A Stormy Greek Marriage (The Drakos Baby 2)

‘Did Alexei ask you to do this?’ she prompted tautly.

‘Naturally I’m following Mr Drakos’ instructions,’ Baccus informed her with scrupulous politeness.

Billie felt as if she had just been slapped in the face and her cheeks reddened afresh. Even though Alexei might appear to be wandering without purpose around Europe he had still contrived to consult his lawyers and it cut her even deeper to learn that he had instructed them to have their baby son DNA tested in spite of the fact that he knew that Billie was against it. A tense silence settled while Billie considered her options. Of course she could withhold her consent to the test. Possibly Alexei even expected her to refuse and he would undoubtedly consider a negative response as yet more evidence that she was lying. It might be humiliating to agree to her son being tested, Billie conceded angrily, but at least it would prove his identity. That at least would force Alexei to accept that their intimate encounter had actually happened somewhere other than in her imagination.

The doctor explained the simple procedure. Billie scooped up Nicky. A swab was taken from inside her child’s mouth. Although it was accomplished in seconds and without causing her child the slightest annoyance or discomfort, the whole scene felt unreal to Billie and very much like a nasty invasion of their privacy. Had she and Alexei truly reached such an impasse that he had to treat her like this? And communicate with her only through his legal representatives? She watched the men leave and shivered as Hilary came up behind her and squeezed her taut shoulder in a quiet gesture of support and understanding.

‘It had to be done,’ her aunt said quietly. ‘When Alexei realises that that little boy is his, everything is sure to change for the better.’

It was typical of Hilary to cherish an optimistic outlook. Billie was less confident. Was Alexei ready to be a father? She didn’t think so. Would he begin to understand why she had behaved as she had? Or was she to be for ever condemned as a disgusting liar by a guy who had never had to adjust his black and white take on ethics for anyone’s benefit?

‘I think I’ll go for a walk on the beach—’

‘I’ll put Nicky down for his nap,’ Hilary cut in, well aware that her niece was eager to escape listening to what her mother would have to say about the DNA testing Nicky had just undergone.

A slender elegant figure in cropped brown trousers and a gold T-shirt, Billie paused at the roadside to allow a car to drive past. She gave a weak smile when the car stopped and Damon Marios lowered the window to greet her. ‘I was just about to call on you—’

‘I’m going down to the beach.’

With a nod as if she had issued an invitation, Damon parked his car on the broad verge and got out to join her.

‘I don’t think that us being seen together is likely to do either of us any good,’ Billie remarked, secretly squirming with the anxiety over her marriage, which was urging her to exercise a rare kind of extreme caution. But when Alexei was being seen out and about with Calisto, what was she worrying about?

Damon cupped her elbow to steady her as she stumbled on her descent of the sloping ground that led down to the beach. ‘Well, don’t worry on my behalf. I’m getting a divorce…’

Billie turned dismayed eyes on him. ‘But I thought you and Ilona were back together again.’

Damon released a rueful laugh. ‘Yes, we were, but only briefly. I’m afraid the reconciliation didn’t work out. Two years ago, Ilona fell for a colleague at work and had an affair and now that she’s finally prepared to come clean on that score with her family and mine, we are both free to move on.’

Taken aback by that frank explanation, Billie spun and rested a sympathetic hand on his sleeve. ‘I had no idea, Damon…I’m truly sorry.’

‘It’s most sad for our daughters. They don’t understand why their mother is now bringing another man into their lives,’ Damon replied heavily as he reached for her hand and squeezed her fingers. ‘Ilona and I tried really hard to make a go of our marriage for their sake but we failed.’

Billie squeezed his arm. ‘How are your family taking it?’

Damon rolled his eyes and grimaced. ‘Like it’s the end of the world, like nobody ever got a divorce before; like Ilona has suddenly become the most wicked woman on Speros.’

‘I thought that was me!’

‘Your husband’s reputation goes before him. Everyone suspects Alexei of double-dealing.’

‘In this case they would be wrong.’

‘But not if the rumour that your aunt’s child is in fact yours is actually true,’ Damon chipped in, curious dark eyes settling on her flushed face.

‘That is true,’ Billie confirmed, since she had insisted that that deception was dropped the day after her wedding when she travelled back to the island alone. She could see that Damon was dying to ask who Nicky’s father was and that only good manners were restraining him, but she dropped the subject. She had no intention of sharing her innermost secrets with the son of one of the biggest gossips in th

e village.

Forty-eight hours later, having stayed in London long enough to secure the purchase of several oil super-tankers at a fantastic price, Alexei flew home. The sun was going down over the island of his birth in a blaze of fire on the horizon. Full of all the splintering energy and impatience that characterised him, he sprang out of the helicopter and strode towards the villa whose many windows were reflecting the vivid skies. Most of his staff greeted him in the front hall. His keen gaze narrowed, for the one person he had expected to see was nowhere to be seen. He strolled down to the master suite to check out his suspicions and glanced into the dressing room. Thirty seconds later, he summoned Helios, his head of security, and asked a question. The answer he received infuriated him.

Billie was alone in her house when Alexei arrived. He walked straight through the back door, noting and disapproving of the fact that it was unlocked as it facilitated his entry. ‘Billie?’ he called out, frowning at the silence.

The kitchen was tidy, the living area empty. A black fluffy puppy peered out from behind a sofa at him, uttered a tiny tentative little bark and then hurriedly disappeared again, duty evidently done. Alexei’s attention dwelt briefly on the basket of colourful toys and arrowed away again. Hearing music playing, he glanced into a bedroom and then noted the triangle of light showing to the side of the bathroom door, which had been left ajar.

Billie was enjoying a rare moment of self-indulgence and relaxation in the bath. Hilary had taken Nicky down to the village to see Lauren. She had not heard Alexei arrive because of the music and when the door opened she gasped in dismay and sat up in a sudden movement, water sloshing noisily round her. When Alexei appeared she was thunderstruck because he was the very last person she had expected to see.

Alexei focused on Billie in her sea of bubbles. Her creamy skin was wet and slick, the rounded globes of her rosy-tipped breasts invitingly pert and moist. His reaction to her was instantaneous; his body, which had been infuriatingly indifferent to the presence of other women, stirred into a rampant erection. Her generous pink mouth fell open on his name and, looking at the soft pink cushiony proportions of her lips, he knew for the first time in days exactly what he wanted and marvelled at the strength of his craving.