to happen.

True to his word, Drakon remained silent throughout, only speaking again once they had reached the coffee stage of their meal.

‘It’s decaffeinated,’ he assured her as he placed a cup on the table in front of her.

At any other time, under different circumstances, Gemini would have felt warmed that a man like Drakon Lyonedes had bothered to remember her preference in coffee. Under very different circumstances! ‘Thank you,’ she accepted woodenly, before taking a sip of the black unsweetened brew.

‘You’re welcome,’ he muttered as he resumed his seat opposite her.

‘I can’t exactly claim to have enjoyed my meal,’ she said apologetically.

He shrugged. ‘Luckily the chef of my favourite London restaurant is not here to be offended by the fact that you did not eat any of the food he so expertly provided.’

Gemini shot him a frowning glance. ‘I could kick myself now for not realising Angela was up to something underhand after she refused my own offer to buy Bartholomew House from her.’

Drakon’s brows rose. ‘You made her an official offer for Bartholomew House?’

‘Oh, yes,’ she said. ‘Angela just laughed in my face.’

The more Drakon heard about Angela Bartholomew the more he disliked her. And he would certainly have preferred to be more prepared for the distress caused to Gemini by her stepmother’s mercenary nature.

He chose his words carefully. ‘Admirable as your actions were, I doubt the amount you offered even came close to the offer Lyonedes Enterprises made to your stepmother—’

‘I made sure the amount I offered slightly topped yours,’ Gemini assured him firmly.

Drakon’s eyes widened. ‘You have that sort of money at your disposal?’

‘More or less.’

His mouth twisted ruefully at the way that sea-green gaze now avoided meeting his. ‘How much more and how much less?’

Gemini stood up restlessly. ‘I do have the money,’ she reiterated distractedly.