Nine Months To Tame The Tycoon by Chantelle Shaw, Annie West

CHAPTER FOURTEEN

DAYSLATER CORAtook a couple of hours off for an early morning trip to her favourite islet. It was probably too early to see turtle hatchlings, but she needed time alone.

Since seeing Strato she found it impossible to settle. Even when she was busy working at the hotel her thoughts strayed to him. To his apology that was only half an apology, for he still didn’t trust her. To the feeling she’d had that something was badly wrong, the tension in his tall frame evident even in the moonlight.

Wrong? Of course there was something wrong! He was convinced she was a gold-digger. It was crazy that she felt even a spark of concern for him. She was the injured party, and the one who’d bear the consequences.

Setting her jaw, she lifted her water bottle and drank, grateful for the shade of the trees at the edge of the tiny beach.

Surely in this peaceful spot she could think clearly about her future as a single mother. As yet she hadn’t noticed any physical changes but soon they’d come. She needed to think about preparing for the baby. Until now her thoughts had been a jumble, as concerned with her failed relationship with Strato as with the baby.

‘Hello, Cora.’ The deep voice came from behind her. She spun around, spilling water, and gaped.

For this was Strato as she’d never seen him. Still tall and handsome in his casual clothes, but his features were etched with lines that carved deep around his mouth and furrowed his brow. He looked sombre. More than that. He looked like a man on the brink of disaster.

‘Strato!’ Her voice cracked. ‘What is it?’ She made to get up but he gestured for her to stay where she was, seating himself nearby.

‘I’ve had the test results.’ His voice was different, no longer smooth but scratchy and tense. ‘I’m sorry. You didn’t deserve my anger that night when all you did was tell the truth. I treated you very badly.’

‘You did.’

‘I apologise unreservedly.’ His mouth hitched up at the corner in a smile that held no amusement. ‘You needed support, not anger.’

Slowly she nodded. Yet it wasn’t the way he’d treated her then that concerned her as much as his intentions now.

Cora knew they could never be a couple, no matter the hopes she’d held, or the fact that even now she saw him and wanted to smooth away that scowl and have him hold her as if he’d never let her go. But surely, sharing a child, they could build some trust, some level of friendship?

Stoically she ignored a piercing ache at the thought that was all they’d ever be. Strato had made his feelings, or lack of them, clear.

‘I don’t lie, Strato. I was always straight with you.’

‘I know.’ He shook his head. ‘I tried so hard to believe you were like all the others, lying for personal gain. I even told myself the fact you accepted my money to buy those dresses was another proof against you.’

‘But I—’

‘It’s okay, I know, Cora. I know now you didn’t access my money, because you’re too independent.’ He shook his head and for a second she thought she read warmth in his expression. ‘The fact was I simply didn’t want to believe you.’

Cora put down the water bottle and clasped her hands. ‘Because you don’t want a child.’

He nodded but didn’t offer anything more.

She waited, telling herself he’d eventually explain. There had to be a reason he’d turned from caring, considerate lover to fierce enemy in the blink of an eye.

‘I’ll support you,’ he said finally, his shadowed gaze catching hers for a moment before moving on, looking down the beach in a way that made her think he didn’t see it.

‘What do you mean by support? Money?’ She didn’t want his money but wouldn’t refuse the possibility of him helping their child when it was older. ‘Moral support? Shared parenting?’

Cora couldn’t miss his recoil at her last words. The way his jaw clenched so hard she saw the quick flick of his too-fast pulse.

‘I’m not cut out to be a father. I told you that.’ His eyes sought hers for a moment but instead of filling her with the usual warmth, that look left her chilled. ‘But anything else I can provide. Money, security, a home—’

‘I have a home. We’ll live with my father and Doris, where I grew up.’

The idea should make her happy. Except for a brief period she’d imagined a future with this man, this lover turned stranger.

‘But what about your career? You can’t get a marine biologist’s job here.’

Cora frowned at his concern. How could the man who’d treated her so outrageously worry about such a thing? He confused her more than ever.

‘I can’t work elsewhere and keep the baby with me, so I’ve no choice.’ Her smile was tight. ‘It looks like my future will be in the hotel business.’ It had been a dream to pursue her scientific work but some dreams just didn’t come true.

‘But I’ll help financially. You can hire a full-time nanny. Live wherever you like—’

‘No.’ She breathed deep before continuing. ‘I don’t want your money, Strato. We’ll do well enough.’ She lifted her hand when he made to protest. ‘I won’t object to you providing support later, maybe for university. But I’ll live on the island where I grew up. It’s more important that our child has people who love it than a fancy house and a paid nanny.’

Strato’s frown deepened at her words but he didn’t object. Why should he? She was letting him off lightly.

‘But there’s one thing I do want.’ Cora lifted her chin and fixed her gaze on his. ‘I know you don’t want to be a hands-on father.’ Even though she sensed the man she’d fallen for, the caring, fun-loving man who’d ensured she had regular contact with her father and who’d worked so hard to seek out experiences she’d appreciate, would make a terrific dad. ‘But I want our child to know you. To have a bond with you. I don’t want our baby growing up only knowing you as a distant stranger in the news.’

Family was important. Cora cherished those years when she’d had her mother. Though her relationship with her dad was special, she was grateful she’d had the chance to know and love both her parents. Strato might not be the man she’d hoped but she knew he had a caring side.

‘All I ask is that you spend some time getting to know our child. Even just a couple of days now and then but on a regular basis.’

She resisted the urge to wrap her arms around herself, because what she was asking wasn’t much for Strato but for her it would be torture, seeing him again and again, thinking of what might have been if he’d really been the man she hoped.

‘I’m sorry, Cora. But I can’t.’

‘Can’t?’ Her temper flared. ‘Surely you mean won’t! Do you really care so little about the life we’ve created together, our child, that you can turn your back on it?’

‘It’s better that way.’ His voice was harsh. ‘Some people shouldn’t be parents. Our baby will be better off without me.’

Cora heard it then. Pain. Strato’s voice sounded scraped raw, as if it hurt to talk. If that weren’t enough, the tension in his big frame spoke for itself.

‘I don’t believe that. Not of you, at any rate.’ Strato was no Prince Charming, but he had lots of good qualities. So many she still, angry as she was, couldn’t wash her hands of him.

He turned sharply, green eyes clashing with hers. For a second she thought she saw surprise there. Then his expression turned guarded and she couldn’t read anything.

‘It’s true.’ He paused. ‘But I’ll arrange for funds—’

‘No!’ Cora scrambled to her feet. ‘I don’t want your money. I want the truth. You owe me that. Why don’t you care enough to be a father to our child? I’m only asking for a couple of visits a year.’

She didn’t know if she sounded furious or pleading. Maybe both.

Strato rose in a single lithe movement. ‘You’re going to keep prodding, aren’t you?’ His chest expanded mightily as if he struggled to contain his feelings.

‘I’m simply asking you to explain. One day our child...’ her throat tightened ‘...will want to know why you didn’t care. I don’t want them believing there’s something wrong with them that made their father refuse to see them.’

His eyes widened as if he hadn’t thought about that. But instead of answering, he took out his phone and typed something. Then, in silence, he scrolled, frowning, and scrolled some more.

‘Here.’ He handed it over.

Cora blinked at the screen then back at him, but he’d already turned away as if he didn’t want to watch her read.

Man slays family!

The headline stopped her breath.

It was an old newspaper report from Brisbane about a murder-suicide. A man had been fighting his estranged wife for custody of their three children. There were accusations of violence and stalking against him. One night he got into the house where she was living, killed her, drugged their children and set fire to the house before killing himself. He’d intended them all to die together.

Cora shuddered at the appalling story, her flesh crawling. She’d heard of such violent acts but couldn’t stifle a gasp of sheer horror. The only positive piece in the whole, dreadful tale was that one child had survived.

‘I don’t understand.’ She lifted her eyes.

Strato stared straight back, his taut, beautiful face so grim her stomach curdled.

‘I remember my grandfather, just. He made his wife’s life hell. He died when I was young but he taught my father well.’ Strato paused, and Cora realised he looked physically sick. ‘That’s my father in the article. The man who killed his family.’

‘Your father?’ She goggled up at him, as if she couldn’t process his words. Strato couldn’t blame her. It was such an obscene crime.

‘Can you see the resemblance? I’ve got his looks, his height and strength.’ Strato gritted his teeth, every word paining him. It was torture even to think of his father and grandfather, much less talk about them. ‘There’s a twisted streak in my family. I refuse to pass it on or hurt another generation.’ He paused, letting that sink in. ‘I don’t dare risk being a father. It’s too dangerous.’

Cora gaped. She looked down at the article then back at him. ‘But this was in Australia and the family name isn’t Doukas.’

Strato shrugged. ‘My mother was Greek but we were born in Australia.’ He paused, his mouth twisting. ‘After that, I was adopted by my Greek aunt and uncle. I took their surname. I refused to use my father’s name again.’

Changing his identity, putting the past behind him, had been the only way to survive. Even then, for years it had felt like a half-life. He’d wanted to connect with his aunt, who’d tried so hard with him, but something held him back.

The fear of getting close. The fear of caring too much. Of losing everything again.

Was it any wonder he was a loner? He socialised, he partied. There were even a few, a very few people he liked and trusted, like his faithful secretary Manoli and Damen Nicolaides, who could have been a competitor but instead was something like a friend. Or would be, if Strato trusted himself enough to have friendships.

Yet here was Cora, wanting him to be a father! As if that were possible.

The thought of it unwound something inside him that he couldn’t allow. To the outside world Strato Doukas was the epitome of louche debauchery and self-indulgence. No one guessed at the soldered-shut lid he kept on his emotions. The fact that his inability to maintain permanent relationships was by choice, because he feared what they might reveal about him.

For his father’s and grandfather’s blood flowed in his veins.

That alone wouldn’t make him dangerous. Upbringing accounted for a lot. But he’d been eight by the time of his father’s crime. Eight years to embed his father’s twisted thinking. Who knew what that had done to his own psyche? What sort of father he’d be?

‘I...’ Cora shook her head. ‘I don’t know what to say.’

To his amazement, instead of keeping her distance, she stepped closer, taking his hand in hers, threading their fingers together.

Strato’s breath snagged in astonishment. He still recalled the weeks after the fire, the number of people who’d watched him with repugnance or fascination, as if he wore the visible taint of his father’s crime. The only exceptions had been the professionals who were paid to be kind, and his aunt.

Cora squeezed his hand and warmth flooded from his hand up his arm. His skin tingled. He couldn’t tell if it was pain as if frozen muscles thawed or something else.

He should step away but couldn’t. He looked into her grave eyes and couldn’t tear his attention away.

‘I’m so glad you survived. Though I can’t imagine how tough it’s been.’ Her voice resonated with feeling and Strato found himself wanting to reassure her that it was okay. But things weren’t okay and he couldn’t raise her hopes that his story had a happy ending.

‘How did you get away? Or don’t you want to talk about it?’

What did it matter? He’d been haunted by memories since the paternity test results. Besides, she was the first person he’d spoken to about this in over two decades and he wanted her to understand.

‘I was sick that day with a stomach upset. I hadn’t been able to keep down food and I was resting in bed. I woke to noise, but I couldn’t make out what it was. Then it all went quiet and my father came to the room, bringing hot milk to help me sleep.’

Strato had been stunned. His father wasn’t supposed to be there and he’d never before brought a bedtime drink. But Strato knew better than to ask questions of his father so he’d obediently sipped the sweetened milk.

‘He’d drugged the milk.’ Strato swallowed hard. ‘But it made me feel sick, so after he went out I tipped it out the window.’ He’d been terrified his father would find out. ‘I waited for my mother to come and say goodnight but she didn’t.’ He felt his jaw clench.

‘Strato. You don’t have to tell me. I’m sorry I asked.’ Cora held his hand with both hers now, stroking and comforting.

He curled his fingers around hers. Her touch, and her understanding, felt so good.

‘There’s not much more. Eventually I heard noises and noticed a funny, sharp smell. When I saw smoke coming under the door I tried to get out but it was locked, so I pushed out the screen on my window and got out that way.’ It sounded simple, but every moment had been fraught with fear and confusion. At eight he hadn’t known what was happening or what he should do.

‘When I got outside I saw the fire. I tried to get in another window to help Melissa and Alex, and my mother, but couldn’t get it open. So I turned to go next door for help but there was an explosion. The next thing I remember was being in a hospital bed.’ He’d been frantic about his family and for a long time no one would tell him what had happened. That dreadful limbo had felt like an extension of the nightmare.

‘That’s where you got the scar.’

Strato blinked and focused on Cora. ‘Sorry?’

‘The scar on your shoulder. It looks like a burn.’

‘Yes, it’s a memento of that night.’

‘Oh, Strato!’ Cora released his hand and stepped in, wrapping her arms around him. Her hair tickled his chin as she pressed close and more of that delicious warmth seeped into his rigid body. Oh, he could get used to this.

That was half the problem. He already was.

Even knowing he did the right thing, deciding to break with Cora, it was a struggle. Part of him wanted to forget about being responsible and grab her close. Grab everything she offered and more. As if this one remarkable woman could turn his life around.

He closed his eyes and let his arms fold around her, lightly at first, then strongly, hauling her hard against him in a convulsive movement.

He wanted her. So badly. Wanted the joy and light she’d brought him. The sincerity and honesty.

Had his father ever felt like this? Had he craved happiness and been unable to resist the allure of that one, special woman? Had he known the damage he’d do, yet been unable to resist?

Firm hands cupped the back of his head, pushing through his hair and pulling him down. Her lips, soft and intoxicating, whispered against his and the ache in his chest burst into a fiery blast of longing. Of need so deep it channelled through his bones.

Strato teetered on the brink of giving in. He needed to give in, for the force of his yearning was stronger than any temptation he’d felt in his life.

His lips opened, brushing hers and he drew in the taste of her, sweet and alluring. Peace beckoned. He bent closer.

Abruptly realisation slammed into him.

He was taking. No matter that Cora offered. That was what the men in his family did. They took and took. They demanded. And when they couldn’t have everything exactly the way they wanted...

His fingers clamped on Cora’s arms. For a second longer he lost himself in the glory of her kiss. Then he stepped back, holding her at arm’s length and looking down into drowned golden-brown eyes full of compassion.

Strato locked his jaw.

He didn’t want her compassion.

He wanted everything.

Which was why he couldn’t allow himself to have anything.

‘Cora. No. I can’t.’

Her eyes narrowed as if she looked deep into his soul. ‘But you want to.’ She said it as if it were a revelation.

‘Of course I want to. I haven’t stopped wanting you for a second! Even when I thought, hoped, you lied about being pregnant, I still craved you.’

He’d said too much. Strato saw that in the flare of emotion in her expression.

He released her and stepped back even further, making it clear there’d be no more physical contact. Though he yearned for it with a ferocity that astounded him.

Proof that he could easily become obsessive about her? He hated to think it. He’d told himself for years that he wasn’t like his old man. Yet he couldn’t take the risk.

Especially now she carried his child.

Strato had spent most of his life denying he wanted a family. It was a shock to learn how wrong he’d been. How the new life Cora carried made him think, not only of his monstrous father, but of his beloved mother and his siblings. Of the times the four of them had been happy. Of the bond they’d shared and how he still missed them.

Why had he escaped when they hadn’t?

‘Strato?’ He realised his gaze had dropped to Cora’s abdomen where she cradled his child.

‘Sorry?’

‘I still want you too.’ Her smile was an endearingly crooked line.

It was more than he’d let himself hope, after the way he’d treated her. ‘I don’t deserve you, Coritsa.’

The terrible thing was that, even now, he was tempted to do something irresponsible and dangerous, like pretend he was an ordinary guy, and persuade her to stay with him.

‘You see now why I can’t be a father. Our child deserves better.’

So did she.

‘You can’t—’

‘I can and I will.’ He forced his shoulders back, standing straight and shoving his hands into his pockets. ‘Don’t you see, I can’t afford to take the risk? Not with you or our baby.’

They meant so much to him. More than he’d dreamed possible. Imagine how possessive of them he’d grow as time progressed. He had to cut these ties before they twisted into something ugly.

Slowly Cora shook her head. ‘You’re not that sort of man.’

‘Aren’t I? How do you know?’

‘I know something about you, Strato. It wasn’t just sex we shared, remember?’ A flash of temper warmed her gaze and he felt it as a delicious shiver down his spine. He’d give everything to bask in that freely. ‘I know a lot about you. Enough to know you’re not cruel or—’

‘Manipulative? Have you forgotten how I coerced you into being my lover? How I used your concern for your father for my own ends?’

‘I haven’t forgotten, Strato. But I had a choice. I could have said no. You didn’t force me.’

His mouth tightened. How had he forgotten her obstinacy?

‘It doesn’t concern you that I’m possessive?’

‘You are?’ Instead of looking worried Cora’s face brightened.

Strato frowned. ‘I spent all that evening in Athens fuming whenever another man tried to flirt with you. I hated the way they salivated over you in that red dress. I wanted to shove them all away, or, better yet, take you somewhere private where only I could admire you.’

‘I like that you didn’t want to share me with other men.’

‘Don’t you see? That’s not a good thing. Jealousy is a curse. It’s a step on the way to obsession.’

The trait of his father’s he most feared. The man had been a control freak, seeing his wife and children as extensions of himself. They were supposed to do what he said at all times.

Cora shook her head. ‘Not necessarily. I felt jealous of those women eating you up with their eyes. And I’m not obsessive.’

‘What women?’

She made an impatient sound. ‘The women at the dinner in Athens. I’m sure some of them would have gone with you if you’d invited them.’ She looked away then darted a sideways glance at him. ‘Then there are all those other women you’ve been with. I don’t like them. Any of them.’

Astonished, Strato rocked back on his heels.

Cora sounded jealous.

Where had that come from?

‘I think the fact you didn’t like other men looking at me is positive. It means you feel the connection between us too.’ Now she looked him straight in the eye, chin up and hands on her hips. The sight made something in his chest roll over. He liked her feistiness, her determination.

Liked? There was an understatement. He felt too much for this woman. The temptation to ignore the risk and pursue what sounded like an invitation was too alluring. He had to end this, now.

‘I’m sorry, Cora, but it can’t be. Ever. I know where feelings like that could lead me.’ Because his father’s taint loomed like a shadow. Strato’s next breath felt like a blade slicing his lungs. ‘I experienced it. You didn’t. I refuse to take a chance of something like that happening to you or our child.’

The fire in her eyes dimmed. Her pugnacious attitude softened. ‘Oh, Strato, you—’

‘My lawyers will be in touch about a settlement.’ He turned away, knowing he had to go before he reached for her again.

‘Wait!’

He paused, but didn’t turn back.

‘Please, give me one more day before you leave. There may be things we need to discuss. Things I’d prefer to talk with you about, not a lawyer.’

Strato narrowed his eyes against the glitter of sunlight on the sea. But it wasn’t the view he saw, it was Cora. She filled his mind, his soul, even the heart he’d tried to tell himself he no longer possessed.

‘Very well. I’ll stay another twenty-four hours.’ But he prayed, with a fervour he hadn’t felt for decades, that Cora would see sense and not drag this out. Better that he leave and never look back.