Kate Hewitt - The Marakaios Marriage

Errant wife. So he blamed her. Of course he did. And she knew he had a right to blame her—because she’d left him without an explanation or even, as he’d said, a warning. But he’d forced her to leave, even if he couldn’t or wouldn’t ever understand that.

‘It’s been six months, Antonios,’ she told him coolly, ‘and you haven’t been in touch once. I think it’s reasonable for me to be surprised to see you.’

‘Didn’t you think I’d ever come, demanding answers?’

‘I gave you an answer—’

‘A two-sentence email is not an explanation, Lindsay.’

He held up a hand to forestall her reply, although she couldn’t think of anything to say.

‘But don’t worry yourself on that account. I have no interest in your explanations.’

Frustration bubbled through her and emotion burned in her chest. Maybe she hadn’t had so many words when she’d finally left, but that was because she’d used them all up. Antonios hadn’t heard any of them.

‘The reason I’m here,’ he continued, his voice hard and unyielding, ‘is because I need you to return to Greece.’

Her jaw dropped and she shook her head in an instantaneous gut reaction.

‘I can’t—’

‘You’ll find you can, Lindsay. You pack a bag and get on a plane. It’s that easy.’

Powerful Greeks meet their match!

Proud Greek blood flows through the veins of brothers Antonios and Leonidas Marakaios. With determination and ruthlessness they have built their family’s empire to global heights.

It has been their sole focus—even to the exclusion of love.

But now two women look set to challenge their pride, their passion and their marriage vows!

Read Antonios’s story in:

The Marakaios Marriage

May 2015

And meet Leonidas in:

The Marakaios Baby

August 2015

The Marakaios

Marriage

Kate Hewitt

www.millsandboon.co.uk

After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, KATE HEWITTnow lives in a small village in the English Lake District with her husband, their five children and a Golden Retriever. In addition to writing intensely emotional stories she loves reading, baking, and playing chess with her son—she has yet to win against him, but she continues to try.

Learn more about Kate at www.kate-hewitt.com

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To Pippa Roscoe—thank you for your invaluable feedback on this story.

Contents

Cover

Excerpt ‘You have no idea why I might be here, Lindsay? No reason to wonder why I might come looking for my errant wife?’ Errant wife. So he blamed her. Of course he did. And she knew he had a right to blame her—because she’d left him without an explanation or even, as he’d said, a warning. But he’d forced her to leave, even if he couldn’t or wouldn’t ever understand that. ‘It’s been six months, Antonios,’ she told him coolly, ‘and you haven’t been in touch once. I think it’s reasonable for me to be surprised to see you.’ ‘Didn’t you think I’d ever come, demanding answers?’ ‘I gave you an answer—’ ‘A two-sentence email is not an explanation, Lindsay.’ He held up a hand to forestall her reply, although she couldn’t think of anything to say. ‘But don’t worry yourself on that account. I have no interest in your explanations.’ Frustration bubbled through her and emotion burned in her chest. Maybe she hadn’t had so many words when she’d finally left, but that was because she’d used them all up. Antonios hadn’t heard any of them. ‘The reason I’m here,’ he continued, his voice hard and unyielding, ‘is because I need you to return to Greece.’ Her jaw dropped and she shook her head in an instantaneous gut reaction. ‘I can’t—’ ‘You’ll find you can, Lindsay. You pack a bag and get on a plane. It’s that easy.’

Introduction The Marakaios Brides Powerful Greeks meet their match! Proud Greek blood flows through the veins of brothers Antonios and Leonidas Marakaios. With determination and ruthlessness they have built their family’s empire to global heights. It has been their sole focus—even to the exclusion of love. But now two women look set to challenge their pride, their passion and their marriage vows! Read Antonios’s story in: The Marakaios Marriage May 2015 And meet Leonidas in: The Marakaios Baby August 2015

Title Page The Marakaios Marriage Kate Hewitt www.millsandboon.co.uk

About the Author After spending three years as a diehard New Yorker, KATE HEWITT now lives in a small village in the English Lake District with her husband, their five children and a Golden Retriever. In addition to writing intensely emotional stories she loves reading, baking, and playing chess with her son—she has yet to win against him, but she continues to try. Learn more about Kate at www.kate-hewitt.com

Dedication To Pippa Roscoe—thank you for your invaluable feedback on this story.

CHAPTER ONE

CHAPTER TWO

CHAPTER THREE

CHAPTER FOUR

CHAPTER FIVE

CHAPTER SIX

CHAPTER SEVEN

CHAPTER EIGHT

CHAPTER NINE

CHAPTER TEN

CHAPTER ELEVEN

CHAPTER TWELVE

Extract

Copyright

CHAPTER ONE

‘HELLO, LINDSAY.’

How could two such innocuous-sounding words cause her whole body to jolt, first with an impossible joy, and then with a far more consuming dread? A dread that seeped into her stomach like acid, corroding those few seconds of frail, false happiness as she registered the cold tone of the man she’d once promised to love, honour and obey.

Her husband, Antonios Marakaios.

Lindsay Douglas looked up from her computer, her hands clenching into fists in her lap even as her gaze roved helplessly, hungrily over him, took in his familiar features now made strange by the coldness in his eyes, the harsh downturn of his mouth. With her mind still spinning from the sight of him, she said the first thing that came into it.

‘How did you get in here?’

‘You mean the security guard?’ Antonios sounded merely disdainful, but his whisky-brown eyes glowed like banked coals. ‘I told him I was your husband. He let me through.’

She licked her dry lips, her mind spinning even as she forced herself to focus. Think rationally. ‘He shouldn’t have,’ she said. ‘You have no business being here, Antonios.’

‘No?’ He arched an eyebrow, his mouth curving coldly, even cruelly. ‘No business seeing my wife?’

She forced herself to meet that burning gaze, even though it took everything she had. ‘Our marriage is over.’

‘I am well aware of that, Lindsay. It’s been six months, after all, since you walked out on me without any warning.’

She heard the accusation in his voice but refused to rise to it. There was no point now; their marriage was over, just as she’d told him.