Helen Bianchin - The Greek's Bought Wife

Tina froze, unable to utter so much as a word for several long seconds before anger ignited and threatened to explode. “You have to be joking.”

“One million dollars.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it again as she found her voice. “Go to hell,” she managed.

“Two million.”

Incredulity was uppermost. She turned, only to come to a halt as her arm was caught in a firm grasp.

His eyes held hers, their expression impossible to read. “Sit down. Please,” he added with chilling softness. “There are other options.”

“I don’t see how you can top it,” Tina ventured savagely.

“Marriage.” He paused fractionally. “To me.”

Legally wed, but he’s never said…

“I love you.”

They’re…

The series where marriages are made in haste…and love comes later….

Look out for more WEDLOCKED! wedding stories available only from Harlequin Presents ®

His Wedding-Night Heir

by Sara Craven

#2509

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ISBN: 978 1 472 03156 3

THE GREEK’S BOUGHT WIFE

© 2005 Helen Bianchin

First Published in Great Britain in 2005

Harlequin (UK) Ltd

1 London Bridge Street, London SE1 9GF

All rights reserved, including the right of reproduction in whole or in part in any form. The text of this publication or any part thereof may not be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, now known or hereinafter invented, including without limitation xerography, photocopying, recording, storage in an information retrieval system, or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher.

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All characters in this work have no existence outside the imagination of the author and have no relation whatsoever to anyone bearing the same name or names. They are not even distantly inspired by any individual known or unknown to the author, and all incidents are pure invention.

This edition is published by arrangement with Harlequin Enterprises II B.V./S.à.r.l.

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www.millsandboon.co.ukVersion: 2020-08-19

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CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

CHAPTER THIRTEEN

NIC LEANDROS eased the powerful Lexus down into the underground parking area beneath a luxurious apartment building located in Sydney’s suburban Double Bay, slid into a reserved bay and cut the engine.

His cellphone rang, and he quickly checked the caller ID, uttered a husky oath, and let the call go to MessageBank.

Sabine…again. How many times had she called today? Four…five? The woman was becoming obsessive, he admitted with a wry grimace. He hadn’t expected an easy end to the relationship. But how long would it take for Sabine to understand no meant precisely that?

It had been months since he’d cut the ties, politely refusing her veiled invitations until her protestations reached desperation point, whereupon he refused to take any of her calls. For the past several weeks she’d virtually stalked him, resorting to SMS text messaging several times a day and turning up wherever he happened to be…in his favoured Melbourne restaurants, at two parties and a fundraiser.

He’d issued a warning, followed it with legal action. Yet Sabine still persisted.

Nic crossed to the bank of lifts. He had no need to check the apartment number or the floor on which it was situated, for it was one of several owned by the Leandros Corporation and occupied until very recently by his young half-brother.

Sixteen years his junior, Vasili had been a much-loved addition to the Leandros family twenty-one years ago. To his father Paul, a delight, and the apple of Nicos’ adored stepmother Stacey’s eye.

Nic reflected on the affection they’d shared, despite the gap in their ages. Vasili’s upbringing had followed an identical path to his own…strict and loving. How else could it be beneath Stacey’s guiding hand?

Yet Vasili had developed a recklessness Nic had never aspired to. He’d sailed through scholastic studies, gained a degree in business management, and entered the Leandros Corporation at the bottom of the corporate ladder…as Nic had, succeeding without any seeming effort.

Vasili had remained in Sydney acquiring corporate skills, while Nic was based in the Melbourne head office, in between extensive travelling between America and Europe.

Yet their bond had remained a close one, despite the vagaries of distance.

Good-looking, fun, Vasili had had a love of life, girls, and fast cars…in that order.

Tragically, it had been the fast car—a Lamborghini—that caused Vasili’s death little more than two weeks ago.

Nic had been aware of the numerous girls who sought Vasili’s company, his bed, and his share of the Leandros fortune. Although Tina Matheson had been the first girl Vasili had invited to move in with him.

What Nic hadn’t known was news of Tina’s pregnancy. Stacey had been Vasili’s only confidante in that piece of information, the day before his untimely death.

There had been no mention of it…hell, no visible sign of it as the slender auburn-haired girl had stood at Vasili’s grave-side ten days ago.

Among the grief-stricken, Tina had stood apart. Cool, controlled, with a fragility he’d instinctively felt the need to ease.

Yet he’d been polite on introduction, distant as befitted the solemnity of the occasion, and had stood in silence as Stacey had issued Tina with an invitation to join the family in a private wake.

Tina’s refusal had surprised him. Given the circumstances, he’d thought she’d use any advantage to further her relationship with the Leandros family.

If he was honest, he’d have admitted he wanted to see her again in less sombre surroundings, for there was some indefinable quality about her that intrigued him.