Emma Darcy - Ruthless Milllionaire, Indecent Proposal

Her head ached from all the possible outcomes of revealing her secret before she absolutely had to. Better to wait, she decided, at least until after she’d spent tomorrow with Ari. Then she would have a better idea of what he intended where Theo was concerned and what she could or couldn’t do about it.

Tomorrow … Theo’s fifth birthday.

His first with his father.

Tina knew she was going to hate every minute of it.

CHAPTER FIVE

TINA and Theo were about to accompany her mother to breakfast in the nearby restaurant when a call from Ari came through to her room. She quickly pressed her mother to go ahead with Theo while she talked to the nice man about plans for the day. As soon as they were out of earshot she flew into attack mode, determined on knowing what she had to handle.

‘You’ve told your father about Theo, haven’t you?’ she cried accusingly.

‘Yes, I have,’ he answered calmly. ‘He had the right to know, just as I had the right to know. Which you denied me for the past five years, Christina.’

‘You made it clear that you were finished with me, Ari.’

‘You could have found me. My family is not unknown. A simple search on the Internet.’

‘Oh, sure! I can just imagine how much you would have welcomed a cast-off woman running after you. Any contact from me via computer and you would have pressed the delete button.’

‘Not if you’d told me you were pregnant.’

‘Would you have believed me?’ she challenged.

His hesitation gave her instant justification for keeping him in ignorance.

‘I thought I had taken care of contraception, Christina,’ he said, trying to justify himself. ‘I would certainly have checked. However, we now have a different situation—a connection that demands continuation. It’s best that you start getting used to that concept because I won’t be cut out of my son’s life any longer.’

The edge of hard ruthlessness in his tone told her without a doubt that he was intent on making a legal claim. A down to the wire fight over Theo was inevitable. What she needed to do now was buy time. Quelling the threatening rise of panic, she tried bargaining with him.

‘You said in Athens we could do this the easy way or the hard way, Ari.’

‘Yes. I meant it. Is there something you’d like to suggest?’

‘You messed up my life once and I guess nothing is going to stop you from messing it up again. But please … don’t make a mess of my sister’s day in the sun as a bride. That would be absolutely rotten and selfish, which is typical of your behaviour, but … I’ll make it easy for you to get to know your son over the next few days if you hold back on telling everyone else you’re his father until after the wedding.’

The silence that followed her offer was nerve-wracking. Tina gritted her teeth and laid out the hard way. ‘I’ll fight you on every front if you don’t agree, Ari.’

‘When was I ever rotten or selfish to you in our relationship?’ he demanded curtly, sounding as though his self-image was badly dented.

‘You made me believe what wasn’t true … for your own ends,’ she stated bitingly. ‘And may God damn you to hell if you do that to Theo.’

‘Enough! I agree to your deal. I shall meet you at the resort in one hour. We will spend the day happily together for our son’s pleasure.’

He cut the connection before Tina could say another word. Her hand was shaking as she returned the telephone receiver to its cradle. At least Cass’s wedding wouldn’t be spoiled, she told herself. As for the rest … the only thing she could do was deal with one day at a time.

It took Ari the full hour to get his head around Christina’s offensive reading of his character. Anger and resentment kept boiling through him. He wasn’t used to being so riled by any situation with a woman. It was because of Theo, he reasoned. It was only natural that his emotions were engaged where his son was concerned.

As for Christina, her hostility towards him was totally unreasonable. He remembered romancing her beautifully, showering her with gifts, saying all the sweet words that women liked to hear, wining and dining her, not stinting on anything that could give her pleasure. No one could have been a better first lover for her.

Was it his fault that the contraception he’d used had somehow failed to protect her from falling pregnant? He had never, never intended to mess up her life. He would have dealt honourably with the situation had he known about it. She could have been living in luxury all these years, enjoying being part of a family unit instead of struggling along with single parenthood.

That was her decision, not his. She hadn’t allowed him a decision. If there was any condemnation of character to be handed out on all of this, it should be placed at her door. It was selfish and rotten of her to have denied him the joys of fatherhood.

Yet … there was nothing selfish about not wanting anything to spoil her sister’s wedding.

And he could not recall her ever making some selfish demand on him during the time they’d spent together. Not like Felicity Fullbright. Very, very different to Felicity Fullbright. A delight to be with in every sense.

Gradually he calmed down enough to give consideration to her most condemning words … You made me believe what wasn’t true … for your own ends.

What had he made her believe?

The answer was glaringly simple when he thought about it. She’d been very young, inexperienced, and quite possibly she’d interpreted his whole seduction routine as genuine love for her. Which meant she’d been deeply hurt when he’d left her. So hurt, she probably couldn’t bear to tell him about her pregnancy, couldn’t bear to be faced with his presence again.

And she thought he might hurt Theo in the same way—apparently loving him, then leaving him.

He had to change her perception of him, make her understand he would never abandon his child. He had to show her that Theo would be welcomed into his family and genuinely loved. As for winning her over to being his wife … trying to charm her into marrying him wasn’t likely to work. Those blazing dark eyes of hers would shoot down every move he made in that direction. So what would work?

She had just offered him a deal.

Why not offer her one?

Make it a deal too attractive to refuse.

Ari worked on that idea as he drove to the El Greco resort.

‘He looks just like a Greek God,’ her mother remarked admiringly as Ari Zavros strode across the terrace to where they were still sitting in the open-air section of the restaurant, enjoying a last cup of coffee after breakfast.

Tina’s stomach instantly cramped. She had thought that once—the golden Greek with his sun-streaked hair and sparkling amber eyes and skin that shone like bronze. And, of course, it was still true. The white shorts and sports shirt he wore this morning made him look even more striking, showing off his athletic physique, the masculine strength in his arms and legs, the broad manly chest. The man was totally charismatic.

This time, however, Tina wasn’t about to melt at his feet. ‘Bearing gifts, as well,’ she said ironically, eyeing the package he was carrying under his arm.

‘For me?’ Theo cried excitedly.

Ari heard him, beaming a wide grin at his son as he arrived at their table and presented him with the large package. ‘Yes, for you. Happy birthday, Theo.’

‘Can I open it?’ Theo asked, eagerly eyeing the wrapping paper.

‘You should thank Ari first,’ Tina prompted.

‘Thank you very much,’ he obeyed enthusiastically.

Ari laughed. ‘Go right ahead. Something for you to build when you have nothing else to do.’