Bridal Bargains

‘What are you talking about?’ She frowned at the anger blazing in his eyes.

‘You—and the way you live here as if you do not really exist!’ he barked. ‘You …’ his dark face came closer ‘… almost fainting because you are suddenly doing everything so thoughtlessly that it makes a damned mockery of all that self-control you usually exert over yourself! You!’ he said forcefully. ‘Almost making the same move just now that sent you toppling on the bed a mere moment ago! And all because of what?’ he demanded. ‘A sister who has a father to look to her comfort! A sister who can damn well comfort herself because you are not moving off this island!’

‘But, you know my father!’ she cried. ‘Do you honestly think he would make time to bother visiting a child he barely remembers exists? She needs me, Alex! Me! And I have to go to her!’

‘No.’

It was that blunt—so unequivocal that Mia let out a stunned gasp of appalled disbelief. He ignored it, as he ignored her pale, pained shattered face. He let go of her wrist to walk around her.

‘In case you hadn’t noticed,’ he went on grimly, ‘I am back here earlier than usual today because I thought you might enjoy a change of scenery.’

He was back early? Mia blinked at her watch and then blinked back at him, wondering confusedly what the hell that had to do with Suzanna.

‘So I have arranged for us to eat a picnic out on a secluded bay I know on the other side of the island,’ he continued off-handedly. ‘Sofia is preparing the food for us as I speak.’

‘I’m not going to sit quietly and eat some damned picnic while Suzanna needs me!’ she gasped.

‘You will, Mia.’ It was so unusual for him to say her name that hearing it now made her blink again and stare at him—made her see exactly why he was using it. He was using it as a don’t-push-me-or-I’ll-get-nasty warning. ‘You will do exactly what I say you can do. Your sister is not your concern.’ he said. ‘The child you now carry in your womb is your concern. Get your priorities right and forget you even received that phone call for, I promise you, it will be the last one you will receive from this moment on!’

‘Oh, I see,’ she said, her mouth turning down in a derisive sneer. ‘The prisoner has now been placed in solitary confinement—is that it? I am not allowed off this stupid island in case someone guesses the shape of my body may have something to do with you! I am not allowed to speak to anyone outside these grounds in case I stupidly let them know my connection with you! Now I am not to receive phone calls from my own family in case they get the foolish impression that I still have a mind of my own to use now and then!’

‘That’s it …’ he nodded ‘… in a nutshell. Now, do you want to swim while we are there? If so, pack some swimming gear.’

‘I am not going with you!’ she shouted at him.

His eyes narrowed, his dark head lifting as if she had just reached out and struck him. ‘Don’t speak to me like that,’ he said, actually sounding shocked.

As an answer to that she walked over to her half-packed suitcase, closed it and hauled it off the bed.

She was a fool to try it, she knew that even as she attempted it. The suitcase was wrenched from her, the hand that came around her swollen body careful of the pressure it applied but demonstrating its intent none the less.

‘Now, listen to me,’ he said though gritted teeth from behind her. ‘You signed a contract whereby I have more rights over you than you have over yourself. You are carrying my child!’

‘Your passport to your most coveted dream, you mean,’ she tossed at him. ‘Other than that, I am nothing to you but the damned loss leader you had to accept if you had any chance of getting your hands on that stupid dream!’

‘Loss leader?’ he seemed rather stunned at her choice of phrase. ‘You see yourself as a loss leader? What the hell do you think I am?’

‘A cruel and heartless swine, if you keep me from going to a sick and frightened child who needs me!’ she threw at him, and pushed his arm away from her, rather surprised when he let her do it. ‘But, unlike you, I can’t treat a child’s pain and distress as nothing so I’m going—whether you like it or not!’

Reaching out, she snatched up her handbag and began to walk towards the bedroom door. Blow the case, she told herself grimly. She didn’t need it. She had money of her own. She could buy fresh clothes when she needed them. She didn’t need Alex. She could pay for her own passage off this damned island.

‘I will not let you go, you know,’ he informed her grimly.

‘I am not aware of asking your permission,’ she replied, as cold as ice and shaking so badly her legs could barely support her.

‘My men will detain you the moment you approach the gates of the villa.’

She was at the top of the landing now, her hand clutching the banister, so she felt reasonably safe in spinning to face him without risking tumbling down those stairs in another silly faint.

He was standing several feet away, but was eyeing her calculatingly, as if he was wondering what she would do if he made another dive for her.

‘Are you saying they will physically stop me?’ she demanded.

‘No,’ he conceded, ‘but I certainly will. Come away from the edge of those stairs,’ he commanded tersely. ‘Your face tells me you are struggling to stay upright.’

‘And your face tells me you have no idea whatsoever of what it is like to love someone more than you love yourself.’

‘Are you talking about your sister?’ he countered.